Missy Raines (born April 6, 1962) is an American
bassist
A bassist (also known as a bass player or bass guitarist) is a musician who plays a Bass (instrument), bass instrument such as a double bass (upright bass, contrabass, wood bass), bass guitar (electric bass, acoustic bass), synthbass, keyboar ...
, singer, teacher, and songwriter. She has won 10
International Bluegrass Music Awards
The International Bluegrass Music Awards is an award show for bluegrass music presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). Awards are voted based on professional membership in the IBMA.
Award winners
2021 award winners
Th ...
for Bass Player of the Year.
Missy Raines was the first woman to win IBMA Bass Player of the Year award. She won 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
In 1998 Missy Raines' first solo album "My Place in the Sun" (self released) was named IBMA Instrumental Recording of the Year.
The Chicago Tribune named "My Place in the Sun" as one of the Top 10 Records of 1998.
In 2018, "Swept Away" from Missy's album, Royal Traveller (Compass Records) was awarded IBMA "Recorded Event of the Year. The song features the First Ladies of Bluegrass named so for being the first women to win in their instrumental category, Missy Raines (bass), Alison Brown (banjo), Becky Buller, (fiddle), Sierra Hull, (mandolin), and Molly Tuttle, (guitar).
In 2019, "Darlin' Pal(s) of Mine" also from Missy's album, Royal Traveller, was named IBMA "Instrumental Recording of the Year". This features bassists, Mike Bub and Todd Phillips, as well as Alison Brown on banjo.
In 2020, Missy Raines' album, Royal Traveller, produced by Alison Brown, (Compass Records) was nominated for a Grammy.
In 2020, Missy won IBMA "Song of the Year" for "Chicago Barn Dance" as co-writer along with Becky Buller and Alison Brown. The song was performed and recorded by the Chicago based band, "Special Consensus".
Biography
Hailing from
Short Gap, West Virginia
Short Gap is an unincorporated community in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States, located at the intersection of Routes 956 and 28; approximately eight miles from Cumberland, Maryland. The community is home to Frankfort High School, as ...
, Raines began playing bass and touring professionally as a teenager.
Today she is a respected bluegrass musician, playing both straight-ahead bluegrass and more progressive forms of music.
She has worked with legends such as
Mac Wiseman
Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer.
Early life
He was born on May 23, 1925, in Crimora, Virginia. He attended school in New Hope, Virginia, and graduated from high school the ...
, Kenny Baker, Josh Graves, and Eddie & Martha Adcock to current artists such as
Peter Rowan
Peter Rowan (born July 4, 1942) is an American bluegrass musician and composer. Rowan plays guitar and mandolin, yodels and sings.
Biography
Rowan was born in Wayland, Massachusetts to a musical family. From an early age, he had an interest ...
,
Laurie Lewis
Laurie Lewis is an innovative American singer, musician, and songwriter in the genre of bluegrass music.
History
Laurie Lewis was born in Long Beach, California on September 28, 1950. Her family moved regularly from place to place until she w ...
,
Dudley Connell
Dudley Connell (born February 18, 1956) is an American singer in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his work with the Johnson Mountain Boys, Longview, and The Seldom Scene.
Biography Early years
Connell grew up in Rockville, Maryland. ...
, and Don Rigsby, and the Brother Boys.
Cloud Valley
Raines was a member of the progressive bluegrass band Cloud Valley with
Bill Evans
William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...
(banjo), Charlie Rancke (guitar), and Steve Smith (mandolin).
They released two albums: ''A Bluegrass Ensemble'' in 1983 and ''Live In Europe'' in 1985.
Jim Hurst and Missy Raines
Missy Raines toured extensively from 1998- 2005 in a duo with
Jim Hurst
Jim Hurst is an American bluegrass and country guitarist. He is known primarily as an instrumentalist but has also been credited for vocals with numerous other artists as well as his solo career. Hurst has performed with musicians that include ...
. They recorded two albums for the
Pinecastle label: ''Two'' in 1999 and ''Synergy'' in 2003.
Claire Lynch Band
Missy and Jim re-joined the
Claire Lynch
Claire Lynch (born February 20, 1954) is an American bluegrass musician, singer, songwriter, and producer. She is a three-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year honors. She is considered one o ...
Band in 2005 (along with
David Harvey
David W. Harvey (born 31 October 1935) is a British-born Marxist economic geographer, podcaster and Distinguished Professor of anthropology and geography at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). He received his P ...
) when Lynch returned to the road after a hiatus. The band recorded two more albums: ''New Day'' and ''Crowd Favorites'', both on Rounder Records. Missy left the band in 2008, and was replaced by Mark Schatz.
Missy Raines & the New Hip
In 2008, Missy established her Americana/jazz-tinged ensemble Missy Raines & The New Hip, who have released two albums on the
Compass
A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with ...
label: ''Inside Out'' released February 10, 2009, and ''New Frontier'' released September 2013. Besides Missy, the New Hip includes Ethan Ballinger (guitar), Jarrod Walker (mandolin), and Cody Walker drums.
Helen Highwater Stringband
Raines is a member of the bluegrass supergroup the Helen Highwater Stringband, along with
Mike Compton,
David Grier
David Grier is an American acoustic guitarist. He is considered to be one of the premier flatpicking guitarists in the world. His crosspicking, unique phrasing, and his ability to create multiple variations on a theme are hallmarks of his play ...
, and Shad Cobb. They released an eponymous EP in 2015.
Online Bass School
In 2011, she began teaching double bass online at th
Online Bluegrass Bass School with Missy Raines as part of the
ArtistWorks ArtistWorks, LLC is an online music learning education platform based out of Napa, CA. ArtistWorks was founded by David and Patricia Butler in 2008. The company developed a proprietary patented system for interacting with teachers based upon online ...
br>
Academy of Bluegrass
I'll Take Love
Missy co-produced and played on the Compass release "I'll Take Love", a collection of Louisa Branscomb's songs sung by a top list of artists including
The Whites
The Whites is an American country music vocal group from Fort Worth, Texas, United States. It consists of sisters Sharon White and Cheryl White, and their father, Buck White. Sharon on guitar, Cheryl on bass and Buck on Mandolin. Formed in 1972, ...
,
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss (born July 23, 1971) is an American bluegrass-country singer and musician. She entered the music industry at an early age, competing in local contests by the age of 8 and recording for the first time at 14. She signed with ...
,
Claire Lynch
Claire Lynch (born February 20, 1954) is an American bluegrass musician, singer, songwriter, and producer. She is a three-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year honors. She is considered one o ...
, Steve Gulley,
Dale Ann Bradley
Dale Ann Bradley is an American bluegrass musician. She is a six-time (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2021) Female Bluegrass Vocalist of the Year, a distinction given by the International Bluegrass Music Association. She has released music b ...
, Josh Williams,
John Cowan, and more.
Discography
Solo albums
* 1998: ''My Place In The Sun'' (self-released)
* 2009: ''Inside Out'' (
Compass
A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with ...
) with The New Hip
* 2013: ''New Frontier'' (Compass) with The New Hip
* 2018: ''Royal Traveller'' (Compass)
With
Claire Lynch
Claire Lynch (born February 20, 1954) is an American bluegrass musician, singer, songwriter, and producer. She is a three-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year honors. She is considered one o ...
* 1997: ''Silver And Gold'' (Rounder)
* 2000: ''Love Light'' (Rounder)
* 2006: ''New Day'' (Rounder)
* 2007: ''
Crowd Favorites
''Crowd Favorites'' is the eighth studio album by bluegrass musician Claire Lynch. The album is a collection of previously released tracks along with four new tracks released on Rounder Records, three of which were originally from Lynch's time ...
'' (Rounder)
* 2012: ''Hills of Alabam'' (Rebel)
With Jim Hurst and Missy Raines
* 1999: ''Two'' (
Pinecastle)
* 2003: ''Synergy'' (Pinecastle)
With Helen Highwater Stringband
* 2015: ''Helen Highwater Stringband'' EP (self-released)
As composer
* 2006:
April Verch
April Verch (born April 7, 1978) is a Canadian fiddler, singer, and step dancer raised in the community of Rankin, Ontario, located approximately southwest from Pembroke, Ontario. The youngest daughter of Ralph and Muriel Verch, April began st ...
- ''Take Me Back'' (Rounder) - track 3, "All In A Night" (co-written with Claire Lynch)
As producer
* 1995: The Abeels - ''The Abeels'' (self-released)
Also appears on
* 1982: Cloud Valley - ''A Bluegrass Ensemble'' (Outlet)
* 1985: Cloud Valley - ''Live in Europe'' (Strictly Country)
* 1987:
Eddie Adcock
Eddie Adcock (born June 21, 1938) is an American banjoist and guitarist.
His professional career as a 5-string banjoist began in 1953 when he joined Smokey Graves & His Blue Star Boys, who had a regular show at a radio station in Crewe, Virgin ...
& Talk of the Town - ''Eddie Adcock & Talk of the Town'' (
CMH)
* 1990: Masters - ''Saturday Night Fish Fry'' (CMH)
* 1990:
Mac Wiseman
Malcolm Bell Wiseman (May 23, 1925 – February 24, 2019) was an American bluegrass and country singer.
Early life
He was born on May 23, 1925, in Crimora, Virginia. He attended school in New Hope, Virginia, and graduated from high school the ...
- ''Grassroots to Bluegrass'' (CMH)
* 1995:
Bill Evans
William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...
- ''Native and Fine'' (
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 ...
)
* 2000:
Alison Brown
Alison Brown (born August 7, 1962) is an American banjo player, guitarist, composer, and producer. She has won and has been nominated for several Grammy awards and is often compared to another banjo prodigy, Béla Fleck, for her unique style o ...
- ''
Fair Weather
Fairweather or Fair Weather may refer to:.
Music
* Fairweather (band), an American indie rock band
* Fair Weather (band), a British pop group from 1970 to 1971
* ''Fair Weather'' (album), a 2000 album by Alison Brown
* "Fair Weather", a track ...
'' (
Compass
A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with ...
) - bass on track 6, "Hummingbird"
* 2001: Mike Burns - ''Walk the Water's Edge'' (North Co Music)
* 2003: White House - ''White House'' (
Pinecastle)
* 2004: K. C. Groves - ''Something Familiar'' (Skylark)
* 2005: Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike - ''That's What Love Can Do'' (Bell Buckle)
* 2010: Toy Hearts - ''Femme Fatale'' (Woodville)
* 2015: Sam Gleaves - ''Ain't We Brothers'' (Community Music)
* 2016:
Kate Campbell
Jamae Kathryn Campbell (born October 31, 1961 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American folk singer-songwriter.
Kate's songwriting follows in the southern literary tradition with an emphasis on a sense of place, race, and religion. Her story-f ...
- ''The K.O.A Tapes, Vol. 1'' (Large River)
* 2017:
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 ...
- ''Original'' (Compass)
References
External links
*
*
*
Compass RecordsAcademy of BluegrassOnline Bluegrass Bass School with Missy Raines
{{DEFAULTSORT:Raines, Missy
1962 births
Living people
American double-bassists
American bluegrass musicians
American women country singers
American country singer-songwriters
Women double-bassists
Bluegrass musicians from West Virginia
21st-century double-bassists
21st-century American women
Singer-songwriters from West Virginia