Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass
A two-time Male Vocalist of the Year winner; and the 2nd generation of a renowned Bluegrass.
Danny Paisley and The Southern Grass continue to be deeply rooted in tradition but look to the future with enthusiasm and anticipation. This year brings renewed excitement as the group has earned significant chart action for their Pinecastle Records release, Bluegrass Troubadour.
Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass play powerful, unadorned, and intense traditional bluegrass. There is no hybrid or genre-bending music here. Their combination of instrumentation and vocals convey the energy and emotion of classic bluegrass and country music. Danny’s lead vocals will captivate your senses, so much so that many prominent musicians, including Alison Krauss, have considered Danny as one of their favorite singers. His voice combines powerful range and soulful blues with a sound like no one else in bluegrass today.
Dave Adkins Band
Dave Adkins’ extraordinary vocal and songwriting talents are evident from his numerous albums on Mountain Fever Records, including Better Days, Right or Wrong, Nothin’ to Lose, and his self-titled album, Dave Adkins, that shot to #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Album Chart immediately upon its release. During his impressive career, Adkins has achieved a long list of awards and nominations in the bluegrass, country music, and gospel music industry, along with achievements for his songwriting talents.
Dave Adkins’ extraordinary vocals can be heard on the 2020 Grammy-Nominated Best Americana Roots Gospel Album, Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout, which features songs written and co-written by the award-winning songwriter Rick Lang. Critics praised Adkins’ stellar vocals on the powerful song “Thinking Outside the Box,” where he is joined by the vocal talents of Tammy King and Jerry Salley, contributing to the album’s success.
Dave Adkins’ extraordinary vocal and songwriting talents are evident from his numerous albums on Mountain Fever Records, including Better Days, Right or Wrong, Nothin’ to Lose, and his self-titled album, Dave Adkins, that shot to #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Album Chart immediately upon its release. During his impressive career, Adkins has achieved a long list of awards and nominations in the bluegrass, country music, and gospel music industry, along with achievements for his songwriting talents.
Dave Adkins’ extraordinary vocals can be heard on the 2020 Grammy-Nominated Best Americana Roots Gospel Album, Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout, which features songs written and co-written by the award-winning songwriter Rick Lang. Critics praised Adkins’ stellar vocals on the powerful song “Thinking Outside the Box,” where he is joined by the vocal talents of Tammy King and Jerry Salley, contributing to the album’s success.
Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike
Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike have rocked the bluegrass world for over two decades with a string of national and international tours and critically acclaimed recordings. Liberty Pike (Wally Hughes dobro, fiddle, Lisa Kay Howard Hughes, mandolin, Joe Zauner banjo, guitar, Valerie Smith guitar, lead vocals and featuring legendary Hall-of-Famer Tom Gray on bass), are audience pleasers as well as passionate musicians. Valerie is an award-winning and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter who has appeared on various television shows, including Ronnie Reno's, the Bluegrass Underground, Song of the Mountains, PBS, and more. Her single "From a Distance" (featuring Claire Lynch and Irene Kelley) has remained on the Grassicana charts for over a year. Valerie co-produced her upcoming album with Tim Carter (Renaissance - release September 3, 2021). "I Found" charted on the Folk, Grassicana and Roots Music Report Charts, "Heartbreak Hill" charted on the Bluegrass Today Grassicana chart. She has also written a Bluegrass-Folk opera based on her great grandmother's writings "Maggie's Journal" (release 2022). In addition to many upcoming tour dates, the band continues to create music released by Bell Buckle Records.
Valerie Smith and Liberty Pike have rocked the bluegrass world for over two decades with a string of national and international tours and critically acclaimed recordings. Liberty Pike (Wally Hughes dobro, fiddle, Lisa Kay Howard Hughes, mandolin, Joe Zauner banjo, guitar, Valerie Smith guitar, lead vocals and featuring legendary Hall-of-Famer Tom Gray on bass), are audience pleasers as well as passionate musicians. Valerie is an award-winning and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter who has appeared on various television shows, including Ronnie Reno's, the Bluegrass Underground, Song of the Mountains, PBS, and more. Her single "From a Distance" (featuring Claire Lynch and Irene Kelley) has remained on the Grassicana charts for over a year. Valerie co-produced her upcoming album with Tim Carter (Renaissance - release September 3, 2021). "I Found" charted on the Folk, Grassicana and Roots Music Report Charts, "Heartbreak Hill" charted on the Bluegrass Today Grassicana chart. She has also written a Bluegrass-Folk opera based on her great grandmother's writings "Maggie's Journal" (release 2022). In addition to many upcoming tour dates, the band continues to create music released by Bell Buckle Records.
Southern Raised
Southern Raised, a bluegrass band from the Ozark mountains that has created a trademark sound where classical meets bluegrass and city streets meets country roads.
Collectively we have received nominations from Singing News Fan Awards, Diamond Awards, Front Porch Fellowship and a staggering 32 SPBGMA Midwest nominations, Bass Performer of the Year, nominated 4- time Fiddle Performer of the Year, Band of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Christian Country Album of the Year, to name a few.
ETSU Bluegrass Band
ETSU has been the leading institution for bluegrass, old-time, and country music in higher education since 1982. It is their purpose to honor the ways that these styles of music have been handed down for generations, while also encouraging innovation and exploration of related and newly emerging musical styles.
Musicians who will be playing for you, may be unknown to many of us. But after graduating from this "Bluegrass School" they move on to big things in the Bluegrass World. So many top musicians in Bluegrass world have come form this school
Dan Boner will be there with the best musicians the school has to offer. You will love them!
ETSU has been the leading institution for bluegrass, old-time, and country music in higher education since 1982. It is their purpose to honor the ways that these styles of music have been handed down for generations, while also encouraging innovation and exploration of related and newly emerging musical styles.
Musicians who will be playing for you, may be unknown to many of us. But after graduating from this "Bluegrass School" they move on to big things in the Bluegrass World. So many top musicians in Bluegrass world have come form this school
Dan Boner will be there with the best musicians the school has to offer. You will love them!
Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band widely recognized as one of the most exciting young bands in acoustic music, plays a unique mix of Bluegrass, Dawg, Jazz and original modern acoustic music. Brothers Miles and Teo Quale are joined by bassist Andrew Osborn and guitarist John Gooding, outstanding young musicians of the vibrant California bluegrass scene. Nominated for the 2021 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Band Momentum Award and winners of the 2018 Pickin’ in the Pines Band Contest in Flagstaff AZ, CUBG is making waves in the world of bluegrass and acoustic music.
Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band has opened for prestigious bands, including Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives and David Grisman Bluegrass Experience. The band has played at venues such as IBMA’s World of Bluegrass Festival, CBA’s Father's Day Bluegrass Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, SF’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and Arizona’s Pickin’ in the Pines. Internationally, the band played at Bluegrass in La Roche, France in 2022 and in 2019, they traveled throughout Finland on a 10-day tour, culminating at Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. In 2018, the band was featured on a TEDTalk with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Phoebe Hunt.
In 2018, the band released their eponymous album, Crying Uncle. And in 2020, they released their sophomore album, Monroe Bridge. Monroe Bridge, which features guest artists fiddler Chad Manning and mandolinist Sharon Gilchrist, was produced by David Grisman Bluegrass Experience banjoist Keith Little and mastered at Berkeley’s Opus Studios. In 2021, the bluegrass band came out with an EP of mostly self-written tunes, Till I Dance Again with You, inspired by a year of “isolating” during the pandemic. Most recently, they released their newest album, The Thing of Dreams.
Crying Uncle Bluegrass Band has opened for prestigious bands, including Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives and David Grisman Bluegrass Experience. The band has played at venues such as IBMA’s World of Bluegrass Festival, CBA’s Father's Day Bluegrass Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, SF’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and Arizona’s Pickin’ in the Pines. Internationally, the band played at Bluegrass in La Roche, France in 2022 and in 2019, they traveled throughout Finland on a 10-day tour, culminating at Kaustinen Folk Music Festival. In 2018, the band was featured on a TEDTalk with Nashville-based singer/songwriter Phoebe Hunt.
In 2018, the band released their eponymous album, Crying Uncle. And in 2020, they released their sophomore album, Monroe Bridge. Monroe Bridge, which features guest artists fiddler Chad Manning and mandolinist Sharon Gilchrist, was produced by David Grisman Bluegrass Experience banjoist Keith Little and mastered at Berkeley’s Opus Studios. In 2021, the bluegrass band came out with an EP of mostly self-written tunes, Till I Dance Again with You, inspired by a year of “isolating” during the pandemic. Most recently, they released their newest album, The Thing of Dreams.