Howdy, from the Friday, Jan. 15 edition of the Knoxville News-Sentinel Duncan fiddles away all his time by Wayne Bledsoe, News-Sentinel entertainment writer Getting in touch with Nashville Bluegrass Band fiddler Stuart Duncan is not easy. Since Mark O'Connor retired from recording session work early in the decade, Duncan has become probably the most sought-after fiddler in Nashville. In the past few months, he's performed on recordings by more than a dozen country performers, including George Strait and Sammy Kershaw. He called once from a session with Bela Fleck and promised to call back when there's a free moment. It's several days later, just before a session with contemporary Christian artist Susan Ashton, when he managed to fit in time for an interview. "As much as I get in my car and go downtown, it's hard to imagine anybody else is working," says Duncan. The California-born Duncan may be the most visible member of the Nashville Bluegrass Band, which will perform with Ralph Stanley Saturday at the Tennessee Theatre. However, the group's lineup includes bluegrass all-stars: banjo player Alan O'Bryant, guitarist Pat Enright; mandolinist Roland White and bassist Gene Libbea. White has been active since the late '50s, founding the Country Gentlemen with his brother Clarence and later performing with Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and the Country Gazette. Enright first made waves with banjoist Bela Fleck in the group Tasty Licks. O'Bryant worked with Bill and James Monroe and also wrote the song "Those Memories of You," which became a hit for Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Rondstadt. Libbea toured Europe with the band Trukee and performed with Vince Gill and fiddle great Byron Berline. It was, in fact, Berline who inspired Duncan to pursue the fiddle. "When I heard Byron Berline play, it pretty much changed my life," recalls Duncan. Duncan says the fiddle wowed his preteen ears, and he took to the instrument with a vengeance. "I think I was in seven bands by the time I was 12," says Duncan with a chuckle. "My first band, the Pendleton Pickers, broke up because our parents couldn't get along." The first of Duncan's bands to gain any notice was Lost Highway. After 21/2 years, Duncan hooked up with Larry Sparks' band and moved to Kentucky. Duncan's playing style developed opposite to that of most bluegrass fiddlers. "I started playing wild and then came back to earth," says Duncan. The West Coast bluegrass scene included a heavy dose of Western swing and modern folk music. Many on the scene, including Berline, were considered "progressive bluegrass" players. While Duncan's list of favorite musicians includes hard-core bluegrass performers (including Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys), some of his other tastes might surprise his fans. Duncan lists the late jazz bassist Jaco Pastorious, saxophonist Wayne Shorter, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, Ray Charles and old blues player Scrapper Blackwell. "And after we played the Middle East, I started listening to a lot of Middle Eastern music," says Duncan. "The first time I listened to an Indian piece, it was 45-minutes and I never realized that they never changed keys!" The Nashville Bluegrass Band was formed in 1984 by Enright and O'Bryant. Duncan joined two years later, and in 1989 White and Libbea replaced original members Mike Compton and Mark Hembree. The group became favorites at the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, picking up Vocal Group of the Year Awards four years in a row. Regularly nominated for Grammys, the group's "Waitin' for the Hard Times to Go" won Bluegrass Album of the Year in 1997. The group's most recent disc, "American Beauty," is nominated in the 1999 awards and is in competition with Stanley's "Clinch Mountain Country." "We're all going to the Grammys and watch Ralph win it," says Duncan with a chuckle. Duncan says he hopes to sit-in with Stanley for a couple of songs on Saturday's show. Stanley recorded three songs on Duncan's upcoming solo album, due late this year. Most years Duncan makes more money from playing sessions than from working with the Nashville Bluegrass Band, the exception being a year the group spent touring as Lyle Lovett's opening act, and Duncan doubled-up by performing in Lovett's band as well. The only downside to that experience was Lovett's requirement that his band members wear suits. "I find a three-piece suit constricts my bowing arm," says Duncan. Yet, with as many musicians as Duncan performs with, there's no one he enjoys more than his co-members of the Nashville Bluegrass Band. "Every band is going to have personal differences, but the music we play makes it worth it." # # # Sidebar: Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, and Tony Rice & Friends, will perform at the Downtown Hoedown II, 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, at the Tennessee Theater. Tickets are $20.50, available at Tickets Unlimited outlets. Call 565-4444. # # # Sadly, I'll miss the show. Someone's gotta be on the radio. Take care, Shane Rhyne Knoxville, TN [EMAIL PROTECTED] NP: Mark Olson with Victoria Williams, "It Sure Can Get Cold in Des Moines"
