Joe Mullins (born 1965) is a banjo player, singer, bandleader, and radio owner from southwestern Ohio. He played in the Traditional Grass with his father from 1983 to 1995 and co-founded Longview in 1997. Since 2006 he has led Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, IBMA Entertainer of the Year in 2019. He owns the Real Roots Radio stations around Dayton.
Why Mullins matters
Mullins keeps classic bluegrass going on stage and on the air. His band plays traditional bluegrass and gospel, and his stations play bluegrass to listeners in Ohio.
Life and career
Mullins was born on October 27, 1965, and grew up in southwestern Ohio. His father, Paul “Moon” Mullins, was a fiddler and a bluegrass radio host for more than 40 years. From 1983 to 1995 Joe played in the Traditional Grass, the band he founded with his father. They made four albums for Rebel between 1992 and 1995.
In 1995 he bought WBZI in Xenia, Ohio, and later added stations in Wilmington and Eaton and two FM signals, now run as Real Roots Radio. That year he released Just a Five String and Fiddle, banjo and fiddle duets with Gerald Evans. In 1997 he co-founded Longview with Dudley Connell, James King, Don Rigsby, Glen Duncan, and Marshall Wilborn. Longview won IBMA Song of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year in 1998.
He formed the Radio Ramblers in 2006. The band won IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year in 2012 and Entertainer of the Year in 2019. Mullins recorded Hall of Fame Bluegrass with Junior Sisk in 2013 and chaired the IBMA board from 2016. His Sacred Memories album won IBMA Gospel Recording of the Year in 2016 and 2017, and If I’d Have Wrote That Song won IBMA Song of the Year in 2018.
Playing style
Mullins plays traditional Scruggs-style banjo and teaches workshops at festivals. Gold Tone makes a Joe Mullins signature open-back banjo.
Influences and legacy
Mullins learned from his father and from the first-generation records he played on the radio. He has played beside Dudley Connell, Don Rigsby, Junior Sisk, Ricky Skaggs, and Billy Strings, who sat in with him at Real Roots Radio.
Signature tunes and songs
If I’d Have Wrote That Song Sacred Memories Little White Church, with Billy Strings and Paul Williams.
Essential recordings
Just a Five String and Fiddle, with Gerald Evans (Rebel, 1995) They’re Playing My Song (Rebel, 2012) Hall of Fame Bluegrass, with Junior Sisk (Rebel, 2013) Sacred Memories (Rebel, 2015) The Story We Tell (Rebel, 2017)
Awards and honors
IBMA Song of the Year and Recorded Event of the Year, Longview (1998) IBMA Broadcaster of the Year (2000) IBMA Instrumental Recording of the Year, Knee Deep in Bluegrass (2001) IBMA Album of the Year, Celebration of Life (2006) IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year (2012) IBMA Broadcaster of the Year (2013) IBMA Broadcaster of the Year (2016) IBMA Gospel Recording of the Year, All Dressed Up (2016) IBMA Gospel Recording of the Year, Sacred Memories (2017) IBMA Song of the Year, If I’d Have Wrote That Song (2018) IBMA Entertainer of the Year (2019)
Watch and listen
Mullins, Billy Strings, and Paul Williams sing Little White Church at Real Roots Radio.
He teaches a banjo workshop at the Argyle Bluegrass Festival.
What to learn from Mullins
Watch his Argyle workshop and learn one Scruggs tune the way he teaches it. The technique to steal is respect for the original. Learn a tune from the first recording before you change anything. Do it with one Flatt and Scruggs tune this month.
Sources
Joe Mullins (musician), Wikipedia Mullins, Joe (and the Radio Ramblers), BluegrassBios.com Radio Ramblers and singing sisters enjoy breakthrough wins at IBMA Awards, WMOT
Related players
See the banjo players hub and the bluegrass banjo guide for more pickers. Mullins co-founded Longview with Dudley Connell, recorded with Junior Sisk, and has jammed with Billy Strings.