Tennessee Jed was born in Tennessee, and has been called "Jed" his whole life. While he was heavily influenced by and still reveres The Grateful Dead, he is not a Grateful Dead tribute act (although he may occasionally pull out a tasty GD cover). Playing guitar at 10 and winning vocal competitions by age 14, Jed went through many musical phases growing up in central NC, playing nearly every style of popular music along the way, from industrial metal to bluegrass, hippie rock to soul and R&B. After a stint backing Billboard-charting country sensation, Jason Michael Carroll, Jed spent a couple of years honing his craft in Nashville, TN while exploring the bluegrass roots of his Southern heritage.
After realizing he wasn't the cowboy Nashville was looking for, Jed conceived of a musical project unconstrained by the image-centric biases of modern country and rock- one that managed to blend his various influences into a cohesive sound that combines the over-the-top instrumentalism and acoustic tones of bluegrass with the attitude, drive, and vocal stylings of hard rock, all while remaining thoughtful, catchy, danceable, and pleasantly unpredictable. In 2007 he returned to NC to begin work on his critically acclaimed solo debut, Acoustica, which featured Robert Sledge (bass) of Ben Folds Five, Andy Thorn (banjo) of Leftover Salmon, and Nicky Sanders (fiddle) of the Grammy-winning Steep Canyon Rangers (comedian Steve Martin's bluegrass band).
In 2009, Jed relocated to Asheville, NC for his follow-up recording event, Barn Burner, where he again enlisted the help of his diverse musical friends. Two years in the making, Barn Burner features 30 high profile guests including Grammy-winning 7 time Banjo Player of the Year, Jim Mills of Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Grammy winners Charles Humphrey and Nicky Sanders of Steep Canyon Rangers, as well as members of Leftover Salmon, Emmitt-Nershi Band, The Waybacks, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Town Mountain, The Asheville Horns, The Big Ol' Nasty Getdown, The Blue Rags, The Barrel House Mamas, Jon Stickley Trio, and Tiny Boxes. Surprises include a cameo by Chess and Motown Records legend, Sidney Barnes, a rousing rendition of the Jerry Reed classic, Eastbound and Down, a soul-stirring duet with Asheville luminary, Aaron "Woody" Wood, and a playful bonus track reuniting nu-funk pioneers Yo Mama's Big Fat Booty Band with their former front-man, Josh Phillips (Josh Phillips Folk Festival).
Tennessee Jed currently resides in Burlington, VT and tours throughout the eastern US solo or with his band. The Tennessee Jed Band has shared the stage with The Infamous Stringdusters, Emmitt-Nershi Band, Marshall Tucker Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Duhks, Chris Barron (singer of The Spin Doctors), Hayseed Dixie, The Mantras, and The Booty Band, as well as VIP tent performances with Alison Krauss and Widespread Panic. Tennessee Jed's music was also recently featured in the A&E reality television smash, Duck Dynasty.