St Louis Flatpick From Years Past
Kenny Smith
Originally from Nine Mile, IN, Kenny Smith is widely considered one
of the most important and influential flatpicking-style guitarists
of his generation. A two-time IBMA Guitarist of the Year award winner,
his professional credits include 6 years with the popular Lonesome
River Band and an exceptional solo CD, Studebaker, released on Sugar
Hill Records in 1997. Kenny's in great demand at guitar workshops and
master classes, teaching at the renowned Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend
series and at guitar workshops at major events such as IBMA. He has
just released a two-DVD instruction set on AcuTab Publications. Kenny
and his wife Amanda, have traveled together with their band and have
released 5 recordings to date. They have remained on the bluegrass
charts since their debut in 2001, winning the prestige Emerging Artist
award from the IBMA in 2003.
Brad Davis
After spending years on the road playing country with Marty Stuart,
bluegrass with Earl Scruggs, newgrass with Sam Bush, Gypsy jazz with
John Jorgenson, and rock with Billy Bob Thornton, Brad Davis steps
out front to prove that he can hold his own as a solo artist and
band leader.
Brad Davis spent ten years (1992-2002) performing on stage as a member of Marty Stuart's road band. For the past seven years, he has played lead acoustic guitar with Earl Scruggs and Friends, and for the past six years he has played lead electric and acoustic guitar with movie actor Billy Bob Thornton's rock band. He spent two years (2003-2004) as the guitar player for the Sam Bush Band and also performed with John Jorgenson's Gypsy Jazz Quintet in 2005. He occasionally performs with an exciting new bluegrass band, 'Greenbroke', which consists of himself, John Cowan, John Moore, and Dennis Caplinger.
Brad has worked for, or recorded with, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Pam Tillis, The Forester Sisters, Tommy Shaw (Styx), David Lee Roth (Van Halen), Sheryl Crow, Sam Bush, Warren Zevon, and The Sweethearts of the Rodeo.. Additionally, Brad has recorded two album projects featuring Billy Bob Thornton on Mercury Records and has toured both Europe and the United States as the lead guitar player for Billy Bob Thorntons band. Brad's two solo recordings on FGM Records "I'm Not Gonna Let My Blues Bring Me Down", and "This World Ain't No Child Anymore" were both released to rave reviews. He also appears on an FGM concert DVD video release "Live in Kansas City" with Cody Kilby and Tim May. He is currently the host of an upcoming television program, "Commerce County Line", a singer/songwriter television program.
A prolific songwriter Brad has had his songs recorded by various country and bluegrass artists, including country star Tim McGraw ("Ain't No Angels"), Jo El-Sonnier ("Can't Give My Heart Away"), Billy Bob Thornton ("Always Countin'", "Beautiful Door"), Grasstowne ("Love You Don't Know"), Hometown News ("All The Time"), and Tony Trischka ("I'm Singing Harmony"). He has played on Marty Stuart's gold selling album "This Ones Gonna Hurt You", the Marty Stuart "Hit Pack", and Marty’s last MCA recording "The Pilgrim". He played on the soundtrack of Steven Seagals "Fire Down Below", and performed music for Billy Bob Thornton’s Miramax releases "Daddy And Them" and "Waking Up In Reno". He also recorded with Sheryl Crow, and others, on the Johnny Cash tribute album "Kindred Spirits", played guitar on Warren Zevon's final Grammy-winning recording, "The Wind", and was on Sam Bush's Sugar Hill release "King of My World".
A talented guitar instructor and writer, Brad has been a columnist for Flatpicking Guitar Magazine since 1996 and is currently Takamine’s main guitar clinician, conducting dozens of music store clinics for Takamine each year. He has taught at Steve Kaufman’s Flatpick Camp, Nashcamp, Camp Bluegrass, the St. Louis Flatpick Weekend, the Roanoke Bluegrass Weekend, and more. He has also produced four instructional DVDs for Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, "Flatpick Jam", Volumes 1, 2, & 3 and a book/DVD/CD course called "Flatpicking the Blues". Additionally, he has produced several instructional courses for Mel Bay Publications, including the "Blue Book of Speedpicking", and a series of instructional Ear Training Cds.
Bull Harman
No stranger in the Midwest when you mention guitar playing, Bull has won numerous awards doing just that. A respected instructor and teacher in his field, Bull also traveled for several years with Rhonda Vincent and in 1999 formed his own band, "Bull's Eye" which he still performs with today. Bull and his band recently won 2009 National Single Mic Championship at Silver Dollar City. He holds the title of SPGMBA Midwest Guitar Player of the Year for 2004, 2006 & 2007. Bull has 2 solo projects that have received high recognition titled "Bull's Eye" and "Rosewood, Spruce & Ebony".
