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Mike Bub

Mike Bub

Musician · b. 1964 · Los Angeles, California · Wikipedia
Best known for Bass

Mike Bub is one of Nashville’s most-respected session and touring bass players — best known for his 13-year stint anchoring the Del McCoury Band during its IBMA-dominating run from 1992 to 2005, which earned him five IBMA Bass Player of the Year awards. A five-time Grammy contributor with deep roots in traditional bluegrass, he has also played banjo and guitar across multiple bands, and has become one of the go-to upright bass session players in modern Nashville roots music.

  • Born in Los Angeles, California in 1964; raised in Tucson and Scottsdale, Arizona. Grew up on his family’s bluegrass records, influenced by the Stanley Brothers, Osborne Brothers, Flatt & Scruggs, and Bill Monroe, as well as West Coast and Southwestern pickers including Nick Haney, Stuart Duncan, John Hickman, and the Vern Williams Band.
  • After high school graduation in 1982, attended South Plains College in Levelland, Texas — one of the only colleges in the country with a Country and Bluegrass Music curriculum. Classmate and bandmate with Ron Block (later of Alison Krauss & Union Station).
  • Fall 1983: landed his first bluegrass job as bassist with Lost Highway. Spring 1984: joined the Brew County Ramblers of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as their banjo player. Summer 1984: moved on to banjo with Bob Paisley and the Southern Grass, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania — toured Japan with the band in September 1984.
  • 1985: co-founded the Weary Hearts with Ron Block, Eric Uglum, and the late Butch Baldassari. The band became regionally popular. Chris Jones (later of Sirius/XM) replaced Uglum on guitar in 1988, and the group relocated to Nashville in the fall of 1989. Mike played banjo and guitar with the Weary Hearts.
  • As the Weary Hearts wound down, Mike returned to the bass to join the Del McCoury Band in 1992 — just as Del, Ronnie, and Rob McCoury had moved to Nashville. The classic lineup of McCoury, McCoury, McCoury, Jason Carter, and Bub remained unchanged for 13 years, winning nine IBMA Entertainer of the Year awards and a Grammy for The Company We Keep (Best Bluegrass Album, 2005).
  • Played on the seminal The Mountain (1999) with Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band, which brought the band’s traditional sound to a far broader roots/Americana audience.
  • Five-time IBMA Bass Player of the Year. Member of the Grand Ole Opry through his tenure with the Del McCoury Band.
  • Hosted a weekly Tuesday-night show at the Station Inn for 16 years with the Sidemen — a rotating group of top Nashville bluegrass players that became a Music Row institution.
  • Left the Del McCoury Band in 2005 (replaced by Alan Bartram). Since then has worked as a session musician, producer, and go-to sideman — appearing on records by Molly Tuttle, Wyatt Ellis, Tyler Childers (Purgatory), Sturgill Simpson, and on four or five Tim O’Brien albums.
  • Currently plays every Monday night at the Station Inn with a band called New Monday, joining Val Storey, Carl Jackson, and Larry Cordle for country, bluegrass, and swing instrumentals. Also tours with Rob Ickes and Trey Hensley. Member of the Nashville supergroup 18 South.
  • Lives in East Nashville with his wife Meredith and their son Riley.

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