GARY FERGUSON
- From Sandy Springs, Maryland. Lives in Littlestown, Pennsylvania (near Gettysburg).
- 1980, performed in a Baltimore area band called Bittersweet.
- Played in a rock band until his conversion to bluegrass in 1977 at the Union Grove Fiddler’s Convention.
- During the Vietnam War, worked in an ammunition plant in Texarkana, Texas.
- First bluegrass band: Snodgrass. Others: The Garris Brothers, Bittersweet, and Redwood (with banjo whiz Chris Warner).
- 1985, formed The Gary Ferguson Band.
- Holds the distinction of being the only songwriter to reach the finals of the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest five times.
- 1995, released I’m Really Leaving
album (Webco/Pinecastle).
- 1997, his song “Last Day at Gettysburg” was recorded by Larry Sparks and spent a year on the Bluegrass Unlimited charts.
- 2000, formed a duo with vocalist Sally Love (who also is the former director of the Insect Zoo, appearing regularly as the “Bug Lady” on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with David Letterman.) In 2007, she joined Seneca Rocks, a new band with Dudley Connell (whom she married) and other former members of the Johnson Mountain Boys.
- 2004, formed a duo with 17-year-old guitar whiz Jordan Tice. Also sitting in with the Emory Lester Set and the Lonesome Road Band (Arkansas group.)
- 2009, formed an Irish group called “Ferguson, Holmes and Henry” with Janet Holmes and Colin Henry (of Belfast, Ireland.) He tours Ireland every Summer.
- 2014, released Songs of Mine
album (no label).
- 2022, released Ferguson’s Farewell: The Irish Connection album (no label).
- 2023, released Distant Brothers album (no label) with Irish musician Colin Henry.