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Blue Grass Boys: the original and defining bluegrass band; founded by Bill Monroe, the father and inventor of bluegrass music in 1938 and fronted by him for more than half a century of superb music; most of the best musicians in bluegrass have worked in the Blue Grass Boys.
Foggy Mountain Boys: the bluegrass group founded by and featuring Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs after they left Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys; regular members included virtuoso dobro player Josh Graves and bassist/comedian Jake Tullock;.other members included Everett Lilly, Earl Taylor, Paul Warren, and Johnny Johnson.
Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys: a very traditional band with a distinctly old-time sound; Ralph and Carter Stanley and a variety of sidemen anchored by the multi-talented George Shuffler; at one point, near the end of Carter's life, the brothers had difficulty retaining a full band and were referred to by many as "the Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boy", a reference to the loyal and versatile Shuffler.
Jim & Jesse and their Virginia Boys: a distinctive brother duo fronting a solid bluegrass band; also noteworthy for Jesse's distinctive cross-picking mandolin style; began performing together in 1942 but began performing bluegrass in 1949; joined Grand Ole Opry in 1964; formed their own record label (Old Dominion) in 1973; Jim & Jesse introduced many excellent musicians to a national audience (e.g., Carl Jackson). This wonderful duet ended, when Jim passed away on New Year's Eve, December 31, 2002. More about Jim & Jesse.
Del McCoury Band: formed by Del McCoury after he left Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys; features the powerful bluegrass singing of Del McCoury; one of the very best.
Osborne Brothers: distinctive lush vocal trios; consistently one of the best bluegrass bands; first gained national recognition with Red Allen on guitar and lead vocals; other notable guitarists with the group include Jimmy Martin, Dale Sledd, & Ronnie Reno; More about the Osborne Brothers.
Blue Ridge Mountain Boys: extremely versatile, diverse group, with Monroe-esque vocal solos and duets as well as Osborne- (and other) style trios; founded and fronted by Bob Jones; more about the Blue Ridge Mountain Boys.
Sunny Mountain Boys: originally, a band founded by Jimmy Martin and Bobby Osborne in 1950; the name languished when they went their separate ways until revived by Jimmy (1955) for his own band.
Lonesome Pine Fiddlers: not originally a bluegrass band; began featuring bluegrass in 1949; original (bluegrass) lineup included Bobby Osborne (then 17 years old and playing guitar), Larry Richardson (banjo), Ezra Cline (bass), and Ray Morgan (fiddle); later versions of the band included other members of the Cline family and the Goins brothers.
Country Gentlemen: Washington, D.C. area band with a national reputation; original members were Charlie Waller (who led the group until his death in August of 2004), John Duffey (mandolin), Eddie Adcock (banjo), & Tom Gray (bass); excellent harmonies.
Seldom Scene: formed by John Duffey (mandolin), Ben Eldridge (banjo), John Starling (guitar), Mike Auldridge (dobro), & Tom Gray (bass) when Duffey left the Country Gentlemen; superb harmonies, somewhat innovative/experimental repertory.
Kentucky Colonels: solid bluegrass; featured Clarence White on guitar and his brother Roland White on mandolin, Billy Ray Latham on banjo, & Roger Bush (also an excellent banjo player) on bass and entertaining emcee work.
Greenbriar Boys: originally an urban bluegrass band, founded by Ralph Rinzler (mandolin), John Herald (guitar), & Bob Yellin (banjo); later versions included Frank Wakefield, Jimmy Buchanan, Bob Jones, and others.
Lilly Brothers: a traditional, almost pre-bluegrass, style; originally featured Everett & Bea Lilly on mandolin and guitar and Don Stover on banjo; later versions included singer Bob Jones (usually on guitar), Louis Arsenault (mandolin), Herb Applin (fiddle), and others and a more mainline bluegrass sound.
Country Gazette: modern but not quite newgrass; superb instrumentally but with no particularly outstanding singers; included Byron Berline, Alan Munde, & Roland White. See also Berline, Crary, Hickman.
The Dillards: brothers Doug and Rodney Dillard on banjo and guitar, the late and much lamented Mitchell Jayne on bass, and various other sidemen; one of their albums featured Byron Berline on fiddle; Mitch Jayne's emcee work contributed enormously to the band's performances, and the group never really survived his departure. For more about the Dillards, click here.
Northern Lights: originated in Boston with Danny Marcus on banjo;
Canyon Grass: formed in the early 1970s by Abe Brown with his daughter Jeanne (vocals) and son Kenny (bass -- no relation to the banjo player of the same name) and Bob Jones on mandolin and sometimes guitar.
Berline, Crary, Hickman: Byron Berline's subsequent project to Country Gazette. Lead guitar player Dan Crary, formerly of the New Grass Revival, and John Hickman, a superb banjo player, joined Berline in this instrumental powerhouse. Like the Gazette, BCH featured no strong singer but excellent instrumentals.
Native Sons of the Golden West: formed by Geoff Stelling, the original group also included Bob Jones and a young Stuart Duncan.
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