Jim & Valerie Gabehart have welcomed a new member into their group. John “Buckwheat” Green has taken over the bass spot recently vacated by Joe Vance.
John, also known as Buck, picked up his distinctive nickname owing to a particular fondness for the Little Rascals as a child, but his reputation in bluegrass comes from his time with an early edition of Lonesome River Band. His LRB bandmates at the time were Tim Austin on guitar, Dale Perry on banjo and Dan Tyminski on mandolin. He also wrote one of the bands signature songs from that period, The Old Man In The Shanty, which they recorded on their self-titled Rebel LP.
The Gabeharts share a mix of sadness and delight in announcing the change in bass players
“With gratitude and a tinge of regret, Jim & Valerie Gabehart announce the departure of bassist and vocalist, Joe Vance. Joe’s work, family, and church commitments combined with the group’s expanding performance area have forced Joe to leave the group. Joe’s vocal and instrumental abilities, his energy and character, all displayed in the group’s last release, It’s My Turn, have contributed to the group’s recent success and will me greatly missed.
While bidding Joe goodbye, Jim and Valerie have been blessed by the arrival of John ‘Buckwheat’ Green as the newest member of the group on bass and vocals. Buckwheat was one of the established musicians in the Charleston-Huntington, West Virginia area in the late 1970’s when Jim and Valerie were learning to play, and they always wanted to work with Buckwheat, but other than jam sessions and occasional fill-in spots (Jim with the High Time Picken Band and Buckwheat later with Jim & Valerie), the timing was never right for a full-time commitment.
When Buckwheat moved back to the area twenty years after leaving to join the Lonesome River Band, the timing was finally right.”
Jim Gabehart tells us that the group is currently in rehearsal, both getting Green up to speed on band material, and prepping for a new album which will include a number of his original songs.
More details can be found on the Jim & Valerie Gabehart site.
