Frank Ray, currently of Hillsboro, MO, has been playing in bluegrass bands since 1964. Mandolin player for the group, he sings tenor and an occassional lead. Frank has written many outstanding vocal songs and instrumentals over the years which have earned him several SPBGMA Songwriter of the Year awards. Naturally, these songs give the group some fine original material.

Cedar Hill, from Missouri, are a leading Midwestern band building a national reputation. Their latest cd, POVERTY ROW was currently released on Blue Circle Records. Poverty Row was selected for the "Highlight" Album review of the month for the Jan. ‘08, edition of Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine. Cedar Hill's Poverty Row hit the Cashbox Magazine Top 25 Bluegrass Albums Chart at  #18 AND received a 5 star review as well.

 www.cashboxmagazine.com  

 Formed by it's patriarch and mandolin player Frank Ray some 40 years ago, Cedar Hill is a traditional Bluegrass band made up of five accomplished musicians and singers who have stayed true to their Ozark roots. For the last seven years Frank has been teamed up with his daughter in law Lisa Ray who has proven herself to be an extreme talent in her own right receiving may awards for her vocals, fiddle playing and song writing. With Kenny Cantrell on banjo, Nick Haney on bass and vocals and Jim Boling on guitar and vocals Bluegrass doesn't get any better.

 Now settled into their own in the mainstream of the National bluegrass scene, Cedar Hill  has been pleasing audiences everywhere with their original, emotional, exciting brand of traditional Bluegrass! 

One listen to Cedar Hill  and there can be no doubt that traditional Bluegrass music not only exists, but thrives in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri and Arkansas! Honest, emotive original  songs, soulful, heartfelt vocals and great picking with driveis what Cedar Hill  is all about! 

CEDAR HiILL is very proud to now be affiliated with Tom T. and Miss Dixie Hall's Blue Circle Records label. Our first project with them, POVERTY ROW is doing VERY well and we are honored to have been able to record it with them!” –Frank Ray

Fiddle player Lisa Ray of Blue Eye, MO, grew up in an Ozark musical family living on the MO-AR border. She began singing in church at age three, and by age nine was playing both guitar and fiddle. She formed her own band while in her early twenties. Her group known as Lisa Ray & Old Town, became a national touring group. Further, Lisa's songwriting expertise, begun in her teens, paid off in 2001 when she had a # 1 song on the Bluegrass Gospel charts. Lisa is happily married to Keith Ray and she has two step-sons Aaron and Adam.

 Jim Boling, from Pleasant Hill, Missouri. Jim started his playing and singing career at age 17 after hearing Foggy Mountain Breakdown for the first time. In the early 1980's, Jim formed his own bluegrass band "Bound and Determined" with his banjo playing son, Jeremy (Michelle Nixon and Drive) and led that band for 6 years. Health problems forced him to dissolve the band in the early 90's. After receiving a double lung transplant in 2000, Jim joined a band in Kansas City, Green Side Up. Jim filled the role of lead singer and guitar player with the group until 2007 when he came to us. Jim plays the guitar left handed (or in other words, backwards) but we don't hold that against him. A fine singer and good rhythm guitar player,Jim is a welcome addition to Cedar Hill. Jim has been married to his lovely wife Terri for 28 years and they have 2 sons, Jeremy and J R . In addition to the music Jim's other interests include computers, racing, watching J R play baseball and home improvement projects .

Cedar Hill's latest addition is Nick Haney playing the upright bass and providing harmony and lead vocals. Nick comes to Cedar Hill with a great history in the bluegrass music business. His resume includes stints with Lost Highway, Weary Hearts and The Nashville Bluegrass Band. Nick resides in Altus, Arkansas and in addition to being a fine musician he also has worked as a Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician. Nick also works with computers when he's not busy playing music these days.