IIIrd Tyme Out has just announced that Edgar Loudermilk will be joining them on bass, starting July 28. We had reported in February that founding member Ray Deaton would be leaving the band at the end of 2007, but he recently announced that he would depart this month, doing his last show with 3TO on July 26 at the Musicians Against Childhood Cancer festival in Ohio.

Edgar had been performing with Marty Raybon and Full Circle, and had worked before that as a member of Rhonda Vincent & The Rage.

That makes the new lineup of 3TO Russell Moore on guitar, Steve Dilling on banjo, Wayne Benson on mandolin, Justen Haynes on fiddle, and Edgar on bass.

Ray Deaton sang and played bass with IIIrd Tyme Out since the band broke away from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver in 1991. He also was the band’s booking agent, chores that will now be assumed by both Russell Moore and Steve Dilling.