Gracie Kristine Benham

Gracie Benham is a violinist and fiddler in Redding, California. She started playing violin

in the 4th grade at Bonnyview Elementary School. She then moved on to play at Sequoia

Middle School and dedicated a year and a half to the music program at Shasta High School.

She is currently the concertmaster for the Shasta College Concert Orchestra and Chamber

Strings, and she is also a member of the Shasta Symphony Orchestra. She has performed in

the North State Symphony Side by Side concert for 4 years and has competed in the Shasta

Symphony, Paradise Symphony, and the North State Symphony competitions.

She has also competed in various fiddle competitions, including the Western Open Fiddle

Competition, the Nevada State Fiddle Competition, and the Weiser Idaho National Fiddle

Competition. Gracie is a board member for the District 6 California State Old Time State Fiddle

Association and is the fiddler and singer for the Mountain Messengers Bluegrass Band.

She is one of nine kids in her family, five of which belong to a band called the B-Strings. They

play gigs locally and also travel around to different competitions and bluegrass festivals. Gracie

is a private lesson teacher at The Brass Reed music store and she is also a teacher’s aide at

Sequoia Middle School. She has taught multiple orchestra and strings classes and busks locally

around her area.