Randy Grigg, who originally formed the Flatland Bluegrass Band is originally from Emporia, Virginia. He plays guitar and sings lead vocals and harmony. Randy started studying music when he was nine years old and music has always been an important part of his life. (His mother played piano and organ in his home church and both of his grandmothers played piano.) His fondest memories are of his family gathering around his grandmother's piano on his grandparent's farm on a Sunday afternoon and singing the old gospel songs. His love of vocal harmony came from singing in the church choir during his teen years and hearing old gospel and country group's recordings. When he was about fifteen, a fellow high school band member showed him a few chords on an old Gibson guitar and he knew he had to learn to play. His father bought him a new electric guitar out of the Sears catalog for about $35. This led him to form a rock and roll band, called The Electras, back in the '60's. He played with them during his high school and college years until he went in the Air Force in 1968. During a tour of duty in New Mexico, he bought an old flattop guitar at a pawnshop and started pickin' with some fellow Airmen. It wasn't long before he was playing in a country band that performed in the Eastern New Mexico and West Texas area, (even performing behind chicken wire in a local "honky-tonk" a few times!). About six months later, he got an assignment overseas and left his guitars back home in Virginia. It wasn't until 1985 that he bought a new electric guitar and amplifier, leaving the flattop in the closet. Not caring much for the '80's rock music, he tried to form a band with musicians who played the old and new country music. But finding the right combination of musicians was hard and it never worked out. About 1990, he got the old flattop out and "sat-in" with Ronnie Welch and a couple of the guys from the bluegrass band Evergreen during a gospel-sing at the church he attended. In 1991, Bill(Doc)Russell, who originally formed the Blades of Grass Band, needed a guitar player and was asked to come by for an audition. He accepted the invitation and played with The Blades of Grass Band until 2000. Just after that he started the Hometown Bluegrass Band which played on a local monthly Grand Ole Opry type show in Richmond, Va. with many nationally known country and Bluegrass acts. In 2001, he formed the Flatland Bluegrass Band. He and his wife, Karen, and their dog, Dixie Lee, make there home in Carrollton, VA. His memberships include the International Bluegrass Music Association, (IBMA) , the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America, (SPGMA), and the Tidewater Bluegrass Music Association, (TBMA).