This Richwood native grew up playing music with his family's band, the Sunny Valley Boys. Griffin joined the Wheeling Jamboree in 1973 and later performed more than 200 times on the Grand Ole Opry. He toured across the country and played with many famous bluegrass artists.

In 2002, Griffin joined the faculty at Glenville State College (now University), where he helped create the nation's first four-year college degree in bluegrass music. He received the Vandalia Award in 2011 and was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2023.