Alan Bibey


Alan Bibey is a mandolinist, singer, songwriter, and band leader in the bluegrass tradition.

Biography

Early years

Bibey was raised in Walnut Cove, North Carolina. His dad and his mother's brothers were bluegrass musicians, and Bibey's love of bluegrass music was sparked when at age five his dad took him to see Bill Monroe in Walkertown. Bibey immediately took up the mandolin.
Bibey played at fiddle conventions and contests and in two bluegrass bands with his dad. When Bibey was age 12, he and his dad recorded the album Southern Tradition. He then joined the band Interstate Exchange at age 14, which consisted of Barry Berrier, Mitch Freeman, and Sammy Shelor. Bibey won the mandolin championship in 1982 at the World’s Fair in Knoxville at the age of 17. In 1983, Bibey played with Wes Golding & Sure-Fire.

The New Quicksilver

Bibey started playing music full-time in 1985 in The New Quicksilver with Terry Baucom, Randy Graham, and Jimmy Haley.

IIIrd Tyme Out

1990, Bibey was a founding member of IIIrd Tyme Out, along with Russell Moore, Mike Hartgrove, Ray Deaton, and Terry Baucom. Bibey left three years and three albums later, and was replaced by Lou Reid and then Wayne Benson.

Lou Reid and Carolina

Bibey played for a time with Lou Reid and Carolina, and participated in the recording of their self-titled album in 1996.

BlueRidge

In 1997 New Quicksilver reformed as Baucom, Bibey, and BlueRidge. They recorded the album Come Along With Me with Ed Biggerstaff, Dewey Brown, and Junior Sisk.

Grasstowne

In 2006, Bibey left BlueRidge to form Grasstowne with Steve Gulley and Phil Leadbetter. The current lineup includes Bibey, Gena Britt, Tony Watt, Zak McLamb, and Laura Orshaw.

Recording projects

2002, released the solo album In the Blue Room featuring Terry Baucom, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, Kenny Smith, Sammy Shelor, and Del McCoury.
In 2013, Bibey and Wayne Benson released Mandolin Chronicles, an album of mandolin duets. Guests included Wyatt Rice, Barry Bales, Ron Stewart, Russell Moore, and Ronnie Bowman.

Other projects

In the early 1990s, Bibey was based out of Myrtle Beach, SC and was a part of the original cast of the country music variety show "Southern Country Nights."
In 1996, Bibey participated in the Young Mando Monsters project with Ronnie McCoury, Adam Steffey, Radim Zenkl, Emory Lester, Wayne Benson, Dan Tyminski, and Ray Legere.
Gibson produced an Alan Bibey signature mandolin in 2004.

Awards

In 2001, Bibey won the International Bluegrass Music Association Instrumental Recording of the Year and the Recorded Event of the Year awards.
Bibey was nominated in 2003 for a bluegrass album Grammy for the album Side By Side by his band BlueRidge.
In 2007, 2009, 2010 & 2018 Alan was voted Mandolin Player Of The Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America organization in Nashville, TN.

Discography

Solo albums