Great musicians will always find a way to make good music, but for great musicians to make great music, they must find a bond - one that more often than not goes beyond the purely musical to the personal. For The Grascals, that bond has been forged at the intersection of personal friendships, shared professional resumes and an appreciation for the innovative mingling of bluegrass and country music that has been a hallmark of the Nashville scene for more than forty years. Whether they're offering one of their original songs and instrumentals, reworking a classic like "Teardrops In My Eyes," breathing new life into the Osborne Brothers' "Leavin's Heavy On My Mind" or interpreting bluegrass-country songwriter Harley Allen's "Me And John And Paul," The Grascals' rare musical empathy gives them an unerring ear for just the right touch to illuminate each one's deepest spirit.
For those who know them, the quick emergence of The Grascals comes as no surprise, for these are musicians whose roots reach back over more than two decades of bluegrass history, as their paths have crossed and re-crossed in bluegrass ensembles like the Osborne Brothers, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time and the Sidemen. They trace, too, to Nashville's larger musical community, where The Grascals have been able to draw on legends like Bobby Osborne, Lloyd Green, Paul Craft and others for songs and for performances in the studio and on stage. Thanks to those experiences and those friendships, The Grascals embody a profound grasp of and familiarity with country and bluegrass tradition that made them a natural choice for Dolly Parton to turn to for recording and tour support not long after the group was created.
Terry Eldredge's soulful vocals and easygoing stage presence have earned him not only the loyalty of bluegrass fans and the appreciation of fellow bluegrass musicians, but the admiration of a stunningly wide variety of entertainers who have witnessed him fronting the Sidemen at Nashville's world-famous Station Inn. The Indiana native began his career with first-hand experience of the music of an earlier generation of country stars, playing bass with durable Opry stars Lonzo and Oscar. He joined the Osborne Brothers on bass in 1988, soon switching to guitar and adding a powerful lead and low tenor voice to the Brothers' legendary trios. At almost the same time, he and other young Nashville band members created the Sidemen, establishing a regular Tuesday night gig at the Station Inn that continues to draw newcomers and stars alike. Eldredge took up the bass again when he joined Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time at the end of the 1990s, earning a 2003 IBMA nomination for Bass Player of the Year and contributing mightily to the ensemble's success with dynamic tenor and lead vocals. During a hiatus from Lonesome Standard Time, he recorded and performed as a member of Dolly Parton's Blue-niques. In addition to two solo albums for Pinecastle Records and albums by the Osborne Brothers, Cordle, Parton and the Sidemen, Terry's recording credits include appearances on CDs by IBMA Hall of Honor members Benny Martin, Josh Graves and Chubby Wise, as well as rising young country star Dierks Bentley.