None of the Above (bluegrass band)

None of the Above is a bluegrass band based in the Mount Airy, North Carolina area. They have played in venues across central North Carolina and southwest Virginia, as well as live sessions on WPAQ (Mount Airy) and WBRF (Galax, Virginia).

Style

None of the Above play what their website[1] describes as "bluegrass-based acoustic" music: a blend of traditional bluegrass, newgrass, oldtime, and gospel. Though most of their recorded and live music consists of original songs and covers from these genres, additional influences from country and rock can be heard: the albums Make a Note and Illusions both feature covers by Dwight Yoakam ("Johnson's Love" and "King of Fools"); Make a Note also includes a cover of Bob Seger's "Against the Wind".

History

The band was formed in 1996 as a result of the association of Tim Harrison and Tim Sands, who had formerly played in the oldtime band The Zephyr Lightning Bolts. The original lineup consisted of Harrison on bass and Sands on guitar, with Roger Stamper on fiddle and Charlie "Wichita" Wagoner playing mandolin. They soon after added Mark Thomas on banjo. With this lineup in place, the band recorded their first album, ...All Points in Between on Back Forty Records in 1998.

In 1999, after the release of ...All Points in Between, Wagoner left the band; the mandolinist position was filled by David Crawford, who also played fiddle on some songs. The next year saw the departure of Stamper, and it was with this new lineup (Harrison, Sands, Thomas, and Crawford) that the band recorded their second album Make a Note on Mastershield Records in 2001.

Mike Wigal joined the band in 2002 as full-time fiddler. This lineup held steady for some time, during which the band release their third album, Illusions, also on the Mastershield label (though the album was recorded at Old House Records in Dobson, North Carolina). The band began a relationship with resophonic guitarist (and luthier) Brad Harper in 2004; Harper's role in the band was at first limited to occasional appearances, but has expanded to become more regular since then. In 2005, Wigal left the group.

Lineup (as of October 2006)

• Tim Harrison – bass, baritone vocals
• Tim Sands – guitar, lead vocals
• Mark Thomas – banjo, tenor vocals
• David Crawford – mandolin, fiddle, baritone vocals
• Brad Harper – resophonic guitar

Former members

• Charlie "Wichita" Wagoner – mandolin
• Roger Stamper – fiddle
• Mike Wigal – fiddle

Discography

1. Turn the page

Midnight and Lonesome Wichita Don't Stop Believing Calvary Turn the Page Maybe Tomorrow Tamara Lazarus Ribbon of Darkness Carolina Star Sister Golden Hair I'll Be Back Blue Trail of Sorrow Bring the Harvest Home Pike County Breakdown White Lightning

1. ...All Points In Between (1998)

Don't Leave Her Lonely too Long My Father's Son Paul's Breakdown Hold On to God Hickory Wind But I Do Sleigh Ride Buffalo River Home Tennessee Old Joe Clark For Reasons I've Forgotton Skyline Drive Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill Eight More Miles

1. Make a Note (2001)

Talking to the Mountain East Kentucky Morning Against the Wind June Apple Thirty-Three Years It's Just the Knowing Amazing Grace Johnson's Love Listening to the Rain One Beautiful Day Pretend Name Please Find My Way Home

1. Illusions (2004)

Driving by Graceland Dull Edge of the Blade Jar of Clay Illusions Onondaga Getaway King of Fools Forget about Me Hold to a Dream Father I Know Why All that Matters Ghost Riders Que Creek Mine

1. Calvary

Calvary Father I Know Why Hold on to God Amazing Grace My Father's Son Thirty Three Years I'll Be Back One Beautiful Day Que Creek Mine Lazarus Jar of Clay Walking My Lord Up Calvary's Hill

External links

• None of the Above website
• Mastershield Records
• Harper Resophonics – custom resophonic guitars built by Brad Harper