Texas Sky Band Bluegrass Band from Frisco, TX

Texas Sky started as a traditional bluegrass band 4 years ago has grown to become the eclectic American sound that is Texas Sky. Compared to groups like Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Texas Sky plays a wide variety of music; from bluegrass to 60's rock, classic country to the Beatles. Texas Sky adds their own style and creativity to create a vibrant live performance of well known and loved songs, along with their own original tunes. Olivia Countryman (lead vocals/mandolin) has been making music since she was a child in church. A graduate of the University of North Texas College of Music, she started seriously studying the bluegrass and folk music traditions in America. Her favorite things about being a member of Texas Sky is creatively arranging songs and joking with the other players on stage. Like millions of others, Randy Cummings (lead guitar/vocals) caught the music bug the night the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan TV show in 1964. He started out on drums, playing in various band configurations throughout high school and college before eventually focusing on guitar as his favorite instrument. Over more than 40 years of enjoying music, he's taught guitar and drum lessons, played in a couple of classic rock bands and played acoustically as a solo performer. While the guitar is his first love, he once took banjo lessons before frustration led him back to the guitar. He's currently involved in an ongoing learning process with the mandolin and bass. In addition to the Beatles, his many influences over the years have included Crosby, Stills and Nash, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Dan Fogelberg, the Eagles, Tom Petty and Buddy Guy. John "JT" Tompkins (rhythm guitar/vocals) has played guitar most of his life, although he started on the ukulele as a child. He always enjoyed and been interesting in playing country, bluegrass, and classic rock music. In school, JT played lead Saxophone in a stage band that became busy in the Denton area playing at events and fundraisers. JT was also a piano student as a youth. JT has been known to spend small fortunes on, over the years, 33 LP's, cassettes, CD's, and now iTunes. He enjoys being the rhythm guitar player and seeing his fellow band members progress as musicians and move forward. Dave Lewis (bass) is a public high school teacher who's been playing the guitar for over 47 years. Dave and fellow Texas Sky band mate Randy Cummings have been playing together since 1966. He went on to master playing the bass in 1982 with various rock n roll bands. Over the years he has played bass for Rockin Richie and the Dentones, Joe Pat Hennen & Fencepost, and others. Roddy started out playing guitar in high school but really became intrigued with the 5-string banjo after hearing Bluegrass classics such as Foggy Mountain Breakdown, the Beverly Hillbilly theme song, and Dueling Banjos in the late 1970's. Roddy is self-taught, learning how to play from tablature books and instructional videos. His main influence is of course Earl Scruggs who was the primary developer and namesake of the 'Scruggs style' of banjo picking. Roddy enjoys watching and learning from the many pros out there but his favorite professional player is Alan Munde. Ralph Stanley is another primary influence as Roddy tries to emulate Ralph's predominant forward right-hand roll pattern. Roddy has enjoyed jamming with friends on Saturday nights on the Garland square during the months of April-October for many years and has been banjoist for several bands in the Dallas area. We have our own BOSE sound system if needed.