One of the more talented, though little known, traditional bluegrass bands of the early 1960s, The Bray Brothers, usually accompanied by guitarist Red Cravens, were typical of the many regional artists who began to take up playing bluegrass outside of the South. Hailing from Champaign-Urbana, IL, The Bray Brothers have very little to point to in the way of a recording legacy, as the majority of their performances were at unrecorded festivals and on the Cornbelt Country Style radio show of WHOW in Clinton, IL, from which few tapes have survived. What has survived, however, points to an outstanding traditional bluegrass band, with lead vocalist and mandolinist Nate Bray leading brothers Francis and Harley Bray in a very tight bluegrass ensemble. Early on, under the direction of Red Cravens, being both older and more experienced and knowledgeable in the ways of bluegrass, pointed the young Brays in the direction of the classic sounds of Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs.

One of the more talented, though little known, traditional bluegrass bands of the early 1960s, The Bray Brothers, usually accompanied by guitarist Red Cravens, were typical of the many regional artists who began to take up playing bluegrass outside of the South. Hailing from Champaign-Urbana, IL, The Bray Brothers have very little to point to in the way of a recording legacy, as the majority of their performances were at unrecorded festivals and on the Cornbelt Country Style radio show of WHOW in Clinton, IL, from which few tapes have survived. What has survived, however, points to an outstanding traditional bluegrass band, with lead vocalist and mandolinist Nate Bray leading brothers Francis and Harley Bray in a very tight bluegrass ensemble. Early on, under the direction of Red Cravens, being both older and more experienced and knowledgeable in the ways of bluegrass, pointed the young Brays in the direction of the classic sounds of Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs. The four would eventually combine for tight, though not overpowering harmonies, and increasingly impressive instrumental skills. Soon Nate Bray would become so accomplished on the mandolin that Monroe himself would pay considerable respect to his talents, as the Bray Brothers would serve an apprenticeship by becoming Monroe's house band in his Bean Blossom festivals. It was after those appearances that the Brays landed the aforementioned radio gig, which soon resulted in a Grand Ole Opry appearance and a contract with Liberty Records. When their debut failed to make any considerable noise, the band was forced to go back into the workforce as performances became few and far between. In 1971, Nate Bray would die of Hodgkin's disease and a tribute entitled 419 W. Main was compiled of the Bray Brothers radio performances. Further compiling led to 1976's Prairie Bluegrass, which was re-released by Rounder in the spring of 2000 with long lost bonus tracks. ~ Matt Fink, All Music Guide