News/Thoughts

Carolina Blue

Brevard, North Carolina is home to bluegrass band, Carolina Blue. The band was formed in 2007 after cofounders Bobby Powell and Tim Jones released the album, Nothing So Blue. They won the South Carolina state bluegrass championship at RenoFest in 2011. Their latest CD, Sounds of Kentucky Grass, features Bobby Powell on guitar and vocals, Tim Jones on mandolin and vocals, Reese Combs on upright bass and vocals, James McDowell on banjo and vocals, and Greg Moore on fiddle.

Bobby Powell spent some time with us recently to talk about this exciting group. “When I was a senior in high school, toward the end of the year, a lot of these senior guys would bring their guitars in to school,” he told us. “It made me really interested in learning, so I took my graduation money gifts and purchased a guitar and a couple instruction books.”

carolinablueThat was in June, and by that September he had joined a gospel quartet as their guitar player. That was about 22 years ago, and Bobby has been playing music ever since. “I’ve been very fortunate,” he said.

During his time with the quartet he met Tim Jones who was playing with a family band. They hit it off right away, and Bobby eventually joined Tim’s band. About a year later, Bobby got hired by locally famous bluegrass artist, Roy Chapman. “Tim followed me, and we’ve been together ever since,” Bobby said.

Carolina Blue is celebrating their 10th year as a band together this year. Woody Platt of Steep Canyon Rangers originally suggested the two record their first project which initiated the forming of the band.

Their latest project, Sounds of Kentucky Grass, is already gaining ground with a recent number one chart spot on the Roots Music Report. The album; a promise Tim made to his grandmother, to a record a tribute record of her brother, Laurence Lane’s music.

To find out more, vivit
www.carolinablueband.com

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