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Nashville Bluegrass Band

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THE NASHVILLE BLUEGRASS BAND

  • From Nashville, Tennessee.
  • 1984, the band was formed by Alan O’Bryant (banjo) and Pat Enright (guitar). They put together the band as part of a traveling show called “Grand Old Country with Minnie Pearl.” Original members included Mark Hembree (bass) and Mike Compton (mandolin). Blaine Sprouse was added early on to play fiddle and was later replaced by Stuart Duncan.
  • O’Bryant, from Reidsville, North Carolina, previously performed with The Bluegrass Band, a group that included Butch Robins, Ed Dye and Blaine Sprouse. He began his musical career in 1974 with James Monroe. Also worked with the Front Porch String Band (an Alabama group) and did some studio work in Nashville.
  • Enright formerly performed with Tasty Licks (a New England Band) and Phantoms of the Opry (San Francisco).
  • 1985, released their first album My Native Home (Rounder), produced by Bela Fleck. Blaine Sprouse played fiddle on this album.
  • 1986, released Idle Time album (Rounder), also produced by Fleck. This is the first album featuring Stuart Duncan on fiddle.
  • 1986, became the first bluegrass group to perform in Red China.
  • 1987, released To Be His Child album (Rounder).
  • 1988, Roland White (mandolin) and Gene Libbea (bass) joined the group, replacing Mike Compton and Mark Hembree, who were seriously injured that year when the group’s bus was involved in a traffic accident. White had previously performed with the Country Gazette, Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass, Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys and the Kentucky Colonels
  • 1988, released New Moon Rising album (Sugar Hill) with Peter Rowan.
  • 1990, released The Boys Are Back In Town album (Sugar Hill).
  • 1991, released Home Of The Blues album (Sugar Hill).
  • 1991, did a tour in Brazil with country singer Don Williams.
  • 1992, won an IBMA Award for Song of the Year (“Blue Train.”)
  • 1993, won their 4th IBMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year (also won in 1990, 1991 and 1992.)
  • 1993, won the IBMA Award for Entertainer of the Year.
  • 1994, toured with Lyle Lovett.
  • 1994, recorded with actress/singer Bernadette Peters.
  • 1994, won Grammy Award for the album Waitin’ For The Hard Times To Go (Sugar Hill).
  • 1995, performed at a private party for the rock band R.E.M.
  • 1996, performed with Johnny Cash on the soundtrack to the movie “Dead Man Walking” starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn.
  • 1996, performed at Wynona Judd’s wedding reception.
  • 1996, won the Grammy Award for the album Unleashed (Sugar Hill).
  • 1998, released American Beauty album (Sugar Hill).
  • 2000, Pat Enright’s voice (and yodeling) was a member of the “Soggy Bottom Boys” in the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou.”
  • 2001, Roland White retired from the band and mandolinist Mike Compton returned.
  • 2002, they were on the “Down from the Mountain” tour, featuring the music from the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
  • 2004, released Twenty Year Blues album (Sugar Hill).
  • 2006, performed at the White House for a reception for Chinese President Hu Jintao.
  • 2007, released Best Of The Sugar Hill Years (Sugar Hill).