Maray Brothers

You can expect acoustic southern style roots music ranging from Brother Duets and original songs played on mandolin and guitar with vocals inspired by 100 years of tradition.

The Maray Brothers began over a decade ago when a chance meeting at a local jam in East Tennessee. Finding they’re similar taste in southern acoustic and traditional music, Ray Dearstone and John Malayter have written and performed in the heart of Bluegrass Country ever since.

With an elegant and complex weave of handmade stringed acoustic instruments and honest, open-hearted voices, John and Ray’s unique musical chemistry has provided its own kind of answer for many music fans seeking timeless integrity in an increasingly, accelerated world.

Together and in collaboration with others, they’ve forged a sound unlike anything else in bluegrass or old-time music – an elegant and complex weave of stringed instruments and honest, open-hearted voices.

Ray Dearstone is a renowned Luthier and had been making mandolins and guitars in Blountville Tennessee for over 30 years. He and his instruments have been written about in Bluegrass Unlimited Magazines and have been played by some of the finest musicians in acoustic music throughout the world. Both John and Ray play Dearstone guitars and mandolins. Ray also can be seen playing a number of vintage arch top guitars that he has refinished through this tenure adding to the unique sound of East Tennessee.

John Malayter is also a highly regarded acoustic musician that was transplanted from New Jersey to East Tennessee over 2 decades ago. He has been playing the guitar and mandolin for over 40 years, has won several bluegrass band contests as well as songwriting contests most Notably he has won the 2020 Truckers Talent Search, a national talent contest for people in the trucking industry. John also is one of the leading Bill Monroe mandolin stylists in the region and this dovetails into the Old Time Brother duet style that he and Ray have grown up on.

Together, John and Ray are carrying the music back home to the porch and the living room, where, symbolically and literally, it was born.

We can, at request and additional fee supply a small (or large) PA depending on venue.

If we supply the PA, an electrical outlet within reasonable distance is required.

As well we prefer to sit while performing and we can bring our own chairs however sometimes we forget. LOL. It’s best to have them on hand.