Doyle Lawson, a mandolin player and vocalist from Sneedville, Tennessee, formed his backing band Quicksilver in April 1979. The original lineup featured guitarist and lead vocalist Jimmy Haley, banjo player Terry Baucom, and bassist Lou Reid. During its initial 42-year existence, the group went through numerous changes in personnel. The final lineup at the point of Lawson's retirement from touring in 2021 included banjo player and vocalist Eli Johnston (2013–2018 and 2020–2021), fiddle player Stephen Burwell (2014–2020 and 2021), bassist Jerry Cole (2018–2021), fiddle player Matt Flake (2020–2021), and guitarist Ben James (2020–2021). In August 2026, Lawson announced that the band had reformed for sporadic performances and new recordings, with a lineup of John Meador on guitar and lead vocals, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, and the returning Josh Swift on dobro, bass and percussion.
History 1979–1991
After more than seven years as a member of The Country Gentlemen, mandolin player and vocalist Doyle Lawson founded his own group on April 1, 1979. The original lineup included guitarist and vocalist Jimmy Haley, banjo player Terry Baucom, and bassist Lou Reid; the group was briefly known as Doyle Lawson & Foxfire, but was soon renamed Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (DL&Q). After recording three albums — Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Rock My Soul and Quicksilver Rides Again — Reid left to join Ricky Skaggs' band on June 1, 1982. He was replaced by Randy Graham for the recording of Heavenly Treasures (1983) and Once and for Always (1985).
In May 1985, all three Quicksilver members left the band due to "business disputes" with Lawson, forming a group called The New Quicksilver with Alan Bibey on mandolin. This left Lawson to enlist a whole new lineup for DL&Q, which consisted of guitarist and vocalist Russell Moore, plus brothers Scott (on banjo) and Curtis Vestal (on bass). After the release of Beyond the Shadows, Ray Deaton took over on bass. This lineup released The News Is Out and Heaven's Joy Awaits in 1987, and Hymn Time in the Country and I'll Wander Back Someday in 1988. Scott Vestal also left in September 1988 to form Livewire, a new group with New South guitarist Robert Hale. He was replaced by Jim Mills, who debuted on the 1989 release I Heard the Angels Singing. The band was joined by Mike Hartgrove as its first full-time fiddler in 1990.
1991–2003 In February 1991, all but Mills left Lawson's band to form IIIrd Tyme Out. Moore and Deaton were replaced by John Bowman and Shelton Feazell, respectively, from 1991 to 1992. Fiddles were performed on the four albums released during this period — Only God, Merry Christmas from Our House to Your House, Pressing On Regardless, and Treasures Money Can't Buy — by session member Jimmy Edmonds. For 1994's Hallelujah in My Heart, Lawson was joined by guitarist and vocalist Shawn Lane, banjo player Brad Campbell, bassist Johnny Berry, and dobro player Jimmy Stewart. The whole lineup changed again after this release, with guitarist and vocalist Steve Gulley, banjo player Barry Abernathy, bassist Dale Perry, and fiddle player Owen Saunders recording Never Walk Away and There's a Light Guiding Me.
During 1996, Gulley was replaced by Barry Scott. After the release of Kept & Protected, Saunders was replaced by Jim Van Cleve. Gospel Radio Gems followed, before Abernathy and Van Cleve left at the end of 1998 to form Mountain Heart. Early the next year, Jamie Dailey joined on bass, Perry switched to banjo, and Doug Bartlett took over on fiddle. After the release of Winding Through Life (1999) and Just Over in Heaven (2000), Bartlett was replaced by 17-year-old Hunter Berry in March 2001. Scott and Dailey subsequently switched guitar and bass duties. Berry left less than a year later, joining Rhonda Vincent's group The Rage in January 2002. He was replaced for a few months by Tom Brantley, before Jesse Stockman took over in the summer. Stockman's bandmate Jess Barry followed in December, making Quicksilver a dual-fiddle lineup.
2003–2013 In July 2003, after the release of Thank God, Dale Perry left DL&Q to join David Parmley's band Continental Divide. He was replaced by original member Terry Baucom. During 2004, the band recorded You Gotta Dig a Little Deeper with Stockman as its sole fiddle player. In August 2005, he joined The Isaacs and was replaced by another returning member, Mike Hartgrove. At the end of the year, Barry Scott also left, reporting that he was "burnt out on music and needs a change". Darren Beachley took over starting on January 1, 2006. He Lives in Me and More Behind the Picture Than the Wall followed, before both Baucom and Hartgrove ended their second tenures in the band on March 17, 2007.
Baucom and Hartgrove were replaced by Chris Warner and Alan Johnson, respectively. Warner was unable to commit full-time, however, and was replaced in June by Joey Cox. April saw the addition of Ron Spears on bass, in preparation for Dailey's planned departure at the end of the year. By August, Spears had been replaced by Carl White, as Dailey completed his departure. In October, the group added a new dobro player, Josh Swift. With its almost entirely new lineup, DL&Q released Help Is on the Way in 2008, before Johnson left that May to take a break from music. He was replaced by Brandon Godman, who performed on Lonely Street before leaving again just six months later. Johnson subsequently returned on a temporary basis. In January 2009, Beachley also departed.
In February 2009, Darren McGuire and Jason Barie replaced Beachley and Johnson, respectively. McGuire was replaced by Corey Hensley in September, before Cox and White were replaced in December by returning Perry and new member Jason Leek, respectively. The new lineup released Light on My Feet, Ready to Fly, before Rogers joined as the group's new guitarist in September 2010, with Hensley switching to bass and Leek departing. Starting in January 2011, DL&Q performed with a drummer for the first time, with White returning in this role. The following month, Jessie Baker replaced Perry. He performed on Drive Time and Sing Me a Song About Jesus, before being replaced by Joe Dean in April 2012. Around the same time, the group returned to a six-piece without a drummer, releasing Roads Well Traveled in March 2013.
2013–2021 Both DL&Q lead singers left during 2013 — Mike Rogers was replaced by Dustin Pyrtle in April, before Eli Johnston took over from Corey Hensley in August. The new lineup released Open Carefully, Message Inside, before Barie was replaced by Stephen Burwell in September 2014. The band's lineup remained stable for several years, releasing In Session (2015), Burden Bearer (2016) and Life Is a Story (2017), before Pyrtle and Johnston both left in November 2018 — replaced by Jake Vanover and Jerry Cole, respectively. In 2019, the band released its first ever live album, Live in Prague. The following year saw numerous lineup changes for the group: in January, long-term dobro player Josh Swift left after just over 12 years with the band, in May, Burwell left after just under six years in the lineup, and in June, banjo player Joe Dean left after an eight-year spell with the group.
In July 2020, Lawson revealed that Vanover had followed Swift, Burwell and Dean in leaving the band, explaining that the group's inability to tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic had caused the recent departures. At the same time, he assured that he would continue with new members, revealing a new lineup including continuing bassist Jerry Cole, alongside new guitarist and vocalist Ben James, former bassist Eli Johnston on banjo and vocals, and new fiddle player Matt Flake. The lineup released Roundtable in 2021, which also featured the returning Burwell on second fiddle. That spring, Lawson announced his intention to retire from leading his own band at the end of 2022; however, six months later, he brought this forward a year, explaining that the continued uncertainty in the wake of the pandemic was making it difficult to continue touring. Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver performed their final show on December 30, 2021, at the Jekyll Island Bluegrass Festival on Jekyll Island, Georgia.
Following Lawson's retirement, Eli Johnston, Jerry Cole and Stephen Burwell formed Authentic Unlimited with guitarist John Meador and mandolin player Jesse Brock; Ben James joined the touring lineup of Dailey & Vincent (co-fronted by former DL&Q member Jamie Dailey); and Matt Flake later performed with Sideline and the Bluegrass Allstars.
Since 2026 In August 2026, it was announced that Lawson had reformed Quicksilver for sporadic performances and new recordings, with the lineup featuring John Meador on guitar and lead vocals, Lawson on mandolin and backing vocals, Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Josh Swift on dobro, bass and percussion, and Ben James on tenor vocals.
Members Current ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsDoyle Lawsonall Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (DL&Q) releasesJosh SwiftBen JamesJohn Meador2026–present"The Signs" (2026)Aubrey Hayniefiddle
Former ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsTerry Baucomall DL&Q releases from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (1979) to Once and for Always (1985), and from A School of Bluegrass (2004) to More Behind the Picture Than the Wall (2007)Jimmy Haley1979–1985all DL&Q releases from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (1979) to Once and for Always (1985)Lou Reid1979–1982Randy Graham1982–1985Russell Moore1985–1991Scott Vestal1985–1988Curtis Vestal1985–1986Ray Deaton1986–1991 Jim Mills1988–1992 Mike HartgrovefiddleJohn Bowman1991–1992Shelton FeazellShawn Lane1992–1994Brad CampbellJimmy StewartJohnny BerryDale PerryBarry Abernathy1994–1998Owen Saunders1994–1997fiddleSteve Gulley1994–1996 Donny Catron1996noneBarry Scott1996–2005all DL&Q releases from Kept & Protected (1997) to He Lives in Me (2006)Jim Van Cleve1997–1998fiddleJamie Dailey1999–2007all DL&Q releases from Winding Through Life (1999) to More Behind the Picture Than the Wall (2007)Doug Bartlett1999–2001Hunter Berry2001–2002Tom Brantley2002fiddlenoneJesse Stockman2002–2005Jess Barry2002–2004Darren Beachley2005–2009Alan JohnsonHelp Is on the Way (2008)Chris Warner2007noneRon SpearsJoey Cox2007–2009Carl WhiteBrandon Godman2008fiddleLonely Street (2009)Jason Barie2009–2014all DL&Q releases from Light on My Feet, Ready to Fly (2010) to In Session (2015)Darren McGuire2009noneCorey Hensley2009–2013Jason Leek2009–2010Mike Rogers2010–2013Jessie Baker2011–2012Joe Dean2012–2020all DL&Q releases from Roads Well Traveled (2013) to Live in Prague (2019)Dustin Pyrtle2013–2018Eli JohnstonStephen Burwellall DL&Q releases from In Session (2015) to Roundtable (2021)Jerry Cole2018–2021Jake Vanover2018–2020Live in Prague (2019)Matt Flake2020–2021Roundtable (2021)
Timeline
Lineups PeriodMembersReleasesApril 1979–June 1982Doyle Lawson — mandolin, lead,tenor/baritone vocals Jimmy Haley — guitar, lead,baritone/low tenor vocals Terry Baucom — banjo, bass vocals Lou Reid — bass, lead,tenor/baritone vocalsDoyle Lawson & Quicksilver (1979) Rock My Soul (1981) Quicksilver Rides Again (1982)June 1982–May 1985Doyle Lawson — mandolin, fiddle, lead,tenor/baritone vocals Jimmy Haley — guitar, lead,baritone/low tenor vocals Terry Baucom — banjo, fiddle, bass vocals Randy Graham — bass, tenor/lead vocalsHeavenly Treasures (1983) Once and for Always (1985)May 1985 – 1986Doyle Lawson — mandolin, guitar, lead,tenor/baritone vocals Russell Moore — guitar, lead/tenor vocals Scott Vestal — banjo, baritone/low tenor vocals Curtis Vestal — bass, bass vocalsBeyond the Shadows (1986)1986–September 1988Doyle Lawson — mandolin, guitar, lead,tenor/baritone vocals Russell Moore — guitar, lead/tenor vocals Scott Vestal — banjo, baritone/low tenor vocals Ray Deaton — bass, bass vocalsThe News Is Out (1987) Heaven's Joy Awaits (1987) Hymn Time in the Country (1988)