Lonesome River Band

Lonesome River Band
Lonesome River Band 2016 press photo
Background information
Origin	Meadows of Dan, Virginia, United States
Genres	Bluegrass, Folk
Years active	1982-present
Associated acts	Dan Tyminksi, Alison Krauss, Tim Austin
Website	www.lonesomeriverband.com
Members	Mike Hartgrove, Jesse Smathers, Barry Reed, Brandon Rickman, Sammy Shelor
Past members	Tim Austin, Jerry McMillan, Steve Thomas, Rick Williams, Jeff Midkiff, Billy Wheeler, Randy Driskill, Adam Steffey, Brian Fesler, Dan Tyminski, Dale Perry, John Green, Ronnie Bowman, Steve Dilling, Darrell Webb, Don Rigsby, Kenny Smith, Ricky Simpkins, Jeff Parker, Irl Hees, John Wade, Shannon Slaughter, Barry Berrier, Matt Leadbetter, Mike Anglin, Andy Ball, Mike Jones, Derrick Clifton, Randy Jones

The Lonesome River Band is an American contemporary bluegrass band. The band has released 15 recording projects since its formation in 1982. Lonesome River Band is led by Sammy Shelor who is a member of the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame and a 5-Time International Bluegrass Music Association Banjo Player of the Year Award recipient. The band has experienced numerous personnel changes over the years, and has not included an original member since Tim Austin left the band in 1995 to focus on Doobie Shea Records.^[1]

On November 11, 2011, band member Sammy Shelor was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo.^[2] Shelor was presented with the award on the Late Show with David Letterman. Following the presentation of the award, Steve Martin performed with the Lonesome River Band.

Members

Current members^[3]

• Mike Hartgrove — fiddle
• Jesse Smathers — mandolin, vocals
• Barry Reed — bass, vocals
• Brandon Rickman — guitar, vocals
• Sammy Shelor — banjo, guitar, bass, vocals

Previous Members^[4]

• Tim Austin — guitar, banjo, bass, vocals
• Jerry McMillan — bass, vocals
• Steve Thomas — fiddle, mandolin, vocals
• Rick Williams — banjo
• Jeff Midkiff — mandolin, fiddle, vocals
• Billy Wheeler — banjo, dobro, guitar
• Randy Driskill — banjo, vocals
• Adam Steffey — mandolin, vocals
• Brian Fesler — banjo, guitar, vocals
• Dan Tyminski — mandolin, guitar, vocals
• Dale Perry — banjo, guitar, vocals
• John Green — bass, vocals
• Ronnie Bowman — bass, guitar, vocals
• Steve Dilling — banjo, vocals
• Darrell Webb — mandolin, vocals
• Don Rigsby — mandolin, vocals
• Kenny Smith — guitar, vocals
• Ricky Simpkins — fiddle, vocals
• Jeff Parker — mandolin, vocals
• Irl Hees — bass, vocals
• John Wade — bass, vocals
• Shannon Slaughter — guitar, vocals
• Barry Berrier — bass, vocals
• Matt Leadbetter — dobro, vocals
• Mike Anglin — bass, vocals
• Andy Ball — mandolin, piano, vocals
• Mike Jones — banjo
• Derrick Clifton — sound board
• Randy Jones — mandolin, vocals

Guests

• Mike Auldridge — steel guitar (The Lonesome River Band)
• Steve Thomas — fiddle (Saturday Night-Sunday Morning, Carrying The Tradition)
• Stuart Duncan — fiddle (Looking For Yourself, Old Country Town)
• Alison Krauss — fiddle (Carrying The Tradition)
• Bobby Hicks — fiddle (Carrying The Tradition)
• Kim Gardner — dobro (Carrying The Tradition)
• Ricky Simpkins — fiddle (Old Country Town)
• Kenneth Smith — drums (Old Country Town)
• Aubrey Haynie — fiddle (One Step Forward)
• Randy Howard — fiddle (One Step Forward, Finding The Way)
• Jerry Douglas — dobro, Weissenborn guitar (One Step Forward, Finding The Way)
• Jason Carter — fiddle (Finding The Way)
• Dan Tyminski — harmony vocals (Talkin to Myself)
• Ron Stewart — fiddle (The Road With No End)

Discography

Albums

Title	Album details	Peak positions
		US Bluegrass
I Guess Heartaches Are in Style This Year	Release date: 1985 Label: Shar-Lin	—
The Lonesome River Band	Release date: 1986 Label: Rebel Records	—
Saturday Night - Sunday Morning	Release date: 1988 Label: Rebel Records	—
Looking for Yourself	Release date: 1989 Label: Rebel Records	—
Carrying the Tradition	Release date: 1991 Label: Rebel Records	—
Old Country Town	Release date: January 25, 1994 Label: Sugar Hill Records	—
One Step Forward	Release date: March 19, 1996 Label: Sugar Hill Records	—
Finding the Way	Release date: August 18, 1998 Label: Sugar Hill Records	—
Talkin to Myself	Release date: June 20, 2000 Label: Sugar Hill Records	—
Window of Time	Release date: August 27, 2002 Label: Doobie Shea Records	—
Head on into Heartache	Release date: May 17, 2005 Label: Mountain Home	—
The Road with No End	Release date: July 25, 2006 Label: Mountain Home	—
No Turning Back	Release date: September 9, 2008 Label: Rural Rhythm Records	—
Still Learning	Release date: July 13, 2010 Label: Rural Rhythm Records	8
Chronology, Volume 1	Release date: February 28, 2012 Label: Rural Rhythm Records	10
Chronology, Volume 2	Release date: July 3, 2012 Label: Rural Rhythm Records	—
Chronology, Volume 3	Release date: October 16, 2012 Label: Rural Rhythm Records	—
Turn on a Dime	Release date: October 28, 2014 Label: Mountain Home	9
Coming back home to you	Release date: August 14, 2015 Label: Mountain Home	—
Bridging the Tradition	Release date: March 18, 2016 Label: Mountain Home	2
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

References

1. "Tim Austin: Where Is He Now?". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
2. "Sammy Shelor Wins Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Band and Bluegrass". Sammy Shelor. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
3. "Lonesome River Band". lonesomeriverband.com. Retrieved 2016-01-12.
4. "The Lonesome River Band". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-01-12.

External links

• Lonesome River Band official Web Site
• CMT.com: Lonesome River Band: Biography
• Steve Martin Honors Another Banjo Player

External links

• Lonesome River Band official website