The Price Sisters

In a relatively short amount of time, these sisters – Lauren (mandolin, harmony/lead vocals) and Leanna (fiddle, lead/harmony vocals) – have generated an exciting buzz within the traditional music community for presenting their own, unique interpretation of the “ancient tones” set forth by Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys. The Price Sisters’ ability to grasp the complexities of Bill Monroe’s music at such a young age has led to appearances at prestigious festivals such as Bean Blossom and Jerusalem Ridge and has earned them praise and respect from a few of Monroe’s ardent disciples, including Bobby Osborne, Byron Berline, Ronnie McCoury and Mike Compton.

Rebel Records owner David Freeman, a huge Monroe fan himself, first saw The Price Sisters perform an impromptu jam on the Expo Hall floor of the first IBMA World of Bluegrass convention held in Raleigh back in 2013 and came away awestruck: “There was a lot going on in the exhibition hall at the time, but I was drawn to the sounds of someone picking the fire out of ‘Get Up John,'” recalls Freeman. “Around a couple of turns I was thrilled and amazed to hear Leanna and Lauren Price playing and singing a bunch of Bill Monroe classics (as well as their own compositions). My initial feeling was that these girls were something special and deserved to be heard more.”

Growing up in Sardis, Ohio, the twins were surrounded by music and cannot remember a time when they were not singing. Around their eighth birthday, the twins’ guitarist father, Tim Price, asked if they might be interested in learning to play instruments to accompany their singing. “I remember our parents showing us pictures of some instruments,” says Lauren. “For whatever reason, I pointed to a mandolin and Leanna to a fiddle.” They played with their father, picked up what they could by ear and began to take some lessons, but music remained basically a hobby until at fifteen they enrolled in a workshop at the Augusta Bluegrass Week in Elkins, West Virginia. There Lauren worked with mandolinist Mike Compton, and Leanna with fiddler Byron Berline. The workshop was a turning point in their young lives.

While maintaining their “Price Sisters” performance schedule, Lauren and Leanna are currently enrolled in the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music (KCTM) at Morehead State University, where they are both pursuing BA degrees in traditional music with a concentration in bluegrass, and business administration minors. They are active members of the University’s Mountain Music Ambassadors Bluegrass Ensemble, traveling regularly with that group. They were also recently part of a group of six KCTM students who represented the United States and MSU during a ten-day tour of The Peoples’ Republic of China in May, 2015 spreading the gospel of bluegrass.

The sisters debut album for Rebel Records features six traditional bluegrass tunes and one new song in the traditional vain. With their lovely harmonies, the Price Sisters add their own touch to each of the songs. The album was recorded in Nashville, TN with noted producer Bil VornDick behind the glass. Additional instrumentation and vocals were provided by special guests Mike Bub (bass), Dustin Benson (guitar), Charlie Cushman (banjo), Ronnie McCoury (guitar) and Alan Bartram (harmony vocals).