NTBBB Bio
The Bloomington / southern Indiana area is well documented as one of the country’s best for the richest variety of quality music. The NOT TOO BAD BLUEGRASS BAND shares this heritage and continues to provide local audiences with quality Bluegrass music.
The NTBBB formed in 1987 playing local venues. Original members included Jeff White, who went on to play with superstars like Alison Krauss and Vince Gill and currently has his own blossoming bluegrass career. Other members of this talented band included songwriter / singer, Bob Lucas, John Mellencamp's fiddler, Lisa Germano and bass player extraordinare, Rick Ferguson. Brian Lappin on banjo and mandolin player Doug Harden are the remaining band alumni.
Throughout the years other talented musicians have gone on to play with other giants in the industry. Jason Wilber has played with Hal Ketchum and currently plays lead guitar with John Prine along with pursuing his own award winning singer / songwriting career. David Steele has played guitar with such stars as Pam Tillis, John Prine, is the current lead guitar player with Steve Earle and Deana Carter. Dave and Jason still sit in with the band when they’re not busy touring.
The current members of the NTBBB have their own musical history.
Brian Lappin has traveled a long and varied musical road. From playing and recording with bluegrass legends Jimmy Martin and Earl Taylor to playing bass with local icons as the Ragin’ Texans and The Crawdads, Brian has a wealth of musical influences. His love for bluegrass was formed in the early 60’s when he was fortunate enough to attend legendary folk and bluegrass festivals all over the country. The 70’s found Brian and Bob Lucas in the Goldrush band, a popular Colorado bluegrass / variety band. His tasteful banjo playing reflects the solid influences of Earle Scruggs and J.D. Crowe.
Doug Harden has played mandolin for 34 years. His early years were spent at the old Bean Blossom Jamboree barn. Along with his two brothers and future brother-in-law, they played festivals all over the Midwest as the Brown County Band. Doug has also spent time in his father-in-law’s band, bluegrass legend Bryant Wilson and the original Kentucky Ramblers. In 1983 he helped form the widely acclaimed bluegrass band, Pine Mountain and went on to play all over the country, from Texas to Florida to Canada. They had a large following and played such venues as the Grand Ol’ Opry and Country Music’s Fan Fair. People still write to Bluegrass Unlimited magazine wanting to know more about this band.
Greg Norman started playing country music as a youngster. In 1992, after being invited to a bluegrass jam session near his home in Heltonville, was hooked. In 1993 he was part of the local Off the Line bluegrass band. A few years later he joined the award winning singer / songwriter Janne Henshaw’s band along with David Steele, Jason Wilber and Doug Harden. A solid guitar and bass player, shortly there after Greg also joined the NTBBB.
Kent Todd is an extremely talented musician and singer. Trained in classical violin, it doesn’t seemed to have impaired his fiddle playing at all! His father Scott, also a bluegrass musician, has steered him on the right path. An accomplished guitar player and song writer, Kent has played with Bill Grant and Dehila Belle, fiddle great Michael Cleveland and the Blue Hollow Band, Gary Brewer and the Kentucky Ramblers’ band and currently is also a member of the Troubled Waters Band.
The youngest member of the NTBBB is Brady Stogdill. A member of the original IBMA’s Young Acoustic All Stars (seen here on Bass at the 2003 Awards show), Brady’s guitar playing sounds more like a seasoned veteran. His father Dean was a great banjo player and Brady has learned to play almost anything with strings on it.
