Daniel Grindstaff Archives - Bluegrass Today

Daniel Grindstaff – Heroes and Friends

Since he was just eighteen years old, Daniel Grindstaff has played banjo for numerous top acts in bluegrass music, including Jim & Jesse, Bobby Osborne, Marty Raybon, and David Davis among others. On the aptly named, Heroes and Friends, Grindstaff has surrounded himself with first rate pickers and singers for a collection of his own original tunes and interpretations of his favorite songs, all with an eye towards those he has looked up to in music.

The album kicks off with Finnland, a tune which Daniel named after his son, Finn. Played in the spirit of the great old time fiddle/banjo combination, this track features Andy Leftwich on fiddle along with Jesse Brock on mandolin, Trey Hensley on guitar, and Kent Blanton on bass.

Forever Young is one of several highlights of this project. Taken from the repertoire of Rod Stewart, this track features incredible vocals from Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton. Along with Grindstaff on banjo and harmony vocals, instrumental support is provided by Leftwich on mandolin, Hensley on guitar, Blanton on bass, as well as Josh Swift on resophonic guitar and percussion, Stephen Burwell on fiddle, and Derek Deakins as the string section.

Colleen Malone should be familiar to most bluegrass fans as it’s been performed by both Larry Sparks and Hot Rize. Grindstaff’s rendition features Rickey Wasson on lead vocals. This performance also contains strong mandolin work from Doyle Lawson and captivating harmony vocals from Jeff Parker.

My Last Old Dollar is a driving track that’ll definitely appeal to fans of hardcore traditional bluegrass. Featuring Kevin Richardson on lead vocals, this song will grab you from the minute you hear the twin fiddles of Stephen Burwell and Derek Deakins. This track also features strong vocal work from Shawn Lane.

Much like the albums opener, Three Arrows is a tune written for Grindstaff’s sons, Owen and Finn. It also serves as the symbol for Down Syndrome, a genetic disorder caused by an extra chromosome. This straightforward piece serves as a fitting conclusion to this album.

No one summed up Daniel’s musicianship better than Jim Mills, who had this to say prior to his untimely passing:

“I had the pleasure of meeting Daniel Grindstaff backstage at the Grand Ole Opry when he was only 18 years old, he was playing banjo for the legendary group Jim and Jesse & the Virginia Boys. First of all, to be working in a band who are Grand Ole Opry members at that age is a huge accomplishment in itself, but I looked past his young age and saw and heard a young man far beyond his years both as a musician and as a gentleman. I am proud to call him friend and know you’ll greatly enjoy this recording.”

Heroes and Friends is a stellar release. It captures Grindstaff in his element as both a banjo player and solid supporting musician.

Two new singles from Daniel Grindstaff

Banjo man Daniel Grindstaff has occupied a lot of space on our Bluegrass Today Weekly Airplay chart of late. His instrumental, Finnland, is making its second run, and his previous single, Forever Young, sung by Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton, stayed atop the chart for several weeks.

This week Bonfire Music Group has released two new tracks from Daniel, one a gospel song, Child of the King, sung by Jeff Tolbert, and the other a recut of a Del Reeves classic, Looking At The World Through A Windshield, featuring Trey Hensley. Of course we have Grindstaff’s banjo punctuating both as he had done for years in support of Bobby Osborne, Jim & Jesse, and Merle Monroe.

Both will be part of his Heroes & Friends album, due on May 17, which allows Daniel to pay tribute to some of his favorite players, and get to work with them at the same time.

Let’s look first at Looking At The World Through A Windshield, which Daniel says he was sure would make a good grasser.

“I’ve always been a big fan of classic country and Del Reeves. I felt this song would be a great tune to showcase some fun picking and singing.

The first person that came to mind was my friend, Trey Hensley. I’ve known Trey for many years, as we’re are both from here in east Tennessee. He is one of the most versatile, studied, and soulful vocalists and guitarists I’ve worked with. Trey has a great balance in tipping his hat to the pioneers while also making his own distinctive mark. I think the listeners will hear that shine through on this track!”

With Trey on guitar and Daniel on banjo, further assistance comes from Andy Leftwich on mandolin, Derek Deakins on fiddle, John Swift on reso-guitar, and Kent Blanton on bass. John Meador adds harmony to Hensley’s vocal.

Check it out…

In a totally different setting, here’s Child of the King, a waltz time number with multiple fiddles.

Daniel tells us that this is a favorite gospel song for him, and that he is delighted that his friend from Primitive Road agreed to sing it.

“Child of the King is a very special song to me and my family. It is a staple song at our church and I love the message. It’s a true honor to have my friend and brother Jeff Tolbert sing this track. My hope is that his heartfelt vocals are a blessing to those who hear this song just as they were to me.”

Stephen Burwell plays the double fiddles, with Tolbert on mandolin and lead vocals. John Doss plays guitar with Kent Blanton on bass. Daniel and Mike Rogers sing harmony.

Have a listen…

Both of these new singles can be found now at popular download and streaming services online, and for radio programmers at AirPlay Direct.

Finnland from Daniel Grindstaff, with Andy Leftwich

Bonfire Music Group has released a new single for east Tennessee banjo man Daniel Grindstaff, another track from his upcoming Heroes & Friends album, due to drop next year.

Daniel earned his bones playing banjo with Jim & Jesse, starting when he was 18 years old, and has gone on to play with Bobby Osborne, Marty Raybon, and Tim Raybon. Now running his own business in Elizabethton, TN, he keeps his chops up for recording and touring when he can fit it into his busy schedule as an insurance agent, husband, and father.

This next Bonfire project finds him paired with artists he has long admired, the Heroes part of the equation, and Friends he has made in the industry.

On this new single, Finnland, he has brought in fiddle phenom Andy Leftwich to start the tune off in an old time banjo/fiddle duet. But before you question whether Daniel spelled the name improperly, you should know it’s written for his son, Finn.

“I wrote Finnland with the goal of representing my love for how a banjo and fiddle have paired together through the history of string music to what we now consider modern day bluegrass. It’s an honor to have the great Andy Leftwich join in and bring his superb fiddle work to make this song what I envisioned while writing it.

The title and upbeat tempo of Finnland is inspired by the sweet, innocent spirit of my oldest boy, Finn. The intricate patterns between banjo and fiddle reflect the beautiful mind of his that’s always thinking, always spinning, and always inspiring.”

Andy says he had fun playing this one, in an unexpected key.

“It’s not very often you hear banjo/fiddle tunes in the key of B, but in this case, Finnland offers a fun and exciting melody that makes for a perfect bluegrass instrumental! Backed by phenomenal players and a great arrangement, I’m honored to have the role playing fiddle on this one!”

Rounding out the ensemble are Trey Hensley on guitar, Jesse Brock on mandolin, and Kent Blanton on bass. Together they turn in a memorable performance of this rollicking tune.

Check it out…

Finnland is available now from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programers via AirPlay Direct.

Forever Young from Daniel Grindstaff, with Paul Brewster and Dolly Parton

Bonfire Music Group’s new release from Tennessee banjoist Daniel Grindstaff is something of an epic recording.

What started as a request from Daniel to his friend, Paul Brewster, to sing on this cover of the Rod Stewart hit from 1988, Forever Young, morphed into a request to have Dolly Parton add her voice as well, and the result is a powerful track to be sure. This new cut will be included on Grindstaff’s upcoming Heroes & Friends album, which led him to ask Paul to contribute.

Daniel, who was serving as producer as well as banjo man, tells us that Brewster felt so strongly about the song as he was recording his vocal, that he suggested that Dolly might want to be involved, and provided the contact to her representatives to make the request. She quickly assented, and her al;ways recognizable voice adds a sterling quality to this new recording of the song.

Those who missed it 35 years ago when Stewart released it, or the Bob Dylan song by the same name on which it was based, will surely find comfort in the lyrics, which Daniel explains mean a great deal to him.

“The timeless lyrics of Forever Young speak of a parent’s love, overcoming adversity, embracing the good times and good memories. Producing this song and having it as part of my Heroes & Friends project is an honor. A wonderful cast of heroes and friends joined me in the studio, along with special guest vocalists, the great Paul Brewster and the legendary Dolly Parton. Their vocals are nothing short of amazing. Their kindness in agreeing to sing on the track and making a dream of mine become reality is something I will never forget. That kindness and encouragement is what I hope conveys to the listener.”

Daniel also sings a harmony part, with further assistance from Andy Leftwich on mandolin, Trey Hensley on guitar, Kent Blanton on bass), Josh Swift on resophonic guitar and percussion, Stephen Burwell on fiddle, and Derek Deakins on additional strings.

Have a listen…

Brewster added after hearing the finished product…

“A great musician, a great Brother in Christ, and what a great project. Thanks for my little part in this Daniel, and of course I am thankful Dolly agreed to come on board and add her iconic voice to the song, which was amazing!”

Daniel also intimated that part of his hope in getting Paul involved was to encourage him to sing, and especially record more, now that he has retired from his post as Ricky Skaggs’ tenor singer, which he held through both Ricky’s country and bluegrass eras for more than 25 years.

Let’s hope it works!

Forever Young is available now as a single from popular download and streaming services online, and to radio programmers via AirPlay Direct.

Three Arrows – new banjo tune from Daniel Grindstaff

Bonfire Music Group has a new single this week for banjo man Daniel Grindstaff, an instrumental with a message of love and support.

Titled Three Arrows, it’s a straight ahead banjo tune in the bluegrass vein, but Daniel says that it has an extra special meaning to him.

“I wrote this song for my boys, Owen and Finn, and it happens to be the first instrumental I’ve written that I have recorded. The talented friends who joined me in the studio are Trey Hensley, Andy Leftwich, Stephen Burwell, and Kent Blanton – as great players can do; these guys captured my vision for this tune perfectly.

Making the song even more special, Three Arrows is the down syndrome support symbol, and a portion of the proceeds will go to the FRIENDS Down Syndrome support group in East Tennessee, a non-profit organization very close to my heart. Music can lift spirits and bring a smile; I hope that’s what this tune does while also embracing this wonderful organization.”

Three Arrows will be included on Daniel’s upcoming Heroes and Friends album, a 10-track release where each tune carries a special sentiment relating to people who have meant a lot to him over the past 20 years. During that time, he has worked with Jim & Jesse, stood in on banjo with The Osborne Brothers, toured with Bobby Osborne and Marty Raybon, and served as one half of a chart topping duo with Tim Raybon as Merle Monroe.

One of those friends referenced in the album title is Rob McCoury, who says of Grindstaff…

“I’ve known Daniel for many years, and he’s been a great picker from the first time I met him! This project I believe is a testament to that. He and I are both very heavily influenced by Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe, and Sonny Osborne. You can hear those inflections in this great recording! But, make no mistake, this is pure Daniel Grindstaff! Nice work Pal!”

Check out Three Arrows…

Three Arrows is available now from popular download and streaming services online. Radio programmers can get the track via AirPlay Direct.

My Favorite J.D. Crowe Lick – Daniel Grindstaff

This is a feature we are running to memorialize the creative and musical legacy of the late J.D. Crowe, who we lost just before Christmas. We are calling it My Favorite Crowe Lick, and each episode will feature a prominent bluegrass banjo player sharing both their thoughts about Crowe and his influence, and showing us a lick they learned from his playing that sticks with them.

Daniel Grindstaff is up next, an east Tennessee banjo picker who has quite a resume for a still young musician. He has played with legends like Jim & Jesse, Marty Raybon, Rhonda Vincent, and more recently with Tim Raybon in Merle Monroe and The Tim Raybon Band. Daniel even had the honor to be asked to play banjo with The Osborne Brothers on The Grand Ole Opry after Sonny was unable to perform.

Though his entire youth was dedicated to the banjo, including recording with David Davis, Tim Graves, and others, these days he is primarily a family man, running his own insurance agency in Elizabethton, TN and touring with Tim Raybon when he is able.

Daniel was only too pleased to take a few moments to honor the great J.D. Crowe.

Keep an eye out for future installments of My Favorite J.D. Crowe Lick here at Bluegrass Today. You can watch all of them by following this link.

Having a Coffee with …… Daniel Grindstaff

In this is fun series we ask bluegrass music personalities, some famous, some not so famous, about some of their interests, as well as about the music that they love.

Daniel Grindstaff is an accomplished musician who is considered to be among the elite of today’s banjo players. Born and raised in Elizabethton, in east Tennessee, he has travelled all over the United States and Canada with some of the best in the bluegrass, acoustic, and country music genres.

These include performances and recordings with such bands as David Peterson and 1946; Jim & Jesse McReynolds; Jesse McReynolds; The Osborne Brothers; David Davis and the Warrior River Boys; Rhonda Vincent; Marty Raybon and Full Circle; Wildfire; James Alan Shelton; Bobby Osborne; Luke McKnight & Thunder Road; and Tim Graves & Cherokee.

As well as making many concert appearances, Grindstaff has graced the coveted stage of the Grand Ole Opry; performed during the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the CMA Music Fest; and appeared on national television’s Fox News morning show, Fox & Friends.

He first took an interest in bluegrass music as a 12-year-old, finding an old Harmony banjo and a box of records around the house. He put the two together, and with a little help from his father – Randy, who played banjo for Carl Story for a few years when he was younger – he graduated to a Frank Neat banjo, bought for Daniel by his grandmother.

He began his professional music career at the young age of 18, performing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, with bluegrass legends Jim & Jesse. At the age of 21, not only was he performing with Jesse McReynolds, but had also been called upon to take the stage with the legendary Osborne Brothers.

In the fall of 2006, Grindstaff began touring with Grammy Award winning artist Marty Raybon, and for the following five years he remained an important part of Raybon’s touring band and studio recordings.

During the following year Grindstaff released a well-received studio album April’s Fool (no label), which included Grand Ole Opry members Jesse McReynolds, Sonny Osborne (the composer of the title tune), and Bobby Osborne; ace Nashville bass player, Kent “Superman” Blanton; award-winning mandolin player, Adam Steffy; and legendary fiddlers Buddy Spicher and Steve Thomas.

In 2018, building on his past accomplishments, Grindstaff teamed up with Tim Raybon, to form Merle Monroe, a band with a distinct personality, showcasing a traditional country/bluegrass music hybrid with Raybon’s excellent lead vocals harnessed to Grindstaff’s dynamic, yet carefully considered banjo picking – not forgetting his harmony vocals.

Earlier this year (June 2109) Merle Monroe released its well-received debut album, the aptly titled Back to the Country (for Pinecastle Records).

Grindstaff works at an insurance agency in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

What would you like to drink?

It’s a bit of a drive for me but, since you asked, I would like to have a frozen Mocha from Lorraine’s Coffee and Music over in Garner, North Carolina!! We played a show over there recently and it was absolutely the best coffee I have had… Had a great show as well. We hope to be back. I will be getting a cup (or more) to go this time. As for now, I will have a cup of my normal hot fresh coffee.

Do you want anything to eat as well?

No thank you, friend. I usually start my day with just a cup of coffee. I really enjoy that time of the morning where the sun is coming up and you have a cup of coffee. I tend to read a few minutes or catch a little of the news as well.

What’s your favorite food?

My favorite foods are predictable for an east Tennessee guy. I love all the home cooking. Biscuits, cornbread, a good pot of beans. Much like my friend Joe Mullins I too like some ‘Bacon in my Beans’ (check out his video if you haven’t, it’s cool). I enjoy a good grilled steak or cheeseburger as well. Anything my wife Kristen cooks, by default it’s my favorite. She can really do some baking! Especially around the holidays!

And what would you have to drink with that?

Half and half tea now would be great, or a Coke!

What’s the nicest meal that you have ever had?

Traveling around I have been fortunate to enjoy some good food, however some of the nicest meals I have had come from the company I enjoy the food with more so than anything else. There is just something about enjoying a good meal with family and friends. I look forward to dinner with my wife and boys every day, or a friend I haven’t seen in a while. However, one of our favorite places we have been is the Peddler up in Gatlinburg, Tennesssee. They bring the steaks around to each table and you pick the one you would like. Wonderful place!

Let’s talk bluegrass….. Where/when did you first hear bluegrass music?

My dad, Randy, is actually a banjo player as well. He had a good collection of vinyl albums at home when I was young. Around the age of 11-12 I got into those albums. One In particular was the project he Osborne Brothers had recorded on CMH with Mac Wiseman. The opening song was that version of Midnight Flyer… man was I hooked after that! From there I dug into Flatt & Scruggs, Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Monroe, JD Crowe, Jimmy Martin, and the Country Gentlemen.

Which of your own songs / tunes do you have a particular liking for?

Tim Raybon and myself just released our debut album from our band Merle Monroe on Pinecastle Records, entitled Back to the Country. There is a song entitled Dad on the album, and it really means a lot to me. I have two boys, Finn and Owen. When I am driving Finn to school most mornings, he will say “Daddy play the song about me and you,” and that absolutely means the world to me. I really enjoy the bond that music creates. Pinecastle put a nice video together to go along with the song and there are photos throughout of us with our boys. Very special.

Movin’ On is another one, it was the first song we really worked on as a band, and happens to be our current single from the album. He Will Roll You Over the Tide is another favorite. Tim brought that one to the album and I am happy with the way it turned out.

What about a song/tune written by someone else?

The country artist John Berry released a song this year I have really enjoyed, entitled The Richest Man, and my friend Marty Raybon has a song from a few years ago entitled I’ve Seen What He Can Do. It’s a great song. As far as bluegrass, I really like Georgia Slammer, done recently by Joe Mullins, and Please by Rhonda Vincent and Dolly. All are wonderful new songs in my opinion. I love a lot of the classics written by Jimmy Webb that Glenn Campbell did, and the writing and songs of Merle Haggard. Goodness what songs!

Which particular albums do you like best and why?

I have several. A few that come to mind are The Osborne Brothers, Voices in Bluegrass, the Essential Bluegrass Album, and their album with Mac Wiseman on CMH. Jim and Jesse McReynolds, In the Tradition and Bluegrass Special. Doyle Lawson, Rock My Soul; The Country Gentlemen with Doyle Lawson and Bill Emerson on Vanguard; Glen Campbell, Live in South Dakota; Shenandoah, The Road Not Taken; JD Crowe & the New South, 0044, and all the Early Flatt & Scruggs albums.

As far as more recent releases (in the last 15 years); Dailey & Vincent, Brothers of the Highway; Rhonda Vincent, Good Thing Going; Blue Highway; Still Climbing Mountains. I really enjoy the Primitive Quartet as well. I know I am leaving some out but those come to mind. The common thing for each album is the songs and the delivery, just great songs, singing, and music. The one (in particular) from the list that would be my favorite is the Osborne Brothers with Mac Wiseman. Namely because it is one of the first albums I heard that made me want to be a banjo player!

You play a banjo …. …

I do

What model is it?

I have a few banjos, but two that are very special; a 2004 Osborne Chief built by Frank Neat in Russell Springs, Kentucky. I got this banjo from Sonny in April of 2004, and it really has been a lot of miles with me, including many shows at the Opry, and several albums. I also have a banjo I’ve owned since I was 12 built by Frank Neat. It’s the first banjo I played on the Opry with Jim and Jesse. The funny thing is my Dad had Frank build the banjo many years ago, and I was able to purchase it when I started playing from the guy my Dad had sold it to.

What’s your favorite bluegrass memory?

If I had to name one that I always go back to, it is the first time I worked with Sonny and Bobby Osborne. As I had mentioned previously, they were the first bluegrass sounds I had heard, and what made me want to play banjo. In August of 2004, Sonny called and wanted to know if I could be in Nashville on Tuesday night to play banjo for them on the Grand Ole Opry. Eddie Stubbs was handling the announcing at the Opry that night. I stood there listening to the accomplishments they had achieved; members of the Grand Ole Opry, the state songs, CMA awards, Hall of Fame inductions, White House appearances, and thought back to the time I was just a boy, hearing the first sounds of the Osborne Brothers, and what this moment meant to me. It was very special to stand on stage playing banjo with both Sonny and Bobby, the fabulous Osborne Brothers. Wonderful memory for me.

How do you keep fit and healthy when you spend so much time on the road?

Ha ha… I haven’t done as well at that in recent years as I used to. However, I do make it a point to try my best to eat as healthily as possible, and walk as much as I can. Tim and myself both enjoy walking, and when we are out on the road I like to get up in the morning, have a little coffee, and walk-jog a couple of miles. That is a huge help.

Are you a sports fan? Who do you follow?

I actually do not watch any sports on a regular basis other than my son Finn, who plays soccer and T-Ball. I do enjoy going to his games.

What hobbies do you have?

I don’t have any hobbies in particular. In my free time I enjoy projects I get into around the house, events we have at our Church, spending time with my wife and family, and going somewhere nice for a good dinner. The area we live in here in East Tennessee is beautiful, so a nice ride around the lake or walk outside is enjoyable. I’m fairly simple when it comes to all of that. Seems to me the more time goes along, the less time we have for the simple things, so I try and make it a point to keep that a priority.

What is the last movie film that you watched?

As far as something in the theatre it has been a long time. I have watched the latest Ken Burns series on Country Music, really enjoyed it too, and I recently watched the Disney version of Robin Hood with my boy. You know the one Roger Miller did the music for back in 1973. For those who haven’t seen it, check it out!

What is your favorite film and why?

I really love the old Indiana Jones movies, they don’t make them like that now! Adventure, action, and a good story line without all the language, etc. Our fiddler, Derek Deakins… those happen to be his favorites as well. I’m not saying it has helped his fiddlin’, but I wouldn’t rule it out, ha ha!

Do you get much time to watch TV?

I really don’t. My wife and I have two boys, Finn who is 6 and Owen who is 4 months old. You can imagine if the TV is on, we are tuned into Mickey or something along those lines, ha ha ha ha. If I get to watch TV I really enjoy a few of the music shows: Dailey & Vincent, Marty Stuart, Opry Encore, Song of the Mountains, Bluegrass Underground, and things along those lines.

What’s your favorite show?

I enjoy a few things on the history channel, there is one in particular called Mysteries at the Museum I catch every now and then.. I enjoy Charles Stanley as well, but I really don’t watch any show all that regular. My wife loves the current popular show called This Is Us. I catch it by default most weeks.

What would you be doing if you weren’t involved in bluegrass music?

I really don’t know. Music has been in my life for about as long as I can remember. I have played banjo since I was 12, went on the road at 18. I have never thought about not being involved with music somehow. I would like to think that whatever I would be involved in would be something that brings joy to folks the way music does.

Daniel Grindstaff lives with his wife, Kristen, and their two boys in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

Welcome Owen John Grindstaff!

Finn Grindstaff with his new baby brother, Owen

Daniel Grindstaff, banjo player with Merle Monroe, and his wife Kristen, are celebrating the birth of their second child last month.

Owen John Grindstaff was born on May 24 at 12:40 a.m. He came in at 8 pounds 2 ounces, with a head full of wild hair that looks red like his big brother, Finn’s.

Daniel tells us that Owen had some difficulties when he first arrived, but is doing just fine now.

“Owen means ‘young warrior,’ and John means ‘God is gracious.’ So very true for our little guy! We didn’t plan on spending his first 10 days in the NICU, but a warrior he is, and God is certainly gracious to us! We were happy to bring home our happy, healthy little boy on Monday and all be under one roof. If you have called, text or prayed for us, please know that we are overwhelmed by your love and friendship.”

Congratulations to Kristen and Daniel, and a big Bluegrass Today welcome to little Owen!

Merle Monroe signs with Pinecastle

Pinecastle Records has announced the signing of a new bluegrass act, Merle Monroe, consisting of a pair of veterans coming together to share the particular kind of music they love best.

The two principals are Tim Raybon, long time grasser and younger brother of Marty Raybon, who played bass and sang alongside his brother since they were teens, and Daniel Grindstaff, a powerhouse banjo picker who worked with Marty and Tim, and with Bobby Osborne and Jim & Jesse for many years.

You can take a hint of what their music will be like in the name they chose for the band. A shared passion for the crunchy bluegrass of Bill Monroe and the smooth country of Merle Haggard is what Daniel and Tim like to perform. Both men grew up listening to this sort of honest, down home music, and expect it to form the basis of their sound.

The two met working with Marty’s bluegrass show, causing Tim to remark of Daniel, ”He was the best banjo player I had ever heard and an adamant professional.” Raybon will play slap-rhythm guitar, with Jayd Raines on bass, and Josh Doss on lead guitar. A fiddle player will be added shortly, and included on their upcoming album.

Working largely in his brother’s shadow, most bluegrass lovers will be unaware of Tim’s talents as a vocalist, with a strong tenor voice quite different in character from Marty’s. And as a songwriter, he can deliver a fast-paced love song or a tender ballad with equal ease.

A full album of Merle Monroe music is in the works, but Pinecastle has included a new Christmas song that Tim wrote on their just-release collaboration record, A Very Acoustic Christmas. It’s called Oh The Joy Of Christmas, and you can hear a sample below for a taste of the Merle Monroe style.

A debut album from Merle Monroe is nearly finished, and expected sometime in 2019. It will be focused on straight ahead bluegrass, with a couple of ballads, most of it written by Tim Raybon.

Look for a single after the first of the year.

Welcome Finn Grindstaff

We heard this morning from Tennessee banjo picker Daniel Grindstaff, who has worked of late with Marty Raybon and Bobby Osborne. He shared some happy news from he and his wife, Kristen.

“Daniel Finn Grindstaff arrived June 14th, right on his due date! Finn was 8lb, 15oz and 21” long. He and Mommy are doing well, and I had the blessing of driving my beautiful baby boy home from the hospital with the love of my life on Fathers Day.

We are very blessed. I have joked with his Mommy that 10 years of being a full time musician had equipped me with the ability to maintain with little sleep!”

We also asked Daniel for a quick update on his recent musical activities.

“I played the Grand Ole Opry with Bobby Osborne a few weeks before Finn was born. He seemed to really enjoy the Opry, and Mommy said he moved around quite a bit during Rocky Top.

I am also on several tracks of the new Marty Raybon Rural Rhythm album, the Back 40, including Big Burnsville Jail, Only You, Only You, Hurt me all the time, A Little More Sawdust on the Floor and Slowly.

I plan to be out and about a little with fill in or studio work some more after the baby settles in.”

Friends and fans can send well wishes via Facebook or email.

Congratulations Daniel and Kristen, and welcome little Finn!