Published: March 28, 2008 05:55 pm      

Love of bluegrass runs in the family

Tyler Griffith was born with music in his genes.

His earliest memory was participating in bluegrass jam sessions at a Roachdale community center. He once made a bass out of a log and rubber bands that he’d drag on stage to play with his mother Vicki’s band. By age 5 he was winning talent contests. Asked then what he wanted to do when he grew during an interview with the Hendricks County Flyer, he said, “I want to be a famous musician and buy a big ole bus.”

As far as bluegrass, his favorite musical form, he’s in good company. The Avon High School student plays in the band Penn Central with Lonnie Meeker, the founder of Union Station, mandolin player for Bill Monroe, and a three-time Grammy winner.

Meeker wanted “someone young, who has the drive, talent, and determination to perform” for Penn Central. He found it in Tyler.

“I’ve always loved music,” said Tyler, 16, who also plays trumpet in the Avon High School band. “I’ve always wanted to play and participate in it.”

He got that appreciation from his mother. Vicki, in turn, got it from her father, Victor Beck. She said he was so enthusiastic he built his own guitar. A constant at Jack’s Grand Ole Barn in Groveland near Heritage Lake, Victor started his own band. When the guitarist got hurt, he told Vicki, “Be there, black pants, gold shirt.”

That was enough for Vicki. She took off for Nashville the day after graduating from high school. It was during the ’70s, in the back of the Grand Ole Opry, that Vicki participated in improvised sessions with future luminaries like Jerry Douglas, Marty Stuart, Lester Flatt, Carl Jackson — “everybody who was anybody.”

“The thing I like about bluegrass is everyone involved becomes like a family,” Vicki said.

Tyler is already learning that himself.

Vicki eventually moved back to Indiana and started a family, but returned to music 13 years ago. Though out of the fold for a while, she’s discovered she was never forgotten.

Penn Central was invited to perform at The Society of the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America’s International Band Championship in February in Nashville. Jackson was inducted into the Hall of Greats during the ceremony.

Tyler introduced himself to Jackson during the event. Jackson was impressed enough with Tyler’s skills displayed there (including one all-night jam session) to make the media wait 40 minutes to take photos while he heard his story.

Tyler assumed Jackson didn’t remember his mother. But after the ceremony, the Griffiths saw him with some record company executives at an all-night diner. Tyler walked over to his table to thank him for his time.

“As I was walking away I heard one of the record execs ask him who I was,” Tyler recalled. “He said, ‘Oh that was a kid I met at the awards ceremony. I knew his mom in the ’70s. She was a killer Dobro player.’”

Regarding the SPBGMA, Vicki said, “It’s a true blessing he got to do that. Not many teens do. Here history is repeating itself.”

While Tyler has aspirations of a music career, even having learned the production side of the craft, he’s also being cautious. His goal is to study engineering at Purdue.

“I’ve seen how fickle the music industry can be,” said Tyler, who also plays bass in the country band Open Range and his mother’s act Vicki & Crew. “Lonnie has always stressed the importance of having an education. I’d like to have that and be able to play. My dream is to go to Nashville, but right now I’m just going where the music takes me.”

Vicki, for her part, is happy to pass on what she’s learned.

“Each generation adds its own ideas to the music,” she said. “They have to, or it won’t survive.”

wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com