TonyRookBand

TonyRook—guitar,banjoandvocalsTonywas12yearsoldwhenhefirstpickedupaguitar.ButitwaswellbeforethatthattheNorthCarolinanativedecidedhewantedtoperform.Likemillionsofothers,hewasmesmerizedbyTheBeatles’“EdSullivanShow”debut,realizingthenandtherethatmusicwasgoingtobepartofhislife.Hisparentswereearlymusicalinfluences.Dad,Carl,playedguitar,andmother,Jean,playedthepianoduringtheirchurch’sSundaySchoolservices.Butitwashisuncle,BillMeacham,whoreallyturnedhimontobluegrass.ABaptistpreacherandmandolinpickerwhoplayedprofessionallyintheeasternNorthCarolinacommunitiesheserved,Meachamwillinglysharedtapesofhisperformancesandmentoredthebuddingyoungmusician.

Thelyricalmandolinsoundsandbluegrassbeatsluredthethenteen,whobythenwasgaininganinterestinrock‘n’roll.AndwhileTonyjoinedseveralrockbands,heneverlostthatearlyappreciationforthat“high,lonesomesound.”Byhisearly20s,Tonywasperformingprofessionallyaspartofthefolkduo,Riggs&Rook.Butwhenthepartnershipdissolved,Tony’slongtimeloveofbluegrassmusicdrovehimtowardthebanjo.Bytheearly80s,hewasstudyingthefive-stringwithBobbyHicks,RickySkaggs’longtimefiddleplayer.Beforelong,thesinger/songwriterwasplayingwithseveralbandsintheNorthCarolinaarea,mostnotablyTheEnoRamblers,andthenRookandWood,whoin2000releasedtheCD,“LaborofLove,”containing14originaltunes.SongwritingremainsafocusforTony,whosecontemporarybluegrasscompositionsarelargelybasedonpersonalexperiences.WhileTony’smusicalinfluencesincludeTonyRice,BryanSutton,EarlScruggs,TonyTrischkaandBelaFleck,heattributeshisuniquestyletoalifetimeofmusicalexplorationandinterestinavarietyofgenres.In2006,TonywastransferredtoMinnesota,butquicklyjumpedintoitsbluegrassscene.Healsoplaysguitar,andsingsleadandtenorwithDickKimmel&Co.Hisfirstsoloproject,“TheRoadBackHome”wasreleasedinearly2016.

BrentFuqua—mandolinandvocalsCreditDavidGrismanandJerryGarcia.ThepickersandfriendswerechiefamongBrent’searlymusicalinfluences,particularlyGarcia’sGratefulDeadandtheduo’sbluegrasssupergroup,OldandintheWay.Takingafterhisuncle,ChuckGudgel,Brentpickeduptheguitar,aninstrumenttheyoungKansanthought“wasprettycool.”Butitwasn’tjusttheinstrumentorthestylesofmusichefoundhimselfdrawnto:bluegrassandAmericanfolk.Itwastheirsoundandtheirpower.Asthe‘70smeltedintothe‘80sandearly‘90s,Brentremainedamongthededicatedbluegrassfaithful.Butbythemid‘90sheputmusicon

holdtofocusonfamily.In2013andlivinginMinnesota,hewasreadytodivebackin.Hepickedupthemandolinandhasn’tlookedback.Thetransitionfromguitartomandolinhasbeenseamless—andsweet.Brentbringsamodernapproachtohisplaying,hisbreaksinparticular.He’sastronginstrumentalistwhosecreativity,enthusiasmandenergyhelpsdriveTRB.Brentenjoystheuniversalappealofbluegrass.“There’snoagelimitonwhat’sinfashion,”hesays.“Thepeoplewhoplayitaregreatpeople.It’sfamily.”

TerryJohnson—uprightbassandvocalsTherewere13yearsofpianolessonsandcountlessperformancesinhishometownchurch,butTerryneverforgothisdesiretobelikehisdad.Butunlikemostboys,Terry’sfather,EveretteJohnson,playedelectricbassforyearsinsouthwestMinnesotacountrybandsandatarearetirementhomes.HisDadtaughthimtoplaythebassandaccordionwhenhewas10.AndinhisteensTerryplayedsoloactsfortheresidentsatlocalretirementhomes.Inhisparents’Balaton,Minnesota,basement,Terrypracticedthebasswithrecords,playingsongsoverandoveruntilhe’dmasteredthem.

TerrymovedtotheTwinCitiesin1984tofocusonfamily,schoolandajob.Hedidn’tpickupthebassagainuntil2003,pickingforfunwithhisin-laws.

Threeyearslater,heattendedhisfirstbluegrassfestivalandsatinononeofbassistDavidTousley’sworkshops.Itwaslove.Withinamonth,Terryhadboughthisfirstuprightbass.He’sbeenplayingeversince.Asitsbassist,he’sTRB’sbackbone.Andthere’snoonebetterthanTerryatkeepingthatsolidbeat.Histenorvocalsareahighlight.ForTerry,there’snothingaboutbluegrassthatdoesn’tringtrue.“Ijustlovethesound,”hesaid.“Thedrive,theharmoniesarefantastic.Theinstrumentstellastory.Youcanhearit.”TerryjoinedDickKimmel&Co.in2012,andbecameafoundingmemberofTRBin2016.

GrahamSones—five-stringbanjoandvocalsForGrahamSonesitwaslessaboutthepiesandmoreaboutthesoundofthebanjoplayedbytheguywiththeredstripedshirtandstrawhatatShakey'sPizza.

Theemotionalconnectionwasimmediate;thephysicalconnectioncamelater.Whenhisdad,DonSones,receivedabanjooneyearforhisbirthday,then12-year-oldGrahamtoldhimselfthatwastheinstrumentforhim.Withindaysheborrowedanuncle’sold-time,open-backbanjoandspentmonthspracticingforaThanksgivingconcertforfamily.AyearorsolaterheandhisdadvisitedGrant’sEarlyBirdBluegrassFestivalinHugo,Oklahoma,catchingactslikeTheDillards,TheOsborneBrothers,TheStanleyBrothers,LarryStephenson,andJim&Jesse.Hewasmesmerized.

InhishometownofRochester,Minnesota,Grahamconnectedwithlocalmusicianandmusicshopowner,BobLoy.Loymentoredtheyoungpicker,setuplessons,tookhimtoareafestivalsandhelpedhimfindplayersforhisbandsthroughouthighschool.Hehadn'tplayedmuchotherthanpracticethroughoutcollege,butthatchangedintheearly90swhenhemetAlanMundeataworkshop.Alanrecommendedthathestartplayinginbandstomakethingshappen.Andhappenitdid.Graham,whohasplayedwithDickKimmel&Co.andMonroeCrossing,bringsadrivingbanjotothequartet.He’sextremelyversatileandcaneasilyshiftfrommelodicfiddletunestoastraight-aheadScruggsstyle.Likehisbandmates,Grahamfindsbluegrassan“honest”styleofmusic.“It’sarawexhibitionoftalent.You’replayingyourinstrumentandit’stotalskill.”