Gene Libbea
Musician · Southern California
Best known for
Bass
Gene Libbea is a Southern California-bred bassist who anchored the Grammy-winning Nashville Bluegrass Band for roughly a decade (1989–1998) before settling into a busy Nashville session career — an in-demand bassist who has recorded with Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Earl Scruggs, Steve Earle, and Ry Cooder.
- Grew up in southern California; began his professional music career on the West Coast in 1972, working for Walt Disney and later the New Christy Minstrels.
- In the 1970s California acoustic-music scene, played and recorded with Stuart Duncan and Alison Brown, performed with the Sweethearts of the Rodeo, and was in a band with Vince Gill and John Hickman.
- Joined the Nashville Bluegrass Band in 1989 and was a member for roughly a decade until departing in 1998 alongside Roland White.
- During his NBB tenure the group earned multiple Grammy nominations and two Grammy wins, with Libbea anchoring the band's distinctive rhythm on acoustic bass.
- Featured on the "Nashville Bluegrass Band: Vocal Harmony Workshop" instructional video (with Alan O'Bryant, Pat Enright, Stuart Duncan, Roland White).
- After NBB, became an in-demand Nashville session bassist, recording with Johnny Cash, Vince Gill, Earl Scruggs, Steve Earle, Ry Cooder, and Clint Black.
- Later relocated and works as a bassist, guitarist, and producer.
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The Nashville Bluegrass BandPlayed on recordings with The Nashville Bluegrass Band
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Roland WhitePlayed on recording with Roland White
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Stuart DuncanPlayed on recording with Stuart Duncan
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The Nitty Gritty Dirt BandPlayed on recording with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band