A native of Western North Carolina, Gene grew up listening to Flatt and Scruggs on WSM radio with his Dad. He joined his first bluegrass group as a college student at Mars Hill College in 1972. He has been playing bluegrass, folk and gospel ever since.
Gene is a musician who is at his best when in front of an interactive audience, He will have your audience involved with the music, educated about the music, enlightened about the background of songs and artists, but most importantly – ENTERTAINED and will leave feeling good.
As a solo act, Gene provides a mixture of folk oriented, acoustic & bluegrass music. The description “A little bluegrass, a little folk, a little gospel, a lot of fun!” is a very accurate synopsis of what you get in an evening’s show. The set list will pull from more contemporary bluegrass “story” songs mixed with some soft country, 60’s folk, Gordon Lightfoot (one of Gene’s favorite artist), A few original songs, a “smidge” of sing-along gospel and comedy songs will fill out the evening at your event. In other words, you will get some of all of the music that has influenced Gene through the years.
A long time & current member of the South Carolina based Bluegrass ensemble, Split Rail, (splitrailbluegrass.com) Gene plays guitar, does lead and harmony vocals with the band as well as handling the group’s emcee duties. Rumor has it that the band hired the 6’8” musician because they kept losing their other guitar player in crowds. Gene just kind’ a sticks out and they can keep track of him when it’s time to go eat at the Waffle House.
Gene is also very proud to be able to work regularly with the bluegrass band, Timberline, and with the gospel ministry group, Level Ground (levelgroundministry.org). Then, If that is not enough, he enjoys working with the Anderson based group, GENERAL STORE, when schedules allow. He just can't get enough!
Gene’s solo, all gospel CD “Waiting at the Station” has received airplay on WNCW radio’s gospel show as well as SCPRN’s “The Bluegrass Sound”. He is scheduled to release a second solo CD "Train Whistle" in the late spring of 2012.