20 Things You Didn’t Know about Breaking Grass

20 Things You Didn’t Know About… is a new recurring feature here at Bluegrass Today where noted Nashville publicist Claire Ratliff of Laughing Penguin Publicity compiles interesting tidbits about bluegrass artists you know and love. We start today with Mississippi’s Breaking Grass.

There’s a fresh, new sound resonating from the northeast corner of the Magnolia State. Breaking Grass blends a variety of influences into high energy performances and well-crafted original material. It’s heartfelt music with haunting harmonies to match. Breaking Grass is Cody Farrar on guitar, Tyler White on fiddle, Britt Sheffield on bass, Zach Wooten on mandolin, and Jody Elmore on banjo. The group’s latest project is Warning Signs (Mountain Fever Records).

  • Zach brings hoodies and sweat pants on band trips year ‘round because the guys keep it so cold in the van.
  • When not on the road, Britt enjoys watching movies and learning how to smoke meats on his new grill.
  • Cody and his wife raise sheep, chickens, and ducks on a small farm.
  • Jody has an abnormal fear of snakes… and doesn’t like to think about sharks.
  • Zach doesn’t like for his foods to touch on his plate.
  • Tyler is a Mechanical Engineer and currently works for Monogram Refrigeration by GE Appliances.
  • Britt is the head nurse in the operating room at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford, MS.
  • Zach is a pianist at his church.
  • Cody very much dislikes the character “E.T.” from the film of the same name.
  • Tyler is restoring a twin turbo 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air.
  • Jody loves bacon and Mountain Dew … a little too much.
  • Raccoon hunting is Tyler’s passion during the festival off-season.
  • Britt played the trumpet in marching band, and later, guitar in rock/country bands in high school and college.
  • Zach works as an Occupational Therapy Assistant at a local community hospital.
  • Cody was once the subject of a music video shot in Norway.
  • Jody is a Registered Nurse and works as an educator for a medical device company.
  • Cody currently serves on the Board of Directors for an animal shelter.
  • Jody plays electric guitar in the church band.
  • Tyler once rolled a bed down a highway with another band member while sprinklers showered them and the bed.
  • Britt’s feet are as flat as pancakes.

Learn more about Breaking Grass online.

You can send suggestions to Claire for other artists you’d like to see profiled on 20 Things by email.

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About the Author

Claire Ratliff

Claire Ratliff is the President and Senior Publicist with Laughing Penguin Publicity. Her company provides publicity and marketing/promotional services including media relations, graphic design, photography, and copy writing. They work with a variety of bluegrass and country artists in Nashville.