The Steep Canyon Rangers have been on a journey that is their own. The band started in college at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, then dove headfirst into bluegrass in its most traditional form. Over the years they have risen to the top of the bluegrass genre headlining top festivals such as Merlefest and Grey Fox Bluegrass only to then be discovered by Steve Martin, famous actor and banjo player.

Martin has taken the Rangers on an over-a-decade-long tour introducing them to hundreds of thousands of new fans and giving them prime-time TV exposure. This has helped The Rangers become the most recognizable modern name in bluegrass music.

The band has continued to tour on their own, and has expanded their genre into country, jam and Americana. The Rangers are big players in the bluegrass/country and Americana scene today. They are often compared to predecessors The Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and the modern Zac Brown Band.

Steep Canyon Rangers is one of six compelling shows that make up the 2023/2024 Performance Series sponsored by First Farmers Bank. Learn more: ColumbiaState.edu/PerformanceSeries.