Mike was born on Oct. 27 1955 in Shelbina Missouri.

His early years in music were playing fiddle with his dad playing Guitar and Claw hammer banjo with Missouri Fiddlers. Mike played banjo for a short stint but his love for the fiddle was just too strong. 

He was at one of the Vincent family nightly jams

(Rhonda was Maybe 5) When Rhonda’s Dad Johnny

Vincent handed him a fiddle and told him “play that fiddle we have too many banjo players”

Growing up, Mike learned from the traditional Missouri fiddle tunes catalog, but soon realized there were different fiddle Styles. Styles such as Missouri Appalachian, and Texas Style. In Missouri he noticed Ozark style which was prone to more of a shuffle, and the Little Dixie style of Central Missouri, which was more melodic. This perked up his young inspiring ears. He listened closely to older fiddlers like CyrilStinnett, Pete Macmahan, Taylor McBaine, Jake Hockmeyer, Cleo Persinger, and tonight’s inductee Lyman Enloe. His own style was developing and from listening to Kenny Baker, he began to lean towards Bluegrass Music. At the age of 20 he went to the 1975 Grand Masters fiddle contest and learned that the competitive spirit was a good training ground to develop and hone in on his fiddle skills. 

In 1974 Mike moved to Nashville to help a friend that was building houses, never intending to stay. They would jam after work at Randy Woods Ol Time Pickin’ Parlor, The Station Inn and most of the country bars on Broadway. It was in Nashville that he heard the fiddle greats (many which have been inducted into the (NFHOF) heroes as Benny Martin, Vassar Clements, Buddy Spicher, Bobby Hicks,

The Nashville Crowd noticed Mike’s fiddle abilities, especially the gift of playing for the singer. Opportunities  started coming to him and Mike started his professional fiddling career by getting a job playing at George Jones Possum Holler Club on Printers Alley playing for none other than the legendary George Jones himself in 1977. He went on to work for other great artists such as Moe Bandy, Blue Haze, The Bluegrass Cardinals, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. Mike was a founding member of Third Tyme Out with whom he toured and recorded for eleven years.

Russell Moore, Mike Hartgrove and Ray Deaton, took the bold step of leaving Quicksilver and creating their own group in 1991 along with the assistance of mandolinist Alan Bibey, and best friend, banjo legend and 2023 IBMA Distinguished Award recipient Terry Baucom. Naming themselves Illrd Tyme Out, – a reference to the number of professional bands they’d already been in, complete with a memorable twist on spelling- the group hit the ground running, releasing three well-recieved albums on the venerable Rebel Records label in just four years.

In 1994, III Tyme Out earned the first of an unsurpassed seven consecutive IBMA awards for Vocal Group of the year, along with Russell Moore’s first of many Male Vocalist of the year title. For the remainder of the decade and into the new century, Illrd Tyme Out was among the most important acts in the field, earning acclaim for the compelling artistry-especially vocal – they brought both to a string of well-recieved albums and to stages across the United States.

Now Mike Hartgrove or “Grove” as nickamed by his peers  is back for his second stint with Lonesome River Band. He was a member of the band from 2002-2005, and rejoined the band in December 2008, and still tours with them today. Continuing to wow audiences with his smooth tone and tasteful playing. 

Mike Hartgrove is a fiddler’s Fiddler – everyone loves his playing, but the fiddlers and wannabe Fiddlers gush about his range, versatility, technical ability and intense focus. It is worth the price of admission just to watch his bowing. He pulled just about every mood you can imagine trom that fiddle as he moved effortlessly from backup to using his fiddle to “sing” in harmony with the vocalists. 

When not on the road touring with the award winning Lonesome River Band “Grove” has a fiddle repair and set up business in his home in Albemarle, North Carolina and enjoys working on the old instruments

Tonight we will honor Mike Hartgrove by inducting him into the National Fiddlers Hall of fame