Carolyne VanLierop Archives

Welcome Emeree Boone!

There is great rejoicing in bluegrass circles here in southwestern Virginia today. There is a new bluegrass baby, where both parents are not only bluegrass people, they perform together in the same band!

Troy and Carolyne VanLierop Boone are celebrating the birth of their first child. Emeree Ann Boone was born this morning at 8:37 a.m. She made her arrival at 6 lbs 1 oz, and is said to be thriving.

Both the Boones perform with the Amanda Cook Band, him on mandolin and her on banjo.

Amanda was beside herself when she shared the news this afternoon.

“What a beautiful thing!!!! We are all so excited and happy for Carolyne and Troy. She’s gonna be spoiled rotten.”

Many congratulations to the growing Boone family, and a big Bluegrass Today welcome to little Emeree!

Congratulations Carolyne and Troy!

Is there anything lovelier than a Christmas bluegrass wedding?

Earlier this afternoon Troy Boone, mandolinist with Sideline, and Carolyne VanLierop, banjo player with The Amanda Cook Band, were married in a small private ceremony. Only family and close friends were in attendance, and the happy couple merely shared that the wedding was held “somewhere in the hills of Tennessee.”

Both are very talented young bluegrass professionals, and we wish them the very best as man and wife.

Congratulations Troy and Carolyne!

Carolyne VanLierop named 2017 Daughter of Bluegrass

Jo Odom, Amanda Cook, Carolyne Van Lierop, Lorraine Jordan, Frances Mooney, Mindy Rakestraw,
Kati Penn-Williams and Crystal Owens at the Daughters of Bluegrass Festival (4/23/17)

Each year at the Daughters of Bluegrass festival in Guyton, GA, a new daughter is inducted into the ranks. The festival celebrates female-led bluegrass acts, including many who had performed on the various Daughters of Bluegrass albums over the years.

For 2017, the honor went to Carolyne VanLierop, banjo picker with Amanda Cook and Kennesaw Ridge. A Florida native, Carolyne has been playing the banjo since she was just a girl, inspired by a Lewis Family concert she saw at a Florida Sheriff’s Ranch show. Her grandfather, also a sheriff, brought her into his group, The Sheriff’s Posse, in 2002. She and her cousins then started their own band, The Rivertown Girls, who were popular throughout the deep south, appearing regularly at festivals in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.

After six years with Rivertown Girls, Carolyne played with Big Bend Bluegrass and Big River Bluegrass Band before joining up with Cook and Kennesaw Ridge.

She was inducted into the Daughters of Bluegrass by Jo Odom, Mindy Rakestraw, Frances Mooney, and Lorraine Jordan who have been involved from the beginning.

Congratulations Carolyne!

Here’s video of her first performance as a Daughter.