Dry Branch Fire Squad, The

Posted on by WR

THE DRY BRANCH FIRE SQUAD

  • From Springfield, Ohio.
  • Formed in 1976 by mandolinist Ron Thomason.
  • The band is known for playing a raw style of mountain music along with Thomason’s self-deprecating hillbilly humor.
  • They are the host band for the annual “Grey Fox” Bluegrass Festival in New York.
  • Thomason’s first pro job: 1971, with Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys. (Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley were also members of that group.)
  • Bandleader Thomason was an English teacher and assistant principal at a junior high school near his home (retired in 1999). He is a prolific writer and story teller. He has also raised and trained Arabian horses. Retired to live in Colorado (near Pike’s Peak). He is an avid hiker and rock climber.
  • They recorded 16 albums for Rounder Records including Thirtieth Anniversary Special (2007).
  • 2014, released Don’t Forget This Song and Gospel Way albums (no label).