When Deanie Richardson was nine years old, Santa Claus brought her a fiddle for Christmas. That one gift would chart the course of her life forever.

Deanie was born on December 18, 1971 into a musical family. At a young age Deanie began showing interest in the music of her grandfathers, father and the local musicians in her hometown of Kingston Springs, TN. Around the same time her brother, Clyde "Bubba" Richardson, began clogging. As they grew up dancing and fiddling, they competed all over the eastern USA. Deanie played for Bubba to dance. They both did very well. Deanie won the Tennessee State Fiddle Championship, Kentucky State Fiddle Championship, and National Beginners Championship- which earned her her first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. Deanie also finished 4th in the pretigious Grand Masters Fiddling Championship. The list goes on and on!

At the age of 16, Deanie began playing with an all girl bluegrass band called "The New Coon Creek Girls". In 1991, after traveling the bluegrass festival circuit for several years, Deanie went to work playing fiddle with Country Singer Holly Dunn. She spent four years touring with Holly, as well as playing on some recordings with her.

In 1995, Deanie recieved a call to audition for Award Winning Vocalist, Patty Loveless. She was asked to play with Patty at the end of the audition. Deanie has been touring and reocrding with Patty ever since. She played on Patty's Grammy nominated, critically acclaimed "Mountain Soul" record as well as her Christmas CD "Bluegrass and White Snow: a Mountain Christmas", "On Your Way Home", and most recently, "Dreamin' My Dreams".

Deanie has performed in Patty's band on The Grand Ole Opry, The Today Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'brien, David Letterman's Late Show, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborne, The Wayne Brady Show, 48 Hours, Austin City Limits, CMT, ACM Awards, CMA Awards, ESPN's Cold Pizza, Prime Time Country, Music City Tonight, Nashville Now, Merlefest Bluegrass Festival, Ralph Stanley's Bluegrass Festival and many, many more.

In late 2002, Deanie was talking to her brother about his dance classes he had been teaching for years. He was also working at a shoe store and dancing on the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday Nights. "The Only thing that makes him happy is dancing", Deanie says. She wanted him to be able to do that full time. This is where the birth of The Main Stage started. Deanie is still touring with Patty Loveless on weekends, and can be seen teaching at the Main Stage during the week.

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