Mark Dreyer
Lead Guitar - Acoustic Guitar - Banjo - Media - Band Leader
At the age of 15, Mark landed his first playing performance in his hometown of Gadsden, Alabama. After graduation, with the encouragement from his family and friend, he accepted the opportunity to attend the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mark’s southern style was like a breath of fresh air in Boston, opening the door for concert performances with faculty members at Berkley. His impressive guitar skills quickly led to a full scholarship that allowed Mark to write and record his own original music.
In 1990, Mark packed his bags for Nashville and very quickly found himself on stage with Willie Nelson and the Family Band along side his band mate and Willie’s longtime bass player, Bee Spears. Next came a career stint playing with the #1 Show for Gaylord Entertainment Company’s Opryland Theme Park. Thousands of shows later, Mark has played along side Grand Ole Opry superstars and country hit makers including The Little River Band, Kansas, Toby Keith, and Alabama. He can be heard on recordings for legends Hank Cochran, Willie Nelson, Marty Stuart, Tommy Sims, Red Lane, and Ken Mellons, Mark served as musical director for The Dutch Country Music Hall of Fame Tour and continues to master recording projects for Nashville’s major music publishers.
Mark’s live performance and recording schedule keeps him and his guitar rockin’. Just recently he could be found playing with Kid Rock on his “Most Chillin’ Cruise”.
Kevin Mason
Lead Guitar - Acoustic Guitar - Vocals
Kevin was born in St. Louis, Mo and grew up in Arkansas. He started playing guitar at the age of 12. After studying music at UALR, Kevin began touring with Atlantic Recording artist Robin Lee. They toured for 9 years, opening for the likes of Garth Brooks, Waylon Jennings, Steve Warnier, Patty Loveless, Restless Heart, Tammy Wynette, and The Judd’s, just to name a few. Kevin also toured with Rebecca Holden, Randy Stafford, and Brett James. (Arista Records) Being an accomplished guitar player, he has appeared on the Grand Old Opry several times.
Kevin’s studio credits include numerous Nashville demos, some Independent record projects, David Frizzell’s re-recording of the smash country hit, “I’m going to Hire a Wino”, and Robin Lee’s, “Heart on a Chain” album for Atlantic records. (James Stroud/producer)
Kevin’s songs have been recorded by Rolf Ragenbass “Worlds Apart”, Rebecca Holden “Up Close & Personal”, The Steven Sisters “Lonesome Wind”, Greg McDougal “Living by the Book” & “Even When I Fall”, Greg Pope “Road to Paradise”, John Brack “What’s Going My Way” & “Don’t Miss the Boat”, Frank Light “Saving Grace” & Chickasaw Road” Bree Ogden “Take It Or Leave It Alone “, Bailey Hefley “Not Your Cinderella’, Isaac Cole “Faith” & “Living by the Book, Andy Griggs “Tears and Time”, and his latest, Jason Aldean “Ain’t No Easy Way”.
Kevin resides in Mt. Juliet, TN with his wife Lorri and their 3 children Alex, Aaron and Ella!
Patty Mitchell
Vocals - Upright Bass - Mandolin
Patty Mitchell was raised in a musical family that hosted the Perrin Festival, one of the finest Blue grass events in Texas.
She recorded for the first time when she was just eight years old and has since lent her voice to a number of noteworthy recordings, dueting with Ralph Stanley on his Grammy-nominated and IBMA award-winning release Clinch Mountain Sweethearts, and with Emmylou Harris on Caught In The Webb, the highly-acclaimed tribute to Webb Pierce, which later appears on Harris’ Songbird compilation.
Mitchell has appeared numerous times on the Grand Ole Opry with producer/songwriter/artist Gail Davies, and has recorded and toured Europe with the Gail Davies Band. Mitchell toured Japan as bassist/vocalist with Sunset Drive, a band also featuring Don Rigsby and Terry Baucom. She also appears on both volumes of Moody Bluegrass–A Tribute to The Moody Blues, performed in concert with The Moody Blues, and her harmonies appear on Justin Hayward’s latest solo release.
In the early ’90s, Patty served as interim bassist/mandolinist/lead vocalist for the fledgling band, the Dixie Chicks, helping them win their first prestigious music award, the Telluride Band Contest. Her self-produced album, These Are The Good Old Days, features some of bluegrass music’s most celebrated musicians.
TJ Wilder
Drums - Percussions - Vocals
T.J. started playing drums at the age of six in the small town of Rogersville, Tennessee. His parents sang and played in local gospel groups, and his father started him out on drums. He figured his son would eventually have no problem finding people to play with in the area because drummers were in short supply. He probably never thought his son would take it so far though, moving to Nashville and pursuing a music career.
As a youth, T.J. spent his time listening to the country and gospel roots his parents provided as well as the rock and pop he came to enjoy. Being entirely self-taught, lessons were learned from hours of jamming with the radio or from watching drummers on television.
Eventually branching out from the practice room, on-the-job training consisted of gigs at local churches, fairs, festivals, family reunions, and clubs. After playing baseball at Lincoln Memorial University and graduating with a math degree, T.J. moved to Nashville to pursue his musical dreams. Teaching math by day and gigging at night, T.J. honed his craft and learned by watching some of Nashville’s finest. In fact, one of his first steady gigs was with The Clines.
Eventually a day job was no longer a necessity. Artists T.J. has now performed with include the Jordanaires, Scotty Emerick, Jason Michael Carroll, Dustin Lynch, Danielle Peck, Julianne Hough, Scotty McCreery, Joanna Smith, Randy Travis, Jeremy McComb, and Craig Campbell.
Since October of 2004, T.J. has held the drum chair for MCA country artist Josh Turner. Josh has platinum and double platinum albums to his credit, as well as four Billboard Number One country hits. T.J. can be heard on Josh’s Haywire (Deluxe Edition) and Live At The Ryman albums, and has appeared on The Today Show, Martha Stewart, Emeril Live, the CMA, ACM, and ACA Awards, CMA Music Festival, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Late Show With David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Opry Live, and The National Memorial Day Concert. When not on the road with Josh, T.J. stays busy in the local Nashville music scene working with other projects and artists.
Anita Hill
Drums - Percussions - Vocals
Country Music Artist/ Music Publisher Holly Hefner Nance moved to Nashville in the early 90’s after becoming runner up in three Miss Wisconsin preliminary pageants and earning her degree from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse. Since then, she has been the opening act for artists such as Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Lorrie Morgan, Tanya Tucker, and Keith Urban.
She has performed on national television shows, including; the National Anthem on ESPN, was a winning contestant on TNN’s BE A STAR and THE CHARLIE DANIELS SHOW, and a USA Network NASHVILLE STAR 3 Regional Finalist.
Holly began her Shania Twain Tribute at the “Tributes In Concert” production/show at the Stardust Theatre, has been featured in a number of music videos on CMT, GAC, and VH-1.
Tim Watson - "The Fiddle Man"
Vocals
The high energy music of Tim Watson has been heard from stages around the world. His musical career has grown from performances in clubs near his home in Black Creek, Alabama to the Grand Ole Opry and venues in Germany, Switzerland, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, Bahamas, Mexico, Canada, and Holland.
In 1985, Tim became a featured performer at the Opryland Show park, then in 1987 Tim went to work with the “First Lady of Country Music”, Tammy Wynette where he was a featured vocalist and fiddler. Tim has also played and sang with Travis Tritt, Randy Travis, Jamey Johnson, Dennis Quaid, Tanya Tucker, Jon Pardi, Gretchen Wilson, Lee Brice, Larry Gatlin, Jeannie C. Riley, Yelawolf, Vern Gosdin, Jeannie Seely, David Allan Coe, and Willie Nelson. Tim has opened shows for many superstars like George Strait, Ricky Skaggs, George Jones, Lonestar, Keith Urban, Conway Twitty, Ronnie Milsap, The Judds, and K.T. Oslin just to name a few. Recently, he has been working with his neighbor, Kid Rock.
In addition to live performances Tim has been seen on TV shows such as the “Ralph Emery Show”, “Crook & Chase”, “Hee Haw”, “Nashville Now”, “CBS this Morning”, “Video P.M.”, “Good Morning America”, “Today”, “Prime Time Country” as well as Canadian TV’s “Tommy Hunter Show” and TV across the European Continent.
Renae Truex - "The Fiddle Crusher"
Mandolin
Renae Truex was born and raised in the small town of Moundsville, deep in the mountains of West Virginia, where she grew up listening to her grandmother playing guitar, her father playing the fiddle and tuning in to radio shows such as The Wheeling Jamboree and Mountain Stage. At age of fifteen, Renae’ began fiddling around on her own, falling in love with various types and styles of music, listening to the likes of violinist Deni Bonet, Jean Luc Ponty, Stephane Grappelli, Vassar Clements, Mark O’ Connor, Johnny Gimble, Kansas, The Dixie Dregs, Alabama, Charlie Daniels, and many others.
After a couple of extremely encouraging and successful trips to Nashville, she knew exactly where she wanted to be.
Moving to Nashville in 1995, Renee began making a name for herself by performing with artists such as Ray Price, Little Jimmy Dickens, Jeannie Sealy, Jeff Bates, Larry Gatlin (Gatlin Brothers), Marty Rabon (Shenandoah), Buddy Jewel, Lorrie Morgan, Brett Michaels (of the famous rock group “Poison”), Rick Springfield (“Jessies’ Girl”), Billy Ray Cyrus, Big And Rich, Jose Feliciano, Kris Kristofferson, Bucky Covington (“Different World”), Chuck Mead (BR5-49). To her delight, she got to join Charlie Daniels several times on stage for some “duel fiddling”. Her credits also include performances on the Grand Ole Opry and television appearances on ABC’s “Nashville” series and CMT’s “Can You Duet”.
In 2003, Renae’ along with several other very talented ladies formed the band “Cowboy Crush”. They signed a deal with Curb Records and toured the U.S. and the world, making appearances at The Grand Ole Opry, The Ryman, and getting to perform at one of Renae’s founding roots, The Wheeling Jamboree.
When not touring, you can find Renae’ either in a studio recording on various records for different artists or playing in Nashville downtown in the various honky tonks on Lower Broadway, cutting up, fiddling, making music and memories with her friends and making sure that those who are visiting are taking great memorable experiences and smiles back home with them
Shawn Pody
Electric Bass - Upright Bass - Vocals
Shawn grew up in Ruston, Louisiana, and learned to sing and play music at at early age with his family Gospel group.
After earning a business degree from LA Tech University, Shawn and his wife Kelly moved to Nashville in 1991.
Since then, he has shared the stage with numerous musical acts, including Grammy award winner Jerry Reed, ACM winners Trace Adkins and Rodney Atkins, Sonya Isaacs, Country Music Hall of Fame member Randy Owen of Alabama, just to name a few. “It was a privilege to be able to see over 15 countries while traveling and making music”. I got to experience so many great adventures, like landing/being shot off an aircraft carrier, riding the Silk Road to Samarkand, and eating an authentic Japanese meal (sans shoes of course) with the great Charlie Daniels. But eventually, I got the urge to be a little closer to home and started working on helping other artists get their music recorded in the Studio.” Shawn is one of the most sought after musicians in Nashville.
Eric Frey
Electric Bass - Upright Bass
Hailing from Clay, AL, Eric’s style was forged in the campfires of countless Bluegrass festivals and jams that his Dad (also a bass player) used to drag him to. On his 22nd birthday, he moved to Louisiana to join the Red Stick Ramblers, and ventured the globe playing their brand of Cajun Gypsy Swing.
Since then he has been on over 50 recordings, including 6 Grammy nominated albums, notably Linda Ronstadt and Ann Savoy’s 2006 record Adieu False Heart, and The Band Courtbouillon’s self-titled recording which won the Best Regional Roots category in 2012. He has a nomination for himself for his work on The Revelers’ album Get Ready. His songs have been used in Television and Film, including HBO’s Treme, which he also appeared as an actor in 3 seasons.
Currently, Eric also plays live with recording artist Kathy Mattea. He enjoys playing gigs in any style imaginable around his hometown of Nashville, TN and playing old time banjo with his fiddling wife, Cecilia.
Rob Haines
Steel Guitar - Dobro - Mandolin - Acoustic Guitar
Rob learned to play listening to The Beatles and the Rolling Stones with a good dose of chord structure and theory from a local Jazz musician. By the time he was in high school he had a pretty good band where he was the lead guitarist. After graduation, Rob moved to Ft.Lauderdale, FL to work in a bike shop and it was there that the bluegrass bug hit. He and some of his friends formed the band Salt Creek and began to play in clubs and music festivals all across the Southeast.
The band relocated to Atlanta, Georgia and began to morph from bluegrass to country rock but not until Rob won the Georgia State Mandolin Championship. Next it was off to New Orleans and a house band contract on Bourbon Street at Judah P’s. Rob continued to add to his instrumental chops by adding dobro and steel guitar to his long list of acumens. His time in New Orleans gave Rob the opportunity to play along side a wide variety of folks that included John McEuen, Pete Townsend, Jerry Jeff Walker and Alabama.
Rob has been working professionally as a Nashville musician since 1988, playing the steel guitar, dobro, mandolin, and guitar. He has toured, backed up and recorded with many well-known country artists including: Patty Loveless, Shania Twain, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis, Chely Wright, Ken Mellons, Vassar Clements, Tom T. Hall, Johnny Lee, Hank Thompson, Lee Greenwood, Brenda Lee, Mandy Barnett, Louise Mandrell, Jeannie C. Riley, The Jordanaires, Johnny Russell, Fred “Too Slim” LaBour, Country Gazette and Doug Stone.
Rob has also authored a series of instructional books and videos on Mastering the Lap and Pedal Steel Guitar. He began playing with The Clines in 1996 and can be heard on some of their original studio recordings.
Jim Kirby
Keyboard
Jim Kirby started his professional music career at the age of 14. Since then, he has played the keyboards with many major artists on a variety of musical projects. Jim has performed a number of times on television, including Saturday Night Live, the Tonite Show with Jay Leno, Austin City Limits, and Farm Aid I. He played “Crying” on the movie soundtrack for “Hiding Out,” performed by Roy Orbison and K.D. Lang. His many recording and performance credits include Roy Orbison, Vince Gill, Chely Wright, Lynrd Skynrd, Kathy Mattea, Bob Dylan, Mark Chestnutt, and Michael McDonald.
His Television Appearances include:
Saturday Nite Live, The Tonite Show, The Joan Rivers Show, Austin City Limits, Farm Aid I, Country Goes to England, West 57th, Clash of the Titans, Crook and Chase, Bobby Bare: On Stage, Farmer’s Almanac Special, The Diamond Awards, MTV, VH-1, Don Lane Show, Sky, and The Last Resort.
His Recording and Performance Credits include:
Roy Orbison, Vince Gill, Chely Wright, Bobby Bare, Stan Allen, Manhatten Transfer, Girls Next Door, Lynrd Skynrd, Jerry Reed, Donna Fargo, Larry Boone, Kathy Mattea, Dobie Grey, Razzy Bailey, Steve Cropper, Bob Dylan, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Johnny Russell, The Coasters, The Platters, The Drifters, The Marvelettes, The Vogues, Gary Mule Deer, Lois Frizzell, Kathy Twitty, Bobby Helms, Carl and Pearl Butler, Wayne Moss, Troy Shondell, Clyde Moody, The Baxters, Jacky Ward, Nashville Superpickers, Billy Chinnock, JJ Walker, Toni Price, Don Was, John Jorgensen, TIm Mensy, Vasser Clements, Wendy Waldman, Tommy-Tutone, The Rangers, Clifford Curry, Tom Grant, Mark Chestnutt, Jerry Reed, Donna Fargo, Michael McDonald, and Dennis Yost.
Matt Combs
Fiddle - Acoustic Guitar
Over the past 20 years as a sideman, Matt has played with countless artists, including John Hartford, Jimmy Martin, Dan Auerbach, Kevin Costner, Mike Snider, and Reba McEntire. He has made live appearances with Vassar Clements, Ricky Skaggs, Ray Price, Charlie Pride, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs, and Dierks Bentley. He was a member of the Grand Ole Opry’s house band, and has been nominated for a Grammy. He currently maintains an active recording schedule adding his part to productions by T Bone Burnett, Dan Auerbach, Don Was, Steve Gibson, Dave Ferguson and many more and is a member of the John Hartford String Band.
Since moving to Nashville after graduating with a Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan, Matt has played with many of the best singers and players in country, bluegrass and old time music—including 11 members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. One of Matt’s first jobs when he came to Nashville was playing fiddle with The Clines. Matt has since been nominated for a Grammy and won the 2012 Grandmaster Traditional Fiddle contest.
Matt’s Television work has included appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman”, “The View”, “Nashville”, and other musical specials on ABC, PBS, and CMT. In addition to his busy playing schedule, Matt maintains his position as Head of the Fiddle Department at Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music, and records music all around Nashville studios and at his home studio in East Nashville. His latest project, Appalachian Rhapsody, is a cinematic history of the fiddle in America. This piece debuts in March 2019.