Chris Brashear

Chris Brashear plays fiddle, mandolin and guitar and he is a singer with a wide vocal range and a clear, distinctive voice. He is also a songwriter.

Looking ahead to 2026, in New England, Chris can be seen with Jim Henry and Paul Kochanski. You may also see us performing for many Back Porch Festival or series events in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts. We often join with one of our favorite musicians, J.J. O’Connell, on drums and percussion and vocals.

 Chris also plays with Jazz Sketches, a trio performing jazz standards. Tim Atherton is on trombone. Doug MacMillan plays the guitar.

In the desert southwest and beyond, Chris continues to perform with long-time music partner Peter McLaughlin. Their latest CD release is called Desert Heart, Mountain Soul. This duo also hosts the Tucson Opry, a seasonal variety show with local, regional and national artists. And for fans of music and the outdoors, Chris Brashear and Peter McLaughlin host music and river trip excursions on the San Juan River in southern Utah and on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. This year also began with our first residency at the Elkhorn Ranch in the Altar Valley southwest of Tucson. This is a week-long camp of music, hiking and horseback riding in one of the most beautiful areas of the Sonoran Desert.

Chris brings over thirty years of professional music experience as a performer, producer, teacher and recording artist. He has taught at numerous camps and festival workshops across the country, including the Augusta Heritage Bluegrass Camp, the Joe Val Memorial Bluegrass Festival, Banjo and Mandolin Camps North, Walker Creek Music Camp, Roots & Boots Music Camp, Berea College Music Festival, the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention and Mars Hill Roots Music Camp. He has solo recordings produced by Jody Stecher and Jim Rooney.