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MARK CAMPBELL (b.1953), of Richmond, Va., started to learn the guitar and banjo at the age of 10 while growing up in the Shennandoah Valley of Virginia. He soon became fascinated by the frailing style of old-time banjo. While in college in Charlottesville, he picked up the fiddle and has since devoted himself to unraveling the techniques of older regional styles. Mark has won the Virginia State Fair and West Virginia State Folk Festival fiddle titles as well as being a five time finalist and 2001champion at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival at Clifftop, West Virginia.

JIM LLOYD (b.1965), Vice Mayor and barber of Rural Retreat Va., is a fourth generation musician of Southwest Virginia who continues to entertain and teach fans across this nation and abroad. He is one of the most sought after guitar accompanists and has won many awards at festivals on instruments ranging from autoharp to banjo. Jim’s music and storytelling has been documented by the Smithsonian Institution as well as several commercial labels. Lloyd’s Barber Shop has become an institution for swapping tunes, songs and stories which helps keep alive the culture of Virginia’s Southern Appalachian Highlands.

Mark and Jim, with Jimmy Costa and Darrell Cline constitute a band, Costa Campbell Lloyd & Cline, which has been featured on Public radio’s Mountain Stage, at Charlottesville’s Prism Coffee House, at The Southern Highlands Festival in Abingdon, Virginia, in Richmond’s Roots Concert, and has been featured in old-time festivals from New York to Talcott, West Virginia. Its members teach the old music from Norfolk, Virginia to Elkins, West Virginia. Between the members, the band has produced 5 commercial tapes and CDs.

JOHN BRADSHAW Unusual is the best way to describe the path of John Bradshaw. John spent much of his career as a sideshow talker, but always found time to play acoustic blues guitar along the way. He was fortunate enough to have spent time with Son House, Bukka White, Elizabeth Cotten and
Sleepy John Estes to name a few. He plays 6 and 12 string guitars as well as National Steel guitars.

NATE LAYNE Nate Layne is one of the finest interpreters of blues, jugband and country blues tunes to come out of Virginia. His vocal stylings will transport any listener to the Golden Age of 78 rpm recordings. His influences range from Charlie Poole to Papa Charlie Jackson to the Memphis Jug Band and beyond. Nate specializes in playing the guitar-banjo and harmonica.

RON T. CURRY Ron is a veteran of the Richmond music scene, playing in a diverse variety of acts dating back to 1984. Musician, artist, music researcher and craftsman, Mr. Curry continues to perform regionally and nationally with his world jazz ensemble Hotel X as well as with Mr. Bradshaw and Mr. Layne. He accompanies on the mandolin-banjo and bass.

JamsOnTheJames.com Presents:
An Evening of Old Time Music... featuring a Master of the Fiddle and Banjo –
Speedy Tolliver
with Mark Cambell on the fiddle, Jim Lloyd on guitar, and Al Firth on bass...

...also Country Blues with John Bradshaw, Nate Layne and Ron T. Curry