Tennessee Gentlemen
Based out of Memphis, The Tennessee Gentlemen have been entertaining bluegrass fans for over thirty years. In June of 2006 we went on a 10-day European Tour. Donny and Troy Castleberry, the founding members of the group, worked together for 25 years until Troy's death in 2000. Donny, along with his brother Doyle, decided to continue the group in the same fine tradition. The rhythm guitar player for the band, Donny sings 'sky high' tenor and lead vocals. He has played with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver and Signal Mountain. When not playing a festival with his own band, Donny performs with Jesse McReynolds and the Virginia Boys. From Bluegrass rooted in the early seventies, Doyle came full circle with his music and joined his brother in 1994, forming a group called Neshoba. Neshoba morphed into the Tennessee Gentlemen. Coming from a background in rock, blues and country, his solid bass tempo drives the band. Doyle sings low lead, tenor and harmony vocals. He also occasionally plays the guitar on stage. Behind the scenes, Doyle keeps the website updated with performance photos and festival dates. Kent Coffey started taking guitar lessons from Jazz guitarist Gus Smith at age 9, and has been playing professionally since age 10. His father Lynn and brother Sam were his biggest influences and they had a family band until Lynn’s untimely death. Kent continued to play music with his brother Sam in various styles and configurations until they formed The Coffey Brothers’ Bluegrass Band around 1988. When Sam relocated after several years, Kent and his wife Beci continued with the band-now called The Buffalo City Ramblers. In addition to The Tennessee Gentlemen, Kent also plays with BCR, Carnes and the Heaters -a blues band formed with his musical mentor Carnes McCormick, and Swing Shift-a Jazz trio consisting of Kent and Beci and the above-mentioned Gus Smith. Sam Coffey has been playing music as long as he can remember. He grew up in the Ozarks the son of a multi-instrumental father, Lynn and a very supportive mother, Nina and daughter Marie (Reebob). He has played at multiple venues and with various artist. Sam’s instrument of choice is the banjo, but he is also proficient on the guitar, bass, dobro and mandolin. He has played with Kitty Wells and Mac Wiseman, Donna Fargo and many more. He played with his brother in Coffey Brothers and is so thrilled to be playing with him again with the Tennessee Gentlemen. In South Dakota, Texas, Colorado, Missouri and Arkansas he was very active in the musical communities, playing in multiple bands one of his own Coffey and Co. where he played with his son, Dalton and wife, Tammy. Sam also, has a business, Coffey Custom Instruments where he builds and repairs acoustic instruments. He is now happy to be back home on the farm in Arkansas so he can be closer to his family and teach his grandson, Cane, to carry on the musical tradition...