CR5 Bluegrass

Based out of Lyndhurst Ontario, CR5 Bluegrass is an award winning contemporary 5-piece bluegrass band originally from McIntosh Mills which is located approximately half way between Mallorytown and Athens on Leeds Grenville County Road 5, hence the name. 2026 will mark the 20th year of performing for CR5 Bluegrass and we look forward to seeing many old friends and making new friends along the way!
While steeply entrenched in the bluegrass tradition, you never know what you’ll hear from this group. With an extensive musical catalogue ranging from Traditional & Contemporary Bluegrass and Bluegrass Gospel music to Folk, Country, Pop, Blues, Americana and Original Material, this group’s unique blended “sound” is what makes them a fan favourite at many festivals, concert halls, fairs and other music venues throughout the province!

The current group consists of:
  • Dan Potter is the lead singer and plays the mandolin. He is the lone founding member of the group going back to 2004 when neighbors started a Wednesday night jam group on County Road 5. Dan is also an accomplished singer/songwriter and composes the bulk of the group’s original material. He currently resides in Lyndhurst with his wife Christine.
  • Christine Potter plays the 5 string banjo and contributes vocally as well. Her touch, timing and tasteful fills are admired by many of the instruments top players. She is the daughter of the revered Gananoque area banjo man Buddy Clark. A “sometime” pupil of Gene Martin, she joined the jam group in 2006 and took over for Martin full time in 2007.
  • Ottawa native Jim Bossert holds down the bottom end on the upright bass fiddle. This much sought after bass-man has played in a variety of musical groups in and around the Ottawa Valley with musical diversities ranging from Americana, Country, Folk and Tango!
  • From Carleton Place, well known musician Marc Rochon plays lead and rhythm guitar and also lends his voice to the group, singing both lead and harmony parts. In addition to bluegrass music, Marc is an accomplished blues man who is proficient on slide guitar, open back banjo and blues harp as well as guitar.
  • Another Ottawa area musician, George Laing, most recently of “The Shirt Tearing Boys”, rounds out the group on fiddle. George has been involved extensively in the Ottawa Folk music scene for many years and is a welcome addition to the group.
In 2018 CR5 Bluegrass were voted Most Promising Group at the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards in Huntsville. They have also received CCBA nominations for Gospel Group of the Year in 2019 & 2018 and Recording Of the Year in 2016 for their CD of all original material, “Up North”. In addition, they were nominated for induction into The Brockville & Area Performing Arts Hall Of Fame in 2017.