Josh Williams
Josh Williams is a unique and extremely versatile and talented young
man. He is considered by many to be the most formidable young male
vocalist in the Acoustic music business. He is known to some as one
of the finest young guitar players to come along in a long time,
having served as the guitar player for the top ranked Rhonda
Vincent & The Rage in their grueling 300 days per year
touring schedule from December 2003 through September 2007.
He is also known by some as the excellent mandolin/fiddle player
formerly with The Special Consensus. There are many of us
who still think of him as the hard driving banjo player for the group
he fronted during his High School years, Josh Williams & High Gear.
The fact is Josh Williams is all of these. He is a super talented
multi-instrumentalist, a superb lead and harmony singer, and a
truly gifted songwriter. He has been writing and performing Bluegrass
music for well over half his life.
Josh signed a solo recording contract with Pinecastle Records in 2000, and released his first solo recording Now That You're Gone that same year. This project also received rave reviews, and allowed Josh to experience his first national chart action on the Bluegrass Unlimited Chart. In June of 2005, Josh's second solo project for Pinecastle was released. Lonesome Highway was also the subject of excellent reviews. Josh appeared with Rhonda Vincent & The Rage on the groups first ever live recording Ragin' Live on DVD. Ragin' Live also was Josh's first Grammy nomination. He is currently putting the finishing touches on his third solo CD for Pinecastle records. Josh Williams has won the SPBGMA International Guitar Player of the year — 4 years in a row.
Chris Jones
Chris Jones is no newcomer to the musical spotlight. His resume
includes appearances and recordings with some of the world's most
respected musicians including The Chieftains, Earl Scruggs, Vassar
Clements, Lynn Morris Band, April Verch Band, the McCarters and the
award-winning quartet Weary Hearts, among others. He has performed
as a sideman at the Grand Ole Opry and has been seen on such
television shows as Conan O'Brien, Emeril Live, and The Grand Ole
Opry Live. Jones' collaboration with legendary country
singer/songwriter Tom T. Hall led to the release of the duet
Man On The Side Of The Road from Chris' Just a Drifter
album, which became one of the Top 5 airplay bluegrass songs of 2001.
Most recently, he appeared in the PBS series The Appalachians
as a both a performer and commentator. Named Broadcaster Of The Year
at the International Bluegrass Music Association¿s annual awards for
his work as a DJ on Sirius Satellite Radio's bluegrass channel,
Jones also took home a co-writer's Song Of The Year trophy for
Fork In The Road, the title track of an Album Of The Year
winner by the Infamous Stringdusters. The double-barrelled
achievement marked the first time in the organization's history that
a single person has won honors for both musical and non-musical
accomplishments. He is a writer for a column in Flatpicking Guitar
Magazine and has 4 instructional DVD's out by Musician's Workshop.
Chris has released 3 recordings on the Rebel label. Each has won
critical reviews, enhancing his reputation as a soulful
singer/guitarist and an insightful songwriter.
