Biographies

 
 
 
 
 
 

Jeff Back

Jeff was raised on a farm near Williamsburg, Ohio but spent many summers with his grandparents in eastern Kentucky.  This was where he was first introduced to bluegrass music.  He credits his grandfather who played numerous instruments and his uncle for motivating him to play the guitar,  banjo and mandolin.  Jeff’s family moved to Denver, Colorado in the early 70’s when it was still possible to go camping and not see another human being.  His father continued his bluegrass training with records of Bill Monroe and broadcasts of  bluegrass radio shows on KCFR and KLZ.  Jeff plays mandolin and sings a powerful tenor as well as singing most of the lead vocals.  Jeff is also a talented songwriter, having penned numerous songs performed by Lost Creek.  He is also doing his part to make sure bluegrass music continues to grow – he has six children.

Tom Mnich

Tom is originally from Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and started playing banjo while he was a student in college.  Some people will do anything to keep from studying . Tom attended lots of bluegrass festivals in OK, KS and MO in the early 70s, including some of the very early Winfield festivals.  He, along with Jeff, is one of the founding members of Lost Creek. In addition to playing the banjo Tom sings most of the baritone harmonies as well as bass vocals.  Tom moved to Colorado from the high lonesome bluegrass deserts of New Mexico in 1984.  Tom serves as resident "Atilla the Bookmeister", booking acoustic acts for the Mountain Acoustic Music Association in Woodland Park, Colorado.

Mickey Stinnett

Mickey is the youngest band member and hails from Lynchburg, Virginia. He is the groups guitarist and sings a few leads and trades off lead and harmony vocals with Jeff.  Mickey's also an excellent dobro player and has won the dobro contest at the Deer Creek Fiddler's Convention in Pennsylvania. Interestingly, Mickey was briefly a free-agent placekicker with the New England Patriots in 1986. He and his wife, Jill moved to Colorado right in the middle of a blizzard in October, 1997.

Rob Taylor

Rob Taylor lays down the bass line for the group and also sings harmonies.  Known fondly as Lost Creek's "chicken man", Rob owns a couple of restaurants in Colorado Springs and keeps the band well fed.  Though originally from Amarillo, Rob has lived in Colorado longer than any other band member.  Rob has the formal music credentials in the group having majored in music in college.  He plays the hottest bluegrass french horn around!  Rob and his family also perform music  in the Colorado Springs area.  They have great vocal harmonies.