Biography

The Level Best Band!

If you have been around bluegrass much, you might recognize a few of the smiling faces that make up Level Best Band or the names of some of the fine bands they have been in over the years. This is a group of veterans that knows how to please an audience.

​With exciting solo work on fiddle, dobro, mandolin, and banjo, Level Best has that soulful polish, earned with years of playing bluegrass and country music.

​But you will often hear it said in bluegrass, it's all about the singing. Of course, that goes double for Level Best, or, more accurately, quadruple. Because four members of the band love to sing, and all are at home singing lead or harmony. That makes a dozen different trio combinations, and a unique range of vocal colors in one band.

Level Best returns with their third album of bluegrass and country gems. The Besties are celebrating their sixth year together with an exciting selection that shows off the many colors of their vocal arrangements along with plenty of instrumental fire-power.

"Drivin’ the Blue" is a fitting album title to introduce Ed Lick, who joined the band two years ago. Ed wrote this rocker of a banjo tune. Ed is also here singing a great traditional song "Good Morning, Mr. Railroad Man."

Lisa Kay Howard is a great admirer of Robin and Linda Williams. Here is her interpretation of the Williams’ haunting tune "While I’m Waiting for You."

James Field knows at least a thousand songs – maybe two. He has gone back to the 1920’s to reprise the Jimmie Rodgers classic California Blues. Moving on to the 1970’s, James and Lisa Kay combine on the Buck Owens classic entitled "Streets Of Bakersfield."

Wally Hughes does a heartfelt rendition of a Tammy Wynette composition called "Til I Can Make It On My Own." Following Grandpa Jones’ advice to “sing a song the folks all know,” Wally picked up his fiddle to record "I Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow." He’s joined on both tunes by Ed and Lisa Kay for some soaring trio work.

The most important instrument in any band is the bass, and the heartbeat of Level Best is the rock-solid work of Joe Hannabach.

Level Best has done a lot of travelling since their last album. Festivals on the East Coast, concerts in Northern and Southern California, and return tours of Europe and Ireland. More dates and more locales are on the way, so check in to their website for upcoming shows.

Level Best is Wally Hughes on Dobro and fiddle, Lisa Kay Howard on mandolin, Ed Lick on banjo, James Field on guitar, and Joe Hannabach on bass.

Recorded and Mastered by Engineer Will Shenk

For our last release:

Level Best Band - Happy Together

Our First CD:
Level Best Band - Level Best

The Level Best Website:
Level Best Band


Level Best Band - Drivin The Blue