Balsam Range

Balsam Range achieved early significant success with their 2009 album ‘Last Train to Kitty Hawk,’ its title track reaching number one on Bluegrass Unlimited’s National Bluegrass Survey. Their October 2007 debut, ‘Marching Home,’ featured guest artists Joe Diffie and Tony Rice. The group secured its first IBMA Song of the Year award in 2011 for ‘Trains I Missed.’ Their 2012 album ‘Papertown’ then spent five consecutive months at number one on the Bluegrass Unlimited chart, earning the prestigious IBMA Album of the Year in 2013. The group garnered critical acclaim, receiving IBMA Vocal Group of the Year in 2014 and 2015.

In January 2019, Balsam Range released ‘Aeonic,’ debuting at number one on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart and garnering features in the Wall Street Journal and Rolling Stone Country. That same year, they issued ‘The Gospel Collection.’ Their latest record, ‘Moxie and Mettle,’ followed in 2021. Beyond their discography, Balsam Range established the Balsam Range Art of Music Festival in December 2016. This annual two-day event, held in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina, significantly contributes to the local economy, generating over $400,000 annually for Haywood County while showcasing diverse artists.

The collective strength of Balsam Range is reinforced by its accomplished members. Banjo player Marc Pruett contributed to five Ricky Skaggs albums, including the 1997 Grammy Award-winning ‘Bluegrass Rules!’, and received an honorary doctorate from Western Carolina University in 2010. Mandolinist Alan Bibey, who joined the group in 2022, boasts two IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year awards and nine SPBGMA Mandolin of the Year awards. Guitarist Caleb Smith also maintains his craft as a luthier, operating Smith Custom Guitars.

Balsam Range continues to tour and expand their esteemed legacy within the bluegrass and acoustic music scene.