Phil Leadbetter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN.  My best friend Steve Gulley would be 59 years old today. One of the finest men, and singers that I have ever known. First met him when we were both 12. I had a great career, and most of it involved Steve. One of the world's greatest singers, song writers, friend, husband, dad, and papaw. Gone way too soon. Miss you ol' buddy. Happy Birthday! 

I am very thankful and humbel to be nominated in 3 categories for The IBMA final ballot. I am so thankful and appreciative to all the fans and IBMA voting members that find me worthy of this attention. There are so many awesome players out there that deserve to be here. I will have to say that I an most proud for the 2 nominations of the song "Resurrection Morning". This song was written by Mark Wheeler following the death of my best friend ever Steve Gulley. Steve would be very proud of this recording. Steve always saw himself as being transparent. He just did not know or realize all the fans he had, and how much he was loved by everyone who knew him. Thanks Barry Abernathy for calling and including me on this song. It was certainly a room full of some of Steve's best friends that came and played to honor him that morning in the studio. I was very blessed and humbled to help honor my friend on this recording. All for Steve! Very much missed by everyone who knew him. (1962-2020) 

Thank you sincerely, 

Phil 

RESOPHONIC GUITAR PLAYER OF THE YEAR 
JERRY DOUGLAS 
ANDY HALL 
ROB ICKES 
PHIL LEADBETTER 
JUSTIN MOSES 

COLLABORATIVE RECORDING OF THE YEAR 

“In the Resurrection Morning” 
Artists: Sacred Reunion featuring Doyle Lawson, Vince Gill, Barry Abernathy, Tim Stafford, Mark Wheeler, Jim VanCleve, Phil Leadbetter, Jason Moore 
Songwriter: Mark Wheeler 
Producers: Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Dottie Leonard Miller 
Label: Billy Blue Records 

GOSPEL RECORDING OF THE YEAR 

“In the Resurrection Morning” 
Artists: Sacred Reunion featuring Doyle Lawson, Vince Gill, Barry Abernathy, Tim Stafford, Mark Wheeler, Jim VanCleve, Phil Leadbetter, Jason Moore 
Songwriter: Mark Wheeler 
Producers: Barry Abernathy, Jim VanCleve, Dottie Leonard Miller 
Label: Billy Blue Records 

THE NEW MASTERS OF SLIDE "SPIDER SESSIONS" CD IS OUT !

After nearly a year of planning and organization, the new Masters OF Slide "Spider Sessions" is out on Mountain Home Records! 24 tracks featuring 25 of today's best players: 

*1.JOHNNY BELLAR  
*2. GREG BOOTH 
 3.  BRUCE BOUTON  
*3. CURTIS BURCH  
*4. ABBY GARDNER  
*5. ANDY HALL                      
*6.JIMMY HEFFERNAN 
*7.GARY HULTMAN  
*8.ROB ICKES  
*9. GAVIN LARGENT & CORY WALKER  
*10. PHIL LEADBETTER 
*11. MATT LEADBETTER 
*12. LEROY MACK  
*13. JUSTIN MOSES 
*14 JIMMY STEWART  
*15. FERRELL STOWE 
*16.JOSH SWIFT  
*17.FRED TRAVERS  
*18. SALLY VAN METER & ORVILLE JOHNSON 
*19. MIKE WITCHER  
*20. STEVE TOTH 
*21. BILLY CARDINE  
*22. ROGER WILLIAMS 
*24  JIMMY STEWART

Order yours today right here from the STORE: Order Your CD Here:

Avery Strokes (Writers: Alan Bibey and Jason Burleson)

Here is one of our videos from the new CD "Swing For The Fences". This song is called "One Way Rider". Enjoy !     One Way Rider

Well the Covidi19 is still going around like crazy, and has really prevented hardly any live shows. I know we are all looking forward to 2021, but please don't let this year slip away. We still have holidays ahead, and you just never know when it might be the last time you see someone. I am ready for 2021 myself, but I still think there is alot good in 2020. We slipped over to Columbus, NC to do a couple of videos for the new CD. We did videos on "One Way Rider" and also "Avery Stokes". We have a really nice tribute to our buddy Steve Gulley that we lost a few months back. We are searching for a new member. It won't be easy....Steve left huge shoes to fill. Hopefully we will have that member soon, and will report it here when we do. 

I am so sorry to be so late posting this. My best friend of 45 years, Steve Gulley passed away on August 18, 2020 at 9:08 PM here in Knoxville at The University Of Tennessee due to Pancreatic Cancer.. He was my best friend. I first met Steve in 1974 at a concert in Maryville, TN. He was in a group backing up legendary Dobro Player Josh Graves. Josh had invited me up on stage to pick a song. That was when I first met Steve. We had been friends, and best friends for 45 years. Later in life, he and I..along with mandolin master Alan Bibey formed the group Grasstowne. After 2 albums there, I departed to join The Whites. Steve left after 3 albums to join The Dale Ann Bradley Band. I joined The Dale Ann Bradley Band a couple years later. We both spent a couple of years there, until he departed to form his own band, Steve Gulley And New Pinnacle. I departed about a year later, and left to for my own band called Phil Leadbetter And The All-Stars Of Bluegrass. Steve also became a member of that group as a "side gig" along with Alan Bibey, Jason Burleson and Claire Lynch. After Claire's departure as she relocated to canada, we hired in Robert Hale (who had been a founding member along with me of the group Wildfire) came in to play. These were all side-jobs by all these guys in addition to their bands (Alan Bibey And Grasstowne, Steve Gulley And New Pinnacle, Robert Hale Abd Wildfire, and Jason Burleson with Blue Highway). Steve's passing has been a huge shock to all of us, and we are still searching for words to say. Please keep The Gulley Family in your prayers.  

The new Phil Leadbetter And The Allstars Of Bluegrass is finished and should be available for purchase soon. In the mean time, you can get some advance tracks right here at the link below.

New Phil Leadbetter And The Allstars Of Bluegrass Tracks

I bought an RQ Jones from Jerry Douglas back in 1982. I just got it back 38 years later. I sold it to a guy in 1986, and then that guy sold it to Jerry Douglas a few years later. That guitar has been to some cool places. It was the "imposter" for Jerry's guitar at The Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville, TN when Jerry decided he wanted to take him out of the HOF and play it, and he would replace it with my guitar. They were almost exact except mine had a bound fingerboard. No one ever seemed to catch it! So glad to finally get it back and bring it home

Phil Leadbetter And The All-Stars Of Bluegrass "Swing For The fences" CD is almost done. Mixing and mastering is done, and waiting for a release date. I will let you know that date soon.