Search - Merle Monroe :: Back To The Country

Tim and Daniel first met in the mid 2000's when Daniel was performing with Marty Raybon at IBMA Fan Fest. They had only a short time to rehearse before they performed their set, but Tim will always remember his first impression of Daniel: ''He was the best banjo player I had ever heard and an adamant professional.'' Daniel recalls that since first hearing Tim Raybon, ''I have held his vocal abilities as being one of the best-kept secrets in the music business.'' From the beginning they held a common bond in their love of the Osborne Brothers, Jim and Jesse, and Bill Monroe; they hit it off and have remained friends ever since. Tim Raybon has a natural vocal ability that has been described as ''real'' - so real that it needs no electronic masking of any sort. His musical trek began with his dad and brothers in the family band The American Bluegrass Express when Tim was only eleven. Based in Florida, the band met with great success throughout the South and afforded Tim the opportunity to sharpen his skills by playing festivals and concerts that were shared by some of the greatest legends in Bluegrass music. Tim will forever be grateful for the opportunity to have played with the likes of Bill Monroe, the McReynolds, and the Osbornes. Supported by career experiences that range from various TV and festival appearances to studio recordings to the stage of the Opry, Daniel Grindstaff and Tim Raybon have teamed up to create one of the best sounds to emerge on the bluegrass and country scene in years as the band ''Merle Monroe''.