Legendary grasser Melvin Goins has brought a new look to his touring band, Windy Mountain, for the 2013 season.
“Our new banjo player is Mike French. Mike has been playing the banjo for 40 years and has played with some of the top acts in country and bluegrass. Mike played banjo for Dale Ann Bradley for a time. He also worked with Vern Gosdin for several years.
I have also hired a young man from Salyersville, KY to play mandolin for Windy Mountain. His name is Ken Blanton. He is a fine mandolin player and we are glad to have him in the band.”
Ken and Mike join Melvin on guitar and lead vocals, his nephew Bryan Goins on guitar, and David Bowling on bass. Everyone in the group does their turn on harmonies.
Mike shared a few more details about himself and his career in bluegrass.
“I started out playing with a local band that I formed in 1980 with Jeff Parker (now with Daily and Vincent) and Mike Anglin (formerly of The Lonesome River Band) and Wayne Fields who was with the Boys from Indiana.
But I left the bluegrass world and became the guitar player and harmony singer for Vern Gosdin for several years. I left Vern to become the opening and closing act for Renfro Valley for 7 years. After the valley sold, I became the banjo player for Dale Ann Bradley for two years and left her band to become the mandolin player for J.D. Crowe and the New South. He wouldn’t let me play banjo. HA HA HA!”
You can follow their show dates on Melvin’s web site. Tomorrow is his 6th Annual Homecoming Concert in Prestonberg, KY.
