Bio
The Groundhawgs were originally conceived as a songwriting project that would resurrect the sound of old-time Appalachian string bands, yet evolved into a full-fledged six-piece string band through the fusion of bluegrass, old-time, jazz and swing, poetry and blues, classic country, and a little bit of Southern rock. Based out of Calhoun, Georgia, the Jones brothers, Clayton (lead vocals and banjo) and Clark (vocals and guitar), founded the band in 2001 after the ghost of Bill Monroe visited their dream(s) and told them to do so. Mick Kinney (fiddle), brother of Drivin' and Cryin' s Kevin Kinney, and music-maker Kevn Osborne (upright bass) joined the lineup in 2002. Laney House, banjo virtuoso, signed on, and the myth began.
Shortly thereafter the band debuted at the Howard Finster Music and Folk Art Festival, the band began performing at venues such as The Earl and Eddies Attic in Atlanta, as well as festivals such as Blueridge Harvest Festival, Americana Folk Festival near Nashville, the Tomato Art Festival in Nashville, and down home. On stage, the band is intense and fiery like Monroe or Larry Keel. In the studio, they are eclectic and innovative like Hartford or NBB. Put simply, the Groundhawgs are a skilled group of songwriters and craftsmen who take their music seriously all the while enjoying the hell out of it. In fall of 2004, the Groundhawgs released their first album, an independent and self-titled effort co-produced by Mike Compton of the Nashville Bluegrass Band.
Mr. Compton also co-produced The Groundhawgs' second album, Little Big Easy Volume 1, in the spring of 2010.