Jake McCandles Bluegrass Guitarist, Vocalist and Multi Instrumentalist

Jake McCandles is a Maryland born bluegrass guitarist, singer and multi instrumentalist whose entire life has been shaped by the sound of acoustic music. From a young age, he was surrounded by the voices and instruments that built this music: Bill Monroe, The Country Gentlemen, Reno and Smiley, Jimmy Martin, and so many others. Those early years planted something deep, and over time bluegrass became more than just a genre for Jake; it became a home.

Curiosity and passion pushed him to pick up every instrument he could find: guitar, banjo, mandolin, dobro, and upright bass. Each one captured him in its own way: the punch and drive of guitar rhythms, the bounce of Scruggs style banjo, the clarity of an F style mandolin, the haunting cry of the dobro, and the heartbeat steady thump of the bass. Jake learned to understand bluegrass not through one voice, but through the entire band.

He fronts his primary group, Old Line Ramblers, a band rooted in tradition but unafraid to bring a modern edge. Jake also performs with the Hard Times Bluegrass Band, and from time to time he fills in with Blue Spruce, the band featuring Tom Gray and Barb Diederich. He is not a member of the band, but is honored whenever they call.

Jake has stood on stage with some of the most respected figures in the acoustic world. He has played alongside Ralph Stanley II and The Clinch Mountain Boys, Tom Gray, one of the most influential bassists in the history of bluegrass and a member of both the classic Country Gentlemen and the original Seldom Scene, and Russ Hooper, whose resume includes working with legends like Jimmy Martin, Flatt and Scruggs, Mac Wiseman, and many others.

Musically, Jake draws inspiration from some of the brightest and most defining minds to ever call bluegrass their own: Tony Rice, Charlie Waller, Norman Blake, Larry Sparks, Doc and Merle Watson, George Shuffler, Tom Gray, Billy Strings, and the list continues to grow with every passing year. Their tone, timing, approach, and philosophies form the backbone of the sound Jake strives for today.

His journey has taken him to meaningful stages such as Hills of Home and Lucketts, the Grand Ole Opry of Bluegrass Music. Each one left its mark. Through every gig, jam, performance, and late night picking session, Jake continues to celebrate the traditions he grew up with while forging his own path forward.

Jake considers it a true honor to be part of this thing called bluegrass music. Each day, he keeps building, learning, and creating, putting one more brick into the musical story he is writing for himself, and hopefully inspiring others along the way.