Audie Blaylock (born 1962) is an American singer, guitarist, mandolinist, and composer in the bluegrass tradition.

Biography

Early years

Blaylock was born in El Paso, Texas, but was raised in Lansing, Michigan. Growing up in a family where both parents played music, he learned guitar at age 8. He grew up playing guitar and mandolin in local bands.

Support for Other Artists

In 1982, at age 19, Blaylock joined Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, and spent nine years with them playing mandolin. In 1990, Blaylock worked with

Red Allen Henry James "Red" Allen, Jr. (January 7, 1908 – April 17, 1967) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist whose playing has been claimed by Joachim-Ernst Berendt and others as the first to fully incorporate the innovations of Louis Armst ...

until his death in 1993. Starting in 1993, Blaylock played both mandolin and guitar with the

Lynn Morris Lynn Morris (1954–2017) was a Christian fiction author. She was the daughter of Gilbert Morris and co-wrote with him on most of her books. Books by Lynn Morris Cheney Duvall, M.D. Series This series was co-written with her father, Gil ...

Band. From 1997 until 2000, Blaylock played with

Harley Allen Harley Lee Allen (January 23, 1956March 30, 2011) was an American bluegrass and country singer and songwriter. Early life Allen was born in Dayton, Ohio, the son of bluegrass performer Red Allen. Discography Studio albums Singles Musi ...

(Red Allen's son). Allen was an accomplished country music songwriter (for Garth Brooks,

John Michael Montgomery John Michael Montgomery (born January 20, 1965) is an American country music singer. Montgomery began singing with his brother Eddie, who would later become known as one half of the duo Montgomery Gentry, before beginning his major-label solo c ...

, and others), and recorded for

Mercury Records Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...

. From 1999 until 2003, Blaylock worked with

Rhonda Vincent Rhonda Lea Vincent (born July 13, 1962) is an American bluegrass singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Vincent's music career began when she was a child in her family's band The Sally Mountain Show, and it has spanned more than four de ...

and the Rage, playing guitar and singing harmonies. From 2006 until 2007, Blaylock and fiddler

Michael Cleveland Michael Cleveland (born September 18, 1980) is an American bluegrass fiddle player. Early life Cleveland was born in Henryville, Indiana. He was born completely blind and a childhood ear infection caused him to lose 80% of his hearing in one ...

formed "Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper featuring Audie Blaylock."

Trains Are the Only Way to Fly

In 2001, Bllaylock recorded his self-released solo album ''Trains Are the Only Way to Fly'', featuring Tom Adams (banjo), Jesse Brock (mandolin), and

Ron Stewart Ronald George Stewart (July 11, 1932 – March 17, 2012) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1952 to 1973, as well as a coach. He spent the first half of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, ...

(fiddle).

Audie Blaylock and Redline

Blaylock started Redline in 2004, took time out to work with Michael Cleveland, and reactivated Redline in 2007. The current band consists of Evan Ward on banjo, Reed Jones on the bass, and Mason Wright on fiddle. Patrick McAvinue played fiddle in the band prior to joining Dailey and Vincent. Russ Carson played banjo in the band prior to joining Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. Matt Wallace played bass at first, but was later replaced by Reed Jones. Blaylock and Redline released the ''Audie Blaylock & Redline'' album in 2009 on the Rural Rhythm label. In 2010, they released ''Cryin’ Heart Blues'' which was compared favourably to the music of Jimmy Martin. In 2011, Blaylock released the ''I’m Going Back to Old Kentucky: A Bill Monroe Celebration'' album (Rural Rhythm). Special guests included

Ronnie McCoury Ronnie McCoury is an American mandolin player, singer, and songwriter (born March 16, 1967). He is the son of bluegrass musician Del McCoury, and is best known for his work with the Del McCoury Band and the Travelin' McCourys. Biography Ronnie ...

, Glen Duncan, Jason Carter,

Bobby Osborne Bobby Osborne (born December 7, 1931) is an American bluegrass musician. He is the co-founder (with his brother Sonny Osborne) of the Osborne Brothers and a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. He also ...

Lou Reid Lou Reid Pyrtle (born September 13, 1954 in Union Grove, North Carolina) is an American bluegrass singer, band leader, and multi-instrumentalist. Biography Early life Reid grew up on a tobacco farm in Moore Springs, North Carolina. His father ...

Del McCoury Delano Floyd McCoury (born February 1, 1939) is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo resp ...

, and

Carl Jackson Carl Eugene Jackson (born September 18, 1953) is an American country and bluegrass musician. Jackson's first Grammy was awarded in 1992 for his duet album with John Starling titled "Spring Training." In 2003 Jackson produced the Grammy Award-wi ...

. Blaylock released the album ''Hard Country'' in 2012, produced by Scott Vestal. Blaylock chose the album name to emphasize how closely bluegrass and country music are related. In 2016, Blaylock and Redline released ''The Road That Winds'' album for

Patuxent Music Patuxent Music is an independent record label in Rockville, Maryland. History Bluegrass musician Tom Mindte started recording music by other artists in 1984 with a reel to reel recorder in his father's air conditioning shop. In 1990 Tom opened ...

. Banjoist Evan Ward returned to the band, joining Blaylock, McAvinue, and Jones. The album was recorded at Scott Vestal’s Digital Underground Studio.

Other projects

In 2004, Blaylock was a primary coordinator for and contributor to the ''A Tribute to Jimmy Martin: The King of Bluegrass'' project, which also featured Kenny Ingram,

J. D. Crowe James Dee Crowe (August 27, 1937December 24, 2021) was an American banjo player and bluegrass band leader. He first became known during his four-year stint with Jimmy Martin in the 1950s. Crowe led the bluegrass group New South from 1971 until ...

, Paul Williams,

, Jason Moore, and

Sonya Isaacs Sonya Melissa Isaacs (born July 22, 1974) is an American country, bluegrass gospel and Christian music singer. Isaacs grew up near Morrow, Ohio, and graduated from Little Miami High School in 1992. Her maternal grandparents are Polish Jewish ...

. Luthier Teddy Workman of TW Guitars in West Virginia designed and constructed the Red Line edition guitar in 2010, with rosewood back and sides and a thin red line running up the fret board into the peghead.

Discography

Solo albums

* 2001: ''Trains Are the Only Way to Fly'' (self-released)

With
Rhonda Vincent Rhonda Lea Vincent (born July 13, 1962) is an American bluegrass singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Vincent's music career began when she was a child in her family's band The Sally Mountain Show, and it has spanned more than four de ...

* 2001: ''The Storm Still Rages'' (

Rounder Rounder(s) or The Rounder(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Rounders'' (1914 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounder'' (1930 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounders'' (1965 film), a western comedy * ''Rounders'' (film), a 1998 poker f ...

) * 2003: ''One Step Ahead'' (Rounder)

With
Michael Cleveland Michael Cleveland (born September 18, 1980) is an American bluegrass fiddle player. Early life Cleveland was born in Henryville, Indiana. He was born completely blind and a childhood ear infection caused him to lose 80% of his hearing in one ...

* 2002: ''Flame Keeper'' (Rounder) * 2006: ''Let 'er Go, Boys!'' (Rounder)

With Audie Blaylock and Redline

* 2009: ''Audie Blaylock and Redline'' ( Rural Rhythm) * 2010: ''Cryin Heart Blues'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2011: ''I'm Going Back to Old Kentucky: A Bill Monroe Celebration'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2012: ''Hard Country'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2016: ''The Road That Winds'' (

) *2019: ''Originalist'' (615 Hideaway Records)

As primary contributor

* 2004: various artists - ''Tribute To Jimmy Martin: The King Of Bluegrass'' (

Koch Records MNRK Music Group (pronounced "monarch", formerly known as Koch Records and eOne Music) is a New York City-based independent record label and music management company. It was formed in 2009 from the music assets of Koch Entertainment, which had ...

) * 2010: various artists - ''All-Star Jam: Live at Graves Mountain'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2011: various artists - ''Appalachian Gospel Revival'' (Rural Rhythm) - track 6, "Who'll Sing For Me" * 2011: various artists - ''Rural Rhythm Records Salutes Bill Monroe 100th Year Celebration: Live At Bean Blossom CD'' (Rural Rhythm) - track 6, "Six Feet Under the Ground"

Also appears on

* 1989: Chris Warner - ''Chris Warner & Friends'' ( Webco) * 1991:

Bill Emerson Norvell William Emerson (January 1, 1938 – June 22, 1996) was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri from 1981 until his death from lung cancer in Bethesda, Maryland in ...

- ''Reunion'' ( Pinecastle) * 2006: Patrick McAvinue - ''Grave Run'' (Patuxent) * 2009: Jessie Baker - ''Yessir!'' (Patuxent) * 2009:

Michael Martin Murphey Michael Martin Murphey (born March 14, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter best known for writing and performing Western music, country music and popular music. A multiple Grammy nominee, Murphey has six gold albums, including ''Cowboy Songs' ...

- ''

Buckaroo Blue Grass II ''Buckaroo Blue Grass II – Riding Song'' is the twenty-ninth album by American singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey, and his second album of bluegrass music. Track listing Credits Music * Michael Martin Murphey – vocals, acoustic guita ...

'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2010:

- ''Memories: Celebrating Bobby's 60th Anniversary as a Professional Entertainer'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2013: Darren Nicholson - ''Things Left Undone'' (self-released)

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Blaylock, Audie 1962 births People from Fort Worth, Texas Bluegrass musicians from Texas American mandolinists American bluegrass mandolinists American bluegrass guitarists Living people 20th-century American guitarists Country musicians from Texas