It turns out that the info we got from Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver last week about Alan Johnson returning to the band was only half right.

Big Al is indeed taking over the fiddle spot from Brandon Godman, but only on an interim basis until a new full-time fiddler is hired. He is still working for the US Postal Service and is unable to handle Doyle’s heavy touring schedule.

Doyle is auditioning fiddlers now, and we’ll report back when a new one is announced.

Just six months after announcing his retirement from the band this past spring, fiddler Alan Johnson is back with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

I guess you can take the picker off the road, but you can’t take the road out of the picker?

Alan’s summer replacement, Brandon Godman, tells us that he left the group in order to finish his college education.

“Everyone says it’s harder to go back as you get older, so I thought now would be a good time to do so. I enjoyed working with DLQ and learned a whole lot, and I look forward to hearing Big Al with them again. He’s one of my favorite fiddlers!”

Brandon will continue to perform as his schedule allows, and will do some shows with Dale Ann Bradley in 2009.

Young fiddler Brandon Godman has been announced as the newest member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, replacing veteran sideman Alan Johnson who is taking work outside of music.

Brandon has been busy this past few years working with Karl Shiflett, Wildfire and until now, with NewFound Road. His first show with Doyle will be this weekend (6/6) in Cullman, AL.

On his MySpace blog, Brandon shared his reaction upon learning that he had the job.

“Words cannot describe how excited I am about taking this gig.  It is truly the type of gig that every musician strives to get at some point in their career.  I’ve been blessed.”

Fiddler Brandon Godman has come onboard with New Found Road, effective this past weekend. He did his first shows with the band at the SPBGMA convention in Nashville – where they picked up an award for Gospel Group of the Year (Contemporary).

Brandon is originally from Kentucky, but now lives in Nashville. He had previously worked with Wildfire and Karl Shiflett.

New Found Road’s Tim Shelton told us that he is very pleased to have Brandon with the band, and to expand the lineup to five pieces.