RealTracks Artist Bio: Stuart Duncan

Stuart Duncan, an eight time IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year, has also won two Grammy awards with The Nashville Bluegrass Band, five Academy of Country Music Fiddle Player of the Year awards, and was awarded Specialty Instrument Player of the Year in 2006.

Stuart developed his style from listening to Vassar Clements, Chubby Wise, Kenny Baker (who sold him his famous red fiddle) and other bluegrass fiddle greats. He got his start as a session player and sideman in Los Angeles with Gold Rush, Lost Highway, and Larry Sparks. After earlier visits to play at the Grand Ole Opry with Grammy-winning banjo prodigy Alison Brown, he relocated to Nashville in 1985 as a member of the The Nashville Bluegrass Band playing fiddle, mandolin, guitar,and banjo as well as singing and writing songs for the group. He continues with the Nashville Bluegrass Band today.

Since an early session with George Jones, Stuart has been much in demand as a session musician with stars like Ricky Skaggs, George Strait, Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Jewel, Patty Loveless, Lyle Lovett, Corb Lund, Terri Clark, Linda Ronstadt, Reba McEntire, Barbra Streisand, Travis Tritt, Randy Travis, Tim McGraw, Shania Twain, Willie Nelson, and many more, including with Steve Martin on "The Crow," the #1 Bluegrass Album for 2009. His self-titled album on Rounder records features Bela Fleck, Victor Wooten, and fellow Nashville Bluegrass Band members Roland White and Pat Enright.

Stuart toured with Robert Plant and Alison Krauss in support of their five-Grammy "Raising Sand" album, and played with Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris on the "All The Roadrunning" and "Real Live Roadrunning" albums and for the Roadrunning tour as well. His playing features prominently throughout the movie soundtrack for "Cold Mountain," and also in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"

Stuart Duncan is a much sought-after musician for Bluegrass and other genres. For more information please see www.myspace.com, en.wikipedia.org, and www.allmusic.com.