Katelyn Ingardia
Guitar & Vocals
Katelyn is the last founding member and now manager of Backline. She has grown up around bluegrass music her entire life. Her dad, David Mabry, sang and played banjo for 19 years with the King James Boys. He wrote a lot of gospel music that they performed through those years.
She began playing guitar at age, 5 but put it down until she was age 10. From 10 years old and on, she began to work hard to grow and get better at the instrument. At age 14 years, she began to try and hone her skills as a song writer. In 2016, she was approached by Travis Tucker, with the idea to start a band based around original music and a female vocalist. She joined the band and they were off to the races.
Since 2016, Katelyn has been with every version of Backline. She took over the business and management of the band in April of 2023.
She released a solo project called "Getaway" in June of 2023. This projected rocketed her writing career, even more, into professional co-writing. She has had the opportunity to write with many great writers of the Bluegrass Industry and looks forward to writing with them again and adding many more sessions in as the doors open and time allows.
Her love, drive and hard work keeps her chasing this dream and working to create a great environment for Backline members, a great sound for fans and a great legacy for Backline.
She resides with her husband of 10 years, Dom and their 3 kids,son Walker and daughters Dakota and Bristol in Easley, SC.
Chris Williamson
Bass & Sound
The world of bluegrass opened up for Chris at the age of 13. His dad, Paul Williamson and his friend, Benny Heart, would get together and pick. Chris’s dad bought him an electric bass, then soon after, an upright. Just after high school, he joined the Shoal Creek Band, and then at the age of 20, he joined Randy Kohrs and the Lites. In 2008, Shane Blackwell asked Chris to help start Volume Five, and he played with them for the next 10 years. In 2018, Chris’s wife Brittany gave birth to their daughter Indy, so Chris gave up V5 to spend more time with his family. About a year later, Chad Simpson invited Chris to play with Mountain Bridge band. In July 2019, after the Anderson festival, Backline invited Chris to join them, taking the place of founding member, Jason Belue. Chris resides in Homer, GA with his wife Brittany, their daughter Indy Jolene and their son, Brooks Dutton.
Alex Hampton
Dobro & Vocals
Alex was adopted into a family with southern gospel roots dating back earlier than 1943. His family group that’s still singing and performing today, named “The Hamptons.” He quickly excelled at music, plinking around with guitar and played percussion, trumpet, and several other winds going through school. He joined the esteemed “Easter Brothers”, playing mandolin and singing bass for them for a short stint until they came off the road. He picked up a dobro in 2019 and found a permanent position in the bluegrass gospel band, “The Golden Valley Crusaders.” Taking resophonic inspiration from Randy Kohrs, Jerry Douglas and Josh Swift. Alex is an accomplished singer/songwriter, He’s also heavily influenced from a number of different genres and artists. Alex is truly a wild card for where his imagination will take the music he makes. Along with writing, he plays multiple instruments and sings any part you throw at him. This is another young man that has great things ahead of him. We’re blessed to have him be a part of the “Backline Family.” Alex works for multiple groups a few states around and currently makes his home in Blacksburg, South Carolina.
David Heavner
Mandolin & Vocals
David was born and raised in the Golden Valley North Carolina area. He is a very talented multi instrumentalist and vocalist. At the age of 14 he began touring with the “Golden Valley Crusaders,” He toured with that band until their retirement. While touring and traveling in South Georgia with the Crusaders, David met his Wife of over 12 years. David and his Wife have 3 beautiful children. Emerson, Oliver and Addilyn, with a Son on the way. After the Crusaders retirement, David had the opportunity to play bass with Little Roy Lewis & Lizzy Long. David toured with that configuration of Little Roy & Lizzy for 3 years. He decided to leave the road and touring whenever him and his Wife found out they were expecting their first child. Besides his love for his family and music, David is also an avid outdoorsman. He enjoys Hunting and Fishing along with other outdoor activities. David has been a great asset to Backline. Along with the versatility of his great mandolin playing and vocals, He’s also just a great person. We know that y’all will enjoy hearing him and seeing him, just as much as we enjoy being on stage and traveling with him
Jacob Carroll
Banjo & Vocals
Jacob currently resides in Spruce Pine North Carolina. From a young age he has been interested in bluegrass music. His love for the banjo started when he was around 2 years old while watching Earl Scruggs and friends play Foggy Mountain Breakdown. He started taking banjo lessons from Christy Rash when he was 11 years old. When he was 14 he started playing with his great great uncle Terry McKinney at several local venues. At the age of 16 Jacob joined his first Band, a local bluegrass gospel band called Stings of Faith. This led to him playing in several other local bands including Carolina Crossroads, Toe River Drifters, and Rock Creek Ramblers. In 2017 he was chosen to participate in the IBMA Kids on Bluegrass program. In 2017 he joined Truegrass and traveled with them for several years. We’re so excited to have him as the full time banjo player for Backline. Great things are in store for this young man, We couldn’t be more excited and thrilled for him to be part of our story, and our story to be part of his.