Larry Keel Timeline History
1968	born in Manassas, VA
1975	begins to seriously play guitar (taught by older brother, Gary, and father James)
1976-1985	played in numerous semi-professional situations including bluegrass and fiddlers conventions, barbeques, community events, social organizations, etc..
1986	was hired as a contracted musician for Disney Corporation, Tokyo Disneyland for 1 year
1989	meets bluegrass musicians John Flower and Mark Vann in Fauquier County, VA and begins to explore progressive string music in their band, “Farmer’s Trust”
1990	Mark Vann moves to Telluride, CO to join ultra progressive electric Bluegrass band, Leftover Salmon
1990	Larry and long-time musical friend Will Lee (son of guitar legend Ricky Lee from Ralph Stanley’s band in the 1970’s) start progressive string band “Magraw Gap”
1990-1993	Magraw Gap travels throughout the Shenandoah Valley competing in Bluegrass Band competitions and wins first place at several festivals
1993	Larry travels to Telluride Bluegrass Festival and enters in and wins first place in the guitar competition
1994	Magraw Gap begins to tour regularly and plans first studio CD recording
1995	Magraw Gap wins band competition at Telluride Bluegrass Festival- Larry also enters guitar competition and wins first place again
1996	Keller Williams records CD “Buzz” with Magraw Gap as supporting musicians
1996	Magraw Gap releases their self-produced, self-titled CD
1996 (Sept.)	Larry splits from Magraw Gap and starts “The Larry Keel Experience”
1997	L.K.E. releases “Miles & Miles” CD with some 20 special guests
1998	L.K.E. releases “The Sound”- all original material composed by Larry Keel
1998	Larry meets Curtis Burch, recent Grammy Award-winner for “The Great Dobro Sessions” produced by Jerry Douglas and Tut Taylor
2000	L.K.E. releases “The Larry Keel Experience” with Will Lee and Jason Krekel
2001	Flatpicking Guitar Magazine releases their “Best of 2001” CD including Larry Keel’s original instrumental, “Jerry’s Farewell”
2002	L.K.E. releases “Larry Keel, Curtis Burch & the Experience” with Billy Constable
2002	L.K.E. plays numerous shows with legends Vassar Clements and Tony Rice, in particular at Suwannee Spring Fest and Merle Fest- to standing ovations every show
2002 (April)	Flatpicking Guitar Magazine releases their “Doc Fest” CD, a tribute to guitar legend Doc Watson- Larry records “Matty Groves” in a duet with cellist Rashad Egleston
2002 (July)	Release of the Big Daddy Bluegrass Band’s self-titled, studio-recorded CD (the band/project led by Acoustic Syndicate’s Steve McMurry and including Curtis Burch, Billy Constable, Larry Keel and Jenny Keel)
2003 (Jan-March)	Keel hones his skills as a solo performer and featured guest guitar player, sharing bills in major venues to sold-out crowds with bands Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon and Acoustic Syndicate
2003 (spring-fall)	Played major Bluegrass and Americana festivals coast-to-coast, involving 2 separate month-long tours to the central and Pacific Northwest regions
2003 (fall)	Flatpicking Guitar Magazine releases “Hot and Spicy” CD, a guitar compilation project including a duet performance by Wyatt Rice and Larry Keel
2004 (January)	Keel releases “Journey” CD, recorded at his home in Natural Bridge, VA… includes 8 original compositions and 6 tracks reflecting his connection to Southern Roots Music. Guest artists include David VanDeventer, Danny Knicely, Will Lee, Gary Ruley, John Flower, Robert Mabe, Slinky Cobblestone, Morgan Morrison
2004 (spring)	Keel appears on the cover of “Flatpicking Guitar Magazine” for their May/June issue, with a 5-page feature article and included therein.
2004 (spring)	History is made at that year’s Merle Watson Memorial Festival when Film Director Ryan Gielan is invited to show his full-length film “Larry Keel: Beautiful Thing” as a featured performance at the festival; until that showing, Merle Fest had never before used film as a performance medium at the event.
2004 (spring)	The “BlueBrass” CD project is released, featuring Larry and Jenny Keel and members of The Rebirth Brass Band, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, members of Acoustic Syndicate, Wild Magnolia’s Big Chief Boudreaux, Jason Krekel, Woody Woods and others.
2004 (summer)	Keel realizes a life-long dream with the release of the “Keel Brothers” CD project, featuring the duet guitar team of Larry and his older brother Gary (who taught his 7-year old sibling to play guitar, and who bought him his first guitar).
2005 (January)	Keel embarks on his new journey and new band, “Larry Keel and Natural Bridge”.
2005 (Early Spring)	Keel launches red-hot Bluegrass band "Natural Bridge" and releases their ultra energized traditional CD recording.
2005 (Late Spring)	Keel and brother Gary release the 2nd volume of their "Keel Brothers" guitar album series in late Spring.
2005 (Fall)	Keel’s hit single Mountain Song is featured on Del McCoury Band’s album, “The Company We Keep.”
2006 (Jan)	Keller and The Keels release “Grass” featuring Keller Williams, Larry Keel, and Jenny Keel.
2006 (Feb)	Del McCoury Band wins a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album of 2005 for “The Company We Keep” which features Keel’s Mountain Song.