Biography
Blue Highway is an American bluegrass band formed in 1994 in Kingsport, Tennessee, initially as a weekend project by guitarist Tim Stafford, who had previously played with Alison Krauss & Union Station. Stafford, raised in eastern Tennessee where bluegrass was a cultural staple, teamed up with bassist Wayne Taylor, a Southwest Virginia coal truck driver and musician, mandolinist/fiddler/vocalist Shawn Lane (formerly with Ricky Skaggs and Doyle Lawson), dobro player Rob Ickes, and banjoist Jason Burleson. The band played its first show on December 31, 1994, at the First Night Celebration in Kingsport and quickly signed with Rebel Records, releasing their debut album It's a Long, Long Road in 1995, which topped Bluegrass Unlimited charts and won IBMA Album of the Year and Emerging Artist of the Year awards in 1996.[1][2][3]
Fun Facts
- The band's name comes from the blue lines marking rural roads on state maps.[1]
- Blue Highway has retained four of its five founding members for 30 years as of 2024, an unusual feat in bluegrass.[3]
- Their debut album It's a Long, Long Road held the #1 spot on Bluegrass Unlimited charts for five months, with the title track #1 for three months.[1]
- They have recorded nearly 125 original songs since inception, emphasizing originality.[3]
Members
- Tom Adams (from 1998)
- Gary Hultman (from 2019-01 until 2019-01)
- Jason Burleson - banjo, bass vocals, original
- Rob Ickes - original, resonator guitar
- Shawn Lane - fiddle, guitar family, mandolin, original
- Tim Stafford - guitar, lead vocals, original
- Wayne Taylor - double bass, lead vocals, original
Original Members
- Tom Adams
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Alison Krauss & Union Station - Tim Stafford's prior band where he developed professionally (Tours and recordings with AKUS) [Pre-1994]
Key Collaborators
- Tim Stafford - Founding guitarist, songwriter, vocalist (All albums since 1995) [1994-present]
- Wayne Taylor - Founding bassist, vocalist (All albums since 1995) [1994-present]
- Shawn Lane - Founding mandolinist, fiddler, vocalist (All albums since 1995) [1994-present]
- Rob Ickes - Founding dobro player (14-time IBMA Dobro Player of the Year) (Albums through 2015) [1994-2015]
- Jason Burleson - Founding banjo player (briefly left 1999-2001) (All albums since 1995) [1994-present]
- Gary Hultman - Current dobro player (Albums since 2019) [2019-present]
External Links
Tags: #bluegrass
References
Heard on WWOZ
BLUE HIGHWAY has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1, 2026 | 10:32 | IS NOW THE TIMEfrom IS NOW THE TIME | Old Time Country and Bluegrassw/ Hazel The Delta Rambler |