Wayne Benson

John Wayne Benson is an American mandolinist and songwriter in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his unique approach to the mandolin, and his long-term involvement with Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out.

History

Early years

Benson was raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a musical family where his father John Benson played fiddle, banjo, and guitar with his uncles. Gifted a Roy Rogers guitar for Christmas when he was seven, Benson learned how to play, sitting in on family music gatherings. At age 15, he began playing mandolin. In his late teens, Benson was part of the bluegrass music scene in Denton, North Carolina.

Livewire

In 1989, Scott Vestal invited Benson to join the band Livewire with Ernie Sykes (bass) and Robert Hale (guitar). Benson played with Livewire for three years, recording one album Wired in 1990 on Rounder Records. Benson also participated when Livewire reunited in 1999 for one show.

IIIrd Tyme Out and John Cowan

In 1993, Benson joined the band Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out. Benson left IIIrd Tyme Out in 2004 to play with the John Cowan Band, recording two albums with them. In 2007, Benson returned to IIIrd Tyme Out and has remained with them since. Besides Moore and Benson, the current lineup includes Nathan Aldridge (fiddle), Keith McKinnon (banjo), and Dustin Pyrtle (bass).

Solo and collaborative projects

In 2003, Benson released his solo album An Instrumental Anthology on Pinecastle Records. The album featured 12 original compositions, and guests included Vestal, Cowan, Aubrey Haynie, Rob Ickes, Mark Schatz, Ron Stewart, and Jim Van Cleve.

Benson recorded Mandolin Chronicles with Alan Bibey in 2013, an album of mandolin duets. Supporting artists included Ron Stewart (banjo, fiddle), Wyatt Rice (guitar), and Harold Nixon (bass).[

Other projects

As part of their Artist Signature Series, Gibson issued the Wayne Benson Signature mandolin in 2003, based on the F-5 scroll body design. Only 50 were made available.

In 2004, Benson released Wayne Benson - A Mandolin Anthology, a music instruction DVD.

In 2006, Benson performed with the Wreckers, a duo featuring Michelle Branch and Jessica Harp. Assisting with their publicity tour, he appeared on The Tonight Show, CBS This Morning, The Late Late Show, and other shows.

Awards

Benson earned the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) Mandolin Player of the Year award for five consecutive years (1999-2003).

IIIrd Tyme Out won seven consecutive International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards for ‘Vocal Group of the Year’ (1994-2000).

Personal life

After living in Nashville for 16 years, Benson lives in Boiling Springs, South Carolina. He is married to bluegrass musician Kristin Scott Benson (The Grascals). He teaches private mandolin lessons in the Spartanburg, South Carolina area.

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