Award-winning fiddler Michael Cleveland brings dynamic traditional bluegrass to the stage with his band, Flamekeeper, in a show that will leave the audience talking. A seven-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association's Fiddle Performer of the Year award, Mike and his talented band present a program of tight vocal trios and duos,
blistering instrumentals, and fiddle-and-banjo duets that echo the first-generation stars of bluegrass. The show is rounded out with Mike's dry wit and the band's sense of fun.
Considered one of the premier bluegrass fiddlers of his generation,
Mike picked up a fiddle at age four, and his talent was recognized early. In 1993 he was chosen to be part of the Bluegrass Youth All Stars at the
IBMA's award show. Later that year Mike made his Grand Ole Opry debut as a guest of Alison Krauss. His list of guest appearances over the years is a who's who of bluegrass legends including Bill Monroe, Jim and Jesse, Ralph Stanley, Mac Wiseman, Doc Watson, Larry Sparks, Doyle Lawson, and J.D. Crowe.
After high school Mike briefly toured with then-named Dale Ann Bradley and Coon Creek before joining Rhonda Vincent and The Rage in 2000. At the 2001 IBMA awards, Mike took his first Fiddle Performer
of the Year award, and shared the title of Entertainer of the Year with Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. In 2002 Mike rejoined The Dale Ann
Bradley Band. That year he won the Fiddle Performer of the Year award and again in 2004.
Mike's first project as a Rounder recording artist, "Flame Keeper," was released in February 2002 and was chosen the IBMA's Instrumental Album of the Year. In 2004, Mike shared the Instrumental Album of the
Year award with Tom Adams for "Tom Adams and Michael Cleveland Live at the Ragged Edge," an album of fiddle and banjo duets. Since
2006 Mike has swept the Fiddle Performer of the Year award, and now has seven.
Today Mike is a sought-after guest and has performed recently with Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, The Mark Newton Band, J.D. Crowe and the New South, Melvin Goins and Windy Mountain and The Wildwood Valley Boys. He is also an active studio musician, and his credits include the 2005 GRAMMY®-nominated "A Tribute to Jimmy Martin: The King
of Bluegrass" and a 2003 GRAMMY® winner, Jimmy Sturr's "Let's Polka 'Round."
Our overwhelmingly favorite showcase band in 2009...The Canucky Bluegrass Boys have earned this spot on our 2010 lineup.
They are a hard driving bluegrass band delivering a high energy traditional sound.
The Canucky Bluegrass Boys started out as three friends, Daryl Rodgers (guitar, vocals), Matt Naveau (bass, vocals) and Lee D Roy, (guitar, vocals) just having fun jamming at bluegrass festivals. Over a few short years people started to identify them by their unique style, harmonies and enthusiasm. Having met by fate each individual had something different to contribute to the band.
With their newest members R.J. Nelson (banjo)and Don Reed, (fiddle), this band is now on top of their game. They have a drive and willingness to get their style of bluegrass music out to music lovers everywhere. They are definitely ready to take the step, put it in drive and bring it forward. This is a band you will want to hear again and again!
Concession 23 is an award-winning bluegrass band from the Ottawa
Valley featuring Jonathan Ferrabee (acoustic bass);
Kevin Golka (mandolin, lead and harmony vocals);
Sherry Philp (banjo, lead and
harmony vocals);
Nick Strachan (guitar, lead and harmony vocals).
The band’s strength is the musical teamwork between its members, their energetic playing style, and the relaxed relationship they establish with their audiences. Their repertiore is a diverse mix of old time and traditional bluegrass gauranteed to please any bluegrass fan.
Concession 23 have two CD projects to their credit and have appeared at many prestigious bluegrass and folk festivals in Ontario. In addition to their outstanding performance skills, the group have authored many original songs which have been included in their CD releases.
Sherry Philps has won the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards Show Female Vocalist of the Year Award twice, (2007) and (2008), and the band won Promising Band of the Year Award (2006).
J.D. Crowe and the New South are among the most influential bluegrass bands of the past three decades, with a visionary sound that suggests both a rich past and a wide-open future. From 1975's classic J.D. Crowe and the New South (affectionately referred to by fans by its catalog number, 0044), to their newest project, 2006's Lefty's Old Guitar, bandleader/banjo player/guitarist/vocalist Crowe has lead an array of brilliant musicians in a mission to continually reinvent and update bluegrass while simultaneously paying tribute to the legacy of tone, taste, and timing established by Crowe's musical idols.
Current band members Ricky Wasson (Lead/Harmony Vocals, Guitar),Dwight McCall(Lead/Harmony Vocals, Mandolin), John Bowman(Upright Bass, Vocals), Steve Thomas(Fiddle, Vocals) need not take a back seat to any of the previous legendary artists which got their start in this amazing band. I witnessed an encore performance at the IBMA World of Bluegrass Fan Fest in October 2009 that would knock your socks off - if The New South was quiet through the 1990s and early 2000s, look out bluegrass fans...J.D. Crowe is BACK!
In a business crowded with talented musicians this band has it all – phenomenal instrumentalists, awesome heartfelt vocals, incredible musical intuition and backgrounds steeped in Bluegrass tradition. The members of Wildfire combine these talents to produce the “Hottest” music in Bluegrass today. This band is “Red Hot” and ready to wow the crowds at every music venue in the country, bringing with them a following of dedicated fans.
This amazing talent has landed the band at the Grand Ole Opry, awarded them 3 CDs on Bluegrass Unlimited’s top 10, a #1 song with “Lord Knows I’m Drinking”, IBMA Awards and nominations and performances with the top entertainers in the business. J.D. Crowe says “This is a great bunch of pickers with a lot of talent” and Steve Wariner says this band has “excellent musicianship and vocals”. With 3 band projects, solo recordings and chart topping songs Wildfire has proven it’s longevity in a competitive market.
With Darrell Webb and Curt Chapman leading the way, Wildfire is burning a path right to the top of the Bluegrass Music industry. These musicians bring with them a history in the business that includes stints with J.D. Crowe, Eddie & Martha Adcock, Livewire, The Reno Brothers and more. Driving music and talented songwriting has set them apart from other bands in the industry. Wildfire brings with them to the stage a burning and powerful show that will surely please everyone from the traditional Bluegrass lovers to the contemporary young fans of today.
Claire Lynch’s sweetly pure voice has always been in high demand. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Ralph Stanley and Emmylou Harris (a mong others) have called on her to sing on their records, while Lynch’s original songs have been covered by A-list folks in the acoustic world. But it’s Claire Lynch leading her own band that garners the most accolades – including 2 Grammy nominations, countless specialized awards and other nominations - along with reverent standing ovations for her shows at prestigious music festivals and theaters.
Now Lynch is at the top of her game. Making records and music since she was 19, she has long been recognized as a creative force in bluegrass music and at the forefront of women who have expanded the genre. She most recently released Crowd Favorites, a collection of fan-picked songs from her storied career - - but she’s also been working on new songs and new ways to make them. Whatcha Gonna Do, to be released early this fall on Rounder records, takes her in a new direction with innovative and more contemporary-bent acoustic arrangements. And her band is a tight meld of some of the best in the business – Mark Schatz, Jim Hurst and Jason Thomas, all award-winning bluegrass and acoustic stars in their own right.
From remote Isonville, Ky., to an international following in Bluegrass music, Don Rigsby has remained true to his mountain roots and made his own marks as a powerful tenor and distinctive mandolin player.
Don has played music with Charlie Sizemore, emerged onto the national scene as a member of the Bluegrass Cardinals, played with JD Crowe and the New South, and was a member of the award-winning Lonesome River Band.
The two-time Grammy nominee and two-time SPGBMA Traditional Male Vocalist of the Year shared two IBMA awards while performing with Longview and sang on a Grammy-winning album by rocker John Fogerty. Rigsby has released three solo albums. His first, “A Vision,” won the Association of Independent Music’s “gospel album of the year” award and was nominated for an IBMA award. He received the 1999 Bluegrass Now Magazine Fan’s Choice Award for vocal tenor of the year and the 2001 Governor’s Kentucky Star Award. “Empty Old Mailbox,” the title track from his third album, won the 2001 Song of the Year award from SPGBMA. In 2005, Rigsby was awarded two IBMA awards for his role as producer of the Larry Sparks project “40” for Recorded Event of the Year and Album of the Year. He has recorded two albums with Dudley Connell, with plans for a third, and continues to perform and record with Midnight Call and Longview.
“On 'The Midnight Call' recording, I know I stretched the boundaries a bit, and I believe that is healthy, but I never forgot where I came from or what real Bluegrass is all about…. I do love it!” exclaimed Rigsby.
At the age of sixteen Charlie Sizemore joined Ralph Stanley's band as lead singer, replacing Keith Whitley. Nine years and more than a dozen Stanley albums later, Charlie formed his own band and entered college. The Charlie Sizemore Band toured for years and made seven critically acclaimed albums. His recordings have been best sellers - "That's How I Got to Memphis" was a number one single - Charlie's last recording was a tribute to his long-time friend and fellow Eastern Kentuckian, Tom T. Hall. "The Story Is...The Songs of Tom T. Hall" has received rave reviews from Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine to Billboard and reached the top five in Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine's National Survey Chart. The song "Me and Jesus" from this recording was nominated for a Dove Award. Currently Charlie maintains a demanding and high successful law practice, writes short stories and songs in his spare time, tours with this band. His current album, Good News (Rounder Records) was released August 14, 2007.
Charlie has surrounded himself with excellent musicians -
Danny Barnes(mandolin, vocals), (Continental Divide, Pine Mountain Railroad, Katie Penn, and Dean Osborne),
Matt DeSpain (Dobro),(Inquire Within Band, the Dean Osborne Band and Pine Mountain Railroad),
John Pennell (bass), (an original member of Union Station with Alison Krauss, Harley Allen, Chris Jones, Jimmy Bowen and Vassar Clements.)
Charlie Sizemore is an original - soulful, truthful, and down-to-earth. If this band doesn't entertain you, you're not listening!
From the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Canada, The Spinney Brothers are comprised of Allan Spinney , Rick Spinney, Gary Dalrymple and Terry Mumford. Brother Allan and Rick debuted their band in 1992, showcasing a tight brother duet vocal style that was immediately recognized for it's energetic and distinctive sound.
The cornerstone of The Spinney Brothers musical identity is the sound of traditional, southern-flavoured bluegrass music. The first generation bluegrass legends have been an important musical influence, yet their music is equally shaped by their personal lives and local heritage. By incorporating original material, which draws from various sources, the Spinney Brothers effortlessly intertwine the past with the present.
The Spinney Brothers believe in freshness and excitement of traditional bluegrass music. Brother duet singing, backed by supportive and complimentary instrumentation, is the foundation of their tasteful and recognizable sound. Give a listen, and you are sure to be entertained.
This group of veteran players have recently gathered together to have some fun and play some great Bluegrass Music. These musicians have played in various Award Winning Bands over the years. Most have multi-nominations & awards in their respective instruments and vocals over the years at the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards, Fiddle Contests & Banjo Contests.
Traditionally Wound played their first show together as a Band at the 2007 Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards and they were warmly and enthusiastically received by the fans in audience. The clapping and hollering from the audience added to the boys enjoyment and a look around the stage showed that all were having a good time if the smiles on their faces were any indication.
They are looking forward to working up some of the original material that Jerry McNulty and Art Groomes have been writing over the last few years and playing the Ontario Festival Circuits.
Band members are: Jerry McNulty (guitar, vocals), Nick MacDonald (mandolin, vocals),
Sheldon Speedie (bass, vocals), Jim McNulty (guitar, vocals), Ken Groomes (banjo), and Wayne Ferguson (fiddle, vocals).