Scott Vestal

Vestal acquired a 5-string banjo at age 13 and by age 15 was playing with T. J. Rogers’ family band. At age 18, Vestal performed and recorded with Larry Sparks for a year. At age 19, Vestal moved to Texas and with his brother Curtis and Russell Moore formed the band Southern Connection, which toured the Midwest and East Coast for 3 years.

Scott played on Johnny Staats’ mandolin project with John Cowan. From 1998 until 2003, Vestal and Cowan were in the John Cowan Band, and recorded two albums together. Vestal had the opportunity to incorporating a solid body electric MIDI banjo into their recordings and performances.

Vestal and his wife, jazz singer Alice Newman Vestal, recorded the album Goin’ To The Dance. Steve Thomas (fiddle), Chris Brown (drums), Jeff Autry (guitar), Byron House (bass), and Randy Kohrs (resophonic guitar) assisted.

In 2017, Vestal was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass.

In 2006, Vestal worked with David Lee Roth to promote the CMH Records Van Halen bluegrass tribute Strummin' with the Devil: The Southern Side of Van Halen, appearing on late night and daytime talk shows and at a concert at the Nokia Theater in New York City.

Starting in 2006, Vestal recorded and toured with the Sam Bush Band along with Stephen Mougin (guitar), Todd Parks (bass), and Chris Brown (drums).

On Millennia, released in 2000, Vestal is joined by John Cowan on vocals, Reese Winans on keyboards, Pasi Leppikangas on drums, Jeff Autry and Jim Hurst on guitars, and Stuart Duncan, Kati Penn, and Rickie Simpkins on fiddle.

The “Bluegrass Annual” series), which won the IBMA award for Recorded Event of the Year in 1996. This series of recordings continued from 1995 through 2001.

Scott was awarded Banjo Player of the Year in 1996 by the International Bluegrass Music Association (co-winner with Sammy Shelor), and 1998 Banjo Player of the Year by the Bluegrass Now Magazine Fan's Choice Awards.

In 1994, Vestal moved to Nashville and formed a band with Harley Allen and David Parmley. When Allen decided to focus on songwriting, the band became David Parmley, Scott Vestal, and Continental Divide. Over the next 5 years, the band recorded three albums and toured the US and Canada. Vestal left Continental Divide in 1998.

On Vestal's 1992 album In Pursuit Of Happiness, the personnel are Curtis Vestal (bass), Jeff Autry (guitar), Wayne Benson (mandolin), and Greg Luck (fiddle).

In 1985, Vestal, Russell Moore, and Scott Vestal joined Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, replacing Terry Baucom. Vestal stayed with Quicksilver for four years and five albums.