ROLLING STONE DUBS THEM AS ‘BLUEGRASS’S NEW UNDERDOGS,’ AND
WE’RE LUCKY TO CLAIM THEM AS GOOD OL’ HAYWOOD COUNTY BOYS.
Balsam Range—Buddy Melton, Darren Nicholson, Marc Pruett, Tim Surrett and Caleb Smith—have been
jamming and picking together for over a decade. The quintet, all accomplished musicians in their own right
prior to the formation of Balsam Range, credit timing and music for ultimately bringing them together.
“It was just kind of fortuitous. It was just happenstance that we all ended up in the same place at the
same time, and we started connecting all the dots,” says Darren. Buddy describes the organic inception
as “some five friends got together to jam 13 years ago or so, and we’ve been jamming ever since. The
first time we got together was at Darren’s house, really just for a fun session. And it kind of turned into
2 or 3 weeks of that. The next thing you know somebody said, “Hey, I’ve got a show…you want to do it?”
We didn’t even have a name for a band. We started playing shows, and that’s how it all came together.”
The guys, who seem to delicately balance paying homage to traditional bluegrass while adding their
own new and unique spin to the genre, have released nine albums together, with their latest titled Aeonic. Their fan
base has expanded and more folks have taken notice of their undeniable talent, including the International Bluegrass
Music Association who most recently named Balsam Range Entertainer of the Year. “That’s a huge deal. Other than
winning a Grammy in Bluegrass, that’s the highest award you can get in our industry. Once you get to a certain level to
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