Wayne Benson
Musician · b. 1969 · Charlotte, North Carolina
Best known for
Mandolin
Wayne Benson has held the mandolin chair in IIIrd Tyme Out for most of the band's three-decade run, a five-time SPBGMA Mandolin Player of the Year whose driving traditional approach earned Gibson's first Wayne Benson Signature mandolin in 2003.
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- Born John Wayne Benson on April 9, 1969 in Charlotte, North Carolina; began on guitar at age 7 and switched to mandolin at 15.
- Joined the bluegrass band Livewire (with banjoist Scott Vestal, bassist Ernie Sykes, and guitarist Robert Hale) in 1989 for three years; recorded the album Wired on Rounder in 1990.
- Replaced Alan Bibey in IIIrd Tyme Out in December 1992; first appeared on the band's third album Grandpa's Mandolin (Rebel, 1993) through Letter to Home (Rounder, 1995).
- Won SPBGMA Mandolin Player of the Year in five consecutive years, 1999–2003.
- Released the leader album An Instrumental Anthology on Pinecastle in 2003 with twelve original compositions and an all-star backing cast including Vestal, John Cowan, Aubrey Haynie, Rob Ickes, and Jim Van Cleve.
- Stepped away from IIIrd Tyme Out to play in the John Cowan Band from 2004 to 2007 (recording New Tattoo) before returning to IIIrd Tyme Out, where he remains.
- Recorded the duo album The Mandolin Chronicles with Alan Bibey on Pinecastle in 2013.
- Married to banjoist Kristin Scott Benson of the Grascals; teaches private mandolin in the Spartanburg, South Carolina area.
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IIIrd Tyme OutPlayed on recordings with IIIrd Tyme Out
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Scott VestalPlayed on recordings with Scott Vestal
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Butch BaldassariPlayed on recordings with Butch Baldassari
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Becky BullerPlayed on recordings with Becky Buller
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Jeff AutryPlayed on recording with Jeff Autry
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John CowanPlayed on recording with John Cowan
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Kristin Scott BensonPlayed on recording with Kristin Scott Benson
