Few bluegrass bands were more aptly named than the Traditional Grass. They had a wonderful classic-era sound but with fresh songs and a very professional approach to the music. Formed in Middletown with Paul “Moon” Mullins on fiddle, Joe Mullins on banjo and tenor vocals, Mark Rader on lead guitar and lead vocals, and Bill Adams on bass, the band performed part-time until 1991, when they went full-time and hit the festival circuit. After issuing four self-produced cassettes, they secured a contract with Rebel Records and put out four CDs before disbanding in 1995. They released two more self-produced cassettes which reprised the years 1984-1994. During their existence, the only personnel changes were adding Gerald Evans, Jr. on fiddle and mandolin, and using Glen “Cookie” Inman and, later, Mike Clevenger on bass after Bill Adams left. In 2015, Rebel Records issued a 15-song retrospective titled The Blues Are Still the Blues.
Traditional Grass