Alan Bibey

Alan Daniel Bibey (born August 24, 1964) 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 fiddler’s 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 (guitar), Mitch Freeman (bass), and Sammy Shelor (banjo). 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 (guitar), Mike Hartgrove (fiddle), Ray Deaton (bass), and Terry Baucom (banjo). 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 (bass), Dewey Brown (fiddle), and Junior Sisk (vocals, guitar).

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

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."

Gibson produced an Alan Bibey signature mandolin in 2004.

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.

Alan Bibey and Wayne Benson 2013: The Mandolin Chronicles (Pinecastle)

With The New Quicksilver 1986: Ready For The Times (Cross Current) reissued as Baucom, Bibey, Graham, and Haley

With IIIrd Tyme Out 1991: IIIrd Tyme Out (Rebel) 1992: Puttin' New Roots Down (Rebel)

With Lou Reid and Carolina 1996: Lou Reid & Carolina (Rebel)

With Baucom, Bibey, Graham and Haley 1998: Baucom, Bibey, Graham & Haley (Rebel)

With BlueRidge 1999: Common Ground (Sugar Hill) 2002: Come Along with Me (Sugar Hill) as Baucom, Bibey & BlueRidge 2004: Side by Side (Sugar Hill) 2006: Gettin' Ready (Pinecastle)

With Grasstowne 2007: The Road Headin' Home (Thirty Tigers) 2009: The Other Side of Towne (Pinecastle) 2011: Kickin' Up Dust (Rural Rhythm) 2015: Alan Bibey & Grasstowne 4 (Mountain Fever) 2019: Gonna Rise & Shine (Morning Glory) 2021: Hitchhiking to California (Billy Blue)

Also appears on 1983: Larry Richardson - Ship Of Zion (LifeLine) 1998: Ronnie Bowman - The Man I'm Tryin to Be (Sugar Hill) 2000: Mark Newton - Follow Me Back to the Fold (Rebel) 2000: Herschel Sizemore - My Style (Hay Holler) 2000: various artists - Knee Deep in Bluegrass: The AcuTab Sessions (Rebel) 2004: John Lawless - Five & Dime (Copper Creek) 2007: Dwight Mccall - Never Say Never Again (Rural Rhythm) 2008: various artists - Hornography (Left of Center) 2012: Carrie Hassler - Distance (Rural Rhythm) 2014: Steve Gulley - Family, Friends & Fellowship (Rural Rhythm) 2014: Phil Leadbetter - The Next Move (Pinecastle) 2016: Stuart Wyrick - East Tennessee Sunrise (Rural Rhythm) 2017: Wilson Banjo Co. - Spirits in the Hills (Bonfire) 2018: Mike Bentley - "All I've Got" (Union House Records)

Music Instruction 1998: AcuTab Transcriptions, Vol. 1 (Acutab) 2000: Mel Bay Presents 2000 Mandolin: Featuring Solos by the World's Finest Mandolinists book (Mel Bay) contributor 2004: Alan Bibey - Master Mandolinist DVD (Acutab) 2016: Master Anthology of Mandolin Solos, Volume 1 book, online video (Mel Bay) contributor