Craig Wilson is the band’s founder, lead singer and guitarist. A Bakersfield, California native, Craig has known bandmates Butch and Larry since 1968. Craig has played with several bands over the years, including Pacific Crest and the Born Again Bluegrass Band. Craig is also a mandolin luthier and is a director of the California Bluegrass Association.

Butch Waller, from Oakland, CA, was one of the first to play bluegrass in the west, and was immortalized as an IBMM “Bluegrass Master” and is a CBA honorary lifetime member. In 1968 Butch formed what is now the world’s longest running bluegrass band, High Country. He’s also well known as a leading authority on Monroe style mandolin playing, regularly giving clinics across the nation.

A native of Springfield, TN, banjoist Larry Cohea now lives in El Cerrito, CA. Larry has been a member of High Country with Butch since 1973, and is a founding member of Blue & Lonesome. Larry is one of the most well loved, and busiest, members of the Bay Area bluegrass scene, both as a musician and luthier.

Paul Shelasky, of Novato, California, plays fiddle with the Old Pals and is also an accomplished guitar and mandolin player in bluegrass, jazz and Celtic music. Paul has earned two California State Fiddle championships, has twice been named California State Flat-picking Guitar Champion, and is another honorary lifetime member of the CBA. Paul performed and recorded with the Good Ol’ Persons, the Rhythm Brothers and Lost Highway, as well as David Grisman, Tony Rice, Frank Wakefield, and has toured the U.S., Canada, the British Isles, Europe and Taiwan. He is a member of Blue & Lonesome with Larry.

The baby of the band, born the year the rest of the band stared picking together, Dixon, CA’s Matt Dudman plays the string bass. He’s been a member of Carolina Special and the MacRae Brothers, and currently co-leads Matt & George & Their Pleasant Valley Boys. Matt also runs PleasantValleyMusic.com, a musical instrument store and recording studio.