Originally from California and now based out of Nashville, Tenn., the award-winning bluegrass group Cherryholmes epitomizes the term "family band." Led by bass-playing father Jere Cherryholmes with his wife Sandy Lee on mandolin — and featuring their children Cia Leigh on banjo, B.J. and Molly on fiddle, and Skip on guitar — the group was named the International Bluegrass Music Association's Entertainer of the Year in 2005.
They joined Mountain Stage for this set just before heading to California for the 2008 Grammy Awards celebration, for which they were nominated for multiple awards. This year, the band has earned another two Grammy nominations, including Best Bluegrass Album for its latest CD, Cherryholmes III: Don't Believe.
Banjo player Cia Leigh Cherryholmes is the group's core songwriter, penning three of the songs included here ("How Long," "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "Don't Give Your Heart to a Knoxville Girl"). Mother Sandy Lee takes the lead for Hazel Dickens' "Workin' Girl Blues" and B.J. wrote the speedy instrumental "The Nine Yards."
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