Nixon,  Blevins & Gage continue to entertain audiences with their presentation of the emerging genre of the acoustic trio. Loosely based in bluegrass, they bring to the audience the thumb-picking, early country music popularized by Doc Watson and Merle Travis.   A recent review from the Raleigh N&O noted  "the juxtaposition of Nixon's finger-style playing with guitarist David Blevins'  flat-picking results in an acoustic ambiance reminiscent of Doc Watson, ..John Hurt and Etta Baker.

    Each year they enjoy presenting Christmas shows featuring songs from their popular "Picking On Christmas" .  To date they have recorded six CD's and received popular acclaim from Bluegrass Unlmited,  Bluegrass Today,  N&O and County Records. Venues played include Merlefest, NC Museum of History,  Raleigh City Plaza,  IBMA World of Bluegrass, Home Town Opry, Pullen Park, Cary Fred Bond Park,  Holly Springs Cultural Center,  Durham Centerfest  and regular appearances at local venues.   They have perfomed in shows with Mike Cross, Del McCoury, Grasscats, Bill Leslie,  Joe Newberry,  Clyde Edgerton,  The Grascals,  Larry Stephenson Band,  Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road.

  Larry Nixon, on vocals,   is from Elkin, NC in the heart of bluegrass and mountain music.   Larry has played all types of music but has returned to his first love of continuing the tradition of acoustic and thumb-picking styles of guitar.  Larry has presented thumb-picking seminars at workshops with Wayne Henderson, Josh Goforth and Happy Traum and the NC Thumb and Finger Style Picking Association.   

    Steven Gage on bass and harmony vocals,  is from Columbus,  Ohio and comes to the music from an interest in music in high school and college.   Steven was a DJ while a student at Duke and enjoys and plays  all types of music.  

    David Blevins will be taking a medical leave from the group and Rex Williams will be sitting in for him for awhile. Rex is s super flatppicker and  adds and supports our tributes to Doc Watson and all the traditional  pickers we admire. Rex has recorded with his group, Untraveled Road.