Rick McCraw - Guitar, lead and harmony vocals.
Rick McCraw began playing bluegrass music in Martinsville, Virginia in the early 80s. His father, Thomas H. McCraw, Sr. loved bluegrass music, owned an old Martin mandolin and told his 5 children that he'd give it to whomever learned to play it first. Rick still has the mandolin today. Rick's friends, Milton Arnold and Jimmy Curry, also helped him develop his musical talent.
Along with the guitar, Rick plays the mandolin (and boasts that he also "plays the radio"). Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs and the Osborne Brothers are among his musical influences.
Rick lives in King, NC with his wife, Marlene, and his son, Zachary
(who claims he is the musician in the family).
Sarah Riddle - Bass.
Sarah Riddle lives in King, NC. She has a two children and five wonderful grandchilren.
Sarah was introduced to bluegrass music by her brother and was intrigued
by the fact
that people actually played by ear. Once she decided to begin playing,
she did it almost as a sport, to see if she could actually do it. She
began her musical career playing with the original Driving Five with Jimmy
Dorsett.
Sarah loves the sound of the electric bass and claims Ray Deaton as
one artist who
really influenced her playing. Among her favorite bluegrass songs are
My Better
Years and Body and Soul.
Tony Riddle - Lead Guitar, lead and harmony vocals.
Tony Riddle has been playing bluegrass music since the early 80s and has quite an impressive resume. He has played with such bands as Piedmont Bluegrass, Kenny Road Gospel Singers, The Stoney Mountain Boys, and CrossRoads Band.
Tony's musical influences include Tony Rice and Doc Watson. Additionally,
he
plays, the mandolin and bass and loves the tune Foggy Mountain Breakdown.
Tony lives in Pilot Mountain, NC.
Dwight Shelton - Banjo.
Dwight Shelton began playing bluegrass music in 1978 when his brother
introduced
him to the "twang" of the banjo. He first played with The Germanton
Bluegrass
Boys and started playing with Driving Five when Frank Tucker called him
and asked
if he'd fill in for an appearance.
Crediting Earl Scruggs with his picking style, Dwight also continues
to play the
bass and guitar. He enjoys the music of IIIrd Tyme Out and his favorite
song is Julie Ann.
Dwight lives in Germanton, NC with his wife, Debbie. He has a daughter,
Misty, and
a son, Jody. He is also the proud "Paw-paw" of two granddaughters,
Megan and Taylor.
Larry Williams - Mandolin, harmony vocals.
As a long time fan of bluegrass, Larry Williams felt that, as a lefty,
he was destined to just listen. He began learning to play in 1986 and
after losing interest for a few
years in the early 90s, began again in 1996, when he got his Henderson
F-5 left-handed custom built mandolin.
Larry decided that playing would be his new hobby, since he was "really
bad at golf." He was a member of the original Driving Five with Jimmy
Dorsett and also played
with the Cedar Creek Boys. He lists Bill Monroe, Doyle Lawson and Herschel
Sizemore as his musical influences.
Larry lives in Siloam, NC with his wife, Susan. Larry and Susan lost
their daughter,Sara, in a car accident on June 12th, 2005. Sara was instrumental
in the design of the
first Driving Five CD, and at the young age of 16, produced professional
quality graphics for the project. She will be forever loved and
missed.