Artist Information
Carson has also had the honor of playing on national TV as a guest on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Little Big Shots with Steve Harvey, as well as play with Jimmy Fortune on the floor of the Tennessee State Senate. On March 28, 2014, Carson’s dream of playing on the Grand Ole Opry stage was realized when he was invited by Ricky Skaggs to come perform with him and his band, Kentucky Thunder. In May of the same year, Carson was asked to make a reappearance at the Opry, but this time with his own band. On July 31, 2014, Carson made his Ryman Auditorium debut playing again with Ricky Skaggs during the 2014 Bluegrass Nights series. Since these appearances, Carson and his band have performed numerous occasions on the Opry Show.
Carson says that winning trophies and getting your name in the paper is “really cool” but that is not the main reason he works so hard at his music. “It’s all about using the talent God gave me to make people smile!” Carson truly loves entertaining people!
He lives in Piney Flats, Tennessee with his parents, Jamie and Robin. When he is not “fiddlin’ around,” he is just an ordinary country boy who enjoys baseball, basketball, golf, hunting, riding his four wheeler and going to church.
Carson has been blessed to have a great band, IRON MOUNTAIN to help him entertain audiences performing old-time, bluegrass, and gospel music. The band consists of Carson’s father, Jamie Peters, Eric Marshall and Ben Marshall of Mount Airy, North Carolina and Austin Tate of Marion, Virginia. Carson is truly blessed to have these fine Christian musicians in his band.
Eric Marshall, who plays banjo, was born and raised in Mount Airy, North Carolina, and has loved to sing from his earliest memories. Raised in a region known for its traditional music, it was natural for him to be drawn to bluegrass. In his early 20’s, Eric started playing banjo with his brother in The Marshall Brothers and Highroad Band. Over the past 20 years, Eric has worn almost every hat possible in a bluegrass band; from band leader to side musician, but he is best known as a traditional style banjo player, vocalist and songwriter. In 2010, Eric’s son, Ben, joined him on stage for the first time and started a new path for Eric’s musical journey as a father/son duet where his new name was simply “Ben’s Daddy!” These days, Eric continues to share his talent and style of bluegrass music as he performs with Iron Mountain.
Going to his first bluegrass festival at 18 months old, Ben Marshall truly grew up surrounded by music! Stories of Ben being held by his father on stage as the elder would play and sing, show how the seed was planted. Ben first started playing at 8 years old. He told his dad he wanted to play, so Eric sat Ben on a picnic table at Galax Fiddler’s Convention, stood a bass fiddle up in front of him and there’s been no looking back! With his God-given talent, Ben quickly became known for flawless timing and taste as an anchor for the music he played. Once comfortable with playing, Ben started singing lead and harmony; adding to his abilities as a performer. Soon, Ben started playing with the youth group, Oldgrass, which has received numerous awards and realized vast exposure. Now 15 years old, Ben continues to share a love for bluegrass and gospel music as he currently plays bass and sings as a member of Iron Mountain.
Austin Tate, from Marion, Virginia, is 17 years old and plays the mandolin and sings for the band. He began playing music at 8 years old. His taste in music ranges from classic rock and old country to bluegrass and gospel. He has played for many local churches, nursing homes and restaurants. He has had some great opportunities to play music with some amazing bluegrass artists, including the Queen of Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent. Off the bluegrass scene, Austin enjoys watching dirt track racing. Austin says that the most important thing to him is his relationship with God and thanks Him for his ability to play music and blessing him with a wonderful, supportive family.
Jamie Peters plays the rhythm guitar in the band and has loved bluegrass music since starting to play guitar at age 8. After a long break from playing the guitar, his love for pickin’ was reignited when Carson began playing. In any spare time, Jamie also loves restoring and driving old muscle cars.
