Biography

From the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, comes one of the most entertaining bands in the bluegrass genre, Nothin’ Fancy. As a matter of fact, they've won SPBGMA’s award for Entertaining Group of the Year five times!

Nothin’ Fancy was formed as a bluegrass band in 1994 to compete in a bluegrass competition. Ever since then, they have grown in popularity, released 11 full length albums, and continue to perform at festivals all across the United States, Canada and Norway including the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN, the Lincoln Center in New York City, and the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia. They have successfully hosted their own Nothin’ Fancy Bluegrass Festival every year since 2001 in Buena Vista, Virginia.

Their relentless touring schedule of over 140 dates per year has earned them one of the most loyal fan bases in all of bluegrass music. They are loved by festival-goers and bluegrass fans from the East to West Coast and abroad.

In 2002 Nothin’ Fancy released their debut recording for Pinecastle Records entitled “Once Upon A Road.” This album earned them a showcase at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Convention and a nomination for the IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year Award. Their second CD, “Reflections,” received innumerable accolades and proved that they were one of the new powerhouses in the genre. Their 3rd project, “Album #7”
continues to receive rave reviews from disc jockeys and fans alike.

Listening to the request of fans, Nothin’ Fancy then released their first gospel CD, “Lord Bless This House.” This album captures Nothin’ Fancy’s distinguished sound, vocal harmony, spirituality, and friendly charisma. In 2011, under their new label, Virginia Dreams Records, they released their latest CD, “Nothin’ Fancy.” This album holds true to their Nothin’ Fancy sound while introducing a few new pieces to the Nothin’ Fancy puzzle. The next CD was "Most Requested Volume 1" which is a compilation of the songs fans request the most. Now they release their first-ever Christmas CD, "A Nothin' Fancy Christmas," featuring 12 traditional favorites.

In 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009, and 2008, the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America (SPBGMA) honored Nothin' Fancy with the prestigious "Entertaining Group of the Year" award. The band has also been nominated for SPBGMA’s Vocal Group of the Year and each band member has been nominated for individual awards as well.

Their strong vocals, powerful instrumentation, and energetic stage presence, along with their friendly down-to-earth charm keeps people coming back for more. Nothin’ Fancy is not just carrying on the tradition of bluegrass music; they are contributing to the creation of a new tradition within the acoustic music genre.