Blue Highway is an American contemporary bluegrass band formed in 1994 and based in Tennessee. The band's albums include Wondrous Love (2003), Marbletown (2005), and Original Traditional (2016).
Background After helping found the band Dusty Miller, which was the 1990 SPBGMA International Bluegrass Band champion, and being a member (1990–92) of Alison Krauss & Union Station, Kingsport, Tennessee native Tim Stafford helped organize Blue Highway with Wayne Taylor in 1994. The group's first project, It's a Long, Long Road, "spent six months at the top of the Bluegrass Unlimited charts and won IBMA's Album of the Year Award (1996)." Jason Burleson, the original banjo player with the group and a multi-instrumentalist, is a native of Newland, North Carolina., Rob Ickes, a Northern California native, moved to Nashville in 1992 and joined as a founding member in 1994. Ickes has won numerous awards for his playing, and after a 21-year run with the band he announced his departure on November 18, 2015. Ickes was replaced by resonator guitarist and Virginia native, Gaven Largent. Vocalist, fiddler, and mandolin player Shawn Lane joined the group as a founding member after cutting "his musical teeth" in the bands of Ricky Skaggs and Doyle Lawson. Lane's songs have also been recorded by Ricky Skaggs, Ronnie Bowman, Mountain Heart, Blue Ridge, and other groups. Lead singer Wayne Taylor, who plays bass, hails from Southwest Virginia and is also a founding member of the group.
Awards and honors Grammy nominations Best Bluegrass Album (2005): Marbletown Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album (2004): Wondrous Love Best Bluegrass Album (2016): Original Traditional
International Bluegrass Music Association Awards Song of the Year (2008): "Through the Window of a Train" Vocal Group of the Year (2012) Gospel Recording of the Year (1997): "God Moves in a Windstorm" Gospel Recording of the Year (2004): "Wondrous Love" Emerging Artist of the Year (1996) Album of the Year (1996): It's a Long, Long Road Album of the Year Award (2006): Celebration of Life: Musicians Against Childhood Cancer Songwriter of the Year (2014, 2017): Tim Stafford Dobro Player of the Year (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996): Rob Ickes
Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America Awards Gospel Group of the Year (Overall) (2005) Instrumental Group of the Year (2003) Dobro Performer of the Year (2003): Rob Ickes Bass Performer of the Year (2001): Wayne Taylor Guitar Performer of the Year (2001, 2015): Tim Stafford
Dove Award Best Bluegrass Album (2004): Wondrous Love
Personnel Current members Jason Burleson – banjo, guitar, mandolin Shawn Lane – mandolin, fiddle, guitar, vocals Tim Stafford – guitar, vocals Wayne Taylor – bass, vocals Gary Hultman – resonator guitar, vocals
Former members Rob Ickes – resonator guitar Tom Adams – banjo Gaven Largent – resonator guitar Justin Moses – resonator guitar
Discography
Albums Title Album details Peak positions US Bluegrass It's a Long Long Road Release date: July 4, 1995 Label: Rebel — Wind to the West Release date: July 16, 1996 Label: Rebel — Midnight Storm Release date: January 27, 1998 Label: Rebel — Blue Highway Release date: July 13, 1999 Label: Skaggs Family — Still Climbing Mountains Release date: September 11, 2001 Label: Rounder — Wondrous Love Release date: June 24, 2003 Label: Rounder 10 Marbletown Release date: June 7, 2005 Label: Rounder 4 Lonesome Pine Release date: April 25, 2006 Label: Rebel — Through the Window of a Train Release date: February 12, 2008 Label: Rounder 2 Some Day: The FifteenthAnniversary Collection Release date: January 19, 2010 Label: Rounder 5 Sounds of Home Release date: August 23, 2011 Label: Rounder 8 The GameLawless, John. "The Game from Blue Highway" Bluegrass Today, December 19, 2013 Release date: January 21, 2014 Label: Rounder 4 Original Traditional Release date: September 9, 2016 Label: Rounder3 Somewhere Far Away: Silver Anniversary Release date: August 2, 2019 Label: Rounder Lonesome State of Mind Release date: March 29, 2024 Label: Down The Road "—" denotes releases that did not chart
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