Mike Compton and David Long
I’m honored to support an organization whose mission is to preserve a part of American Culture that is very dear to me.
- David Long
David Long: Since picking up the mandolin in 1996, Long has toured the United States, Canada, Japan, and most recently in Australia. His first solo CD, “Midnight From Memphis” received rave reviews from Mandolin Magazine, Bluegrass Now, and Bluegrass Unlimited. In 2003, David joined forces with fellow mandolin player, Mike Compton of the Nashville Bluegrass Band and have just recently recorded their first CD to be released on David Grisman’s Acoustic Disk label. As of April 2005, David has partnered with Chris Sharp formerly of The John Hartford String Band and the “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou” sound track. They have just put out an new CD, “One Hand on the Radio” and features original and older material of the great American string band traditions: Bluegrass, Classic Country, and Old time string band music.
Mike Compton is one of the worlds most loved Mandolin players putting himself in with the ranks of musicians like David Grisman, Sam Bush, Roland White and of course his musical hero Bill Monroe. John Hartford used to say that Mike Compton knows more about Bill Monroe style mandolin than the Father of Bluegrass himself.
Born in Meridian Mississippi in 1956 Mike got his first Mandolin at age 15. By the mid Seventies Mike was living in Nashville and by 1985 he was playing music with the Nashville Bluegrass Band. Being with the NBB for about 3 years he then started working with David Grier and eventually worked and recorded with John Hartford until his death in 2001.
Mike has worked on the “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?” and “Down From the Mountain” projects where he worked in a number of different combinations playing with just about everyone involved with the tours.
Mike is currently working with the Nashville Bluegrass Band again as well as touring with fellow mandolin player David Long. As he has done for years Mike is also involved with a number of workshops and music camps.
Mike Compton has thousands of fans worldwide, he continues to grow musically and interprets different musical styles in his own way including Bill Monroe, old fiddle tunes, Bluegrass and even the Delta Blues.
