Dan Tyminski

Dan Tyminski

Daniel John "Dan" Tyminski (born June 20, 1967 in Rutland, Vermont) is a bluegrass composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist. He is a member of the band Alison Krauss and Union Station and has released two solo albums, Carry Me Across the Mountain (2000), on the Doobie Shea Records label, and Wheels (2008), on the Rounder Records label.

He is best known for his updated version of the song "Man of Constant Sorrow," which was featured in the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? and won the 2001 CMA award for best single as well as a Grammy Award for best Country Collaboration with Vocals (along with Harley Allen and Pat Enright, filling out the vocals for the movie's Soggy Bottom Boys). In total, he has won 10 Grammy awards for solo and collaborative projects.

Early life

Tyminski was born June 20, 1967 in Rutland, Vermont and plays a bluegrass style that blends traditional and pop traditions. Before becoming a member of Union Station in 1994, Tyminski played mandolin and sang in the Lonesome River Band. Though Tyminski's love and feel for traditional bluegrass didn't come from growing up in the southern Appalachians, he absorbed and learned the music just the same. He credits his brother Stan with getting him hooked on the guitar and mandolin at the age of 6. While Stan was in the Navy and home on leave, he left his mandolin with his younger brother.

While in high school Dan and his brother formed a band called Green Mountain Bluegrass. Dan played the banjo with that band for nearly five years. In fact, Dan says that he was primarily a banjo player from the time he was twelve until he was in his early twenties. When he was twenty-one, Dan was hired to play mandolin in the Lonesome River Band. When asked how he landed that job, Dan said, "It was a word-of-mouth thing. We ended up playing some shows at the same venue and when the position came up for a musician, one of the guys in the band recommended to Tim (Austin) that they give me a call." Dan played the mandolin with the Lonesome River Band for about five years.

Musical career

While he was still with the Lonesome River Band, Dan got a call from Alison Krauss.

Tyminski attributes his love for traditional bluegrass to such musicians and singers as Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, Larry Sparks and Jimmy Martin.

Dan Tyminski plays Martin and Bourgeois guitars and Sim Daley mandolins. In July 2009 the Martin Guitar Company issued as part of their Custom Artist Series a D28 Dreadnought acoustic guitar in recognition of Dan's life devoted to performing bluegrass and old-time music. The guitar named Martin D-28 Dan Tyminski Custom Edition, is issued with its own distinctive details to appeal to flatpickers. For many years Dan's primary guitar has been a wellworn 1946 Martin D-28.

Dan is married to Elise with three children, Kathryn, Chris, and John.

Dan Tyminski and Ron Block played together at the 2004 Crossroads Guitar Festival. They performed "I am a Man of Constant Sorrow" and "Road to Nash Vegas".

While Alison Krauss and Union Station is on hiatus due to Alison Krauss' tour with Robert Plant, Dan Tyminski has now formed his own group, the Dan Tyminski Band. The ensemble features Tyminski on guitar, Ron Stewart on banjo, Adam Steffey on mandolin, Justin Moses on fiddle and dobro, and Barry Bales on upright bass. An album, entitled Wheels, was released on Rounder Records in June 2008.

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions			Label
		US Bluegrass	US Country	US Heat
2000	Carry Me Across the Mountain				Doobie Shea
2008	Wheels	1	32	10	Rounder

External links

• The Dan Tyminski Band
• Dan Tyminski Interview with CountryMusicPride.com CountryMusicPride.com