Luke actually comes from bluegrass royalty, as the grandson of mandolin maestro and bluegrass icon Jesse McReynolds. As a teen and a young man, Luke performed as a member of Jim & Jesse and The Virginia Boys, and he took that opportunity to learn the tricky crosspicking style his grandfather pioneered on the mandolin. After leaving Jesse’s group, he formed and performed with a band called McReynolds Tradition, including two of his cousins, as well as a solo artist.
 
After a career as a firefighter and a turn as a bus driver, McKnight is ready to return to the world of bluegrass music he learned as a boy.