Al Castleman - Guitar

  Al Castleman joins us with plenty of valuable bluegrass experience. He played, sang and performed for "The Good News Band" for five years and is very active in his Church music ministry. Al is a retired Dallas police officer, so the rest of us have to be on guard at all times! TPB is so fortuante to have Al on the team and we look forward to his fellowship.

Meredith Brown - Guitar

Meredith graduated from Abilene Christian University with a Bachellor of Fine Arts degree in theatre in May of 2007. She has been playing the guitar since 5th grade, and discovered the beauty of bluegrass music when she performed for the Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre in Ferrum, VA shortly after graduation. Since then, no one could have stopped her from jammin' out on her favorite southern gospel tunes! Meredith was born and raised in Abilene, Texas and moved to Fort Worth to take a job in marketing at an independent investment advisory firm downtown. She is continually thankful to her family for providing their overwhelming support and to the Lord for his daily grace and providence over her.

Bob Kelly - Banjo
Bob was born in Chicago and had an early affinity towards music! His first music lessons were from a friend in high school who liked Pete Seeger - then Bob himself felt Pete was a personal inspiration. Bob later bought a Flatt & Scruggs album called "Hard Travelin" and heard Earl play banjo. THAT was what he wanted to do! He then got serious and took real lessons from the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, by a guy named Stu Ramsay who is still alive in Elmhurst, Illinois. Bob laments "the school is still in existence and started about the time of the folk music heyday in the early 1960's". He remembers going into the music stores on Wabash Avenue in downtown Chicago, going into the Lyon & Healy store- up to the third or fourth floor and drooling on the glass doors of the display cases looking at a Gibson Mastertone. Bob said "Boy- did I want one of those!"

Austin Crehan - Bass
 I was privileged to be born in a rather large family. I was raised in Louisiana. Central to my family was bluegrass music and singing. Among my uncles, aunts and cousins are many, many musicians and singers. No, they aren’t in or around Nashville, just family pickers and grinners. I was raised singing lead and harmony both ‘on the front porch’ and in church before I knew what harmony was. I began trying to learn the guitar at about the age of 12. Family reunions, of which there were many thru the years, were filled with different family members bringing guitars and mandolins to the gatherings. Everybody was asked/encouraged to do a song or songs. I received some formal music training while in high school. I learned shaped notes, etc., and I played the trombone for a year or two. I began to play the guitar and upright bass in church groups when I was about 19. I switched to the electric bass at about the age of 22. I returned to my ‘roots’ of bluegrass when I was 45. Presently, I enjoy playing the upright bass with The Texas Prairie Band. Our music is traditional bluegrass and bluegrass gospel. We will sing a folk song to diversify the music. I love most music and I do not pattern myself after any musician that I am aware of. Yes I do know and respect many singers and musicians.


Patrick's been pickin' the mandolin since only 2001. Before that he was strumming guitar chords for a praise worship band. So of course his "stage experience" is much less than his "band of brothers". Patrick said "that's why I rely so heavily on these guys, they have the know-how and experience, and I just manage the schedule and logistics. These guys are the real artists". As far as getting started in Bluegrass, Patrick said "I was invited to participate in a live bluegrass jam and simply got hooked right off the bat!" and "The variety of instruments provided a whirlwind of musical sensation on-par with a full symphony. There's a different sound coming from every direction." Patrick has studied greats like Bill Monroe, Jesse McReynolds, Doyle Lawson, Ricky Skaggs and Sam Bush. "Bill and Jesse" represent a very warm and unique, but 'older' style. He actively asks current top-tier mandolin professionals for a private lesson because it's that variety that makes the music so interesting. Patrick has adopted different techniques such as Jesse's famous "cross-picking", Bill Monroe's "double-stop, slide" style and several of Sam's famous licks. Patrick says "there is NO form of bluegrass that is outdated, you use different styles for different songs and it provides tremendous range". Patrick has two sons, Tyler (18) and Drew (17). He said "I'm so proud of those boys, they're smart, have a lot of common sense, love the Lord, family oriented and have developed a good work-ethic" (surely he's not biased?!). Patrick's philosophy in presenting music for public consumption is summed up like this: "...always strive to entertain the audience. Trying to impress peer-musicians is a mistake, the audience doesn't care about any of that!". So, "Put yourself in their shoes, try and figure out what they'll like and chances are you'll have a winning performance!". "Above all, HAVE FUN!".