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Brent Mason (born July 13, 1959^[1]) is an American session guitarist and occasional songwriter. He is known primarily for his work in the field of country music.^[2] In addition to releasing two instrumental studio albums,^[2] he holds several credits as a songwriter. He is a 12 time winner of the Academy of Country Music Guitarist of the Year Award and a two time winner of the CMA Award Musician of the Year.

Biography[link]

Brent Mason was born on July 13, 1959, in Van Wert, Ohio. At five years old, he taught himself to play guitar by ear.^[2] He moved to Nashville, Tennessee after graduating from high school, in order to pursue a career in country music. Eventually, he was discovered by country guitarist Chet Atkins, who invited him to play on his Stay Tuned album. From there, Mason went on to play on several other artists' albums, including those of George Strait, Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, David Gates, and Neil Diamond.^[1] Mason also co-wrote singles for Clinton Gregory ("Play, Ruby, Play") and McBride & the Ride ("Hurry Sundown").

Mason signed to Mercury Records in 1997, releasing an instrumental album entitled Hot Wired that year. This was his only major-label album. He made a decision to break his contract with Mercury records soon after to remain in Nashville and work in the recording studio as an A-List session guitarist rather than spend most of his time on the road touring and away from his family. He and his brother Randy released a second album, entitled Smokin' Section, in 2006.

Brent produced, Faroe Island Country singer, Evi Tausen’s first album called Wishing Well, in 2011. This was Brent's first album as a producer and was recorded in Nashville with A-string players. The album has a duet with Evi Tausen and Grand Ole Opry star legend Jim Ed Brown and an old forgotten song that Vivian Cash wrote to Johnny Cash in 1956, but has been keep a secret ever since. The album was a big success in Scandinavia and Europe. See more on www.evitausen.com

Other contributions[link]

At the 51st Grammy Awards, he and several other guitarists won the Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental, for the track "Cluster Pluck" from Brad Paisley's mostly-instrumental album Play.^[3]

Gear[link]

This section requires expansion.

In 2003 Gibson Guitar Corporation released a Valley Arts signature guitar designed to be a replica of Mason's 1968 Fender Telecaster.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Brent Mason on Myspace

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2007)

Vince Gill
Gill playing at the Crossroads Guitar Festival in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Vincent Grant Gill
Born	(1957-04-12) April 12, 1957 (age 55)
Origin	Norman, Oklahoma, U.S.
Genres	Country Bluegrass Blue-eyed soul Country pop
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, Electric guitar, Mandolin, Dobro, Banjo
Years active	1979–present
Labels	RCA MCA MCA Nashville
Associated acts	The Notorious Cherry Bombs Pure Prairie League Rodney Crowell Amy Grant Dolly Parton Ricky Skaggs Emmylou Harris Carrie Underwood Sara Evans Alice Cooper
Website	VinceGill.com

Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a vocalist and musician have placed him in high demand as a guest vocalist, and a duet partner. Gill has recorded more than twenty studio albums, charted over forty singles on the U.S. Billboard charts as Hot Country Songs, and has sold more than 22 million albums. He has been honored by the Country Music Association with 18 CMA Awards, including two Entertainer of the Year awards and five Male Vocalist Awards. Gill has also earned 27 Grammy Awards, more than any other male Country music artist. In 2007, Gill was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Biography[link]

Vincent Grant "Vince" Gill was born in Norman, Oklahoma. His father, J. Stanley Gill, was a lawyer and administrative law judge^[1] who played in a country music band part time and encouraged Gill to pursue a music career. At the encouragement of his father, Gill learned to play several instruments, including the banjo and guitar, before he started high school at Oklahoma City's Northwest Classen High School. He first played with a teenage band called Bluegrass Revues in the late 1970s. The other members were: Billy Perry on the banjo, Bobby Clark on the triangle and Mike Perry on the bass.

While in high school, he performed with Mountain Smoke, a bluegrass band that once opened for Pure Prairie League and Kiss. After he graduated, he played in a number of bluegrass bands, including Ricky Skaggs' Boone Creek and Byron Berline and Sundance; later, he became a member of Rodney Crowell's road band, The Cherry Bombs.

Career[link]

Gill debuted on the national scene with the country rock band Pure Prairie League in 1979, appearing on that band's album Can't Hold Back. Gill is the lead singer on their hit song "Let Me Love You Tonight".

Mark Knopfler once invited Gill to join Dire Straits, but Gill declined the offer (although he sang backup on Dire Straits' album On Every Street).

Gill provided background vocals for the song, "Tennessee Line", from Daughtry's second studio album, Leave This Town.

Gill was scheduled to appear at the 44th Annual Country Music Awards on Nov 10, 2010.^[2]

Gill was mentioned at length by Lewis Black in Black's "Stark Raving Black" stand-up act. Black goes on to joke about how awful it was to follow Gill at a USO benefit show because of how well Vince and wife, Amy Grant, performed.

Gill is currently collaborating with Joe Bonamassa on his forthcoming album Dust Bowl.

In July 2011, Gill appeared as a guest on NPR's news quiz show Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me.

On February 23, 2012 Vince announced after 23 years with MCA Nashville that he had parted ways with the label

On April 14 2012, it was confirmed that Gill had been working with Bonnie Tyler on her upcoming album, performing a duet with her entitled "What You Need From Me".^[3]

Personal life[link]

Gill married country singer Janis Oliver of Sweethearts of the Rodeo fame, in 1980, and they had one daughter, Jennifer Jerene Gill, born May 5, 1982. Gill occasionally mixed sound for his wife's band at concerts. Vince and Janis separated in the mid-1990s and eventually divorced in June 1998. Vince married Christian/pop singer Amy Grant in March 2000. They have one daughter, Corrina Grant Gill, born March 12, 2001.

Gill, along with his wife Amy, are fans of the Nashville Predators. They have been season ticket holders since the opening season and are often shown on the jumbo screen. In the 2007 playoffs, he and Amy sang the national anthem for each game.

Though Gill never attended college, he's a big fan of the University of Oklahoma football team. He also attends nearly every men's basketball game at Belmont University in Nashville.

Discography[link]

Albums

• 1984: Turn Me Loose
• 1985: The Things That Matter
• 1987: The Way Back Home
• 1989: When I Call Your Name
• 1991: Pocket Full of Gold
• 1992: I Still Believe in You
• 1993: Let There Be Peace on Earth
• 1994: When Love Finds You
• 1995: The Essential Vince Gill
• 1995: Souvenirs
• 1996: High Lonesome Sound
• 1998: The Key
• 1998: Breath of Heaven: A Christmas Collection
• 2000: Let's Make Sure We Kiss Goodbye
• 2000: 'Tis The Season
• 2003: Next Big Thing
• 2006: These Days
• 2011: Guitar Slinger

Selected awards[link]

Academy of Country Music

• 1984 Top New Male Vocalist
• 1992 Song of the Year with John Barlow Jarvis - "I Still Believe In You"
• 1992 Top Male Vocalist
• 1993 Top Male Vocalist

Country Music Association

• 1990 Single of the Year - "When I Call Your Name"
• 1991 Male Vocalist of the Year
• 1992 Male Vocalist of the Year
• 1992 Song of the Year with Max D. Barnes - "Look At Us"
• 1993 Album of the Year - "I Still Believe in You"
• 1993 Male Vocalist of the Year
• 1993 Song of the Year with John Barlow Jarvis - "I Still Believe in You"
• 1994 Entertainer of the Year
• 1994 Male Vocalist of the Year
• 1995 Male Vocalist of the Year
• 1999 Vocal Event of the Year with Patty Loveless - "My Kind of Woman, My Kind of Man"

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

• Inducted in 2007

Grammy Awards

• 1990 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male - "When I Call Your Name"
• 1991 Best Country Vocal Collaboration with Ricky Skaggs and Steve Wariner - "Restless"
• 1992 Best Country Song with John Barlow Jarvis - "I Still Believe in You"
• 1992 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male - "I Still Believe in You"
• 1993 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Asleep at the Wheel, Chet Atkins, Eldon Shamblin, Johnny Gimble, Marty Stuart, and Reuben "Lucky Oceans" Gosfield - "Red Wing"
• 1994 Best Country Vocal Performance, Male - "When Love Finds You"
• 1995 Best Country Song - "Go Rest High on That Mountain"
• 1995 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "Go Rest High on That Mountain"
• 1996 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "Worlds Apart"
• 1997 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Randy Scruggs - "A Soldier's Joy"
• 1997 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "Pretty Little Adriana"
• 1998 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "If You Ever Have Forever In Mind"
• 1999 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Tommy Allsup, Asleep at the Wheel, Floyd Domino, Larry Franklin, and Steve Wariner - "Bob's Breakdowns"
• 2001 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Jerry Douglas, Gen Duncan, Albert Lee, Steve Martin, Leon Russell, Earl Scruggs, Gary Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Paul Shaffer and Marty Stuart - "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"
• 2002 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "The Next Big Thing"
• 2006 Best Male Country Vocal Performance - "The Reason Why"
• 2007 Best Country Album - "These Days"
• 2008 Best Country Instrumental Performance with Brad Paisley, James Burton, John Jorgenson, Albert Lee, Brent Mason, Redd Volkaert and Steve Wariner - "Cluster Pluck"

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame

• Inducted in 2005

See also[link]

• Best selling music artists

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Official Vince Gill UMG Nashville Artist Page
• How to Capture Vince Gill’s Guitar Tone
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
• Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Gill, Vince
• Vince Gill - Guitar Slinger Album Tracks Lyrics

Duncan James
Background information
Birth name	Duncan Matthew James Inglis
Born	(1978-04-07) 7 April 1978 (age 34)
Origin	Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
Genres	Pop rock, R&B
Occupations	Singer, songwriter
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Innocent 2001–2007
Associated acts	Blue, Antony Costa, Lee Ryan, Simon Webbe
Website	officialduncanjames.co.uk

Duncan Matthew James Inglis (born 7 April 1978) is an English singer, actor and television presenter. He is best known as a member of the boyband Blue.

Early life[link]

James grew up an only child in Devon and was raised primarily by his mother and grandparents after his father abandoned his mother before he was born.^[1] He was raised a "strict Catholic"^[2][3][4] and educated at Dumpton School (where his grandfather worked as a music teacher), the Milldown School in Blandford Forum and Corfe Hills School in Corfe Mullen and Sidmouth College in East Devon. At 15, he played Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream. He also played Dr Watson in Sherlock Holmes for Sidmouth Youth Theatre. James also worked for Haven Holidays as a Havenmate on the Isle Of Wight and at West Bay in Dorset.^{[citation needed]}

Music career[link]

Blue[link]

In early 2000, James, along with Antony Costa, convinced Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe to form the group Blue.^[5] Blue's R&B-influenced pop allowed the group to achieve commercial success in the United Kingdom and many other countries, including Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand. From May 2001, when the group released its first single, "All Rise", until 2004, when the band released its final chart-qualifying single, "Curtain Falls", Blue had achieved 11 Top 10 singles in the UK, three of which went to Number 1.

James along with the other members of Blue represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Germany, finishing in 11th place with 100 points, as well as being the spokesperson for the same country two years earlier.

Solo career[link]

In October 2004, James collaborated with Keedie to release the single "I Believe My Heart", which entered the UK singles chart at Number 2.^[6] He returned to the solo music scene in May 2006 with his single "Sooner or Later", releasing the video in early May and planning to release the single commercially on 5 June 2006. The video reached Number 2 on The Box and Number 5 on The Hits. However, the single was no commercial success and entered the British charts at Number 35, before slipping down to Number 72 in its second week. "Can't Stop a River" was James's next single. Released on 21 August 2006, the track could only reach Number 59 in the UKRe, and Number 97 in Ireland. In continental Europe, where "Can't Stop a River" was released the day prior to the UK, it similarly proved unpopular, dropping out of the singles charts in many countries such as France, Turkey, Germany, and Belgium. James' album also fell short, selling less than 1,000 copies in the UK in its first week (and failing to reach the Top 50). The album sold a total of 412,350 copies around the world. Although his debut album did not do as well as hoped (with the exception of Italy, where the album reached Number 2 on the chart and has been certified platinum for shipments of 80,000 copies), on 2 February 2007, music channel B4 premièred the video for "Amazed", his new single which was scheduled to be released 12 March 2007. However, there was once again a lack of interest. The release was cancelled and James was dropped from his recording contract. He has since announced he has quit least his solo career.^{[citation needed]}

Theatre[link]

In 2007, James appeared in the West End production of Chicago.^[7] He completed another 10 weeks in Chicago from 10 December 2007 until 9 February 2008.^[8] James has been cast as one of the leads in the musical Legally Blonde (adapted from the film Legally Blonde) as it transferred from Broadway to London's West End in December 2009.^[9] He plays opposite Sheridan Smith as Elle, and Aoife Mulholland as Brooke.^[10] In December 2009, James appeared as 'Warner Huntington III' in the West End production of Legally Blonde.^[11]

Television[link]

Duncan James

James has worked occasionally as a television presenter, having presented the 95.8 Capital FM's Party in the Park for the Prince's Trust (2003 and 2004), and ITV2's coverage of the TV series Soapstar Superstar, along with Jayne Middlemiss. Other presenting work includes Pop City Live, Variety Club Showbusiness Awards 2004, T4 Movie Special: Spider-Man 2, Record of the Year: Downloaded and GMTV's Entertainment Today. He also took part on ITV1's Dancing on Ice in 2007, in which he made it to the grand final alongside rugby player Kyran Bracken and actress Clare Buckfield. He came third in the contest, although was unable to perform his Bolero performance. In 2007, James played himself in the pilot episode of Plus One, which was part of Channel 4's Comedy Showcase. A full series was broadcast in 2009, in which he played a broad caricature of himself called "Duncan From Blue". James made an appearance on a new show for Sky One called 'Guinness World Records Smashed' performing with Festival4Stars contestants.^[12] It aired in November 2008.^[13] In 2008, James became an Ambassador of Festival4Stars talent competition after he judge a national final.^[12] He appeared in an episode of The Bill called "The Morning After" which aired on 1 January 2009. He played a character called Dan Colman. It was confirmed in February 2009 that James had been chosen to replace Denise Van Outen as the presenter of Grease: the School Musical which is the sequel to Hairspray: The School Musical. Filming of the show commenced in early 2009. In May 2009, James announced the UK's voting in the Eurovision Song Contest. He presented Hannah-Oke on Disney Channel UK, a singing dancing contest based on the popular Disney TV series Hannah Montana. He also appeared on Celebrity Are You Smarter Than A 10 Year Old? (UK) and raised £10,000 for his charities. In 2006, James appeared with the other members of the boyband Blue on the 26 June episode of Ministry of Mayhem, where James and the other band members were all hypnotised by UK stage hypnotist David Days.^[14] James appeared as a celebrity guest on 14 August 2009 on Daily Cooks Challenge.^[15] In 2010, James presented the quiz show 'Scream if You Know the Answer!' where the contestants have to answer questions whilst on rollercoasters. In July 2010, he appeared as a judge on Don't Stop Believing, a talent show for choirs. James has his own radio show on 95.8 Capital FM, every Sunday from 7–10 pm. In 2009 he briefly made an appearance on an episode of the UK reality show What Katie Did Next about the model Katie Price and her life.

Personal life[link]

According to an interview he gave to Gabby Logan on BBC Radio 5 Live on 28 July 2007, he is a great-grandson of Herbert Chapman, the manager of the Arsenal football team of the 1930s. James lives in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. He has a daughter named Tianie Finn with former girlfriend Claire Grainger. James came out as bisexual in an interview with the News of the World on 12 July 2009.^[2][3][16]

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Singles[link]

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• AllMusic's description of Blue
• "Life of Ryan", "The Guardian", 3 July 2005, retrieved 17 May 2006
• "Duncan James slams ex-bandmates, "ContactMusic", 1 May 2006, retrieved 17 May 2006
• Everyhit.com Lists chart ranks for UK singles
• "James vows to be a good dad", "ContactMusic", 1 December 2004, retrieved 17 May 2006
• "When does the fun start?" by Zoe Williams, The Guardian, 4 October 2003, retrieved 17 May 2006

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Duncan James

• Duncan James at the Internet Movie Database

Earl Klugh
Background information
Born	(1953-09-16) September 16, 1953 (age 58)[1]
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genres	Smooth jazz,[2] Crossover jazz, Jazz fusion[3]
Instruments	Acoustic Guitar
Years active	1970 to present
Labels	Blue Note, Warner Bros. Records, Capitol Records, Koch Records
Website	Official website
Notable instruments
Del Langejans electric acoustic

Earl Klugh (pronounced "Clue") (born September 16, 1953,^[1] in Detroit, Michigan^[4]) is an American smooth jazz^[2]/crossover jazz/jazz fusion^[3] guitarist and composer. In 2006 Modern Guitar magazine wrote that Klugh "is considered by many to be one of the finest acoustic guitar players today."^[5]

Biography[link]

At the age of 13, Klugh was captivated by the guitar playing of Chet Atkins when Atkins made an appearance on the Perry Como Show. Klugh was a performing guest on several of Atkins' albums. Atkins, reciprocating as well, joined Earl on his Magic In Your Eyes album. Klugh also appeared with Atkins on several television programs, including Hee Haw and a 1994 TV special entitled "Read my Licks". Klugh was also influenced by Bob James, Ray Parker Jr, Wes Montgomery and Laurindo Almeida. His sound is a blend of these jazz, pop and rhythm and blues influences, forming a potpourri of sweet contemporary music original to only him.^[5]

Klugh's first recording, at age 15, was on Yusef Lateef's Suite 16. He played on George Benson's White Rabbit album and two years later, in 1973, joined his touring band.^[4]

For their album One on One, Klugh and Bob James received a Grammy award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance of 1981. He has since received 12 Grammy nods, millions of record and CD sales, and continues touring worldwide to this day.

Klugh has recorded over 30 albums including 23 Top Ten charting records – five of them No. 1 - on Billboard’s Jazz Album chart. With 2008’s The Spice of Life, Klugh earned his 12th career Grammy nomination - his second nomination and release on the independent Koch label.

Each spring,^[6] Klugh hosts a special Weekend of Jazz featuring jazz legends and greats at the Five-Star Broadmoor Hotel & Resort in Colorado Springs.^[7] Jazz greats including Ramsey Lewis, Patti Austin, Chuck Mangione, Bob James, Joe Sample, Chris Botti, Roberta Flack, and Arturo Sandoval have all performed at the annual event set in foot of the Colorado Rockies. In November 2010 Klugh brought the 'Weekend of Jazz' to Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.^[8] In November 10–12, 2011 the second Weekend of Jazz at the Kiawah Island Resort is scheduled.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

The Earl Klugh Trio Albums[link]

Duet albums[link]

Movie Soundtrack Albums[link]

Best of Albums[link]

Compilation Albums[link]

DVDs & Video[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• EarlKlugh.com
• Tom Redmond - Working with Chet Atkins: An Interview with Earl Klugh

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Paul Reed Smith playing one of his guitars at the annual Guitar Festival, Dallas, Texas.

This article is about Paul Reed Smith, a luthier. For the article about the company that bears his name, see PRS Guitars.

Paul Reed Smith (born February 18, 1956), is a luthier and the founder and owner of PRS Guitars.

Smith is originally from Bowie, Maryland.^{[citation needed]} He made his first guitar while at St. Mary's College of Maryland, and continued to build guitars after he finished college, making them one at a time, one a month. Together with another local, John "Orkie" Ingram, they formed the nucleus of what would become Paul Reed Smith Guitars.

Smith would often bring his guitars backstage at concerts, and eventually got his break when Derek St. Holmes, of the Ted Nugent Band, agreed to try out #2, the second guitar Smith had ever made. St. Holmes played the guitar for the first few songs of his set, and Smith told him that after he showed it to some other musicians, he would fly out to Detroit and give it to him. St. Holmes eventually sold the guitar for $200.

Smith then contacted Ted McCarty, former president of Gibson and creator of the Explorer, ES-335 and Flying V guitars, and McCarty became his mentor and adviser. The result of their collaboration was the current line of PRS Guitars, which include solid- and hollow-body guitars. The Private Stock line of PRS guitars are made utilizing a vast range of exotic materials including various stones, elaborately figured tone woods, and intricate shells for inlays.

External links[link]

• Paul Reed Smith Talks Guitars - Guitar Jam Daily
• Paul Reed Smith Interview at Modern Guitars Magazine
• "Innovative Lives" at the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention & Innovation
• Interview With Paul Reed Smith at Sweetwater Sound
• Paul Reed Smith Music Musician Paul Reed Smith Recorded Music/CD's