Born in the west’s Russet potato country, Shannon Thorne’s recent move to North Carolina landed her smack in the middle of “sweet potato” country--Sweet Potato Pie country to be exact. The oldest of eight kids, this farm girl grew up in Draper, Utah with the sounds of classical violin floating through the house. Both her great grandfather and her grandmother played the violin, so it was just a matter of time before Shannon picked it up. At age six, Shannon had her first introduction to bluegrass and fiddling at the National Old Time Fiddler’s Contest held in Idaho. From that time forward she has longed for the chance to fiddle. With encouragement from her mom, she started playing the violin at age 9 -on her great grandfather’s 100 year-old violin brought over from Germany.

Shannon spent her senior year of high school as a foreign exchange student in Switzerland. She majored in Performing and Fine Arts/Foreign Language at Ricks College, and in European Studies at Brigham Young University. Shannon has studied under Edith Tolstrup (Utah Symphony), Lori Casperson (Bellvue and Seattle Philharmonics, and Salt Lake City Symphony), Joseph Flury, (Professor of Music in Switzerland), and played for many musicals and performances. She was a member of the Draper City Symphony and Ricks College Symphony Orchestra, among others.

She also grew up on the old country classics and enjoys Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill, and Faith Hill. Shannon loves horseback trips in the mountains (anything outdoors!!!), wolves, ballroom dancing, reading, and confesses she has a major “sweet tooth”. She and her husband Preston have three beautiful children. For the last two years Shannon has been teaching violin.

Though a newbie to the bluegrass scene, Shannon says that she and fiddling are kindred spirits. She has wanted to fiddle her whole life!

"Being part of the 'Pie' is a dream come true!”