Joe Mullins (2)

American bluegrass and gospel banjo player and singer, born on October 27, 1965 in Xenia, Ohio. Son of Paul Mullins. He sings lead and tenor and plays guitar and fiddle, but primarily the five-string banjo. He became one of the top banjo players in bluegrass by studying all of the masters and then putting together his own style. With his dad, Mark Rader, and Bill Adams, he helped organize the Traditional Grass in 1983. They disbanded after Joe bought radio station WBZI in Xenia, and changed its format to bluegrass and classic country. Previously he had worked as a deejay on WPFB in Middletown and WCNW in Fairfield. Subsequently, he expanded coverage of the Xenia station by leasing WKFI in Wilmington and buying WCTM in Eaton, whose call letters he changed to WEDI, and simulcasting on all three, as well as FM-103 and streaming to the World Wide Web. SPGMA honored Joe with their Bluegrass DJ of the Year Award in both 2011 and 2012. In 2015, he became the host of the nationally syndicated radio show Front Porch Gospel. Joe was in the original lineup of the supergroup Longview, which also included Dudley Connell, Don Rigsby, Glen Duncan, Marshall Wilborn, and James King. In 1998, Joe promoted their first public appearance at Fairborn High School; their version of “Lonesome Old Home” was the 1998 bluegrass song of the year. He has also been involved with local groups: the Beacons, WBZI Bluegrass Band, and, beginning in 2006, with the nationally recognized Joe Mullins’ Radio Ramblers. Joe has been an active and successful promoter, putting on shows at the American Legion and Conover Halls in Franklin, Fairborn High School, Xenia High School, Memorial Hall in Dayton, the Roberts Center near Wilmington, Shawnee Park and the Greene County Fairgrounds in Xenia, Island Park in Dayton, and cooperating with Cityfolk in their annual folk festival in downtown Dayton. He was on the board of Bgrass, Inc. and has also been active as an officer in the International Bluegrass Music Association.