Blue Highway is an American contemporary bluegrass band formed in 1994 and based in

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...

. The band's albums include ''Wondrous Love'' (2003), ''Marbletown'' (2005), and '' Original Traditional'' (2016).

Background

After helping found the band Dusty Miller, which was the 1990 SPBGMA International Bluegrass Band champion, and being a member (1990–92) of

Alison Krauss & Union Station Alison Krauss & Union Station is an American bluegrass and country band associated with singer Alison Krauss. It was initially composed of Krauss, Jeff White, Mike Harman and John Pennell. Later additions included Tim Stafford, Ron Block, Ada ...

Kingsport, Tennessee Kingsport is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, Sullivan and Hawkins County, Tennessee, Hawkins counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, its population was 55,442. Lying along the Holston Ri ...

native Tim Stafford helped organize Blue Highway with Wayne Taylor in 1994. The group's first project, ''It's a Long, Long Road'', "spent six months at the top of the

Bluegrass Unlimited ''Bluegrass Unlimited'' is a monthly music magazine "dedicated to the furtherance of bluegrass and old-time musicians, devotees and associates."

charts and won IBMA's Album of the Year Award (1996)." Jason Burleson, the original banjo player with the group and a multi-instrumentalist, is a native of

Newland, North Carolina Newland is a town in Avery County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 698 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Avery County. History Before its founding, the area was known as "Old Fields of Toe". It was an early muster gr ...

., Rob Ickes, a

Northern California Northern California (colloquially known as NorCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. Spanning the state's northernmost 48 counties, its main population centers incl ...

native, moved to Nashville in 1992 and joined as a founding member in 1994. Ickes has won numerous awards for his playing, and after a 21-year run with the band he announced his departure on November 18, 2015. Ickes was replaced by resonator guitarist and Virginia native, Gaven Largent. Vocalist, fiddler, and mandolin player Shawn Lane joined the group as a founding member after cutting "his musical teeth" in the bands of

Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ...

and Doyle Lawson. Lane's songs have also been recorded by Ricky Skaggs,

Ronnie Bowman Ronnie Bowman (born July 9, 1961) is an American singer and composer of bluegrass music. Besides his solo albums, he is known for his work with the Lonesome River Band. Biography Early years A native of Mount Airy, North Carolina, Bowman sang gos ...

Mountain Heart Mountain Heart is an American band, which combines elements of rock, jam band, country, blues, jazz, folk and bluegrass music. Critics have described the band using terms such as "acoustic overdrive", "Folk rock on steroids", and "slam grass". ...

, Blue Ridge, and other groups. Lead singer Wayne Taylor, who plays bass, hails from

Southwest Virginia Southwest Virginia, often abbreviated as SWVA, is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. Located within the broader region of western Virginia, Southwest Virginia has been defined alternatively as all Virg ...

and is also a founding member of the group.

Awards and honors

Grammy nominations * Best Bluegrass Album (2005): ''Marbletown'' * Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album (2004): ''Wondrous Love'' * Best Bluegrass Album (2016): '' Original Traditional'' International Bluegrass Music Association Awards * Song of the Year (2008): "Through the Window of a Train" * Vocal Group of the Year (2012) * Gospel Recording of the Year (1997): "God Moves in a Windstorm" * Gospel Recording of the Year (2004): "Wondrous Love" * Emerging Artist of the Year (1996) * Album of the Year (1996): ''It's a Long, Long Road'' * Album of the Year Award (2006): ''Celebration of Life: Musicians Against Childhood Cancer'' * Songwriter of the Year (2014, 2017): Tim Stafford * Dobro Player of the Year (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996): Rob Ickes Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America Awards * Gospel Group of the Year (Overall) (2005) * Instrumental Group of the Year (2003) * Dobro Performer of the Year (2003): Rob Ickes * Bass Performer of the Year (2001): Wayne Taylor * Guitar Performer of the Year (2001, 2015): Tim Stafford Dove Award * Best Bluegrass Album (2004): ''Wondrous Love''

Personnel

Current members

* Jason Burleson – banjo, guitar, mandolin * Shawn Lane – mandolin, fiddle, guitar, vocals * Tim Stafford – guitar, vocals * Wayne Taylor – bass, vocals * Gary Hultman – resonator guitar, vocals

Former members

* Rob Ickes – resonator guitar * Tom Adams – banjo * Gaven Largent – resonator guitar * Justin Moses – resonator guitar

Discography

Albums

References

External links

* * * * {{Authority control Musical groups established in 1994 Rebel Records artists Rounder Records artists American bluegrass music groups Country music groups from Tennessee Musical groups from Nashville, Tennessee