GRASSTOWNE (ALAN BIBEY & GRASSTOWNE)

• From Knoxville, Tennessee.
• Formed in 2006 by Phil Leadbetter (formerly with Wildfire), Steve Gulley (formerly with Mountain Heart) and Alan Bibey (formerly with Blue Ridge). Also in the original band: Jason Davis (banjo) and Lee Sawyer (bass).
• 2007, Jamie Booher (of the Boohers) replaced Sawyer on bass. A year later, he left to join Newfound Road.
• 2007, released first album Road Headin Home (Pinecastle).
• 2009, released second album The Other Side of Towne (Pinecastle).
• 2010, Phil Leadbetter left the band. Bibey and Gulley were joined by new members Justin Jenkins (banjo), Kameron Keller (bass) and Adam Haynes (fiddle).
• 2011, Steve Gulley left to join Dale Ann Bradley. He was replaced by Dustin Pyrtle, nephew of Lou Reid.
• 2011, released third album Kickin’ Up Dust (Rural Rhythm).
• 2012, Ronnie Bowman replaced Pyrtle on guitar and lead vocals.
• 2013, Shannon Slaughter joined the band playing guitar and singing lead vocals.
• 2014, Jimmy Haley and Gena Britt joined the band. New lineup: Haley (guitar), Britt (bass), Jenkins (banjo) and Bibey (mandolin). The group was re-branded as Alan Bibey and Grasstowne.
• 2018, added Michael Bentley on guitar and vocals (who also performs with Cumberland Gap Connection); also added Laura Oshaw (fiddle). Other band members include Britt (banjo), Zac MacLamb (bass) and bandleader Bibey (mandolin).
• 2018, Justin Jenkins re-joined the band, replacing Britt on banjo.
• 2019, Tony Watt (husband of fiddler Laura Orshaw) joined the band, replacing Bentley on guitar.
• 2020, Kati Penn joined the band, replacing Laura Orshaw who left to join the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys.
• 2022, Watt left the band and was replaced by Jeff Huffman.