Grasstowne:
Grasstowne is a band
comprised of very well respected veterans in bluegrass
and acoustic music. Alan Bibey and Steve Gulley have
known each other for many years and it is from that
friendship that Grasstowne grew. The friendship,
on and off stage, shows in the music and their live
performances
Well, here we are 30 years
later and we find these men as partners in the
acoustic band Grasstowne! Add to the mix
three very talented players; Justin Jenkins on
banjo, Kameron Keller on bass and Adam Haynes on
fiddle, we have the hottest band on tour today!!
The Players:
Alan Bibey:
Mandolin / Vocals
 Since first hitting the scene in the early
1980’s, Alan Bibey has made a name for himself as
one of the most creative and technically gifted
mandolinist in bluegrass and acoustic music. A
stylist who turned heads as an original member of The
New Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out and BlueRidge, his
tasteful innovations and pristine execution earned him
inclusion in The Young Mando Monsters project and Mel
Bay’s mandolin Book “The Greatest Mandolin Players Of
The Twentieth Century."
Alan left IIIrd
Tyme Out in 1993 to become an original member of The
Southern Country Nights show in Surfside Beach, SC and
later was a member of The Carolina Opry cast from 1994
until 1997.
Alan has been nominated for
awards each year at SPBGMA (The Society for the
Preservation of BlueGrass Music Association) and IBMA
(International Bluegrass Music Association) and has most
recently won for “Album of The Year”,“Instrumental
Recording Of The Year” and “Recorded Event Of The
Year” at IBMA.
In February 2007, he was
named "Mandolin Player of the Year" at the 33rd Annual
SPBGMA National Convention in Nashville, TN.
He
has instruction books and videos/dvd’s available through
AcuTab and Mel Bay and just last year was on the cover
of Mandolin Magazine. His solo recording “In The
Blue Room” was voted top instrumental Album by County
Record Sales.
Alan was a major
factor in BlueRidge and part of it’s success for
the last ten years but is extremely excited about this
great new venture with Grasstowne!
Last but not least, in early 2004 The Gibson
Company put into production The Alan Bibey Signature
Series line of mandolins, reaffirming his status as one
of the most influential mandolinist in bluegrass and
acoustic music history!
Steve
Gulley: Guitar / Vocals
Guitarist Steve Gulley had already won esteem for his
lofty tenor voice and emotional delivery as an
entertainer at Kentucky's historic Renfro Valley before
he joined Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, bringing him
before a wider but no less appreciative audience.
Steve was also a founding member of the
bluegrass group Mountain Heart where he recorded five
highly acclaimed CDs as the lead singer for that band.
He has been tapped as a harmony and featured
singer on projects like the widely-praised Keith Whitley
album, "Sad Songs and Waltzes," and many others
including projects by Ronnie Bowman, Dan Tyminski, Tim
Stafford, David Parmley, Dale Ann Bradley, Jeff Parker
and Phil Leadbetter just to name a few.
He has
also earned multiple Male Vocalist of the Year
nominations from the Society for the Preservation of
Bluegrass Music in America.
Justin Jenkins:
Banjo
 Justin Jenkins has been playing music since the
age of six. He started out like most people playing in
local talent contests and venues. His first
“professional” music gig came about the age of twelve
when he was asked to become a regular member of the
Renfro Valley Barn Dance. He played there every Friday
and Saturday night from 1998 to 2003. In the fall of
2003 he was a guest on the Grand Ole Opry with Mike
Snider. In the Renfro Valley years he became good
friends with another Renfro Valley member Steve Gulley.
After high school he hit the road with Gulley’s band,
Mountain Heart to sell merchandise where he got his
first taste of the road life. After a year with Mountain
Heart he met Blue Moon Rising and joined them full time
in the spring of 2004. Justin made two albums with BMR
“On The Rise” and “One Lonely Shadow.” With the success
of BMR he has developed personal friendships with
several of his musical heroes. Some of his heroes and
influences include, Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe, Ron
Stewart, Terry Baucom and Sammy Shelor, just to name a
few. In early 2010 Justin will release his first solo
album which is chalked full of his friends and heroes.
The album includes the likes of Ron Stewart, Harold
Nixon, Adam Steffey, Dan Tyminski, Keith Garrett, Chris
West, Barry Abernathy, Steve Gulley, Rick Wasson, Dwight
McCall, and Brian Rittenberry. When not playing music
Justin works for his Dad’s company Top Gun Caulking and
Waterproofing. He also enjoys hunting and fishing and
farming in his spare time. Justin makes his home in
Harrodsburg, Ky.
Kameron Keller: Bass
 Kameron Keller was born
and raised in Greeneville, TN. He has played in
several regional bands and most recently spent two years
with a gospel band called "Strong Ties". He is
currently attending East Tennessee State
University. Some of Kameron's favorite bass
players include Barry Bales and Jason Moore.
Though only 19 years old, Kameron is a seasoned player
with a lot of talent and we're excited to have him as a
member of Grasstowne.
Adam Haynes: Fiddle
 The newest member of Grasstowne is
fiddler Adam Haynes. Originally from Norwalk, Ohio, Adam spent a lot of time in
eastern Kentucky where a lot
of his family originated. The ties to bluegrass music
were strong and Adam learned to play early and now
carries on the great tradition of bluegrass fiddle
playing that has long been synonymous with the mountains
of eastern Kentucky. He currently
makes his home in Portland, TN. You may remember
Adam from his work in years past with James King, Larry
Stephenson and Dailey&Vincent, just to name a few.
Adam brings a wealth of knowledge and firepower to
Grasstowne. He’ll also be featured on bass and baritone
vocals. Adam is excited about his future with Grasstowne
and all the guys in the band are really excited to have
him. Welcome home, Adam!
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