The Dry Branch Fire Squad is an old-time bluegrass band founded by Ron Thomason in 1976. The band has gone through many iterations in its existence. Thomason has been the one constant, serving as the band's MC, lead singer, and mandolin player. He also plays banjo and guitar in performance, and on some recorded tracks, and is often called upon by audiences to demonstrate his hambone technique which he learned as a child.
The band is known for its exceptional live performances and the self-deprecating humor and intelligence that Thomason brings to the stage along with the music.
Before forming the band, Thomason was a member of Ralph Stanley's band, the Clinch Mountain Boys.
The Dry Branch Fire Squad is the host band of the annual bluegrass festival formerly known as "Winterhawk" and now called "Grey Fox." The band also hosts the High Mountain Hay Fever festival in Colorado as a fundraiser for a local medical clinic.
The band is currently (as of December, 2010) composed of Brian Aldridge (guitar, mandolin), Tom Boyd (banjo, resophonic guitar), Dan Russell (bass), and Ron Thomason (mandolin, banjo, guitar).
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