Mike Compton

Mandolin
Bluegrass Week 2

The late John Hartford once said that Mike Compton knows more about Bill Monroe style mandolin than the Father of Bluegrass himself.

Mike, whose great-grandfather was a fiddler, was exposed to old-time music at an early age and received his first mandolin at the age of 15. After three years with legendary banjoist Hubert Davis and the Season Travelers, Mike was recruited by Pat Enright to join the Nashville Bluegrass Band in 1985. He appeared on the four CDs that first brought NBB to prominence, and then worked with John Hartford from 1989 until John's death in 2001. He was involved in Hartford's last half dozen recordings.

He also worked during those years with Mike Grier. In the fall of 2000, after finishing a tour with Grier, Mike Compton was offered his mandolin spot back with the Nashville Bluegrass Band. The NBB has won two Grammy Awards, two Entertainer of the year honors from the International Bluegrass Music Association and four wins as IBMA's Vocal Group of the Year.

Spring of 2001 led the NBB into a concert series with the Nashville chamber Orchestra which led Mike on a new pursuit of music reading skills and basic music theory and writing.

Mike received Grammy Award acknowledgement for playing the mandolin on two award winning projects, "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?", Album of the Year and Best Compilation Soundtrack Album, and "Down From the Mountain", Best Traditional Folk Album. He was also part of the follow-up "Down From the Mountain" tours..

Mike was featured prominently on Dr. Ralph Stanley's recent work produced by recording industry legend TBone Burnette. Mike participated in the soundtrack for the the movie "Cold Mountain" also produced by Mr. Burnette.

Mike's recent CD, "Stomp", is a project with duet partner and mandolinist David Long. It ranges from classic Monroe to old-time to gospel, as well as some fresh material composed by Mike and David.

Mike does numerous workshops and music camps throughout the year. He is currently working on material for the tenor guitar, studying country blues mandolin styles and taking fiddle lessons. He is a prolific composer and treasures his memories of a friendship with his mentor, Bill Monroe.

Mike suggests it will be helpful if students considering participating in his NashCamp session are comfortable reading standard notation and tab.