Roger Martin has joined The Carolina Travelers, a venerable band from Winston-Salem, NC, on mandolin. He had worked previously with The Misty Valley Boys, Roustabouts, and just recently Roger Handy and Southern Depot.
He takes the spot vacated by Tim Frye, who had spent the past 20 years with the band. Tim is a familiar name and voice in the Piedmont area from his long service as a radio host with WPAQ in Mount Airy.
The group has been performing since 1968, when it was formed by banjoist John Shutt and “fiddlin” Bill Saylor, playing a mix of bluegrass and country music. They went all bluegrass in ’75, and have seen a number of stellar musicians pass through the group since. Some of the Travelers have been: fiddlin’ Henry Mabe, Robert Tilley, Tim Goins, Arnold and Alton Nunn, Odell Holder, Paul McKnight, James Bibey, (Alan Bibey’s dad), and Ronnie Bowman.
Martin will also sing tenor with the band, which now includes Charles Saylor on guitar, Franklin Nifong on fiddle, Terry Martin on banjo, Randy Hiatt on guitar, and Wimp Roberts (celebrating his 30th year as a Traveler) on bass.
