Lonsome River Band
It takes a lot ambition for a band to stay together for over 25 years, but the award-winning Lonesome River Band continues to amaze their loyal fans every step of the way. Longtime band member and driving banjo picker, Sammy Shelor has put together a wealth of talent - all the while keeping that distinctive LRB sound. With two strong lead vocalists, Andy Ball (mandolin) and Brandon Rickman (rhythm guitar), along with Mike Anglin on bass and Mike Hartgrove on fiddle, the group continues their reputation of one of most respected names in bluegrass music.
Late 2008, Rural Rhythm Records released The Lonesome River Band’s 12th album, “No Turning Back” debuting at #11 on Billboard’s Top 50 Bluegrass Album Chart. It didn’t take long before the album and single, “Them Blues,” began hitting airplay charts and receiving critical acclaim for this long awaited new album. The Album hit #1 on Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine’s Top 15 Album Chart where it remained for an impressive three months (May, June and July 2009,) with the single, “Them Blues” also reaching number #1 on both the Bluegrass Unlimited Top 30 Singles chart (July and August 2009) and the Bluegrass Music Profiles Top 30 Singles (July 2009.) Yet another single, “Like a Train Needs a Track” is also on its way up the BU Top 30 as well. The album has also reached other #1 spots including Cashbox Magazine’s Top 25 albums (September 2009.)

The Lonesome River Band received well deserved recognition in 2009 by the International Bluegrass Music Association with a nomination for 2009 Instrumental Performance of the Year (Struttin to Ferrum), nomination for Gospel Performance of the Year (Darkness Wept), and Sammy Shelor’s nomination for Banjo Performer of the Year. The group also opened the 2009 IBMA Awards Show at the Ryman Auditorium in 2009 with a tremendous and well received performance. The previous year, LRB had been selected as an official 2008 IBMA Showcase Artists and the band regularly performs at the popular IBMA Fan Fest at the yearly convention.
It’s no secret Sammy Shelor is the driving force that keeps the Lonesome River Band alive, not only with his respected banjo style and talents, but his overall reputation as band leader as evidenced throughout the LRB’s tenure in bluegrass music. On September 18, 2009, Shelor was inducted into the Virginia Music Hall of Fame joining a long list of previous Hall of Famers including: Roy Clark, Mother Mabelle, Mac Wiseman, Statler Brothers, Patsy Cline, Tony Rice, to name a few. His peers in the International Bluegrass Music Association voted him Banjo Player of the Year on four separate occasions and as a testament to his prominence and influence in The Lonesome River Band received well deserved recognition in 2009 by the International Bluegrass Music Association with a nomination for 2009 Instrumental Performance of the Year (Struttin to Ferrum), nomination for Gospel Performance of the Year (Darkness Wept), and Sammy Shelor’s nomination for Banjo Performer of the Year. The group also opened the 2009 IBMA Awards Show at the Ryman Auditorium in 2009 with a tremendous and well received performance. The previous year, LRB had been selected as an official 2008 IBMA Showcase Artists and the band regularly performs at the popular IBMA Fan Fest at the yearly convention.

It’s no secret Sammy Shelor is the driving force that keeps the Lonesome River Band alive, not only with his respected banjo style and talents, but his overall reputation as band leader as evidenced throughout the LRB’s tenure in bluegrass music. On September 18, 2009, Shelor was inducted into the Virginia Music Hall of Fame joining a long list of previous Hall of Famers including: Roy Clark, Mother Mabelle, Mac Wiseman, Statler Brothers, Patsy Cline, Tony Rice, to name a few. His peers in the International Bluegrass Music Association voted him Banjo Player of the Year on four separate occasions and as a testament to his prominence and influence in the banjo world, he has his own signature Sammy Shelor banjo fingerpicks plus a signature model banjo produced by Huber Banjos. Musicians around the world have studied Shelor’s banjo tab books and instructional DVD from AcuTab, so it is not surprising to witness his influence at jam sessions or bluegrass events where licks and phrases which Sam has added to the repertoire are heard alongside those contributed by Earl Scruggs and JD Crowe. Now in his second stint with Lonesome River band, Brandon Rickman is back and stronger that ever with his distinctive singing (Them Blues, Dime Store Rings, Wires and Wood, I’m Not There Yet, Long Way From Here, Molly, Flowers) plus his songwriting talents, co-penning four of the tunes (Dime Store Rings, I’m Not there Yet, Long Way From Here, We Couldn’t Tell) on No Turning Back. He has also graced two previous LRB albums (Window Of Time and Head On Into Heartache) with his vocals and songs. In June 2009, Rural Rhythm Records released Brandon’s debut solo album, “Young Man, Old Soul” that has received extremely positive reviews and airplay. As the mandolin player and vocalist with The Lonesome River Band, Andy Ball brings much appreciation and passion for classic bluegrass and country music. His smooth lead vocals on the current album (Like a Train Needs a Track, One Little Teardrop, Somebody’s Missing You, We Couldn’t Tell, Darkness Wept, I’d Worship You) fit beautifully with the classic LRB sound. Mike Hartgrove, or “Grove” as his friends like call him, is among the most experienced fiddlers in bluegrass music. He’s performed with The Bluegrass Cardinals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and was founding member of IIIrd Tyme with whom he toured and recorded with for 11 years before joining Lonesome River Band in 2002. He left LRB in 2005, but is back - much to the delight of the band. Mike has also worked in country music with Moe Bandy and the legendary George Jones. Mike Anglin joined The Lonesome River Band in February of 2007 and has gained a reputation as a stellar bass player throughout the bluegrass and country industry. He’s toured and recorded with the likes of Del McCoury, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, Ronnie Bowman, Melonie Cannon, 3 Fox Drive, Continental Divide, Larry Stephenson, and Charlie Sizemore. It is no wonder he has won several International Bluegrass Music Awards, including his participation in the Album of the Year award in 2006. Lonesome River Band’s long career is obviously filled with a multitude of Awards and Recognitions including the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) honoring the group with multiple awards for Album of the Year and topping it off with an amazing four-time award wins for Shelor as Banjo Performer of the Year. The group has also received recognition by SPBGMA for multiple Bluegrass Band of Year wins, Vocal Group of the Year, Song of the Year and Shelor as Banjo Player of the Year.

Donna Ulisse
Country music fans remember Donna Ulisse from her time on Atlantic Records when she released a critically acclaimed traditional country album “Trouble at the Door” with 3 singles and two videos and appeared on “Hee Haw, “NBC’s Hot Country Nights”, “Nashville Now” and “Crook and Chase”. Bluegrass fans have been getting to know Donna over the past few years through her own brand of bluegrass; mostly self-written. Her 2007 CD “When I Look Back” featured the song ”I’m Calling Heaven Down” which won the Top Bluegrass Song in the 2009 Just Plain Folks Awards. The title track from her 2009 release ‘Walk This Mountain Down” was in the Bluegrass Unlimited charts for six months and in June 2009 she was the #1 artist on Sirius XM Satellite radio’s Bluegrass Junction and her song “I Lied” was #1 five different times during the same year. As a writer she has recently had songs recorded by Claire Lynch, Darin & Brooke Aldridge and also had the title cut to Louise Mosrie’s “Home” which was the #1 Folk album in the nation in January 2010. In the spring of 2010 Ulisse released her third bluegrass CD and first bluegrass-gospel effort “Holy Waters” which she refers to as her own “soul journey”. She tries to balance her life of touring with her band The Poor Mountain Boys and writing songs for her own future recordings and other artists.