Press Kit

Since their inception in the beginning of 2009, New County Grass has been making a name for themselves in the mid-Michigan area as a state-of-the-art, version 2.0, hard-driving, high-energy bluegrass band with a contemporary edge. Though the band is relatively new, hard-driving bluegrass music is nothing new to its members.

Duane Estep (mandolin, lead and harmony vocals) has been playing and singing bluegrass music for nearly all of his life. Duane brings unique, high-energy mandolin playing to NCG.

In his early years, he played music with his family, friends, and in church.  Listening and learning from albums of the Osborne Bros., J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Tony Rice, and Jimmy Martin was a favorite pass time.  People would stop by on Saturday night to hear Duane, his cousin Eugene Elkins, friend John Coffey, and their fathers play music.  This was the learning ground for these three boys.  Sometimes folks like Bill Christian, Pete Goble, Gene Boyd, and Wendy Smith would come by and play music as well.  While still in school, Duane was a founding member of the original Livingston County Grass. Later, he was a member of the Detroit Bluegrass Band with Dale Estep, Dana Cupp Jr., and John Coffey. Soon after, he was a member of the Metro Grass with Ted and Danny Blankenship, along with guitar player Kevin Thompson. Years later, he joined long-time friends Jeff Tuttle, Richard Ball, and Michael Ashcraft in the gospel-bluegrass band Jericho Road.  Through the years he has filled-in and/or jammed with just about every bluegrass musician in Michigan and the surrounding states.

Duane has been married to Renay for 28 years.  They have two sons Kyle and Brent, both of who are members of NCG.  Duane has always and will always love bluegrass and bluegrass gospel music, which is in his blood.  He loves his Lord and Saviour, the Lakecrest Baptist Church, and teaching his Sunday School class with his wife.  He is an avid hunter,  enjoys collecting instruments, guns, loves four-wheeling and golf…(the higher the score the better, right?).

Kyle Estep(guitar, lead and harmony vocals) appreciates traditional, authentic bluegrass music, which he brings to NCG. Learning from the “Tony Rice School of Music”, Kyle brings powerful rhythm and lead guitar to NCG.

Born and raised in the Flint-area, he grew up listening to the music his father, Duane,  played during the 80′s and 90′s with the Detroit Bluegrass Band and Metro Grass.  After learning to play the guitar at the age of 10 and being taught from family members and pickers, his desire to play became more and more prevalent. From 2000 – 2003, Kyle began playing music professionally by filling the shoes of Oakland County guitarist Richard Ball, playing guitar and singing with a Michigan-based gospel bluegrass band Jericho Road, which also included his father (Duane) and later in 2002, his brother (Brent). His musical heroes are Tony Rice, J.D. Crowe, Ron Stewart, Dan Tyminski, and Ronnie Bowman.

Kyle and Julie Estep were recently married in 2009 and they have a home in Grand Blanc, MI. Recognizing the importance of education, Kyle received his Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems and has began pursuing a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He also enjoys traveling, learning the Spanish language and frequently talks with close friends living in Monterrey, Mexico.

Brent Estep (bass, bass vocal) brings the hard-driving backbone that NCG fans have come to appreciate and enjoy. Brent began cutting his teeth on bluegrass music at an early age, listening to J.D. Crowe and the New South, Lonesome River Band, and IIIrd Tyme Out. Most of all, Brent enjoys the sound and talent of his father, Duane.

Growing up in a bluegrass family with friends and family, he has created a name for himself as a talented, young bass player. Memories of playing music in his grandparent’s living room over 10 years ago is where his uncle, Dale Estep, began to teach him the bass. Brent continues to collect instruments and has quite a bass collection (one can never have too many basses). In 2002, Brent joined his father and brother in a bluegrass-gospel group called Jericho Road and played regularly for a few years. His favorite bass players are Barry Bales, Ted Blankenship, Todd Phillips, and personal friend, Steve Bryant.

Brent is currently a senior at the University of Michigan and will be graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Biology in May of 2011. He will be continuing his education by enrolling as a freshman in dental school in the Fall of 2011. He loves the outdoors and enjoys hiking, fishing, kayaking, and riding ATVs.

Dean DuBois(banjo, harmony vocals) brings some of the best traditional, hard-driving, in your face, banjo playing to NCG.

Dean started playing music at the age of 4, learning chords on the guitar. Though born in Michigan, Dean would spend summers in Arkansas with his grandparents. It was there where he met the Wooten Brothers, who taught him the basics of music. Back in Michigan, Dean spent nearly 5 years with one of the greatest banjo players from the north, a man ahead of his time, Willard Elkins. After Willard was tragically killed in a car accident in 1982, Dean began spending more time with Willard’s son, Eugene Elkins. In 1984, Dean was married to Debbie. In the same year, he joined Jeff, Barry, and Charlie Tuttle and formed a group called Bluegrass Generation, who he played with until the mid-90’s. Dean would also occasionally fill in with Michigan-based musicians like Wendy Smith and Freddie Harris. His musical heroes are Willard and Eugene Elkins, Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe, and Sonny Osborne.

If Dean is not playing music, he can be found fishing or bowhunting.