Jim Gabehart | Valerie Gabehart | Brandon Shuping | Corey Hensley | Amy Gabehart
JIM GABEHARTwas born on August 31, 1961, and was raised in South Charleston, West Virginia. Jim graduated from South Charleston High School, Marshall University, and West Virginia University College of Law. Jim and wife Valerie have two children: Jimmy, Jr. age 22, and Amy, age 19. 
Jim grew up in a musical family. Jim’s father played harmonica and guitar, and his father played many instruments, including the banjo. At the age of 13, Jim received his first banjo for Christmas and at 15 joined his first group and began performing in public.
Jim developed a reputation for his banjo playing by competing in contests throughout West Virginia and surrounding states, winning or placing at the top in over thirty contests, including consecutive wins at the West Virginia State Open Banjo Championship in Elkins, West Virginia (the official State Championship) and winning first or second place twelve times at contests sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Culture & History (in Charleston and Clifftop, West Virginia). Jim also began teaching at the age of 16, ultimately teaching hundreds of students at Gorby’s Music, Herbert Music, Fret ‘n Fiddle, and the University of Charleston. Jim performed as a member of Bluegrass Heritage, Free Spirit, the Russell Brothers Boogie Grass Band, and Robin Tackett & Taste of Grass. Jim performed as a Lonesome Rambler with Larry Sparks on a two-week stint through Virginia, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, and was offered a permanent job, but at that time (1981) Jim had recently committed his life to Christ, had become engaged, and was still in college. In addition to the groups listed above, Jim has performed on stage with Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, the Whites, Jimmy Martin, Mac Wiseman, the Bluegrass Cardinals, the Lost & Found, John Hartford, Josh Graves and Kenny Baker, and the Charleston Symphony.
Jim has recently recorded his first all-instrumental project, but has been in demand as a studio musician, appearing on a number of recordings, including projects by fiddler James Price, and Ernie Thacker. Jim is the Assistant Prosecutor in Lincoln County, West Virginia, but he has a flexible schedule and finds time not only for his music, but is active in his church and community.
VALERIE GABEHART was born on February 22, 1961, and was raised in Hurricane, West Virginia. She graduated from Hurricane High School and Marshall University with a degree in education. She is married to Jim Gabehart and they have two children: Jimmy, Jr. age 22, and Amy, age 19. 
They live in Hamlin, West Virginia, where Valerie works for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources as a Family Support Specialist. Valerie has coached T-ball, buddy basketball, and assisted with the high school basketball, volleyball, softball and track teams.
Valerie grew up watching local bluegrass musicians perform at a restaurant owned by Valerie’s parents. At the age of eight, Valerie learned to play the guitar and made her debut at the Mountaineer Opry House in Milton, West Virginia, singing the Osborne Brothers’ hit “Ruby”. Although she enjoyed playing the guitar and singing, after her parents sold the restaurant she spent most of her teenage years performing with her high school marching band, playing drums and leading the band as drum majorette. Valerie was also quite an athlete, competing in girls basketball and track, winning several track meets throwing the discus.
When Jim and Valerie met and discovered their mutual interest in bluegrass music, a lifetime partnership was formed. Jim and Valerie married in 1981, while both were sophomores at Marshall University, and they formed STEADFAST in 1982. Being relatively inexperienced at the time, Valerie began in a supportive role and was not the group’s primary lead vocalist. However, it quickly became apparent that the quality of her voice and the unusual (at that time) circumstance of a female vocalist in bluegrass made the group stand out from other groups in the area. Together with her solid rhythm guitar playing, Valerie’s voice quickly became the most recognizable part of STEADFAST’s sound. During the recording of the group’s first album in Nashville, a professional musician who was observing the recording referred to Valerie as “one-take Valerie”, a compliment to her flawless delivery. In its review of the album, Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine called Valerie a “gutty, dynamic singer” with “major-league talent”. In addition to her own projects, Valerie has been invited to contribute harmony vocals to enhance other recordings. While she could have gained fame and fortune through her voice, Valerie’s values and priorities have earned her greater rewards as a wife, mother, and servant to all.
BRANDON SHUPING was born on April 30, 1979, in Melbourne, Florida. He lived most of his childhood in his father’s home state of North Carolina, before moving to Charleston, West Virginia, his mother’s home state. Brandon graduated from Capital High School in Charleston, and is poised to graduate this year from West Virginia State University with a degree in education. 
Brandon grew up in a musical family and began playing music at a young age. Brandon’s father, Garland Shuping, played professionally for many years, including a five-year stint as banjo player for Grand Old Opry members Jim & Jesse McReynolds, before starting his own group, Wild Country. Brandon’s mother, Elaine, was a featured vocalist with Wild Country. Before moving to West Virginia, Brandon performed in his early teenage years as a bass player for Wild Country with his parents. However, Brandon didn’t limit himself to the bass, learning to play mandolin, guitar, and banjo, as well.
After moving to West Virginia, Brandon spent most of his later teenage years playing music other than bluegrass, and was a member of a couple of rock & roll groups, Blackwater Hollow, and Cain. In a chance meeting, Jim happened to be picking up some strings at a local music store when he overheard Brandon trying out one of the store’s mandolins. It just so happened STEADFAST was looking for a mandolin player and Brandon joined the group in 1998. However, at that time STEADFAST was slowing down, due to Jim & Valerie’s parental responsibilities and increasing focus on gospel music, and after building his bluegrass muscles over the next couple years, Brandon departed for a job as bass player with James King. Brandon returned to the mandolin for jobs with Ernie Thacker & Route 23, the Bluegrass Strangers, and occasional gigs with numerous other groups (a musician has to eat, doesn’t he?). Brandon is well known to the bluegrass community as a top-notch mandolin player and Jim & Valerie Gabehart are tickled to have him back.
COREY HENSLEY was born on January 2, 1981, in Alum Creek, West Virginia, and he graduated from Duval High School. Corey is married to Mandie Hensley and they have two children, Trenton, age 5, and Alyson, age 2. When not playing music, Corey works as an Insurance Sales Agent.
Corey grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at the tender age of seven. Corey began playing in his first group with his father at eleven years old. A multi-instrumentalist, Corey is an accomplished banjo and guitar player, and spent a five-year stint playing bass with a Southern Gospel group, Change of Heart, touring throughout the Southeastern United States.
Although Corey is a versatile musician, it is his vocal ability which immediately grabs the listener’s attention. Corey has the classic bluegrass voice in its range ---a soaring high lead and tenor, which gives him limitless choices in his own lead material and the ability to reach any point in harmonizing with the highest female voice. However, Corey’s high range is not harsh, strained, or thin, but is full, smooth, and pleasing to the ear. Because of his values and priorities, his family comes first and he has declined opportunities to travel with some of the biggest names in bluegrass. Although it may come a little slower than it would by touring with one of bluegrass music’s full-time touring groups, Corey’s reputation will no doubt grow with release of Jim & Valerie Gabehart’s next recording and word of mouth among the bluegrass community (fueled by internet communications). Corey and Valerie form one of the best male-female 1-2 punches in bluegrass and Jim & Valerie feel fortunate to have Corey as part of the group.
AMY GABEHART is the daughter of Jim & Valerie Gabehart. Born on July 16, 1989, Amy came out of the womb singing her heart out. She made her debut at the age of six at the Vandalia Gathering sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Culture and History in front of a crowd of several hundred people. 
She was invited to sing a solo (The Rose) with dulcimer accompaniment after her vocal ability was recognized by an artist-in-residence (Bob Webb) who was teaching dulcimer to elementary teachers and students in Lincoln County, West Virginia.
Over the years since, Amy has been a whirlwind of artistic and athletic endeavors. She earned a black belt in Tae Kwan Do at the age of ten, and competed in softball, basketball, and volleyball, and was a member of three state tournament basketball and softball for Hamlin High School. She graduated with high honors with the first graduating class of the consolidated Lincoln County High School. Amy loves the theatre, and has acted in numerous high school productions as well as productions of the Charleston Stage Company and West Virginia State University at its summer arts camps. Amy is also a pageant competitor, and earned the title of Miss Lincoln County in 2006. However, through all her many varied activities, she has maintained her love for music. Over the past dozen years, Amy has consistently taken advantage of opportunities to develop her voice and stage presence, singing with parents Jim & Valerie before audiences of thousands at the Summersville Bluegrass Festival, and other events throughout West Virginia.
Amy is currently a student at West Virginia University, but as often as her schedule permits (which should include most of the summer) she is a featured guest on Jim & Valerie Gabehart’s performances. She is working on her first CD release, which will showcase her blend of bluegrass, gospel, and country material.