Christchurch Folk Music Club

Sassafras is based in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Sassafras is a bluegrass band who pays homage to the Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs era, but also enjoys pushing the edge of progressive Newgrass music as well. Their repertoire includes a range of musical styles including Ole-time, Country, Folk, Western Swing and originals. Members are Wes Tuttle, Randy Gambill, Gray Tuttle & Randy Pasley.

Sassafras has performed on stage and/or studio with a wide range of prominent Bluegrass and Americana artist including: Doc Watson, Jack Lawrence, Jim Lauderdale, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Mark O’Connor, Kristi Cox, Mason Via (Old Crow Medicine Show), Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Zach Smith (Town Mountain), Mike Rogers (Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder), Aaron Burdett (Steep Canyon Rangers), Josh Graves, Kenny Baker, Benny Martin, Mac Wiseman, Tut Taylor, Russell Moore, Ronnie Bowman, Doug Jernigan, Jim Buchanan, Kruger Brothers, Wyatt Rice, Justin Moses, Terry Baucom, Pete Wernick, Steve Dilling, Wes Golding (Boone Creek), Kim Gardner (Larry Cordle), Wayne Henderson, Steve Lewis, Roy Huskey Jr., and others.

Sassafras band members have performed at a long list of festivals and venues nationally and internationally including: Merlefest (Wilkesboro, North Carolina), Walnut Valley Festival (Winfield, Kansas), Song of the Mountains (PBS Television Series), Albino Skunk Festival (Greer, South Carolina), Mean Fiddler (London, England), Bass Mountain Festival (Burlington, North Carolina), Denton Bluegrass Festival (Denton, North Carolina), Okeechobee Fest (Florida), Vanceburg Festival (Kentucky), High Mountain Hayfever Bluegrass Festival (Westcliffe, Colorado), IBMA (Raleigh, North Carolina), AGEC Bluegrass (Paris, France), Didmarton Bluegrass Festival (England), Ironbridge Bluegrass Festival (England), Scottish Bluegrass Association (Edinburgh, Scotland), Hamishes’ Hoose (Paisley, Scotland), Nelson McGee Memorial Bluegrass Festival (San Angelo, Texas), Midsummer Bluegrass Festival (Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin), Güglinger Bluegrass Festival (Germany), Wyoming State BBQ and Bluegrass Festival (Worland, Wyoming), Susanville Bluegrass Festival (Susanville, California), Wickenburg Bluegrass Festival (Wickenburg, Arizona), Station Inn (Nashville, Tennessee).

Sassafras Band Members
Wes Tuttle (Mandolin, Fiddle, Vocals) — Wes has performed on stage with Doc Watson, Josh Graves, Kenny Baker, Benny Martin, Mac Wiseman, Terry Baucom, Mark O’Connor, Jerry Douglas, Wes Golding, Steve Dilling, Kim Gardner and others. Wes has also recorded with Tony Rice, Ronnie Bowman, Russell Moore, Jim Buchanan. Wes contributed one of his original songs on the latest Sassafras project.

Randy Gambill (Guitar, Vocals) — Randy has performed on stage with Doc Watson, Jack Lawrence, Jim Lauderdale, Pete Wernick, Doug Jernigan, Terry Baucom, and Roy Huskey Jr. While living abroad, Randy toured Europe promoting Bluegrass and Americana music. Randy contributes original material for Sassafras. Randy’s original songs have been featured on BBC Radio & the PBS TV Series “Song of the Mountains.”

Gray Tuttle (Banjo, Vocals) — As a band member with Kristi Cox, Gray has performed at the Station Inn with Justin Moses and Mike Rogers (Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder). Gray has performed with Wyatt Rice, Wes Golding and others. Gray was a member of the band Hot Trail Mix, which was led by Mason Via of Old Crow Medicine Show. Gray is also an accomplished bassist and guitarist.
Randy Pasley (Bass, Dobro, Vocals) — He’s performed at the famous Carter Family Fold and the Lowell Folk Festival. He joined Wayne Henderson during a television taping of Nightline. He has shared the stage with Doc Watson, Sam Bush, and Tim O’Brien. He was voted Best All-Around Performer at the 1999 Galax Old-Time Fiddlers Convention-the only Dobro player to receive that award thus far. Randy is a sterling multi-instrumentalist who plays the guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin, and bass.