CLIFF WALDRON
- From Northern Virginia; originally from Jolo, West Virginia.
- 1964-66, played with a group called the Page Valley Boys.
- 1967, began professional musical career with Bill Emerson. Emerson and Waldron recorded several albums for Rebel Records, and was the first to record the Manfred Mann song “Fox on the Run” in a bluegrass style.
- Worked briefly with The Shenandoah Cutups before forming The New Shades of Grass (1968-74), a group that recorded seven albums for Rebel Records.
- 1974, went to work for the National Park Service full time.
- 1975, became a devout Christian and formed a gospel band.
- 1985, had severe health problems which resulted in a kidney transplant.
- 1996, retired from the National Park Service and returned to playing bluegrass music.
- 2001, recorded a gospel album with Paul Williams called “Higher Ground.”
- 2021, he was presented with the IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award.