Rachel Singleton-Burge, a graduate of Glenville State College, is quickly making a name for herself in the bluegrass music world. Burge is a member of the West Virginia band, ‘No One You Know,’ which is gaining notoriety nationwide. Don Anderson, Bruce Jones, Ramie Bennett, Lance Gainer, and Burge make up the band.

‘No One You Know’ walked away with the second place prize at Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America's (SPBGMA) Bluegrass Music Awards and 27th National Competition. The competition started with twenty bands in the first round and continued with two more elimination rounds. ‘No One You Know’ placed in the top two positions in all three rounds. The band performed some original songs from their debut album, ‘She Waits,’ along with two traditional bluegrass tunes.

“It was a great honor to perform for such a well-known event in bluegrass history. All of the bands that performed were very talented and professional throughout the three day competition. Being professional isn’t always a trait that is seen in the bluegrass realm, a trait that I learned by being part of the Bluegrass Program at Glenville State College. Being part of that program allowed me to perform music that I write, live for, and love to perform. Thank you GSC for a lifelong lesson and memory I will always cherish,” said Singleton-Burge.

Rachel was one of the first students to graduate from the Bluegrass Certificate Program at Glenville State College. She graduated in December of 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education and a Certificate in Bluegrass Music. “Rachel is absolutely one of the most talented people we have ever had at GSC. She plays and sings to perfection, and I am not at all surprised at the wonderful success she is achieving,” said Buddy Griffin GSC Instructor of Music.

The Bluegrass Certificate Program at Glenville State College is the first of its kind anywhere in the nation. The program offers classes in audio and video production, band organization and marketing, plus instruction in vocals and the various Bluegrass instruments. The GSC Bluegrass Certificate Program accepted its very first student in the fall of 2002. In 2003, the first official Glenville State College Bluegrass Band formed consisting of GSC students Rachel Singleton-Burge on mandolin, Elizabeth Long on banjo and fiddle, Eileen Marsh on guitar, and Aaron Miller on bass. Singleton-Burge went on to be a founding member of the bluegrass band ‘Mountain Fury,’ the first professional bluegrass band to come out of the GSC Bluegrass Certificate Program.

Singleton-Burge is a full-time music teacher at Clay County Middle School in Clay, West Virginia. She is married to GSC alumni Brian Burge, an Assistant Band Director at Clay County High School. "While Rachel was a student at GSC, she represented us at a very high level all over West Virginia as well as out-of-state, and she continues to do so since her graduation. She is a wonderful example of how the GSC Fine Arts Department and its alumni are gaining increased national and international recognition and honors. Being a public school teacher by day and a professional musician in the evenings and weekends is not easy. I am very proud of her hard work," said GSC Fine Arts Department Chair and Assistant Professor of Music Lloyd Bone.

The first independent album released by ‘No One You Know’ called ‘She Waits,’ sold out its first printing, and is available now at the group’s website, www.nooneyouknowband.com.