Black River Bluegrass Band ...Friday Show Only

Libby began taking piano lessons at 8 years old and learned to give all her happiness and all her troubles to music.  Later on, she bought a guitar and took lessons to play finger-style like folk singers.  Then came country and rock and roll.  Eventually, she met the Benfields and they turned her music world around.  In the beginning of her bluegrass era, she focused on guitar players but because she’s a singer, she began listening to people like The Cox Family, Laurie Lewis, Kathy Kallick and studying harmony.  Libby feels honored to be playing in a band with Ron Stanley, Marv Sobolesky, Joan Smith, and Jim Bolden.

Jim was born in Waynesville, NC, and moved to Washington State at 6 years of age.  He attended school at Adna and Winlock, and graduated in 1975.  He started playing the banjo at age 14, taking lessons from his famous father, Frank Bolden.  He currently lives in Winlock with his beautiful wife, Vikki. They have two children, Sabreena and Benjamin. Jim has played with many local musicians and is known for the solid, traditional banjo playing he learned from his father. He is a wonderful human being and brings humor and happiness to his bandmates.

Marv began playing the guitar at the age of 12. His early influences were rock and roll but he became interested in bluegrass music after hearing "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" on the movie “Bonnie and Clyde”. He sold his electric guitar and has been playing bluegrass ever since. The first band he joined was Bluegrass Special in the late 70s, as the bass player. He then played guitar with Jim and Frank Bolden for the next 15 years, doing a lot of local gigs. After a short absence, he returned to the bluegrass scene full force. Marv teaches guitar, banjo, and mandolin and has hosted concerts and jammed with many great guitarists.

Having been raised in a home where music was played and enjoyed, some of Ron's earliest memories are of singing and hearing music. Piano lessons soon followed. In school, music was always a focus and became his major while in college. He has performed with a variety of groups playing everything from folk to rock, blues to pop and classical. He was introduced to bluegrass music by respected banjo player Darrell Green and they formed The Monanche Mt. Boys in the mid 60s. Since then, Ron has performed and recorded with a number of West Coast bands. He offers workshops and private lessons on Dobro and guitar.

Joan was raised with music and has been singing since she was a very little girl. She began piano lessons at age 8. Through the years of college, work, and raising her two sons, Kael and Rhyan, she enjoyed a variety of music but didn’t play a stringed instrument until she became interested in bluegrass music in the early 90s. Since then, she’s played with various bands, recorded several CDs, and loves to sing harmony. She’s written several songs, including the title cut on the Black River Bluegrass Band’s 2007 CD, “Black River Days”. Joan appreciates the band’s musicianship and friendship.