Marc Pruett Marc Pruett grew up in the mountains of Western North Carolina…."where the Smokies meet the Blue Ridge." This Southern Appalachian Region has long been a hot-bed for traditional arts and folk music. When Marc was first learning to play mountain string-band music, artists like Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers and Jimmy Martin regularly played the area to well attended audiences. These and other great mountain folk artists were the ones to which Marc Pruett listened and tried to emulate. Marc has found a new solid place in American acoustic music with his friends and Haywood County band mates Tim Surrett, Buddy Melton, Caleb Smith and Darren Nicholson in the BALSAM RANGE band. This exciting group was founded at the beginning of 2007 and has made astounding progress in the ranks of Bluegrass and Southern acoustic music. BALSAM RANGE performs around 140 shows a year…records for Mountain Home Music…and has had substantial chart success with the first two CD’s. Their initial release, “The Train’s Ready” reached the top 3 on the National Bluegrass Survey. Marc and his wife, Anita wrote that song. BALSAM RANGE reached a #1 spot on the national chart in September, 2009 with the James Ellis penned tune…”Last Train To Kitty Hawk.” Marc is very grateful to have the chance to perform with BALSAM RANGE, and he is “laying down” some of the best banjo picking yet. Marc is proud to be associated with his old friends Maria and Matthew Burril in a dandy commercial venture in Asheville, NC…The Fiddlin’ Pig…a great family BBQ restaurant and entertainment facility. Marc is the Entertainment Director for FP…and BALSAM RANGE is a big part of the lineup. You can keep up with Balsam Range at http://www.balsamrange.com 
Grace Van't HofBorn and raised in Western Michigan, Grace studied classical violin and piano at a young age until she discovered the banjo in high school when she built a 5-string prototype that won 2nd place in a statewide Science Olympiad. Before moving to North Carolina, Grace studied under two-time IBMA Banjo Player of the Year, Kristen Scott-Benson, in the Bluegrass music program at East Tennessee State University after receiving scholarships based on banjo performance from ETSU and the Northern Indiana Bluegrass Association. She also has studied Voice and Visual Art at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. Grace is a part of the all-lady band Della Mae as banjo player and vocalist. Apart from her bluegrass career, Grace works as a graphic designer and illustrator. She now makes her home in West Asheville, NC. You can catch Grace and her band, Della Mae, at http://www.heyheydellamae.com/
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