The Grascals are a six-piece American bluegrass band from Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in February 2004, the band has gained a level of fame by playing on the Grand Ole Opry and bluegrass festivals around the country, as well as with Dolly Parton.[1][2]
Terry Smith was born June 15, 1960, in Reidsville, North Carolina. He moved to Nashville in his early teens, after starting out playing in a family band with his mother Hazel Smith, father Patrick Smith, and brother, Billy Smith. Terry has played with such legends as Jimmy Martin, Wilma Lee Cooper, and the Osborne Brothers. Terry and his brother, Billy, recorded an album for CBS Records, which evolved to a number one video on CMT with "Blues Stay Away From Me." After touring with Grand Ole Opry member Mike Snider, Terry joined the Grascals and remains as a founding member.
Danny Roberts
Danny Roberts started playing guitar to back up Jimmy Mattingly when they were growing up in Leitchfield, Kentucky. He began to win contests for his guitar playing, and eventually, mandolin. In 1982, he co-founded the New Tradition, bluegrass/gospel group that toured the country for close to 20 years. The band recorded 10 CDs, made "Seed of Love" song, the first bluegrass video to feature the banjo, and even reached number one on the TNN channel. That band broke up in 2000, but Danny still continued to play with others including Marty Raybon, Larry Cordle, and Melonie Cannon. He also joined Ronnie Reno's band, the Reno Tradition. Danny joined the Grascals as a founding member, where he was reunited with Jimmy Mattingly.
Kristin Scott Benson
Kristin Scott Benson grew up in South Carolina in a musical family and joined the Grascals in January 2009. She worked previously with Petticoat Junction, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time and the Larry Stephenson Band. She has won the International Bluegrass Music Awards and Society of the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America Banjo Player of the Year numerous times. In September 2018, she was chosen as the recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass with a $50,000 reward. Kristin is married to IIIrd Tyme Out mandolin player Wayne Benson.[3]
John Bryan
John Bryan sings lead vocals and plays guitar with the Grascals. He's been playing and singing bluegrass since he was a teen, with a deep, family connection to the music. John's great-grandfather, Willard Watson, was a first cousin to Doc, and a fine old-time musician and dancer in his own right. John was formerly with Larry Efaw and The Bluegrass Mountaineers when he joined the Grascals in April 2015.
Jamie Johnson
Jamie Johnson was an original founding member since February 2004. He was raised in Indiana and now makes his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. After an eight-year break, he has returned to the band on guitar and vocals. The band is looking forward to singing and traveling with Jamie again and performing the incredible songs he has written.[4]
Jamie Harper
Jamie "Harp" Harper plays fiddle for the Grascals and helps out on vocals as of January 2023. He is originally from North Carolina and now makes his home near Portland, TN with his wife Lakyn and son Stetson. "Harp" has a long bluegrass resume performing with Sideline and Junior Sisk among others [1]
Line Up Changes
December 2006: Dave Talbot left and was replaced by Aaron McDaris on banjo beginning in 2007.[5]
July 2008: Jimmy Mattingly left and was replaced by Jeremy Abshire on fiddle.[6]
January 2009: Aaron McDaris left and was replaced by Kristin Scott Benson on banjo.[7]
October 2013: Jeremy Abshire left and was replaced by Adam Haynes on fiddle.[8]
April 2015: Jamie Johnson left and was replaced by John Bryan on guitar and vocals.[9]
February 2019: Terry Eldredge left and former member Jamie Johnson returned for a few months filling the void.[10]
May 2019: Chris Davis joined the band on guitar and vocals.[10]
September 2022: Chris Davis departed the Grascals, 9/24/2022, playing his final show with the band at the LeConte Center, Pigeon Forge, TN[10]
December 2022: founding member Jamie Johnson returned to the band following an eight-year hiatus.[4]
January 2023: Jamie Harper joined the Grascals, replacing Adam Haynes on fiddle [2]
History
The original concept of the Grascals occurred when the four core members, Terry Eldredge, Jamie Johnson, Jimmy Mattingly, and Dave Talbot, asked Terry Smith and Danny Roberts to join a new group they were wanting to start. They played one of their first shows at the Station Inn in February 2004 with special guest Bobby Osborne. The Grascals began recording their first album in 2004, which would simply be a self-titled album on Rounder Records. This album featured such songs as "Me and John and Paul" written by Harley Allen, "Where Corn Don't Grow" and another popular cover song, "Viva Las Vegas," which featured Dolly Parton. During the recording, Dolly Parton showed interest in wanting to play with the Grascals. The band soon became Dolly's opening act, as well as her bluegrass band.[2] Performing at Dollywood and the Grand Ole Opry, the band and Dolly played a cover version of Elvis's song, "Viva Las Vegas." The first album made it on to the Billboard charts, as well as many country and bluegrass charts. Also on the album cover, Dolly is quoted saying, "One of the greatest albums I've ever heard."[11]
Notable accomplishments
2004–present: The Grascals have appeared on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry many times as a band.[12][13]
April 2, 2006: Performed at the Millennium Stage at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. The concert was part of the center's Country: A Celebration of America's Music series.[14]
