Rick and Shayne Bartley have been playing bluegrass in their native Kentucky since they were boys.

Older brother Rick stayed at home, working in the mines, all the while continuing to pick, sing and write songs. Shayne took to the road, performing with Dave Evans, Charlie Sizemore, Southern Blend, Unlimited Tradition, Rarely Herd, David Peterson and 1946, and Karl Shiflett, to name a few.

Now the brothers are fulfilling a lifelong goal of recording and touring together, and have announced the debut of The Bartley Brothers. Rick is on guitar and lead vocals and Shayne on banjo and vocals, with Taylor Baker on mandolin and Jayd Raines on bass and tenor vocals.

Their style is hard-driving and traditional, owing much to the sound of fellow Kentuckians JD Crowe and Don Rigsby, who the brothers have known and with whom they have worked and collaborated for years. Crowe has one of Rick’s songs, I’m a Hobo, on his latest CD, and Rick also has the title track on the current Junior Sisk album, Blue Side of the Blueridge.

You can hear three tracks from The Bartley Brothers on their MySpace page.

They are accepting bookings now for 2010 and beyond, with Shayne handling the band’s management. He can be reached by email or phone (859-321-9874).