Biography
Bluegrass Etc. began as a widely enjoyed bluegrass trio yet gradually expanded its sound into a broader acoustic blend. The Chicago Tribune placed the group’s 1999 release Home Is Where the Heart Is among that year’s ten strongest bluegrass albums. Its lineup comprises Bill Bryson handling vocals and bass, Dennis Caplinger supplying vocals, fiddle, and banjo, and John Moore delivering vocals, mandolin, and guitar. Beyond their shared work, each musician has built an independent, thriving career.
Two-time Grammy winner Bryson, a thirty-year music-industry veteran, previously anchored the bass chair in Laurel Canyon Ramblers and Desert Rose Band, both ensembles he co-founded. The Academy of Country Music nominated him repeatedly for Bass Player of the Year. Session credits list him alongside the Oak Ridge Boys, Merle Haggard, Emmy Lou Harris, Buck Owens, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, and Glen Campbell. He has also toured with Dan Fogelberg, the Bluegrass Cardinals, the Eagles’ Bernie Leadon, and the Byrds’ Chris Hillman, in addition to contributing to the films Bound for Glory, Cannery Row, and The Long Riders.
When not on the road or in the studio with Bluegrass Etc., Caplinger remains a sought-after session player in both Nashville and California. He regularly performs with the house band at the Academy of Country Music’s annual awards presentation. His soundtrack work encompasses the animated series Histeria and Pinky and the Brain as well as the motion pictures Back to the Future III, Rio Diablo, El Diablo, and Apt Pupil; he has also recorded with John Reishmann and Rita Coolidge.
Moore’s command of the mandolin propelled the group California to prominence, securing the Instrumental Band of the Year title for three straight years beginning in 1992. He has performed throughout the United States and traveled on tours that reached Japan, Europe, and Canada. Television appearances include Christmas in Connecticut and The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies on CBS, where he joined Earl Scruggs, Roy Clark, and former California bandmate Byron Berline in a quartet. Additional credits cover commercials, session dates, and the soundtracks for The Spitfire Grill, El Diablo, and Blaze. Among his mandolin students is Nickel Creek’s Chris Thile.
Two-time Grammy winner Bryson, a thirty-year music-industry veteran, previously anchored the bass chair in Laurel Canyon Ramblers and Desert Rose Band, both ensembles he co-founded. The Academy of Country Music nominated him repeatedly for Bass Player of the Year. Session credits list him alongside the Oak Ridge Boys, Merle Haggard, Emmy Lou Harris, Buck Owens, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, and Glen Campbell. He has also toured with Dan Fogelberg, the Bluegrass Cardinals, the Eagles’ Bernie Leadon, and the Byrds’ Chris Hillman, in addition to contributing to the films Bound for Glory, Cannery Row, and The Long Riders.
When not on the road or in the studio with Bluegrass Etc., Caplinger remains a sought-after session player in both Nashville and California. He regularly performs with the house band at the Academy of Country Music’s annual awards presentation. His soundtrack work encompasses the animated series Histeria and Pinky and the Brain as well as the motion pictures Back to the Future III, Rio Diablo, El Diablo, and Apt Pupil; he has also recorded with John Reishmann and Rita Coolidge.
Moore’s command of the mandolin propelled the group California to prominence, securing the Instrumental Band of the Year title for three straight years beginning in 1992. He has performed throughout the United States and traveled on tours that reached Japan, Europe, and Canada. Television appearances include Christmas in Connecticut and The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies on CBS, where he joined Earl Scruggs, Roy Clark, and former California bandmate Byron Berline in a quartet. Additional credits cover commercials, session dates, and the soundtracks for The Spitfire Grill, El Diablo, and Blaze. Among his mandolin students is Nickel Creek’s Chris Thile.
Albums
