Biography

Dark Shadow Recording Radio contact: Jana Mougin

jana@darkshadowrecording.com

Becky Buller is a ten-time International Bluegrass Association award-winning Bluegrass artist. She made history by being the first artist ever to win in both instrumental and vocal categories, as well as being the first female to ever win Fiddle Player of the Year.

Becky’s songs preceded her own prominence as an artist. The fiery-haired fiddler has had cuts from other artists, such as Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Josh Williams, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, and Special Consensus. Becky cowrote “Freedom,” the lead-off track of the Infamous Stringdusters’s 2018 Grammy award-winning album, as well as “The Shaker,” featured on The Travelin’ McCoury’s self-titled album that brought home the 2019 Best Bluegrass Album Grammy award. She penned the title cut of Special Consensus’s album Scratch Gravel Road, which was nominated for the 2013 Best Bluegrass Album Grammy. Now, as the leader of her own band, Becky’s audiences are connecting the composer with her compositions… to the tune of seven IBMA awards in the last four years.

In 2018, Becky moonlighted with the all-female supergroup, The First Ladies of Bluegrass, which includes all the first women to win in their respective categories at the IBMA awards. The group took home the 2018 IBMA Recorded Event of the Year award for their work on “Swept Away,” recorded on Missy Raines’s solo album, Royal Traveller. The group has also been recognized recently at the Country Music Hall of Fame with their own exhibit.

Becky released her third and fourth solo album on the Dark Shadow Recording label, both of which topped the Bluegrass Today airplay charts. She also released a Christmas single in 2015, “Gingerbread House,” that also topped the Bluegrass Today airplay chart multiple times. Becky’s cover of Bill Monroe’s “Southern Flavor” garnered the 2015 IBMA Recorded Event of the Year award.

Becky was destined to be in music. Growing up in Minnesota, Becky played fiddle with her parents and Gordy and Roxy Shultz in the group Prairie Grass. She studied classical violin with both Patti Tryhus and Charles Gray and participated in the Mankato Area Symphony and the Minnesota All-State Orchestra while in high school. Becky’s heart, however, has always been that of a fiddler. She won the junior division of the 1996 Minnesota State Old Time Fiddle Championship in Cotton, MN. Becky went on to college to study public relations at East Tennessee State University, where she performed with several different bluegrass ensembles, including the school’s prestigious Bluegrass Pride Band, with whom she performed in throughout France and at the Kennedy Center.

With over twenty years experience as a music educator, becky is very passionate about passing the music on, teaching at several camps and workshops throughout the year, in addition to her busy performance schedule. Becky is also very active in the bluegrass music business community, currently serving on the IBMA Foundation board. She was on the IBMA Board of directors from 2013-2017 and did a three-year term as chair of the IBMA Songwriter Committee from 2013-2016. She is a Leadership Bluegrass alumna, class of 2003.

BECKY BULLER - IBMA AWARDS

2020 Collaborative Recording Of The Year - "The Barber's Fiddle"
2020 Song Of The Year "Chicago Barn Dance" - featured artist, songwriter
2018 Gospel Recorded Performance -"Speakin' To That Mountain" 2018 Recorded Event - guest performance "Swept Away"
2016 Female Vocalist
2016 - Fiddle Player
2015 Recorded Event - "Southern Flavor"
2015 Emerging Artist
2015 Songwriter
2006 Recorded Event - guest performance Daughters of Bluegrass "Back To The Well"

SMART LINK: https://sc.lnk.to/BBdt-lp

DISTANCE AND TIME - LINER NOTES


1. Don’t Look Back
Becky Buller, Kraig Smith & Valerie Smith, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI

While thumbing through my songwriting notebooks, I ran across a photocopy of the card Val found that inspired this song. The picture on the front is of a girl walking through the woods with a pack on her back, decisively heading down a path labeled “Your Life”, having turned her back on “No Longer An Option”.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar, harmony vocal
Daniel Hardin - bass
Nate Lee - mandolin, harmony vocal
Ned Luberecki - banjo


2. The Ride
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI/Eric Gibson, Brown Bird Songs, BMI

Eric and I tossed this song back and forth via email and text for several years. A whole lot of life got in our way, but we finally got this written up to our liking.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar, harmony vocal
Daniel Hardin - bass, harmony vocal
Nate Lee - mandolin
Ned Luberecki - banjo


3. The Barber’s Fiddle
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI/Lynda Dawson, Grandma Bea Music, BMI

For Gene Boyd of Bristol, Va., Mr. Billy Womack of Woodbury, Tenn., and the anonymous fiddling barber whose story was shared with me at Dollywood so many years ago. Through their music, they have attained immortality. So grateful to all the incredible fiddlers and singers who joined us on this cut.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar, fiddle, harmony vocal
Daniel Hardin - bass, harmony vocal
Nate Lee - mandolin, fiddle
Ned Luberecki - banjo
Guest lead vocalists and fiddlers:
Jason Carter, Kati Penn, Sam Bush, Laurie Lewis, Shawn Camp
Guest fiddlers:
Laura Orshaw, Michael Cleveland, Deanie Richardson, Johnny Warren, Fred Carpenter, Brian Christianson, Tyler Andal, Jason Barie, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Stuart Duncan


4. You Come Around
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI/Jeff Hyde, Mammaw’s Cornbread Music/BMG, BMI/John Pennell, Solargrass Music, BMI

Jeff brought this idea to our writing session that day. Always an honor to write with these two masters. Ronnie’s is one of my favorite voices in all of bluegrass music.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar
Daniel Hardin - bass
Nate Lee - mandolin, harmony vocal
Ned Luberecki - banjo
Ronnie Bowman - lead and harmony vocals


5. Head On Down The Line
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI/Christopher Mosselman, GEMA

Crissi Mosselman, a German singer/songwriter and filmmaker, was producing a travelogue of his musical adventures across America during the summer of 2011. I met up with him in Bell Buckle, Tenn. We talked on camera about songwriting; I invited him to help me finish this one while we were at it. Find out more about the film at: countryroad-film.com.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar, harmony vocal
Daniel Hardin - bass, harmony vocal
Nate Lee - mandolin
Ned Luberecki - banjo


6. Tell The Truth (Shame The Devil)
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI/Jon Weisberger, Use Your Words Music/Asheville Music Publishing (admin. by Clearbox), BMI

Jon and I have been working together for years and have a successful track record of cuts by other artists. This is the first time I’ve recorded one of our co-writes and it just cried out for The Fairfield Four. It has been one of the greatest joys of my life to get to share the Gospel in song with them.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle, hand claps
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar, harmony vocal
Daniel Hardin - bass, harmony vocal
Nate Lee - mandolin, harmony vocal
Ned Luberecki - banjo
The Fairfield Four - harmony vocals, hand claps
Larrice Byrd, Sr.
Bobbye Sherrill
Joe Thompson
Kerry Scates - hand claps


7. We Let Each Other Go
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI

Songwriting has always been a source of therapy for me; I was working through a broken heart with this one. Big thanks to Melonie for adding her lovely harmony to this track.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle, octave violin
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar
Daniel Hardin - bass
Nate Lee - mandolin
Ned Luberecki - banjo
Melonie Cannon - harmony vocal

8. Inglewood Upon Stratford
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI/Ned Luberecki, Clement Luberecki Music, BMI

These guys are so talented! Had a great time writing this twisted tune with Ned. It’s named for the road signs at the end of his street.

Becky Buller - fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar
Daniel Hardin - bass
Nate Lee - mandolin
Ned Luberecki - banjo

9. Salt And Light
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI/Mark Simos, Devachan Music, BMI

This is the first song Mark and I ever wrote together way back in 2003 or so. He brought an Old Testament perspective to the session that day; I brought the New. The Isaacs’ harmonies are heavenly. So fun working with Chris Brown and his drums of renown.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar
Daniel Hardin - bass
Nate Lee - mandolin
Ned Luberecki - banjo
Chris Brown - drums, auxiliary percussion
The Isaacs - harmony vocals
Ben Isaacs
Sonya Isaacs Yeary
Becky Isaacs Bowman




10. I Dream In Technicolor
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI

For Romy. I’ve been kicking around this chorus since college, but couldn’t come up with verses that satisfied me until I began drawing on some of my own real-life, completely bizarre dream sequences. (Sometimes you just can’t make stuff up!) Big thanks to Sierra Hull for encouraging me to record this one.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle, hand claps
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar, hand claps, harmony vocal, maniacal laughter
Daniel Hardin - bass, hand claps, harmony vocal
Nate Lee - mandolin, hand claps, harmony vocal
Ned Luberecki - banjo, harmony vocal, announcer


11. Life Gets Up And Gets Gone
Becky Buller, Goodnight Sparky Music, BMI/Donna Ulisse, Uncle Hadley Music, ASCAP

I relate to this song more every day. This was my first experience writing with Donna; she’s a machine! The band totally blistered this.

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar, harmony vocal
Daniel Hardin - bass, harmony vocal
Nate Lee - mandolin
Ned Luberecki - banjo


12. Woodstock
Joni Mitchell, Crazy Crow Music/Sony/ATV Tunes, LLC, ASCAP

After soaking up all the love for Joni Mitchell at the 2019 Newport Folk Festival, I started digging back into her music and thought this would be fun to try with the old-timey banjo. Had a grand time in studio with Uncle Flux!

Becky Buller - lead vocal, clawhammer banjo
Jerry Douglas - resophonic guitar












13. More Heart, Less Attack
Bear & Bo Rinehart, Bear Lee Breathing Music/Downtown DMP Songs/NEEDTOBREATHE Music, BMI

Sydney Horton brought this song to me so I could teach it to her. I just fell in love with it! “Blessed are the peacemakers…” (Matt. 5:9)

Becky Buller - lead vocal, fiddle
Prof. Dan Boner - guitar, harmony vocal
Nate Lee - mandolin, harmony vocal
Ned Luberecki - banjo, harmony vocal
Daniel Hardin - bass, harmony vocal



Becky is sincerely grateful to: Jeff & Romy Haley; Linda & Emory Buller; Susie & Timmy George; Amelia & Cody Liles; Michael, Erika, Henry, Benjamin, & Eliza Buller; Stephen, Jana, & Sammy Mougin; The band and their families: Ned & Kelley Luberecki; Nate Lee & Chrisanthi Zotos; Daniel, Cortney, Christian, Charlie & Corleigh Hardin; Dan Boner & Tara Blevins; Jamie (CJ) Garskof; Jason Carter; Kati Penn; Sam Bush; Laurie Lewis; Shawn Camp; Laura Orshaw; Michael Cleveland; Deanie Richardson; Johnny Warren; Fred Carpenter; Brian Christianson; Tyler Andal; Jason Barie; Bronwyn Keith-Hynes; Stuart Duncan; Ronnie Bowman; Melonie Cannon; The Fairfield Four & Mr. Scates; The Isaacs; Chris Brown; Jerry Douglas; Jon Weisberger; Lynda Dawson; NEEDTOBREATHE; Eric Gibson; Donna Ulisse; Valerie & Kraig Smith; Jeff Hyde; John Pennell; Joni Mitchell; Mark Simos; Crissi Mosselman; Josh, Carrie, Ann, & Josh Mainville; Tony Buchanan; Linda & Terry Giltner; Maggie Smith; Mama Jan & Papa Billy Bunch; Debbie Metzger; Stephanie Taylor; Rachel Guttmann; Chris Alderman; Megan Bocklage; Mike Drudge; Adrienne Freeman; Stan Teal; First Baptist Church, Manchester, TN; Dena Dixon; Bobby Love; Fred Sullivan; Ed Brown; Lisa Brown; Ray Seckler; Jake Dorak; Paul Smithson; Adam & Buzz Cutshaw, Cutshaw’s Classic Barber Shop, Manchester, TN; The Hortons; Misty Brinkley; Karla Tyer; Shelly Swanger; and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who IS my song.

The Becky Buller Band would like to thank: BlueChip Picks; D’Addario; DP Hopkins Banjos; Fishman; sE Electronics; LaPlant Guitars; Pava Mandolins; Čapek Banjos; Deering Banjos; Bob Thompson Guitars; Glenn Boyd Fiddles; East Tennessee State University; Jamie (CJ) Garskof and Bee Hive Records; The Violin Shop, Nashville, TN; Arby’s Thai.


Management: Chris Alderman / Deluge Music Management / calderman@delugemusic.com / (615) 476-2933

Booking: Mike Drudge / Rainmaker Live! / mike@rainmakermanagement.com / (813) 867-7209


Cover art:

Cover photography: Jason Myers Photography / JasonMyersPhoto.com

In studio photography: Madison Thorn


Produced and engineered by Stephen Mougin for Dark Shadow Recording

Recorded at Dark Shadow Recording / Goodlettsville, TN / DarkShadowRecording.com

The Isaac’s vocals were tracked at Ben’s Den / Hendersonville, TN / Engineered by Ben Isaacs

Laurie Lewis tracked at Opus Studios / Berkeley, CA / Engineered by Adam Muñoz

Prof. Dan’s Boner’s vocal on “Head On Down The Line” tracked at Daysight Music / Elizabethton, TN / Engineered by Prof. Dan Boner

Mastered by David Glasser for Airshow Mastering / Boulder, CO



Tour schedule, video, lyrics & more at: BeckyBuller.com

On this album, Becky played “Leopold”, a circa 1800 German Steiner model fiddle (aka “The Old Man”); “Walt”, a circa 1940s Japanese made octave violin (her Grandpa Buller’s fiddle); a Garner Wilson bow; and a DP Hopkins Becky Buller signature model clawhammer banjo.

This album is dedicated to the memory of my father-in-law, Sterling Haley, and my dear friend Marjorie Jenkins.



Ronnie Bowman appears courtesy Rebel Records.

Nate Lee appears courtesy of Adverb Records.

Prof. Dan Boner appears courtesy of Daysight Music.

The Fairfield Four appears courtesy of Fairfield Four Records.

Laurie Lewis appears courtesy of Spruce And Maple Music.

Jason Carter appears courtesy of McCoury Music.

Shawn Camp appears courtesy of

Sam Bush appears courtesy of Samandalynn Records.

Jason Barie appears courtesy of Billy Blue Records.

Deanie Richardson appears courtesy of Pinecastle Records.

Michael Cleveland appears courtesy of Compass Records.

Jerry Douglas and Laura Orshaw appear courtesy of Rounder Records / Concord Music Group.