BlueZenGrass, as the name implies, is a harmonious, well-balanced blend of….you guessed it…. blues and bluegrass music. But we don’t just stop there. We do a little country, pop rock, heart & soul and gospel.

The banjo guy (Jim Allen) is in the full circle world of acoustic, Americana, and bluegrass. The lead guitarist (Mark Helm) has the crispy clean and rich blue-zy flat-pickin’ guitar going on. The fiddle lady (Natalie Hall) is a classically trained violinist. The bass guy (Rick Vincent) ties it all together with his rock-n-roll acoustic background. The rhythm guitar guy (Mark Hall) does plenty of singing too. Special guest Rebecca Helm joins the band with her Alison Kraus style vocals on occasion.

BlueZenGrass gets its inspiration from the differences in their individual influences. Every song they perform has each member’s personal touch creating a refreshingly different rendition. We can adapt our performance to any venue or occasion. From easy listening blues to glass cutting high energy bluegrass. From heard and not seen background music to an entertaining stage performance.

Phil Leadbetter

Phil Leadbetter has been playing the resonator guitar since 1974. Graduate of Gibbs High School / Knoxville, TN in 1980. He is a current member of the group GRASSTOWNE which features Alan Bibey and Steve Gulley. Grasstowne's 1st CD titled "The Road Headin' Home" was released in Summer of 2007 on Pinecastle Records. The CD and the song "Dixie Flyer" both debuted at 1 on the Bluegrass Music Profiles Chart.

By December, the album had reached 1 on the BU National Chart, and remained there for 3 straight months (Dec, Jan and Feb). In February '08, the song "Dixie Flyer" became the number one single.

The CD "The Road Headin' Home" picked up "Album Of The Year", and Phil picked up "Dobro Player Of the Year" at the 2008 SPBGMA Music Awards in Nashville, TN. Phil was also awarded SPBGMA "Dobro Player of The Year" in 2009.

Phil was a founding member of the group Wildfire where he was a member for 6 years, recording 3 CDs while there.

He has also been a member of J.D Crowe and The Newsouth where he was a member for 11 years. He appears on 2 recordings with Crowe, including "Flashback" which received a Grammy nomination in 1994 for "Best Bluegrass Album".

Phil also worked for CBS Recording Artist Vern Gosdin and also the late Grand Ole Opry Star, Grandpa Jones. Phil has numerous "Dobro Player Of The Year" nominations through both the IBMA and SPBGMA, and in 2005 was voted "Dobro Player Of The Year" by The International Bluegrass Music Associations (IBMA).

In 1997, Phil released "Philibuster" on Rounder Records. This all instrumental CD made the list for The Chicago Tribune's best CDs of the year.

Phil's current CD "Slide Effects" on Pinecastle Records has charted in the top 5, and the song" California Cottonfields" has reached number 1 two straight months (October and November 2005) on the National Bluegrass Chart. This CD also was voted "Best Instrumental CD" by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2005.

Gibson Guitars introduced The Phil Leadbetter Signature Dobro Guitar to their product line several years back, and today is one of their best selling resonator guitar.

OVERALL STATS: 2008 and 2009 SPBGMA "Dobro Player Of The Year" 2008 SPBGMA "Album Of The Year" / The Road Headin' Home (Grasstowne) 2006 IBMA "Album Of The Year" / Celebration Of Life (Skaggs Family Records) 2005 IBMA "Dobro Player Of The Year" (9 times nominated) 2005 IBMA "Instrumental Album Of The Year" (Slide Effects) 13- times nominated "Dobro Player Of The Year" by SPBGMA Charted Two-Straight months at number 1 "California Cottonfields" (From the "Slide Effects" CD / October and November 2005 / BU National Bluegrass Chart) "Slide Effects" CD reached number 4 on BU National Bluegrass Chart "California Cottonfields" reached number 1 (Prime Cuts Of Bluegrass / 2005) Charted number 4 for total plays on Music Choice Chart ("Slide Effects") "Slide Effects" voted top 10 Bluegrass CD of 2005 by CMT "Slide Effects" voted number 1 CD of 2005 by Cybergrass "California Cottonfields" voted number 1 song of 2005 by America's Bluegrass Grasstowne "The Road Headin' Home" CD charted Number 1 BU National Chart / December 2007, January 2008 and February 2008 Single "Dixie Flyer" number 1 / BU National Chart / February 2008 "Big Mon" from CD "Philibuster" (Rounder Records) reached number 1 (Prime Cuts Of Bluegrass / 1997 1994 Grammy Nominee / J.D Crowe and the New South "Flashback" CD

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