The Lonesome River Band continues their reputation as one of the most respected names in bluegrass music. Longtime band member and award-winning banjo picker, Sammy Shelor has put together a wealth of talent that includes: Brandon Rickman (lead vocals and rhythm guitar); Mike Hartgrove (fiddle); Barry Reed (bass); and newest member, Randy Jones (mandolin and vocals) all performing the distinctive LRB sound fans love. 

Rural Rhythm Records released the band’s new album June 13, 2010 titled STILL LEARNING. The album has hit numerous album charts including Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine’s (BU) Top 15, Bluegrass Music Profiles (BMP) Top 10, Cashbox Magazine’s Top 20, plus many more.  The first single, “Record Time Machine” along with “Jack Up the Jail” and other tracks are appearing on numerous single charts including Bluegrass Unlimited’s Top 30 Song chart.

The band’s 2008 album, NO TURNING BACK (the first CD on the Rural Rhythm label and their 12th career album) received rave reviews, #1 album and multiple #1 singles.  The album made its debut received incredible chart success including: debuting at #11 on Billboard’s™ Top 50 Bluegrass Album Chart; hitting #1 on Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine’s Top 15 Album Chart where it remained for an impressive three months (May, June and July 2009); and the single, “Them Blues” reaching number #1 on both the Bluegrass Unlimited Top 30 ingles chart (July and August 2009) and the Bluegrass Music Profiles Top 30 Singles (July 2009).  Just those two publications alone – LRB garnered SEVEN #1s in 2009! The album also hit #1 spot on numerous other charts including Cashbox Magazine’s Top 25 Albums.

Lonesome River Band’s long career is obviously filled with a multitude of Awards and Recognitions including the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) honoring the group with multiple awards for Album of the Year and topping it off with an amazing four-time award wins for Shelor as IBMA Banjo Performer of the Year.

The group has also received recognition by SPBGMA for numerous Bluegrass Band of Year wins, Vocal Group of the Year, Song of the Year and Shelor as Banjo Player of the Year. In 2010, Shelor again was nominated the IBMA Banjo Performer of the Year award.  The previous year, the band received numerous recognitions including:  nomination for the 2009 Instrumental Performance of the Year (Struttin to Ferrum);  2009 nomination for Gospel Performance of the Year (Darkness Wept); and Sammy Shelor’s 2009 nomination for Banjo Performer of the Year.  LRB opened the 2009 IBMA Awards Show at the Ryman Auditorium with a tremendous and extremely well received performance.  In 2008, they were chosen as  IBMA Showcase Artist and the band regularly performs at the popular IBMA Fan Fest at the yearly convention.

LRB was also included in another album released in 2010 – THE ALL-STAR JAM – LIVE AT GRAVES MOUNTAIN album (Rural Rhythm Records).  The album was recorded in June 2010 during the Graves Mountain Festival ofMusic in celebration of Rural Rhythm’s 55th Anniversary.  Also included in the album were fellow label-mates, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Audie Blaylock & Redline, Lou Reid and Carolina, Carrie Hassler, Brand New Strings and the Crowe Brothers.

It’s no secret Sammy Shelor is the driving force that keeps the Lonesome River Band alive, not only with his respected banjo style and talents, but his overall reputation as band leader as evidenced throughout the LRB’s tenure in bluegrass music.  On September 18, 2009, Shelor  was inducted into the Virginia Music Hall of Fame joining a long list of previous Hall of Famers including: Roy Clark, Mother Mabelle, Mac Wiseman, Statler Brothers, Patsy Cline, Tony Rice, to name a few.  His peers in the International Bluegrass Music Association voted him Banjo Player of the Year on four separate occasions and as a testament to his prominence and influence in the banjo world, he has his own signature Sammy Shelor banjo fingerpicks plus a signature model banjo produced by Huber Banjos.  Musicians around the world have studied Shelor’s banjo tab books and instructional DVD from AcuTab, so it is not surprising to witness his influence at jam sessions or bluegrass events where licks and phrases which Sam has added to the repertoire are heard alongside those contributed by Earl Scruggs and JD Crowe.