Carrie Hassler & Hard Rain

Carrie Hassler...
I grew up in a very musical family so love for music was something we all shared. Singing music I enjoyed and serving the Lord was something I loved and still love to do. Although I’ve tried many types of music, I never found my true place until I sang my first bluegrass song. I was thrilled with the sound, warmth, and just the feeling that bluegrass music gave me. Keeping with my roots and my love for gospel music, this was a great opportunity to keep doing a few wonderful bluegrass gospel songs in almost every show. I owe so much to my wonderful family. God truly blessed me and still blesses me with all the love and support I need to keep moving on. Now, two of the greatest blessings in my life are my husband, Thom, and our precious little boy, Halen. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing the excitement in our little man’s eyes when he gets on stage with his fiddle.

Travis Anderson...
“I can remember laying in the floorboard of our ’78 Ford Ranger with the speaker rattling on the low notes right in my ear. I think that helped me focus on the bass lines in the songs. Daddy had an Emmylou Harris 8 track, and I thought it would be so cool if I could play that bass like they did on C’est La Vie (You Never Can Tell), and Two More Bottles of Wine. After seeing Steve Bryant with J.D. Crowe and the New South, and T. Michael Coleman with Doc and Merle Watson I knew for sure I had to learn how to do that.” With Travis on Bass and his brother Chad on Mandolin, they began learning songs with their Dad who played Banjo and Guitar. Around that same time Bob started playing Dobro, they picked up a Banjo player named Steve Moore and became known as Anderson and Moore. Playing local venues with this group helped Travis hone his performing skills.

Kevin McKinnon...
Kevin McKinnon is a 19 yr old musician, who is in love with bluegrass. Learning of bluegrass at an early age, he was babysitter by old tapes of bluegrass shows from CMT. He got his Mandolin when he was 3 and has added more instruments to his catalog including, banjo, guitar, bass, and drums. He started a band with his brother around the age of 14 ( Lonesome Drive ), which went on to win many band contests along the way. In August of 2005, Kevin hit the road with The Jeanette Williams Band, before finally ending up with Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain!!!!!!!!!

Keith McKinnon...
Keith McKinnon was born and raised in Southwest Virginia. He grew up around bluegrass and learned to love it. At age 5 he was given a fiddle by his dad and from then on that's all he wanted to do. He would sit in front of the TV and watch old tapes of the American Music Shoppe and that would be his babysitter. He grew up playing fiddle and placed in a few competitions around the area. At age 12 he found a love for guitar. He started picking up his dad's guitar and messing around on it until eventually he was as good at playing guitar as he was playing the fiddle. He went on to win several competitions. Shortly after having picked up the guitar he started a band with his brother and few family friends. They played around at local fiddler's conventions but nothing big. Now at age 19 he has found himself playing and singing with Carrie Hassler. With his aggressive rhythm and tasteful breaks he makes up 1 of 5 of Hard Rain.

Zach Gilmer...

Jamie Harper...
Jamie Harper, the fiddle player for CHHR born and raised in Mocksville, NC. Got his start in his family band growing up, at the age 7 took up the fiddle and entered Fiddlers Conventions where he meet Keith and Kevin McKinnon. Now burning it up on stage with Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain.