KEITH KESTER (Bass & Vocals) was born in the Lehigh Valley and fell in love with bluegrass music at an early age. He's been playing for over 40 years in a variety of musical genres before finding a home in Bluegrass music 11 years ago. Keith considers Byron House, Bill Black, Willie Dixon, and Ray Brown among his major influences on the upright bass.
PAUL SPRIET (Banjo & Vocals) was born in New Jersey and now resides in Riegelsville, Pa. Completely self-taught, Paul brings more than 42 years of banjo pickin' experience to Big Valley Bluegrass. He lists Earl Scruggs, Bill Keith, and Alan Munde as his main influences. A multi-instrumentalist, Paul includes drums, guitar (acoustic and electric), and bass in his arsenal of musical weaponry. His choice instruments are a 1927 Gibson Mastertone TB-3, 1969 Fender Artist (Left to Paul by the late Dick Gerlach), and a 1982 Tennessee Top Tension.
BILL PARKER (Mandolin, Guitar, Vocals) grew up in Rochester, NY and is now living in the Bethlehem, area. He caught the bluegrass bug after seeing Oh Brother Where Art Thou and has never looked back. With a hard-charging, high energy style, he puts passion into every note he plays. His primary influences are his father (Bill Parker Sr.), Ronnie McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Shawn Lane & Jesse Cobb. In addition to mandolin and guitar, Bill also plays bass, dobro and toys with anything that has strings. Preferred brands are Martin Guitar and Weber, Daley mandolins.
ALISON GILLESPIE (Fiddle) was born in England and raised with classical music. She discovered her love of fiddling at a bluegrass concert while growing up in Central New Jersey. She has spent many years honing her Celtic Fiddle style with several bands including Blackwater and Banna Lach before coming full circle back to her original folk music inspiration and joining Big Valley Bluegrass in 2017. As Alison continues to develop her own unique bluegrass fiddling style, she also remains immersed in the Celtic Music world. Alison teaches Classical Violin/Fiddle styles at her home studio in Coopersburg, at Moravian College, at a Waldorf school, is a founder of the long-running Celtic Classic Fiddle Competition, and runs a monthly Celtic Music session at Braveheart in Hellertown. She has performed and taught fiddling workshops and at music camps around the region. She plays a handmade German fiddle from the 1920s.