ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 23, 1997 TAG: 9704230017
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MADELYN ROSENBERG THE ROANOKE TIMES
Dan Tyminski calls Ferrum home, describes singing harmony with Alison Krauss `heaven,' but says there's no way he's letting her drive his golf cart.
Of the five members of Alison Krauss and Union Station, guitarist Dan Tyminski has the longest commute.
It's eight hours from Ferrum to Nashville.
So far, he has put more than 40,000 miles on his 1996 Ford Explorer, going up and down the highways. He meets the band in Tennessee, he said, "and then we start driving."
"I love doing shows at Salem," said Tyminski, who will play there Thursday. "I want to play 100 days a year at Salem. Talk about my dream, I don't think that'll happen."
Certainly not while the band, already loaded down with Grammy Awards, continues to gain popularity. Europe is on the agenda this spring, along with a festivals and large arenas across the United States.
Tyminski moved from Vermont to Virginia nearly nine years ago to join The Lonesome River Band.
"When I took that job, I moved to Ferrum and grew roots," he said. He and his wife, Elise, have two children, Kathryn, 3, and Christopher, 2. A third is due in November. "I just heard the heartbeat today for the first time," he said last week.
Tyminski joined Union Station five years ago, then returned to Lonesome River to finish some projects left undone. Three years ago, he redocked at Union Station.
He still recalls the first time his voice joined Krauss' in harmony. "For me, it was - boy, it was like heaven," he said. "She sings extremely true pitch. I'm lucky to have someone who makes singing so easy."
While many fans are devoted to Krauss' voice - and fiddle - the band members take turns at center stage. On the new CD, "So Long, So Wrong," Tyminski sings lead on three songs: "The Road is a Lover," "I'll Remember You, Love, In My Prayers" and "Blue Trail of Sorrow."
"It wouldn't be the same music with any other combination of people," Tyminski said. "We all have a certain closeness working together. Hopefully, it'll last a very long time."
The band members are close in age - Tyminski's 29, Krauss is 25. They're like-minded when it comes to the music they play, which keeps its heart in bluegrass but strays into other genres.
"When people ask us, I tell them we're a bluegrass-oriented acoustic band. We've stayed in a position where we try to make music that we like ourselves. We've been really fortunate and blessed that other people like it enough to let us do it full time. We're all huge music fans. We'd be playing whether we were making money or not."
Along with bringing his capable, sometimes intricate guitar playing and baritone voice to the group, Tyminski is responsible for bringing ... golf.
He's a 10 handicapper who started playing a few years ago. Other band members are getting into it, and they often stop at courses when they have free time on the road.
Acoustic bass man Barry Bales plays, as does the road manager. Mandolin player Adam Steffey just bought a set of clubs.
"Alison keeps threatening to drive the cart, but none of us will let her," Tyminski said. "We've seen her drive a real car. There's no way that's ever going to happen."
LENGTH: Medium: 69 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: The members of Union Station surround leader Alisonby CNBKrauss: (Fromn left) Adam Steffey, Barry Bales, Dan Tyminski and Ron
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