Wayne Benson
| Wayne Benson | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | John Wayne Benson |
| Born |
April 9, 1969 Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Genres | Bluegrass music |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Mandolin |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Pinecastle Records |
| Associated acts | Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out |
| Website | iiirdtymeout |
John Wayne Benson is an American mandolinist and songwriter in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his unique approach to the mandolin, and for his long-term involvement with Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out.
Benson was raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, in a musical family where his father John Benson played fiddle, banjo, and guitar with his uncles. Gifted a Roy Rogers guitar for Christmas when he was seven, Benson learned how to Platt, sitting in on family music gatherings. At age 15, he began playing mandolin. In his late teens, Benson was part of the bluegrass music scene in Denton, North Carolina.
In 1989, Scott Vestal invited Benson to join the band Livewire with Ernie Sykes (bass) and Robert Hale (guitar). Benson played with Livewire for three years, recording one album Wired in 1990 on Rounder Records. Benson also participated when Livewire reunited in 1999 for one show.
In 1993, Benson joined the band Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out. Benson left IIIrd Tyme Out in 2004 to play with the John Cowan Band, recording two albums with them. In 2007, Benson returned to IIIrd Tyme Out and has remained with them since. Besides Moore and Benson, the current lineup includes Justin Haynes (fiddle), Keith McKinnon (banjo), and Blake Johnson (bass).
In 2003, Benson released his solo album An Instrumental Anthology on Pinecastle Records. The album featured 12 original compositions, and guests included Vestal, Cowan, Aubrey Haynie, Rob Ickes, Mark Schatz, Ron Stewart, and Jim Van Cleve.
Bibey recorded Mandolin Chronicles with Alan Bibey in 2013, an album of mandolin duets. Supporting artists included Ron Stewart (banjo, fiddle), Wyatt Rice (guitar), and Harold Nixon (bass).
As part of their Artist Signature Series, Gibson issued the Wayne Benson Signature mandolin in 2003, based on the F-5 scroll body design. Only 50 we're made available.
In 2004, Benson released Wayne Benson - A Mandolin Anthology, a music instruction DVD for Acutab Publications. In addition, Acutab offers an tabulation book that includes Benson’s solos from the "Bluegrass Annual series on Pinecastle.
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