A Veteran Sideman Goes Out On His Own

Over the past twenty-five years, Chris Davis has performed with some of the top-name bands in bluegrass music, including The Grascals, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, Alecia Nugent, Junior Sisk, Larry Cordle, Larry Sparks, Wildfire, Melvin Goins, and Marty Raybon.  Additionally, he has performed with the country band Diamond Rio.  That is quite an impressive list!  Even though Chris has had tremendous success as a sideman, he has recently made the decision to form his own band and go out under his own name.  

Making the decision to step out front and form your own band after performing as a sideman is sometimes a tough one.  Some musicians like the sideman role because they usually don’t have to deal with the headaches that come along with booking, promoting, and all of the other parts of the business side of music that come with running a band.  They are happy staying in that sideman role.  But Chris has made the decision to go his own way, and with his talent as a singer and multi-instrumentalist—plus his enthusiasm and determination for his new role as a band leader—he is bound to have great success.

Background

Like many professional bluegrass musicians, Chris Davis was born into the music.  Born in 1979, he was raised near Dayton, Ohio.  His father, Danny Lee Davis, an employee at General Motors, was a banjo player that had worked with Ralph Stanley for several years in the early 2000s, playing bass after his retirement from General Motors (filling in for Jack Cooke).  Chris said that when his father was eighteen, John Denver tried to hire him to play guitar and banjo in his band, but Chris’ grandfather wouldn’t let him go.  Chris said, “I have a picture of Dad and John Denver standing together.”

Chris’ grandfather (pa-paw), Elzie Davis, a native of Stearns, Kentucky, was an employee at Fridgidare and played the fiddle.  Elzie performed with Forest Pelfrey out of eastern Kentucky and also played with Les Hall out of Cincinnati, Jack Lynch, Vince Combs and others.  Like many eastern Kentucky natives, Elzie had moved to Ohio in the 1950s to find work.  Chris said, “That area of Ohio was pretty much a hotbed for music back in the day—the Osborne Brothers, Frank Wakefield, Red Allen…I was still young, but I remember certain things.”

Once Chris and his brother were old enough to perform, his family had a band that went by various names—such as the Davis Family Band and the Davis Brothers or Danny and the Davis Brothers.  That band consisted of Chris, his father, his grandfather, and his older brother, Wes.  Chris was fourteen years old when the family band first came together.  His first instrument with the band was the upright bass.  His brother played guitar.  Chris remembers, “We’d get home from school every day, and we’d sit down, willingly, and start playing and singing.  My dad taught us how to sing parts.  Dad loved singing parts.  I got a lot of education from him, sitting there with us and teaching us that stuff.  I learned so much.  It was a beautiful time of life.  I had a belly full of fire for it…I still do!”

Although Chris started on bass in the family band, he later switched to mandolin.  He recalls, “When I was about 15 or 16 years old, my dad wanted my sister to get into it, so he bought her a little blonde A-style Kay mandolin.  I remember seeing it laying there on her bed and I thought, ‘Man, I’m over this bass’ and I knew that something else was going to be better for me.  I just started playing that mandolin and, oh Lord, it was on after that.  I absolutely fell in love with it.”  Towards the end of his time with the family band, another bass player was hired so that Chris could move over to mandolin.  Chris said, “Dad was OK with it as long as I could still sing while I was doing it.”

Twenty-Five Years on the Bluegrass Trail

Chris stayed with the family band until he turned 18.  He moved to Eastern Kentucky for a short time and then started working with Dick Webb and Jimmy Lykins in The Bluegrass Strangers, a regional band from southern Ohio. Regarding that period of his life, Chris said, “Dick Webb taught me how to act on the road and how to be in a band setting. He was a father figure that kept myself, Frank Carver, and my brother, Wes, fed! He was a great traditional banjo player. Dick was also one of the best craftsmen too. His woodworking skills, along with mechanical skills, made him hard to beat.”  Chris stayed with The Bluegrass Strangers for about four years.

In about 2002, Honi Deaton and her husband Jeff (son of Ray Deaton of IIIrd Tyme Out) formed a band called Honi Deaton and Dream with Jeff (guitar), Kristin Scott Benson (banjo), Dewey Brown (fiddle), and Chris Davis (mandolin).  Chris said, “That was a great band.  We played three or four years together and recorded a record or two.”

The next stop on Chris’ bluegrass journey was a five or six year stint with Larry Cordle that started in 2006.  Chris said, “I had done a lot of singing up to that point, but when I got with Larry, I got a whole new education when it comes to singing.  He had recorded with Jerry Salley and Carl Jackson, and those recordings are the epitome of how you sing.  I got to learn a lot from him, and Jerry and Carl, too.  I was tickled about getting that lesson.”  During the time he played with Larry Cordle, Chris also occasionally performed with Alecia Nugent. 

After leaving Larry Cordle, Chris joined Robert Hale and Curt Chapman in their band Wildfire.  Around that same time, he also played fill-in dates with Larry Sparks and performed with Melvin Goins for a short while.  Chris performed with Wildfire for a couple of years and then spent a couple of years with Marty Raybon before moving on to join Junior Sisk.  He recalls, “After playing in Junior’s band for a couple of years (2011-2013), I went back to Wildfire for a little bit, and then in 2014 I got a phone call from Diamond Rio asking about being a sub for a while because Gene Johnson had to have a heart valve replacement.  That was a great opportunity, and so I played for about three and a half months with them.  I also filled in for little things once or twice after that.  That was a lot of fun.”

Shortly after filling in with Diamond Rio, Chris got asked to join The Grascals when Terry Eldredge left the band.  Chris played guitar and sang lead with The Grascals for about three years.  Chris said, “I had filled in with The Grascals one time when Terry couldn’t make a show.  Later, when Terry left the band, Kristin called me and said, ‘We are looking for a guitar player and lead singer.  Do you know anybody?’  I said, ‘Yeah, me!’  She said, ‘I was hoping you would say that.’”  Chris joined The Grascals in 2019 and stayed until 2022.  

When asked about working with Chris, Kirstin Scott Benson said, “I’ve played with Chris in three different bands and have always thought he should front his own group. He does everything…a multi-instrumentalist and a great lead and harmony singer. I believe in his musicianship and am happy that he’s taking this step.” 

In October of 2022, Chris joined Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers.  He currently still holds the mandolin job with Joe and will continue performing with the band until Joe’s retirement in early 2026.

When asked about working with Chris, Joe Mullins said, “Chris comes from good stock.  His dad and grandfather are musicians and his dad is a great singer.  He comes from the heart of industrial strength bluegrass country and grew up listening to Red Allen and the Osborne Brothers just like I did.  I’d heard him sing tenor with bands like Marty Raybon, Larry Cordle and Junior Sisk.  Then when he went with The Grascals, they put him out front. He did two or three albums with them and I played them on the radio because his voice captivated me.  I loved playing the stuff on the radio with him out front. 

“Later, the Radio Ramblers were sharing a show date with The Grascals and I had a conversation with Chris.  I told him that I needed someone to play and sing with the Radio Ramblers, but I didn’t want to take him away from The Grascals.  He said that he was getting tired of the long drive to Nashville.  Working with us was going to cut his drive time in half. 

“When he came with us, it was a great fit.  We’ve done four albums in three years with Chris.  His energy and his vocals fit the vocal trio [with Joe and Adam McIntosh] and he adds some hot mandolin playing that compliments Jason Barie’s fiddling.  I missed his mandolin playing when he was with the Grascals.

“Chris is well loved by audiences, particularly in our region.  He already has some dates booked and I have no doubt that he will do well with his new band.”

The Chris Davis Band

When asked if it was Joe’s announced retirement that inspired him to form his own band, Chris said, “Last year Jason Barie (fiddler with Joe Mullins) and I had spoken about starting our own band and had gotten one rehearsal down, but it didn’t work out.  I was leaning towards it heavy, but I think Jason lost interest, which is fine.  I love him and he is a brother to me.  On the way back from the High Mountain Hay Fever Festival this year, Joe told us that he was getting ready to hang it up and retire at the end of this year.  That helped me make the decision, but it really wasn’t the deciding factor.  What woke me up was realizing that I’ve played for 25 years now, and it is time.  I know that I can do this.  Had this been going on two or three years ago, I would have been scared to death.  But now I have peace.  The Lord is on my side, and I have supportive people around me.”

The new band now has about 21 dates on the books and is continually adding to that.  Chris said, “For a first time out as the Chris Davis Band, people are treating me well.  I know that I have to earn respect from these people and earn their love.  I am so willing to do it and can’t wait to do it.”

At this time, Chris’ new band consists of Chris on mandolin and lead vocals, Andy Teno on banjo and baritone vocals, Swanagan Ray on guitar and trading with Andy on baritone vocals, and Zach Collier playing the bass and singing tenor vocals.  Chris’ excitement about the new band is evident in his voice when he says, “I guess it is rare that a sideman gets to step out on their own to see how it works.  I kind of like it…the business side of it, I enjoy doing it…booking shows and talking with the promoters and picking with my band.  We rehearsed last night, and it is really coming together.  I’m excited about it.”

When Chris was performing with Larry Cordle, he put out his first solo album, which was self-titled.  In 2023 he released a second solo album of mostly original material titled Worth A Shot.  Material from Worth A Shot will be featured with the new band, and Chris said that he also has another album’s worth of new material ready to go.  He said, “Some of the tunes that I’ve got picked out are very good songs and I’m excited about it.”  

Chris has released two singles during the past year “Blue Kentucky Wind” in late 2024 and “Gold Rush Town,” in 2025, both out on Pinecastle Records.  These singles came out prior to Chris forming his band and will not be included on his next album.  “Gold Rush Town” spent four weeks at number one on Banjoradio.com.  

Chris is now working on a new album with his band.  For the remainder of 2025, Chris will continue to perform with Joe Mullins and fill in dates with his band around Joe’s schedule.  When Joe retires, Chris will hit the road with his band.  He said, “My goal is to make a living, support my family, and reach the Grand Ole Opry with my band.”  

Chris also wanted to make sure that we mentioned David Bowling in this article, who is helping him with the promotion of the new band.  Chris said, “I can’t forget to mention David Bowling. He has been paramount in helping me start this and simply keeping this train moving.  I can’t thank him enough.”  

The Family Tradition

Bluegrass music in the Davis family was handed down from Chris’ grandfather, to his father, and then to Chris.  But, it doesn’t stop there.  Chris’ nineteen-year-old son, Gibson Davis, is one of the hottest banjo pickers in bluegrass right now and a member of the Wyatt Ellis Band.  He won the IBMA’s Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year award in 2024.  Gibson learned to pick the banjo from his grandfather.  When asked about his son working with his father, Chris said, “Dad told him, ‘Now, you sit there and play this roll one thousand times and you’ll have it.’  My boy was probably six or seven.  I had him on stage with Marty Raybon at about that age.  You talk about fire in the belly…that youngin’, he’s still got it.  He just played and played.  My friends they seen what he was doing. Kristin Scott Benson taught him how to read tablature, and this and that, and Jody King was another source.  There are so many people down the line that contributed to his learning.  I’m so proud of that youngin’.  I’m proud of all of my kids.  I got another son, Rylan, he is thirteen and really good at animating.  He also sings and is learning to play the bass and guitar.  I also have a daughter, Caitlyn.  She and her husband have a travel ministry.  She is a singing machine!  She has her mama’s talent and could be a superstar.  And, I have a wonderful wife, Julie.  I’m a blessed man.”  

Chris’ wife, Julie Reeves Davis, had a recording deal with Virgin Records in the late 90s and released an album titled It’s About Time.  She also spent a few years as the midday host on Big Buck County, WXBW 101.5 FM in Huntington, West Virginia.  Chris said, “She is a talented lady!  She has her name on the country music highway.”

As mentioned above, Chris’ son, Gibson, is now catching the attention of the bluegrass world in a big way.  When asked about his father’s influence on his development as a banjo player and musician, Gibson Davis said, “I started playing when I was eight years old, and my grandpa got me started playing the banjo, but I had been going out on the road with my dad to festivals and stuff until I was sixteen or seventeen.  He always introduced me to the people he was playing with and anybody that he thought would help me.  He always had me at these festivals and I would be around these great banjo players.  He didn’t have to do that, he could have left me at home.  I got to get a look at how road life was, I learned how to talk to people, how to treat people, and how to interact with others in the business.”

When asked about influential banjo players that he met through his father, Gibson mentioned Kristin Scott Benson, Jody King, Joe Mullins, and Luke Munday.  He said, “When dad was playing with Marty Raybon, Luke was probably about the same age that I am now.  It was kind of cool to see somebody younger playing the banjo like I wanted to play it.”

It can sometimes be scary for someone who has spent their life as a sideman to step out on their own.  But Chris Davis is looking to his future as a bandleader with great enthusiasm.  That enthusiasm, combined with his talent, will serve him well.  Anyone interested in booking the Chris Davis Band can contact Chris directly at [email protected].