Lonesome River Band
The Lonesome River Band is an American contemporary bluegrass band. The band has released 15 recording projects since its formation in 1982. Lonesome River Band is led by Sammy Shelor who is a member of the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame and a 5-Time International Bluegrass Music Association Banjo Player of the Year Award recipient. The band has experienced numerous personnel changes over the years, and has not included an original member since Tim Austin left the band in 1995 to focus on Doobie Shea Records.[1][2]
Lonesome River Band | |
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Origin | Meadows of Dan, Virginia, United States |
Genres | Bluegrass, Folk |
Years active | 1982–present |
Members | Mike Hartgrove Jesse Smathers Barry Reed Brandon Rickman Sammy Shelor Derrick Clifton |
Past members | Tim Austin Jerry McMillan Steve Thomas Rick Williams Jeff Midkiff Billy Wheeler Randy Driskill Adam Steffey Brian Fesler Dan Tyminski Dale Perry John Green Ronnie Bowman Steve Dilling Darrell Webb Don Rigsby Kenny Smith Rickie Simpkins Jeff Parker Irl Hees John Wade Shannon Slaughter Barry Berrier Matt Leadbetter Mike Anglin Andy Ball Mike Jones Randy Jones |
Website | www |
On November 11, 2011, band member Sammy Shelor was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo.[3] Shelor was presented with the award on the Late Show with David Letterman. Following the presentation of the award, Steve Martin performed with the Lonesome River Band.
Members
Current members
- Mike Hartgrove — fiddle
- Jesse Smathers — mandolin, vocals
- Barry Reed – bass, vocals
- Brandon Rickman – guitar, vocals
- Sammy Shelor — banjo, guitar, bass, vocals
- Derrick Clifton — sound board operator, bus driver[4]
Previous members
- Tim Austin – guitar, banjo, bass, vocals
- Jerry McMillan – bass, vocals
- Steve Thomas — fiddle, mandolin, vocals
- Rick Williams — banjo
- Jeff Midkiff — mandolin, fiddle, vocals
- Billy Wheeler — banjo, dobro, guitar
- Randy Driskill — banjo, vocals
- Adam Steffey — mandolin, vocals
- Brian Fesler — banjo, guitar, vocals
- Dan Tyminski — mandolin, guitar, vocals
- Dale Perry — banjo, guitar, vocals
- John Green – bass, vocals
- Ronnie Bowman — bass, guitar, vocals
- Steve Dilling — banjo, vocals
- Darrell Webb — mandolin, vocals
- Don Rigsby — mandolin, vocals
- Kenny Smith — guitar, vocals
- Rickie Simpkins — fiddle, vocals
- Jeff Parker — mandolin, vocals
- Irl Hees – bass, vocals
- John Wade – bass, vocals
- Shannon Slaughter – guitar, vocals
- Barry Berrier – bass, vocals
- Matt Leadbetter — dobro, vocals
- Mike Anglin – bass, vocals
- Andy Ball — mandolin, piano, vocals
- Mike Jones — banjo
- Randy Jones — mandolin, vocals[5]
Guests
- Mike Auldridge — steel guitar (The Lonesome River Band)
- Steve Thomas — fiddle (Saturday Night-Sunday Morning, Carrying The Tradition)
- Stuart Duncan — fiddle (Looking For Yourself, Old Country Town)
- Alison Krauss — fiddle (Carrying The Tradition)
- Bobby Hicks — fiddle (Carrying The Tradition)
- Kim Gardner — dobro (Carrying The Tradition)
- Ricky Simpkins — fiddle (Old Country Town)
- Kenneth Smith – drums (Old Country Town)
- Aubrey Haynie — fiddle (One Step Forward)
- Randy Howard — fiddle (One Step Forward, Finding The Way)
- Jerry Douglas — dobro, Weissenborn guitar (One Step Forward, Finding The Way)
- Jason Carter — fiddle (Finding The Way)
- Dan Tyminski — harmony vocals (Talkin to Myself)
- Ron Stewart — fiddle (The Road With No End)
Discography
Albums
Title | Album details | Peak positions |
---|---|---|
US Bluegrass | ||
I Guess Heartaches Are in Style This Year |
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The Lonesome River Band |
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Saturday Night – Sunday Morning |
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Looking for Yourself |
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— |
Carrying the Tradition |
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— |
Old Country Town |
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— |
One Step Forward |
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— |
Finding the Way |
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— |
Talkin to Myself |
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— |
Window of Time |
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— |
Head on into Heartache |
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— |
The Road with No End |
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— |
No Turning Back |
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— |
Still Learning |
|
8 |
Chronology, Volume 1 |
|
10 |
Chronology, Volume 2 |
|
— |
Chronology, Volume 3 |
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— |
Turn on a Dime |
|
9 |
Coming back home to you |
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— |
Bridging the Tradition |
|
2 |
Mayhayley's House |
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— |
Outside Looking In |
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"—" denotes releases that did not chart | ||
References
- "Tim Austin: Where Is He Now?". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
- Lawless, John (May 27, 2021). "Big changes for Lonesome River Band". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- "Sammy Shelor Wins Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Band and Bluegrass". Sammy Shelor. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
- "Lonesome River Band". lonesomeriverband.com. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
- "The Lonesome River Band". discogs. Retrieved January 12, 2016.