Rockingham Road

BRETT TILLER: BIO

I grew up in Lebanon, Virginia and became interested in Bluegrass music in high school.  After receiving a banjo as a high school graduation present, I took lessons for a couple of years but put it away after graduating college and getting married. 

In 2001, I began to get interested in bluegrass music again.  In 2002 (at the tender age of 39) I decided to return to the banjo. In the spring of 2005, I enrolled in the Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Program at ETSU. While there, I played in several different bands, including The ETSU Bluegrass Horizons, The ETSU Bucs Bluegrass Band, and The ETSU Ambassadors Bluegrass Band. During my years at ETSU, I met and played with a lot of great people, including most of the current members of Rockingham Road Bluegrass. Playing with such accomplished musicians really pushed me to learn and improve. It’s been a very positive experience. I’ve been a member of RRB since January, 2007.

I owe a lot to my favorite local musicians and the people who have helped me get back into playing the banjo.  This list includes Glen Rose, banjo player for Appalachian Trail; Jerry Keys, banjo player for Trey Hensley & Driving Force; Raymond McLain & Jack Tottle, director and former director of the Bluegrass, Old Time & Country Music program at ETSU; and Will Parsons, my current teacher and the banjo player for Meridian.

My favorite bands include Blue Highway, Lonesome River Band, Lou Reid and Carolina, Blue Moon Rising, and Doyle Lawson.

For information and/or bookings, call Jim Hunter at (423) 928-7914
or email at hunterjr@chartertn.net.