Original Song

The Roan Street Ramblers are a family Bluegrass band from Johnson City, Tennessee. The band consists of five members of the Smith family: the mother Leslie, and Lucy (14), River (12), and Sawyer (10) and friend Gary Taylor. Each child has been performing as a string musician with the Academy of Strings since they were three to five years old, and have been involved in the JAM Program for the last three years through their school’s JAM affiliate, Upper East Tennessee Traditional Music. Leslie provides vocals and guitar, and is an alumnus of East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Roots Music program. Through her deep connection to the folklore, culture, and history of the Southern Appalachian Region, Leslie is very much the guiding light of the Ramblers’ style. As the lead fiddler, Lucy never hesitates to get the crowd’s attention through her bold presence, while also bringing powerful vocals to the group. River splits his keen skills with the Ramblers between his love for the banjo and the fiddle, with him even taking on some singing as well. Sawyer is the youngest member, who can often be seen entertaining the crowd with a joke or two, in addition to adding his mandolin and fiddle to the Ramblers’ tunes, along with his natural ease as a singer. Gary Taylor recently joined the band and brings years of band experience and amazing rhythem on the bass. They’ve been spotted recently snagging awards at numerous fiddle conventions and festivals across Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia, while also taking the stage for various performances at different venues around the region.