We checked in this week with Rick Hayes, who most of us know from his many years playing mandolin with The Gibson Brothers. Rick left the group in November 2008 to focus his energies on his instrument-building work, and has had success with his Hayes guitars and mandolins.
But no matter how much you try to leave, performing always seems to win out in the end, and Rick is now back with a new group of fellow Ohioans, billing as Nightflyer.
Working with him in the group are Richard Propps on guitar and lead vocals, Ronnie Stewart on banjo, Tony Kakaris on bass and Tim Jackson on redo guitar. Both Rick and Ronnie share in the vocals, both lead and harmony.
Lyn Hayes, Ricks wife and Nightflyer’s booking representative, sent along a couple of audio samples of bluegrass favorites the guys recorded to offer a taste of their sound.
99 Years: [http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegrasscast/99years.mp3]
White Freightliner: [http://traffic.libsyn.com/thegrasscast/freightliner.mp3]
More information about the band can be found on Nightflyer’s web site and Facebook page.
Rick also had some big news on the luthier side. The newest endorser for his Hayes Guitars is Shawn Lane from Blue Highway. Shawn was given his guitar at the MACC festival (Musicians Against Childhood Cancer) in Lockbourne, OH this past July.
After playing it this past four months, Shawn had nothing but praise for the instrument.
“This Hayes guitar is just too good to describe with words. You have to see it, feel how it plays, and hear it to really know how awesome it is. The attention to detail on Hayes instruments is second to none.”
Find out more about the Hayes guitars and mandolins online.
