Paul and wife, Patricia, reside on Little Mountain which is on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains. At their home he handcrafts mountain dulcimers and guitars. Paul says he is very thankful to God for his family and friends and especially his two grandchildren. Paul is also thankful for the opportunity to play Bluegrass music and the ability to build acoustical instruments.

In 1985 I founded the Foothills Express Blue Grass Band. The name originated due to the fact that all of us lived in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. That pretty well fit a description of the area and where all us members lived. Because I am left handed, it took over 2 years for me to learn to play the banjo right handed. So, after causing my young son to have a series of nervous breakdowns, since I spent every day practicing for hours, things finally came together. I still can not play by ear nor can I read a lick of music but I learned to play banjo. This seems to be true to form to banjo pickers. Born in Sevier County, Tennessee, I was raised in a rural area where I developed my wit and humor working with local farmers, knife traders and hunters. Working at a Cas Walker Grocery Store for 5 years, I bagged groceries learned stories from the mountain patrons. Some of the stories I heard while taking out groceries are unreal. I met my wife while attended church with the older generation of folks who's faith and way of life was a hard one. But it was good to be a part of it. One of my favorite hang outs was the local car lot when I wasn't shining shoes in downtown Sevierville, TN. In my spare time I worked on a farm. I can not count places or tell all stories I learned from those experiences. Those old tales from years ago when told today folks bust out laughing. One old story I call "Snakes Hissen' Around the Pit" has sold more CD's for our group than any other. About 1990 a lady bought one and used it to win several thousand dollars on "America Most Funny Videos." She mailed me a post card after she won the $10,000. At least I got a card. My father was a professional escape artist and magician. In 1932 he was voted second only to Houdin for his escapes by American Society of Magicians. He passed on a tradition to me which money can not buy.

Through out the years the band has had members change. This is because of sickness, job changes and other things . I would like to pay tribute to my friends Bob Wilson, Roger Lay and Ben Russell. We played together for many years and are still friends. I must also mention Rick Campbell who helped me many times. Thru years I have play many places. I never dreamed that I would meet people that most folk will never get a chance to meet. Some of the folk like Kitty Wells, Earl Scrugs , Mac Wiseman, Bill Monroe, Willie Nelson are music ledgions. And, of course, my friends in Nashville, Buddy Frank and Kitty Wilson who played the Opry for years. The list goes on. I have met so many great people and made friends thru years its all been worth it if I never play another lick. I am the Wild Card in band they don't know what I will pull or do next. We have fun at what we do and if you can make someone's day brighter or laugh then I consider job well done. I want to express thanks to all who have supported us and all who support Bluegrass and our heritage.

My name is James Lewis Lloyd but I go by "Jay" for short. I am twenty-five years old and have been playing the mandolin for seven years now. Since June of 2001, I have been happily married to my wife, Tiffany Lloyd. We now have a beautiful baby girl, Haven Cheyenne Lloyd. She was born Sept. 13, 2002. I currently work for the family business, Lloyd's Electric Service, Inc. Outside of my day to day job I also build mandolins. So for anyone interested in the mandolin, be on the lookout for the Lloyd mandolin. My mandolins are handcrafted with only the best red spruce and curly maple and made right here in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The mandolin first interested me when I was eighteen years old. After I purchased my first mandolin, I played at nearby jams such Bradbury and Rocky Branch Community Centers. Shortly after I started playing I met Jeff Barber, Sara Pirkle and Roscoe Morgan. They all taught me a lot about the music and we became good friends. It didn't take very long for the mandolin and bluegrass music to become one of the biggest loves of my life.

In 1992 Sonny stared in the Opryland Production "Music Country Music" Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, Texas where he played the banjo, the fiddle, the mandolin and the guitar. While in Texas Sonny played fiddle for such great stars as Ray Price, Bob Hope, Lee Greenwood, Louise Mandrell, Johnny Russell, Jack Green and others. Sonny has also been a featured performer with Dolly Parton.

Sonny won the National Banjo Championship in Winfield, Kansas in September of 1998. In October of the same year Sonny received a standing ovation playing "Shuckin' the Corn" as a featured performer on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. A very versatile performer, Sonny began playing the banjo at 6 years old. He took up fiddle playing at the ripe old age of 18.