Flashback to June of 2004. Curly Seckler graces the cover of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine and has his life story—and a fine one it is!—chronicled in a feature article. At 84 years of age, the time seemed right to reflect on a career of nearly seven decades, how he started playing music with his brothers back in 1935 and then got a job with one half of the famous Monroe Brothers duo (Charlie Monroe), and how he toured and recorded with early bluegrass legends Jim & Jesse, the Stanley Brothers, the Sauceman Brothers, and his most popular gig of all with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. Then there were his years with Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass and how Curly carried the torch after his friend and boss’s passing. And the article even touched on Curly’s supposed “retirement.”

The ink was barely dry from the printing of the magazine that Curly was off blazing new trails in bluegrass. He had “one more album” left in him that he wanted to do. Penny Parsons, his manager, and longtime friend and producer Larry Perkins teamed up to assemble a stellar cast of pickers and singers to assist Curly with his new endeavor. What could rightfully be described as the bluegrass Ateam—Dudley Connell, Tater Tate, Herschel Sizemore, Chris Sharp, George Buckner, Kevin Sluder, and Larry Perkins—descended on the studios at Flat Five Press & Recording in Salem, Va., to play some bluegrass with one of their heroes. Curly was in fine form. His keen trademark tenor harmonies were virtually undiminished from his glory days of fifty years earlier, and he and Connell glided effortlessly through several Seckler classics. But, this was far from a rehashing of old standards. Curly wrote a batch of new songs for the occasion, and as one tune led to another, to another, to another, it was soon apparent that Curly had more than “one more album” left in him.

In October, the International Bluegrass Music Association paid homage to Curly’s lifetime of achievements with his induction into the organization’s Hall Of Fame. WSM and Grand Ole Opry announcer Eddie Stubbs presented the award to him. The genteel elder spokesman of bluegrass regaled the audience with a humble acceptance and a few anecdotes. No stranger to the microphone, he credits his old boss Lester Flatt for giving him the experience to relate to people from the stage. “I went to work with Lester and them and the first night we was on the stage, he just walks off and says, ’Sec, take it over,’ and there I was. I thought to myself, ’Good Lord, what have I gotten myself into? And from then on, I don’t care where we was at, I had to do half the show. That’s something else, but it’s a good thing that it happened. Now I can get up there and say a few words and get by with ’em.” Curly has definitely more than “gotten by” and he amply proved it by treating attendees of the ceremony to a rousing performance of “I’ll Go Stepping, Too,” complete with exquisite backing from J.D. Crowe and the New South. It was a memorable moment and one that brought the house to its feet.

2005

April saw the re-release of a project that Curly recorded back in 1994 with the addition of previously unissued tracks and bonus selections. At the time, it heralded a milestone: 60 Years Of Bluegrass With My Friends. His friends just happened to include notables such as Jimmy Martin, Ralph Stanley, Jim & Jesse, Josh Graves, Doyle Lawson, Benny Martin, Willis Spears, Tater Tate, Benny Sims, and—if it seems possible—more!

In June, Curly visited the Bluegrass Museum in Owensboro for the official unveiling of his Hall Of Fame plaque. In connection with the ceremony, the museum debuted a film about Curly’s life. An evening concert found Curly on stage with the backing of fellow Hall Of Fame inductee Tom Gray and Friends. The show also allowed for an onstage reunion with his former partner, Willis Spears, and longtime friend, Gerald McCormick.

September proved to be an eventful month for Curly. At the Bass Mountain Bluegrass Festival near Burlington, N.C., he received a plaque commemorating his seventy years as a professional musician. He also performed with able backing from David Parmley and Continental Divide. Guest artists throughout the set included such notables as Larry Sparks, Rob Ickes, and Josh McMurray as well as Willis Spears. Fans at the festival were more than appreciative and responded with three resounding ovations. The same month also saw the release of Down In Caroline. In addition to the artists who recorded earlier on the project at Flat Five, special guests included Larry Sparks, Russell Moore, Rob Ickes, John Carter Cash, Laura Weber Cash, Doc Watson, Leroy Troy, Josh McMurray, and Andrea Roberts.

Down In Caroline had barely hit the streets when another Seckler release made its debut. This one was a County Records CD release of an album Curly recorded in 1971. It was his first solo album and was recorded with the help of one of the finest traditional bluegrass bands of the time, the Shenandoah CutUps (Tater Tate, Herschel Sizemore, Billy Edwards, and John Palmer). The rerelease benefited from the addition of five bonus tracks that were recorded in 1989 with Willis Spears, Larry Perkins, and Ron Stewart. The new package was renamed to pay homage to one of Curly’s best songs of the 1950s, That Old Book Of Mine. Armed with a sack full of new releases, Curly hit the Roots & Branches stage full force at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s World Of Bluegrass convention. Backed by the Chris Sharp/David Long Band, and with special guest artists including Rob Ickes, Larry Perkins, Gerald McCormick, Doyle Lawson, Russell Moore, and Willis Spears, Curly delighted IBMA fans with his inimitable brand of bluegrass.

2006

A new career highlight was achieved in April with Curly’s appearance at MerleFest. The event paired him with one of the top upandcoming bands on the bluegrass scene, the Steep Canyon Rangers. For Curly, it was a treat to work with a young group that was so dedicated to the roots of bluegrass. The band received a set list ahead of time, but only had one opportunity to rehearse prior to the show. Much to Curly’s surprise and pleasure, the Rangers nailed their parts on the first goaround! The chemistry was immediate and it set the stage for other Seckler/Rangers performances in the future. Dave Freeman, owner of the Rebel and County Records labels as well as the megamail-order outlet County Sales, noted, “The group amazed Curly and other onlookers with its command of and familiarity with the classic Flatt & Scruggs repertoire. In a preshow warm-up session, after the band sailed through more than a dozen of Seckler’s chosen favorites with hardly a hitch, Curly looked up and said quietly but with great respect, ’You boys can really pick.’ Not bad for a bunch of Carolina kids who grew up with the real thing!” Curly also made a special guest appearance with Larry Sparks and the two lovingly recreated several gems that Curly helped to popularize a half a century earlier.

In September, a highlight of the IBMA Fan Fest was a “legends” set that included Curly along with luminaries Everett Lilly (in the first time that these two great tenor singers ever sang together on stage) and J.D. Crowe. Curly’s bandmate of the 1950s, resonator guitar legend Josh Graves, was slated to be a part of the festivities. Although he had been in ill health for a number of years, the bluegrass community was shocked and saddened to learn of his passing on the morning of the event. Curly participated in a tribute to Josh that included Randy Kohrs, Rob Ickes, Leroy Mack, Phil Leadbetter, and others. Curly served as an honorary pallbearer at the funeral.

On a more festive note, Curly and Willis Spears, along with Marty Stuart, were reunited once again for an appearance at Lester Flatt Days in Sparta, Tenn., (Flatt’s hometown). Gladys Flatt, Lester’s widow, was in attendance for the event. The next week, another new recording appeared on the market, Curly’s Bluegrass, Don’t You Know. The title track was a recent Seckler composition that paid homage to Mr. Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. Famed bluegrass composer and performer Larry Cordle sang the lead vocals on this selection. Other guests throughout the project included Larry Sparks, Dudley Connell, Russell Moore, Rob Ickes, Tater Tate, and a host of others. The Chicago Tribune hailed the disc as one of the Top 10 bluegrass releases of the year.

2007

In March and October, bluegrass fans were afforded a rare opportunity to view classic bluegrass from the past when Shanachie Records released four DVDs containing eight entire Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs television shows that were sponsored by Martha White Flour. The programs featured the definitive edition of the Foggy Mountain Boys: Paul Warren on fiddle, Jake Tullock on bass, and Curly Seckler, who chorded the mandolin and supplied tenor harmonies to Lester. For the release of the second batch of discs, a special program was held at the Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville. Curly was there along with Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, and Randy Scruggs.

October afforded several reunions for Curly. At the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco, he got to sit in for several numbers with the Steep Canyon Rangers. It was Curly’s first trip to the West Coast in over thirty years! The highlight though was Curly’s appearance with the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience. Curly and David recorded several songs together nearly two decades earlier, as part of David’s Home Is Where The Heart Is two LP set on Rounder.

Curly’s appearance with the Experience was a reunion within a reunion. He noted, “He’s got my old mandolin.” The same one that he purchased in 1941 for $42 and used to make all those classic recordings that he participated on throughout the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s. Curly said, “A feller up in Roanoke, Va., sold it to him.” Curly’s wife, Eloise, picks up the story. “The fellow put it on eBay and that’s where David saw it and how he came to buy it. [He] found out it was Curly’s, [and] when we went to California he showed it to Curly, that he had refinished it and it was so pretty. He offered to let him bring it home and play it.” Curly, sensing the historical significance of the instrument and its appreciated value, politely declined.

The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival also put Curly before a half a million people. Eloise noted, “That’s one of the biggest crowds that we ever saw.” Curly concurred. “Just as far as you can see, this way and that way, is people. They just stood up—nobody could sit down, there wasn’t room I don’t reckon. It was the biggest crowd I ever got in front of and said, ’How do you do?’”

2008

The new year got off in a big way. Southwest Virginia has long been a hotbed of activity for bluegrass music, dating back to the late 1940s. The tradition continues today, and music of the region is broadcast nationally on a PBS program that originates from the Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Va. It was here that Curly teamed up once again with the Steep Canyon Rangers for an unforgettable taping for an episode of the Song Of The Mountains program. The show is hosted by Tim White, a longtime DJ and advocate for bluegrass. He cherishes his association with Curly and stated recently, “I have worked with Curly on many occasions over the years and I always am honored to just speak to the man. He is so genuine and down to earth. In every sense of the word he is a legend. Curly is never cocky, arrogant, egotistical, or conceited because of his historic status and success in the music business. He is and always has been a gentleman. It is no wonder to me that God has let us enjoy having Curly Seckler on this Earth for over ninety years. He is a blessing to everyone who has known him. I want to grow up to be like Curly Seckler!”

The following day just happened to be Curly Seckler Day at the Pickin’ Porch Stage of the Mountain Music Museum in Bristol, Va. Coincidence? Nah. Curly received a key to the city from Mayor David Helms. Penny Parsons and Curly reminisced about his 73year career in music, after which Tim White unveiled a Curly Seckler Exhibit that was to be on display at the museum. A concert by Curly and the Rangers followed. For fans of traditional bluegrass music—and of Curly Seckler in particular—it was a fabulous weekend in Virginia.

Curly was pleased to make several trips to the recording studio during the year. In January, along with Earl Scruggs, Charlie Cushman, Marty Stuart, and others, he helped his stepson Johnny Warren record an album in tribute to Paul Warren, the famed fiddle player who worked with Flatt & Scruggs. Later in the year, he helped a local North Carolina group, the Jones Brothers, record a collection of gospel material and Curly sang tenor on 11 of the songs.

June saw a return by Curly to Owensboro, KY., for a gathering of bluegrass legends hosted by the International Bluegrass Music Museum. The occasion afforded Curly an opportunity to visit with old friends and bandmates, including Tommy Scott, Jesse McReynolds, Curtis McPeake, and the McCormick Brothers. The museum acknowledged Curly’s presence with a repeat showing of the 2005 oral history video about his life and music.

August presented a welcome treat for Curly when he got to play once again at the Carter Fold in Hiltons, Va. The venue—the site of the Carter Family homeplace—was started in the middle 1970s by Janette Carter as a way to honor her parents, A.P. and Sara Carter. Concerts are held each Saturday night at The Fold and a twoday festival is held on the first weekend in August. Situated in the shadow of Clinch Mountain, the festival is dripping with oldtime and bluegrass music history. There’s a museum—formerly A.P. Carter’s store—full of Carter memorabilia, and nearby is the Mt. Vernon church that the family attended and where A.P. and Sara are buried. The Stanley Brothers once played on a makeshift stage behind the store back in the early 1950s. It’s usually quite hot come festival time, and a multitude of makeshift fans attempt to cool festival goers as they listen to the music in the shade of the open-air theater. A concrete floor in front of the stage affords a multitude of dancers ample space to tap their feet to the rhythms of oldtime instrumentals. It was in this setting that Curly, along with Willis Spears, and with expert backing by Virginia’s Big Country Bluegrass, sailed through two sets of classic bluegrass. Playing banjo for the group that day was Lynwood Lunsford. He described Curly as “simply put, a piece of bluegrass history.” As the show progressed and the group launched into the Martha White theme song—a mainstay of the Flatt & Scruggs/Lester Flatt shows for many years, Lynwood got “the biggest goosebumps that you ever saw! It was the most magical moment that I have ever experienced in music.”

Nostalgia, likewise, dominated an actionpacked weekend in October. Curly was interviewed in Durham, N.C., for WUNC’s program The State Of Things. Host Frank Stasio queried Curly about his career and connection to North Carolina. The program even permitted time for the performance of several songs with musical support provided by the Steep Canyon Rangers. Reflecting on the group’s association with Curly, Ranger Woody Platt observed, “What a treat it was. Not only did we get to play many of the classic Flatt & Scruggs tunes with Curly’s unmistakable tenor vocal—but we got to witness first-hand (from the stage) how great of an entertainer Curly Seckler was and continues to be. It was an honor that myself and the Rangers will never forget or take for granted. We are looking forward to the next time we get the opportunity.”

The following day, the ensemble journeyed to Crewe, Va., for an onair appearance at WSVS radio. The station was the headquarters for the Flatt & Scruggs show (with Curly) in 1954. It was here that the band recorded a number of Martha White radio shows that were sent to Nashville to be aired on WSM. The announcer at WSVS at the time was Jody Rainwater, a former member of the Foggy Mountain Boys. Jody was onhand for Curly’s 2008 appearance at the station; it was an epic reunion that was 54 years in the making. Sensing the importance of the station’s history in bluegrass, the owners have restored the studio to the way it was when Curly first appeared there in the early 1950s.

Capping the year was another trip to Owensboro where the Bluegrass Museum unveiled a Curly Seckler Exhibit. The display included photos, posters, recordings, stage clothing, and a guitar case. Afterwards, Curly delighted Museum officials with songs and tunes with Willis Spears and Larry Perkins.

2009

The Paramount Theatre in Bristol was the scene for numerous bluegrass performances during the 1950s. After a period of decline, the facility was returned to its original luster and has once again become a showplace for bluegrass in the area. In February, it was home for the 13th Annual Leon Kiser Memorial Tribute Show. The event honors the memory of Leon Kiser, a tireless and enthusiastic supporter of bluegrass music in the TriCities area of Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City. It also serves as a fundraiser for a scholarship in his name at East Tennessee State University. At this particular event, tribute was paid to a number of people including Curly, Fey Rogers and Bob Smith (founders of legendary radio station WCYB in Bristol), and oldtime musician Clarence Ashley. Curly was onhand to perform and made friends with some new (to him) musicians including Kody Norris and Tom Isaacs.

May brought together two former Foggy Mountain Boys—Jim Shumate and Curly. Jim was a charter member of the group in 1948 and appeared on the band’s first recording session. The two weren’t in the group at the same time, with Curly having joined shortly after Jim’s departure. Nevertheless, Curly and Jim recreated two early Flatt & Scruggs favorites—“Cabin In Caroline” and “We’ll Meet Again Sweetheart”—when they appeared at the Bluegrass In Wilkes Festival in Wilkesboro, N.C. Big Country Bluegrass was on hand once more to provide musical accompaniment for Curly.

Curly’s previous performance on the Song Of The Mountains program was so favorably received that he was asked to make a return appearance in June. Constant Change, a fine traditional band from North Carolina, ably assisted Curly on the show. Also on the show was the Tennessee Mafia Jug Band, which included oldtime banjoist Leroy Troy. Curly’s been wellacquainted with Leroy for years. In fact, Curly knew “his mother and dad before he was born…yeah, he’s alright.” He had a few other phrases to describe Leroy, including “he’s a dandy” and “he’s a character,” but the one that seemed most important to Curly was, “He’s a good feller.” The young banjo player came out on stage and played on a number with his old friend. Two months later, at the Song Of The Mountains Festival that was held at the Davis Valley Winery in nearby Groseclose, Va., Curly appeared with Willis Spears and Big Country Bluegrass. The event also celebrated bluegrass veteran Jesse McReynolds’ eightieth birthday; Curly and Jesse delighted the audience by singing two songs together.

Curly had a birthday celebration of his own in December—a milestone of ninety years old on December 25. Two days later, at the home of Gerald McCormick, friends and family including Marty Stuart, John Conlee, James Monroe, Steve Sechler, Roland White, Willis Spears, Eddie Stubbs, Ronnie Reno, Wayne Lewis, Michael Cleveland, the McCormick Brothers, Charlie Cushman, and others gathered to celebrate. Portions of the event—which included a lot of music—were recorded by RFDTV.

2010

This past year marked yet another milestone in Curly Seckler’s career. He celebrated his 75th anniversary as a professional musician. The year got off to a busy start with appearances at the annual Jesse McReynolds benefit in Gallatin, Tenn., at the SPBGMA event in Nashville where he received a plaque in recognition of his birthday and anniversary, and a tribute concert to Mother Maybelle Carter at David Lipscomb University, also in Nashville. Curly only got to sing one song at the Carter event, a song he recorded called “Mother Maybelle.” Much to his amazement, he received a standing ovation and, as humbly as he could put it, “stole the show. Now that’s unreal. I couldn’t believe it, that I tore the house down.”

On April 3, the balance of Curly’s celebratory year seemed tenuous when he suffered a heart attack. Two days later, he underwent triple bypass surgery. Doctors were initially skeptical about operating on the ninetyyearold, but an examination prompted one of the medics to declare that Curly had the body of someone 15 years younger. A week long postop and he was released from Nashville’s Centennial Hospital. He was soon back into his regular walking routine at the mall and easing back into the spotlight, including a jaunt to Owensboro in June to participate in the Bluegrass Museum’s annual gathering of bluegrass pioneers. While there, he made guest appearances with The Whites and Mac Martin.

On October 7, Curly was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall Of Fame at a ceremony in the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building in Kannapolis, N.C. He joins other inductees including Doc Watson, Andy Griffith, George Hamilton IV, Arthur Smith, Donna Fargo, and Don Gibson. The evening was capped by performances by Curly on two of his trademark songs: “Moonlight On My Cabin” and “Mother Maybelle.”

On December 4th, the Country Music Hall Of Fame in Nashville presented a program to honor Curly’s 91st birthday and 75th anniversary. Hosted by famed on-air personality Kyle Cantrell, the event provided a forum for Curly to reminisce about his lengthy musical career and perform a few selections with friends and special guests including Willis Spears, Johnny Warren, Larry Perkins, Tim Graves, Kent Blanton, Laura Cash, Roland White, and Jeff Hardin. At the conclusion of the interview portion of the event, Kyle presented Curly with a birthday greeting from The White House that was signed by Barack and Michelle Obama. The program was recorded and is available for viewing on the Hall Of Fame Web site, www.countrymusichalloffame.org.

To help with the celebratory mood of the year, 75th anniversary posters from Hatch Show Print were prepared. Perhaps buoyed by the significance of the milestone, Curly says once again that he still has one more album left in him. He’s been busy collection songs from a variety of sources and when the CD comes to fruition, it should make an interesting and enjoyable listening experience.

Although Curly retired from active touring in 1994, he certainly hasn’t been out of the public view. And he certainly hasn’t been idle either. While many performers are content to rest on the laurels of the golden days, Curly’s record of the past six years demonstrates that he remains a vibrant and creative artist working with new musicians, writing new songs, performing in new venues, and creating new recordings.

Gary Reid has been a bluegrass and old-time music writer, researcher, and producer for over 35 years. He is a three-time recipient of the IBMA award Best Liner Notes.

By Chris Stuart

As a result of the success of the Lonesome River Band’s breakout album, “Carrying The Tradition,” of 1991 and that of the personnel who recorded it, it’s worth pointing out that LRB has had an even longer, as well as current, successful history. The band formed in 1982 and has had a resurgence on the charts, garnering fourteen #1 positions from their recent album “No Turning Back,” landing a #1 on both the album and single charts for this magazine, and earning three IBMA nominations, as well as leading off the IBMA awards show with a cannonade performance of the song “Them Blues.” Few bands carry the weight of their own past as well as the Lonesome River Band.

Lonesome River Band

Bluegrassers love to create a fanciful narrative about a band. But, from inside the band, the story is generally more mundane. Bandmembers come and go, albums come and go, but the bandleader always has the same goals: create good music, make money, and keep the band going. That’s why the title of LRB’s latest album is so apt. There’s really not much time to look back, and it’s impossible to turn back.

LRB, however, is going ahead not with a vengeance, but with a quiet confidence. There is no chip on their shoulder. They acknowledge the accomplishments of the past, but they are focused on the present in an easy and even light-hearted manner. And that attitude comes from the bandleader himself, banjoist Sammy Shelor, who took over band leadership of LRB when guitarist and bandleader Tim Austin left in 2001.

A four-time recipient of IBMA Banjo Player Of The Year, Shelor was recently inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall Of Fame. He was born to be a banjo player. Both his grandfathers were in on Sammy’s choice of instrument. At two years old, he got a homemade banjo—made out of a pressure cooker with a wood rim and clothes hanger wire for brackets—from his maternal grandfather, Cruise Howell. And his paternal grandfather bought him his first real banjo, a Bacon & Day Ne Plus Ultra.

Sammy’s grandfather Howell learned to play banjo from the legendary Charlie Poole, who would sometimes stay at the Howell house for weeks at a time, as Sammy says, “where the pickin’ and drinkin’ was.” Shelor’s background comes from a history of old-time music, and he still attributes a lot of his rhythm to those old-time players. He recalls, “He called it the ‘Boston roll.’ It was more chord oriented. I don’t know where that name came from. He played Scruggs stuff, too. I was around a lot of clawhammer players and, early on, I learned to play in weird tunings, double-C, and so on. As far as drive and timing, you won’t experience anything better than those old-time players.”

In the mid-’70s, a festival was started in Stuart, Va. Cecil Hall (promoter) of the Dominion Bluegrass Boys brought in bands like J.D. Crowe, the Seldom Scene, and the Osborne Brothers, and Sammy soaked it up. “I remember Missy Raines would come to that festival. She and I would sit there watching the bands, and we decided then that this was what we wanted to do when we grew up.”

At 14 years old, Sammy went to work as the banjo player for the Dominion Bluegrass Boys. Bandmember Mike Hazelwood taught him how to sing harmony, telling him “if you learn to sing, you’ll get more work.” After a couple of years, Sammy began working with the band Interstate Exchange, which morphed into Summer Wages.

Then, Shelor moved to Richmond, Va., at the age of 18 and joined a new band, the Heights Of Grass, which later became a seminal band of the ’80s, the Virginia Squires. Sammy says, “We kind of played what we felt. Rickie [Simpkins] was a real outside-the-box player. He would take his solos, but I’m a guy that plays what the singer sings and always have been. I kept it grounded, and he would take it out into left field, so it made for a good mix.” Sammy’s style also started to evolve. He says, “I was listening to a lot of the Boone Creek stuff and I tried to play just like Terry Baucom. Then I started listening to people like Bill Emerson, Crowe, Béla Fleck, and just trying to pick up a little from each of them.”

With the Squires, Shelor met one of the most influential banjo players of his life—Sonny Osborne. Sonny took an interest in the band and produced two of their records. The Squires also went on tour with the Osborne Brothers and Sammy even ran sound for the Osbornes, which meant he was able to watch Sonny play every night. At the time, Sammy didn’t have a very good banjo, so before going in to record on the first Virginia Squires album, Sonny loaned him his Gibson Granada. It was the first time Sammy heard what a good banjo could sound like.

In the late ’80s, with the bluegrass scene hitting one of its periodic downturns, Sammy began playing a Telecaster electric guitar in country bands around Richmond, and because Sammy could sing harmony, especially baritone harmony with female singers, he found work. And then, Sammy says, “When the Squires broke up in the middle of 1990, it was time for me to head back to the hills. I left all the country stuff and came back here.” (“Here” being Meadows of Dan, Va., where he lives today.)

After subbing with the Seldom Scene on dates that Ben Eldridge couldn’t make, Sammy found out from John Bowman that the Lonesome River Band was looking for a banjo player. Sammy recalls, “When I joined LRB, we did almost a four-week tour the first trip out in a ’70 Ford that was fouling spark plugs real bad. We had to replace them ourselves on the side of the road. We ended the tour in Live Oak, Florida, but during that whole thing, we were talking about recording and, when we finally got into the studio, we decided to cut the most traditional album we could.”

“Carrying The Tradition” and subsequent albums established LRB—and particularly the band of Tim Austin, Dan Tyminski, Ronnie Bowman, and Sammy—as one of the greatest bands in the history of bluegrass music. But, even with the inevitable bandmember changes, LRB survived and under the leadership of Tim Austin, and later Sammy, it remained one of the premier bands, though they were often compared not so much as to other bands, but as to earlier LRB lineups.

Sammy kept the band playing throughout the new millenium and, after leaving Doobie Shea Records and then Crossroads Records (which was primarily a gospel label), Sammy signed with Rural Rhythm Records in 2007, as the latest band configuration of Mike Hartgrove, Mike Anglin, Andy Ball, and Brandon Rickman came together. They recorded a demo. Sammy says, “I started sending discs out to all the labels, and Rural Rhythm was the only one who responded. I didn’t really know them, but after about a two-hour conversation, we signed a deal over the phone.”

Part of the success of Sammy’s band leadership is in the fact that he knows where the band does well. There’s an old joke in bluegrass that if you don’t play too much, you just might make some money. Sammy says, “We’ve never been a hundred-dates-a-year band, we’ve been sixty-to-eighty our whole career. We’re an outdoor festival band, and I don’t do percentage dates anymore. It’s just not worth it. You try to keep as consistent a sound as possible, but you’re never going to sound the same as you did ten years ago. My playing has changed from ‘Carrying The Tradition.’ Luckily, I have found the right people. I enjoy this group of guys and 75% of success in a band is riding the bus. Everybody does their part and contributes every day.”

Even for top echelon bands in bluegrass, most of the players, even the bandleader, has to make his living by piecing together a lot of different sources of income. Shelor works sometimes sixty hours a week in a recording studio (Mountain Fever Studio, owned by Mark Hodges) in Willis, Va. Sammy says, “I work seven days a week either on the road or in the studio about 16 miles from my house—playing music and engineering. I play a lot of guitar. I only did two banjo tracks last week…a lot of rhythm guitar, electric guitar. It’s a small studio and a cool job.”

When he’s out on the road, Sammy is surrounded by a band that has now been together for three years—a band that’s gelled musically, but also a band in which all the players know each other and like each other. He insists, “I feel like right now I have the best band onstage that I’ve ever had.”

Lead singer and guitarist Brandon Rickman is originally from Purdy, Mo. Growing up, Brandon’s family sang in a southern gospel quartet and his father played some piano, fiddle, and guitar. They formed a family band, the Rickmans, with Brandon singing tenor, and played together until his older brother went to college in 1997.

Brandon took some time off from music, but about a year later, he called his friend Aaron McDaris about playing in the band New Tradition and a month later was the new bass player, although he had never played bass before. Brandon’s ear for music got him through the first few gigs, but he quickly learned the instrument and, also for the first time, he became the lead singer. He played with New Tradition for nearly three years until the start of 2001.

Later that year, Brandon got a call from Larry Cordle who was looking for a fill-in bass player and tenor singer. He ended up playing in Cordle’s band throughout the year. Although Brandon had not written more than two or three songs at that point, he was inspired by Cordle to start writing more. “We’re really close friends. I played him a few songs and he encouraged me. He set me up with Kim Fox for my first co-write and I started writing more and signed my first publishing deal with Larry Shell.”

In 2002, Shelor asked Brandon to join LRB and he spent the next three years in the band, as he says, “…just glad to be playing music.” Brandon left in 2005 to concentrate on his songwriting, but he missed playing and by February 2007 was back as the lead singer. “Me and Sammy never lost touch. When I came back, though, I had changed. I had grown a lot as a singer, as a musician, as a songwriter, producer. When I came back, I wasn’t a little kid anymore. I took over more of a role and that’s what Sammy was wanting. Sammy said, ‘I need your songs, I need your ear on songs.’ So, I went from just being happy to play music to taking responsibility. That year and a half off was the best thing I ever did. As an artist, you need to figure out what you want to be when you grow up.”

Concerning joining a band with such a rich past, Rickman says, “Everybody’s going to compare you to Ronnie [Bowman]. I never let it bother me. That’s what’s going to happen. This second time around, though, it’s a little bit different. There were actually people who wanted me to come back.” Brandon also recently recorded his first solo album, “Young Man, Old Soul,” on Rural Rhythm.

Bassist Mike Anglin is originally from Berea, Ky., where he got his first bass at eight years old. His uncle’s bluegrass band, John Crosby & the Bluegrass Drifters, won the first SPBGMA band award. Mike went to work at 15 years old as a bassist with his uncle and toured the Midwest and Southeast extensively. In high school, Mike listened to all kinds of music and played both acoustic and electric bass.

After moving to Louisville, Mike played bass in the mayor’s arts program called Summer Scene for two years before moving back to Madison County, Kentucky. In 1991, he played for Larry Stephenson and then joined a country band with an upcoming artist, Josh Logan, who had a new album out on Curb Records. He was with Logan for two years, playing six nights a week with heavy touring. Tiring of life on the road, Mike returned to Kentucky and played with Charlie Sizemore for a season while working in construction, which he still picks up on occasion.

Then, in 1994, Mike became one of the founding members of Continental Divide, led by David Parmley, and spent seven years as bass player with that band. In 2001, Mike started playing with Ronnie Bowman for two years and, by 2003, moved to Nashville and started working with Larry Cordle and with Three Fox Drive.

Early 2007, Mike had done a sit-in show with Jerry Salley. Brandon Rickman had played the show, too, and when Brandon went back to LRB, Mike got a call to join the band. Mike says, “In LRB, everybody is as concerned about timing as I am. Everybody’s playing together versus five musicians each going their own way. It’s about putting it in that pocket.”
Fiddler Mike Hartgrove is probably best known for his years as a founding member of IIIrd Tyme Out, but with three years into LRB, Mike has found a home for his fiddling that he’d like to stay with. Originally from Shelbina, Mo., and now living in Albemarle, N.C., where he has a full schedule of fiddle students, perhaps no fiddler in bluegrass has as long a history of playing behind great vocalists and harmony trios as Mike. He has played with George Jones, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, the Bluegrass Cardinals, Moe Bandy, Doyle Lawson, and now Brandon Rickman.

Tommy Jackson was Mike’s first major fiddle influence. “I loved that drone sound—the shuffle. When I would hear that kind of bell-like sound of Tommy Jackson, it was just kind of a magical thing.” Now 54 years old, Mike moved to Nashville in 1974 and started hanging around the Old Time Picking Parlor on Second Avenue. “A friend of my dad’s had moved to Hendersonville, Tennessee, and he was building houses, so they had an apartment there and a duplex and invited me to come down.”

Mike had been playing in country bands in Missouri, but, in Nashville, he fell in with players such as Norman Blake, Vassar Clements, Benny Martin, and Kenny Baker at the Picking Parlor, and he tracked down Tommy Jackson through a union membership book and met and played fiddles with his hero. After playing one summer in a park bluegrass band at Opryland, Mike auditioned for and got a job as fiddle player in George Jones’ house band at the Possum Holler Club. Jones’ long-time fiddler Tommy Williams (who had recorded Uncle Pen with Monroe) was the bandleader. Mike got a chance to play a huge repertoire of country songs five nights a week, each with specific arrangements that often included twin fiddle.  “I learned how to play disciplined. I think it made me more aware of singers, playing behind singers, instead of just playing a lot of stuff.”

Mike was then asked to join George Jones’ road band and played his first gig at the Grand Ole Opry. He played for Jones for two years, 1977-’79, then joined Moe Bandy’s band and played with him for three years before returning to bluegrass. “I was watching Austin City Limits one night and I saw Bill Monroe on there with Kenny Baker playing the fiddle and I said, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ I knew I was going to take a cut in income, but it’s what I wanted to do.”

Back in Nashville, Mike heard from agent Lance Leroy that the Bluegrass Cardinals were looking for a fiddle player. Mike went to Knoxville to audition and spent the next eight years with the Cardinals. Mike then joined Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver in 1989 and in 1991 left with Russell Moore and Ray Deaton to form IIIrd Tyme Out. Mike’s experience playing behind singers came into full form with the standout vocals of IIIrd Tyme Out. Mike says, “I call it chasing the singer. I play when there’s a pause or when there are valleys, when there’s no singing going on. I try to play reflections of what I’ve heard off the singer.”

In 2002, Mike left IIIrd Tyme Out and joined LRB for the first time. He remembers, “LRB attracted me because Sammy was close by and I liked the sound of the band.” He stayed for three years, until 2005, when he went back to work for Doyle Lawson for a short stay. “I had planned to get off the road and had started teaching and talked with [banjoist and teacher] Craig Smith about setting me up as a teacher. I didn’t have any plans on going back out on the road, but I got to really missing it. I didn’t think I would, but I did.” Mike still teaches and averages over twenty students in the Charlotte, N.C., area.

Then, in 2007, after resonator guitar player Matt Leadbetter left LRB, Mike re-joined the group and has equaled his first stay at three years. The youngest member of the band is mandolinist and vocalist Andy Ball. Andy is currently in a Masters program at the University of Windsor in Canada, across the border from where he grew up in Detroit. He’s interested in political and legal philosophy and would eventually like to go to law school. But for now, his academic program and scholarship give him the flexibility to play in LRB.

Andy is a descendant of Kentuckians who headed north to find work in industry in the upper Midwest. Andy says, “I got into bluegrass through my family. Both sides are from Appalachia. My dad’s dad saw Bill Monroe and the original bluegrass band when he was nine years old in Williamsburg, Kentucky.”

In the ’50s and ’60s, Detroit had some of the best bluegrass in the country at the WJR  Jamboree, where you could see Jimmy Martin with J.D. Crowe and Paul Williams, the Osborne Brothers, and others. Andy’s father, Richard Ball, started a family band and, at six years old, Andy started learning guitar chords and then, a couple of years later, he began playing mandolin which became his primary instrument.

Andy also did demo work with legendary songwriter Pete Goble and would hang out at Pete’s house and pick. Andy says, “Pete always emphasizes the melody to songs. Everything is to complement the singing and the lyrics. He always has this grand narrative to his writing. Every song is a novel. It was a wonderful experience working with him.”

Andy is well grounded in the Detroit area. He went to the University of Detroit and knows all about the Motown sound. “Those great rhythm sections, the Funk Brothers, were classic and I think bluegrass has that same thing where all the players play to enhance the rhythm.”

After playing in the family band and occasional gigs with Paul Williams, Andy ran into Mark Newton in 2005 at a local Detroit restaurant after one of Mark’s gigs. He went to work for Mark and recorded on his “Hillbilly Hemingway” album. In January 2007, Sammy Shelor called Andy, who he’d heard before in Wisconsin at LarryFest in 2005, and had remembered Andy’s mandolin playing and great vocal range.

At the time, Andy had reservations about joining LRB, because he had just started graduate school at Trinity International University in Chicago. He soon came home to Detroit, though, in 2007 to take a job. Although, because of the recession, the job lasted all of two weeks. Andy says, “LRB was the best thing I had going. I told Sammy that I would play just for the 2007 season, but it ended up going beyond that. My senior class, most of them left the state because of the economy. I really didn’t want to leave. I also thought, why do I want to start a life as a musician being on the road? But this band and my scholarship gives me a lot of flexibility to make a decent living.”

A funny thing Andy mentions about playing in LRB now is that he didn’t like the band all that much when he was growing up. “I was into the old stuff: Jimmy Martin, Moore & Napier, Country Gentlemen, J.D. Crowe. I told Sammy about that once and he just laughed.” But Andy is thrilled about playing in LRB now. “It’s fun, because it’s so good. Everybody knows their role. There’s no anxiety, everybody’s consistent. It’s just phenomenal. We create such a pocket of music.”
Perhaps no band in bluegrass has such a recognizable rhythm as LRB. It has defined the modern concept of drive and has influenced almost every other band since 1991. And the band has achieved a status after nearly 28 years that very few have. Theirs is a recognizable name with a sound that is guaranteed top-quality. The group has a good slate of festivals in 2010, and are about to go into the studio and record their second album for Rural Rhythm.

They’re carrying their own tradition now, but it’s not a heavy weight. They carry it with assurance and comfort. If, as Sammy says, 75% of the success of a band is riding the bus, then perhaps the other 25% is enjoying the ride, because the music is consistently great. It’s no wonder that people know exactly what they’re getting when they simply say, “LRB will be there.”

Chris Stuart is a writer and songwriter in San Diego, Calif.