• From Martinsville, Virginia.
• Nickname: "Smilin' Jim Eanes" (His given name is Homer—but chose his stage name, "Smilin' Jim" in 1939.)
• A pioneer of bluegrass music. Began his career in 1948 with Flatt & Scruggs, then Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.
• Solo career: 1949, had hit record "Baby Blue Eyes" (Capitol Records); Early fifties, recorded "Missing in Action" (Blue Ridge Records) which reportedly sold more than 400,000 copies; 1952, had hits "I Cried Again" and "Just Suppose" (Decca).
• 1955-1962, leader/lead singer for The Shenandoah Valley Boys (which included banjo whiz Allen Shelton)
• Late 60's, recorded several albums backed by The Country Gentlemen.
• Songwriting credits: "Baby Blue Eyes", "Next Sunday Darling is My Birthday," and "I Wouldn't Change You If I Could." His songs have been recorded by Flatt and Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Reno and Smiley, George Jones and Ricky Skaggs.
• Was a disc-jockey on several country radio stations.
• 1988, inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame.
• Died in 1995.

THE EARL BROTHERS

• Based in the San Francisco area (although band members are from Virginia, Florida and New York City.)
• Formed in 2000 by banjo player Robert Earl Davis (from Richmond, Virgina).
• Other members: John McKelvy (guitar), Larry Hughes (mandolin) and Josh Sidman (bass).
• They are a full-time touring band and have traveled extensively, including Europe and Australia.
• Their music has been called "Honky-Tonk Bluegrass," "Hillbilly Gothic" and "Neo-traditional.
• 2004, released album titled "Whiskey, Women and Death."
• 2008, founding member John McKelvy departed.

STEVE EARLE

• Born in Fort Monroe, Virginia; grew up in Texas.
• 1974, moved to Nashville to write songs. Worked as a carpenter and played bass in Guy Clark's band.
• Mid-80's, recorded for Epic Records, scored several hit records, including "Guitar Town (1986)," and "Goodbye's All We Got Left" (1987). During this time he was very influential as a country-rock artist.
• 1988-1994, went rock, recorded more albums which were generally ignored by country radio, became something of a cult figure. Had several run-ins with the law, including a drug charge.
• 1998, recorded and toured with the Del McCoury Band.

EAST COAST BLUEGRASS BAND (See NOTHIN' FANCY)

EAST VIRGINIA

• From Norfolk, Virginia.
• Formed 1974, broke up 1981.
• Featured brothers Art and Joe McDonough.
• The only bluegrass band to get its start in a barbershop. "Jack's Barbershop" in Norfolk, Virginia held jam sessions on Friday nights. A bar owner across the street asked them to play (for free beer) and they came up with the name, based on one of the songs they had learned, "East Virginia Blues."
• 2001, re-united to record one album

THE EASTER BROTHERS

• From Mount Airy, North Carolina.
• Includes three brothers: James, Russell and Ed.
• One of the first full-time bluegrass gospel groups. Started out as the "The Green Valley Quartet" and later changed name to the Easter Brothers.
• Made first recordings in 1961 for King Records. Carlton Haney arranged the session and the band included Don Reno, Allan Mills and Mac Magaha.
• During the 1960's they frequently appeared with Don Reno and Red Smiley.
• 1979, they became a full-time touring group.
• 2007, James, Russell and Ed still perform together, joined by two of their sons, Jared and Russell, Jr.

JEFF AND SHERI EASTER

• Country-gospel duo who began their career with The Lewis Family.
• Sheri is Polly Lewis (Williamson)'s daughter and Jeff's father James Easter is a member of the gospel group, The Easter Brothers.
• Met at the Albert Brumley Gospel Sing in Springdale, Arkansas in 1984, and were married a year later.
• A popular southern gospel act. They appear frequently on Bill Gaither's TV specials and videos.

JUDITH EDELMAN

• From New York City. Lives in Idaho.
• 1993-1995, sang lead with a Crested Butte, Colorado band called Ryestraw.
• 1996, formed her own band "The Judith Edelman Band" with Matt Flinner (formerly of Sugarbeat) and Tony Furtado; 1997, added Ben Winship (formerly with Loose Ties).
• Music is her second career. Her first was international development. In 1990, she was working in Africa when she decided to take guitar lessons and pursue a career in music. She also has experience as a rape crisis counselor.
• Is also a classically-trained pianist.
• Her father won a Nobel Prize in 1972.

TERRY ELDRIDGE (See also THE GRASCALS)

• From Terre Haute, Indiana. Lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
• 1988-2000, guitarist and vocalist with The Osborne Brothers.
• Has also worked with Mike Scott's All-American Band, Wilma Lee Cooper's Clinch Mountain Clan, Lonzo and Oscar, Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time, the Sidemen.
• Began playing bluegrass in high school. After graduation, worked with Lonzo and Oscar. He was playing the Grand Ole Opry before he was old enough to vote.
• Nickname: "Bo-Bo Batelbe"
• 2000, joined Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time. Also performs with the Sidemen and Drive Time.
• 2001, was seriously injured in an automobile accident.
• 2002, toured with Dolly Parton.
• 2004, left Larry Cordle's band and formed The Grascals with Jimmy Mattingly, David Talbot and Jamie Johnson.

TONY ELLIS

• From North Carolina. Lives in Ohio.
• Began playing banjo at age 14.
• Early bands: The Virginia Mountaineers and the Shady Valley Boys.
• 1960-1962, played with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.
• After leaving Monroe's band, he worked with Mac Wiseman, The Beaver Creek Boys (Bristol, Tennessee) and The All American Boys (with Tom Ewing).
• 1996, performed at the Olympics.
• 2002, currently performs with his band Tony Ellis and the Musicians of Braeburn. Tours internationally with the U.S. State Department.
• 2005, performed with Steve Martin, Earl Scruggs, and Peter Wernick on the Dave Letterman show as "Men with Banjos Who Know How to Use Them."

BILL EMERSON

• One of the most influential five-string banjo players in bluegrass.
• 1955, first pro job: "Uncle Bob and the Blue Ridge Partners."
• 1957, an original member of The Country Gentlemen. Left after a few months and was replaced by Eddie Adcock.
• 1958-1969, worked with the Stoneman Family, Red Allen, Jimmy Martin, and Cliff Waldron—in that order.
• 1966, he and Cliff Waldron recorded the first bluegrass version of the Mannfred Mann song "Fox on the Run."
• 1969, returned to The Country Gentlemen.
• 1973, joined the Navy and played banjo with the U.S. Navy band Country Current (until 1992 when he retired.)
• 1988, worked with Pete Goble on several projects. Their song "Tennessee 1949" won the IBMA award that year for Song of the Year.
• 1988, was inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame.
• Founder of Webco Records, which was acquired by Pinecastle Records in 1994.
• 1998, recorded and performed with Mark Newton.
• 2007, came out of retirement to record and perform his "Sweet Dixie" Band.

DREW EMMITT (See also LEFTOVER SALMON)

• From Boulder, Colorado.
• Plays mandolin. Influenced heavily by Sam Bush.
• 1984, formed the Left Hand String Band.
• 1992, formed Leftover Salmon.
• 2002, released solo album with the John Cowan Band.
• 2005, released second solo project featuring Cowan, Bush, and the Del McCoury Band.

PAT ENRIGHT (See also THE NASHVILLE BLUEGRASS BAND)

• From the San Francisco Bay area. Lives in Nashville.
• 1976, formed a San Francisco group "Phantoms of theOpry."
• 1979, Tasty Licks with Jack Tottle and Bela Fleck.
• 1983, The Dreadful Snakes.
• 1984-present, guitarist with the Nashville Bluegrass Band.
• 2000, appeared in the movie "O Brother Where Art Thou" and sang on the soundtrack album. He was one of the Soggy Bottom Boys.

BILL EVANS

• From Charlottesville, Virginia. Lives in El Cerrito, California.
• Has degrees in anthropology and music from University of Virginia and a Ph.D in Ethno-musicology from UC Berkeley.
• 1980-1986, played banjo with Cloud Valley (a Virginia band).
• 1993-1997, played banjo with the Dry Branch Fire Squad.
• 1994-5, served as curator, International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro.
• 1996, elected to the IBMA Board of Directors.
• 1997, left the Dry Branch Fire Squad to perform solo and to work on his Ph.D.
• 1997, began performing a one-man show called "The Banjo in America: A Musical and Cultural History."
• 2001, started his own record label (Native and Fine Records).
• In addition to his solo performances, he is a member of two bands: The Bluegrass Intentions and Due West.

DAVE EVANS (and RIVER BEND)

• From Portsmouth, Ohio. Lives in Olive Hill, Kentucky.
• One of the few banjo-picking lead singers in bluegrass music.
• First pro job: with Earl Taylor and the Stoney Mountain Boys (in Yakima Washington).
• 1972, joined Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers.
• 1975-1978, worked with Lillimae and the Dixie Gospelaires, Red Allen and the Kentuckians, the Boys from Indiana.
• 1978, formed his own group "River Bend."
• 1989, his career suffered a setback when he was sentenced to serve ten years in a federal penitentiary on a felonious assault charge. He served six years and was released in 1995.
• While in prison, he learned to play guitar.
• 1996, began performing and recording again.

GERALD EVANS AND PARADISE (See also THE TRADITIONAL GRASS)

• From Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Evans has played fiddle and mandolin with the Traditional Grass, Dave Evans and Riverbend, and the Goins Brothers.
• 2001, released first album with his band Paradise.

TOM EWING

• From Columbus, Ohio. Lives in Gallatin, Tennessee.
• Was the final lead singer and guitarist with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.
• Attended Ohio State University; earned degrees in journalism and education.
• Former member of Earl Taylor's Stoney Mountain Boys (Cincinnati).
• 1978, became host of "Bluegrass Ramble" radio show in Columbus, Ohio (still on the air as of 2002)
• Has recorded three solo projects (1988, 1989, 1993).
• Played and sang on three of Bill Monroe's albums, including "Southern Flavor," the first to win a bluegrass Grammy.
• 1994-present, columnist for Bluegrass Unlimited magazine ("Thirty Years Ago This Month").
• 1994, married Gwen McReynolds, daughter of Jesse McReynolds (Jim and Jesse).
• 1996, after Bill Monroe's death, joined David Davis and the Warrior River Boys. Also played bass for Jim and Jesse.
• 2000, compiled and edited "The Bill Monroe Reader," published by the University of Illinois Press.
• 2003, formed a band called "Monroe's Boys."