Bio
Born in the holler of Tennessee’s first legal moonshine distillery, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run have grown from their East Tennessee roots into an internationally touring bluegrass band, performing across 46 states and 19 countries. They’ve appeared at MerleFest, RockyGrass, Red Wing Roots, Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival, Norsk Countrytreff, and Bluegrass Omagh, earning multiple standing ovations along the way.
At the center of it all is Seth Mulder, the band’s lead singer, mandolinist, songwriter, and frontman. A 2025 IBMA Momentum Vocalist nominee, Mulder has built his sound around a distinctive voice and songs about home, heartache, faith, love, and life on the road. His original “One More Night” became the No. 4 most-played bluegrass song of 2021, while “Looking Past the Pain (The Cowboy Song)” reached No. 2 on the bluegrass charts.
At its core, Midnight Run is hard-driving bluegrass built around Mulder’s songs and vocals, backed by musicians who know when to push the music and when to let a song breathe. But Mulder has never been too concerned with what is or isn’t supposed to be a bluegrass song. If something fits his voice and the band can make it their own, they’ll play it. Their version of Tyler Childers’ “Lady May” has become an audience favorite, and their sets often reach beyond bluegrass into classic country, folk, Americana, and rock & roll.
Surrounding Mulder is a lineup with some serious credentials. Banjoist Anthony Howell is the 2023 Winfield National Banjo Champion, 2026 Winfield National Mandolin Champion, and a three-time IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist nominee. Guitarist Hayden Reidling won the 2025 IBMA Picking For The Prize Guitar Competition. Fiddler David Mansfield III has performed alongside artists including Peter Rowan, and Ronnie McCoury, while Brett Griffin holds down the foundation on upright bass.
That combination of songs, vocals, and musicianship has carried over to the band’s recordings. In Dreams I Go Back debuted at No. 7 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart, and “My, My, My” earned SPBGMA’s 2023 Song of the Year. Their 2025 Rebel Records release, Coming On Strong, saw eight of its twelve tracks chart at bluegrass radio. Mulder and the band are now looking ahead with their newest single, “I’m On My Way Back Home Again,” and a new album due in January 2027.
But the stage is where Seth Mulder & Midnight Run make the most sense. Mulder leads the room, but the chemistry between all five musicians gives the show much of its personality. Between Mulder’s voice and songs, hard-driving picking, tight harmonies, unexpected covers, and that ease back-and-forth, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run have built a live show that connects with everyone from young festival crowds to lifelong bluegrass fans.
“In a day and age where authenticity is everything, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run are the real deal.”
“Hearing you guys play was one of the best parts of my trip! You guys are so wonderful at what you do! Can't wait to see you next time! ”
— New Jersey
“I watched you guys last week in Gatlinburg, you totally blew us away, and we will be telling the whole of Liverpool, England about you guys!”
— Liverpool, England
Meet the band
Seth Mulder
Mandolin and Vocals
Seth Mulder is an award-winning mandolinist, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader whose work blends the heart of traditional bluegrass with the energy of modern music. As the frontman of Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, he has built an international career through extensive touring, powerful vocals, hard-driving musicianship, and a deep respect for the roots of the music.
Seth has earned recognition as both a performer and songwriter. His original song “One More Night” became the #4 most-played song on bluegrass radio in 2021, while Seth Mulder & Midnight Run’s In Dreams I Go Back debuted at #7 on the Billboard Bluegrass chart. He also earned SPBGMA Song of the Year honors for “My, My, My” and was named a 2025 IBMA Momentum Vocalist of the Year nominee.
Originally from North Dakota and now based in East Tennessee, Seth has taken his music to audiences across the United States and around the world. With a distinctive voice, strong songwriting, and a style rooted firmly in tradition, he continues to carve out a sound and identity that are unmistakably his own in today’s music.
Anthony Howell
Banjo and Vocals
Anthony Howell is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and session musician from near Kosciusko, Mississippi. Known for his versatility, technical precision, and strong musical instincts, Anthony has built a reputation as the kind of player who can move seamlessly between banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass while always serving the song.
He is a three-time consecutive IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year nominee, the 2023 Walnut Valley National Banjo Champion, the 2021 Alabama State Banjo Champion, and a 2015 Mississippi State Banjo and Guitar Champion. In 2026, he added two major titles to his résumé as the Winfield National Mandolin Champion and the 2nd place Winfield National Guitar Champion. He has also appeared as a session musician on more than 60 recording projects.
Anthony began performing professionally at a young age and joined Williamson Branch at 18 as a utility musician, playing banjo, mandolin, lead guitar, and Telecaster. He spent four and a half years touring and recording with the group before later joining the Edgar Loudermilk Band on banjo.
Now playing banjo and singing with Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Anthony brings drive, taste, and exceptional versatility to the band’s sound. Whether onstage or in the studio, his ability to adapt, listen, and elevate the music around him is what makes him such a distinctive musician.
David Mansfield III
Fiddle and Vocals
Originally from Martin, Tennessee, David Mansfield III has been playing music since the age of four and has spent more than two decades building a reputation as one of Nashville’s versatile bluegrass fiddlers. Based in Nashville since 2005, David has performed and recorded with an impressive list of artists including Carl Jackson, Larry Cordle, Peter Rowan, Ronnie McCoury, Jason Carter, Keith Urban, Wyatt Ellis, Val Storey, Teea Goans, and Curtis Burch.
David has also served as house fiddler at Nashville’s legendary Station Inn, where his playing has made him a familiar presence in one of bluegrass music’s most iconic rooms. A respected studio and live musician, he brings a deep knowledge of traditional bluegrass along with a distinctive, expressive style of his own.
David was a founding member of Green River Revue, helping establish the Nashville-based group before its signing with Larry Cordle’s Mighty Cord Records and the release of Opening Remarks. In addition to fiddle, David is an accomplished vocalist and musician whose experience and musicianship make him an integral part of Seth Mulder & Midnight Run.
Brett Griffin
Upright Bass and Vocals
Brett is an upright bassist from Nahunta, Georgia, whose playing is rooted in the drive, feel, and tradition of classic bluegrass. Surrounded by music from an early age, Brett developed a strong understanding of the role the bass plays in shaping a band’s sound—providing the foundation, pulse, and momentum that hold everything together.
Before joining Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Brett performed with Whosoever South, Retro 78, and the Florida State Bluegrass Band, gaining experience across a range of live settings while developing a style centered on timing, consistency, and tasteful traditional playing.
Now holding down the low end for Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, Brett brings a steady, hard-driving approach to the upright bass. His playing is dependable, musical, and deeply rooted in the traditions of bluegrass, giving the band a strong foundation both onstage and in the studio.
Hayden Reidling
Guitar and Vocals
Hayden is a guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist from the mountains of North Georgia. Raised around bluegrass and gospel music, he began performing at a young age and developed much of his early musical foundation through years of playing, jamming, and learning from musicians throughout the region.
Hayden is currently a student at Berklee College of Music, where he continues to refine a guitar style built on strong rhythm, tasteful lead playing, and a deep understanding of traditional and roots music. His musicianship has also earned recognition on the contest circuit, including winning the 2025 IBMA Picking For The Prize guitar competition and placing in the top three at the Walnut Valley National Guitar Championship.
In addition to guitar, Hayden plays pedal steel, mandolin, and bass, and brings both lead and harmony vocals to the stage. Now performing with Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, he adds a versatile, musical approach that blends traditional bluegrass drive with a broad range of influences and a style distinctly his own.