The Grascals

Description: Bluegrass

Comparisons: The Grascals are among the best in country-bluegrass. If you like The Carter Family, The Osborne Brothers, Del McCoury Band, or Alison Krauss & Union Station, you should definitely check them out.

Starter CDs: The Grascals (Rounder, 2005). Long List of Heartaches (Rounder, 2006).

Terry Smith (bass): Originally from North Carolina, Smith moved to Nashville when he was just a teenager. He began playing with his brother and mother, but later went on to join Jimmy Martin and the Osborne Brothers. His original songs have been recorded by Del McCoury Band and Lonesome River Band. He's been a songwriter for EMI, and has recorded with Marty Raybon, Kenny Baker, and others.

Terry Elderidge (vocals, guitar): Born and raised in Indiana, Eldridge started out playing bass with Grand Ole Opry stars Lonzo and Oscar. In 1988, he began playing guitar and joined the Osborne brothers. He was also a founding member of the Sidemen, who enjoyed quite a bit of popularity playing in some of Nashville's finest clubs. In 2003, Eldridge was nominated as Bass Player of the Year at the IBMA awards for his work with Lonsesome Standard Time. He's also played with Dolly Parton, Josh Graves, Benny Martin, and others.

Jimmy Mattingly (fiddle): Originally from Kentucky, Mattingly was a prodigious fiddle-playing youngster. In 1981, he won the US Grand Masters fiddling contest. From there, he joined the band Spectrum. Once that band dissolved, he joined Dolly Parton's band in 1989. He's also played with the Osborne Brothers and Garth Brooks.

David Talbot (banjo): Originally from Canada,Talbot is somewhat of a newcomer to the scene. He played a stint with Elderidge in Lonesome Standard Time. Other musicians he's backed up include everyone from Dolly Parton to Bryan Sutton, Marty Raybon, Jim Lauderdale, and Rebecca Lynn Howard.

Jamie Johnson (vocals): A founding member of the Wildwood Valley Boys, he was also one of the Boys From Indiana in the 1990s. Johnson has penned songs for Bobby Osborne, and has sung with Gail Davies' Band, the Sidemen. Other artists whose work he's contributed to include Trent Summar, Ricky Van Shelton, and Melonie Cannon.

Danny Roberts (guitar, mandolin): Danny grew up as a neighbor to Jimmy Mattingly in Kentucky. He co-founded the band The New Tradition. After that group dissolved, he took a job with the Gibson Instruments company. By then, he had become somewhat of a master mandolin player, and began teaching workshops with Chris Thile and Bobby Osborne, among others. He joined the Grascals in 2004.