At the tender age of fourteen, Tim Graves took the stage for the first time playing dobro for an East Tennessee band called Cedar Run. After honing his skills for the next three years and having appeared on three recordings, Graves decided it was time to move on. He immediately accepted a dobro position with Bobby Smith & the Boys from Shiloh.
In 1981, Graves and his longtime friend, Bennie Boling, formed "Cherokee" and launched their talents at the 1982 "World's Fair" in Knoxville, TN. There they were awarded the prestigious title of "Official World's Fair Bluegrass Band." By the mid-eighties, Graves decided to make the move to Music City and became a vital member of James Monroe & the Midnight Ramblers. By now, Tim's name was becoming synonymous, in and around Nashville, with the word "Dobro." Those same talents eventually landed him a weekly spot on the Grand Ole Opry with Opry Member, Wilma Lee Cooper.
Graves still was feeling the calling to team up with Boling to try to rekindle the flame that the group, Cherokee once had. Following a change to "Tim Graves & Cherokee," they have recorded seven projects with several leading record labels.
For two years (2001-03), Graves was the the full-time Dobro player for bluegrass legends & Opry members, The Osborne Brothers. After that two-year absence from the fans, Tim Graves & Cherokee returns to continue in 2004 as a leading act in bluegrass music.
Graves has been awarded as SPBGMA's 2004 & 2005 Dobro Player of the Year. This is one of the best bluegrass groups in the country today. When you watch this group, you will be seeing experience at work.
