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Del McCoury
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Del McCoury
Delano Floyd McCoury (born February 1, 1939) is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo respectively. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2003. In June 2010, he received a National Heritage Fellowship lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts and in 2011 he was elected into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
McCoury was born in Bakersville, North Carolina. His mother, Hazel, sang and played several instruments. His brother Jerry plays bass. His brother G. C. taught Del to play the guitar and sparked his interest in bluegrass music. The McCoury family moved to York County, Pennsylvania in 1941.
Inspired by Earl Scruggs, McCoury learned to play the banjo. He purchased his first banjo, a Gibson, and joined a band called The Stevens Brothers. He later played with Keith Daniels and the Blue Ridge Ramblers. They recorded an album for the Empire label in 1962.
McCoury was drafted into the military that same year, but received a medical discharge. Del played with Marvin Howell and the Franklin County Boys and Jack Cooke and the Virginia Mountain Boys. He joined Bill Monroe's band The Blue Grass Boys in February 1963. They already had a banjo player, so McCoury played guitar and sang. During his tenure with the group they had several appearances at the Grand Ole Opry and recorded six songs for Decca Records.
McCoury left Monroe's band in February 1964. He played the Golden State Boys and the Shady Valley Boys in California, but returned home in June to work a day job doing logging with his father, while working weekend gigs in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. In December 1967, he recorded his first album, Del McCoury Sings Bluegrass.
In the 1980s his sons began performing with him. Fiddler Tad Marks and bass player Mike Brantley joined McCoury's group in early 1990s. McCoury's group toured widely throughout the US. They relocated to Nashville, Tennessee as they began to attract attention. Fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Mike Bub joined in 1992. Alan Bartram joined the band as bassist in 2005. McCoury became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in October 2003.
McCoury was also one of many performers at The Clearwater Concert at Madison Square Garden on May 3, 2009. The event celebrated the 90th birthday of Pete Seeger.
McCoury has influenced a great number of bands, including Phish, with whom he has shared the stage several times, and who have covered his songs. He has also performed with The String Cheese Incident and Donna the Buffalo, and recorded with Steve Earle. McCoury has covered songs by artists as diverse as The Lovin' Spoonful, Tom Petty, and Richard Thompson. McCoury has appeared at festivals including Bonnaroo, High Sierra, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, The Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and the Newport Folk Festival. His television appearances include Late Night with Conan O'Brien and the Late Show with David Letterman. Del has a very enthusiastic fan base, known as the Del-Heads.
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Del McCoury
Delano Floyd McCoury (born February 1, 1939) is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo respectively. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2003. In June 2010, he received a National Heritage Fellowship lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts and in 2011 he was elected into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
McCoury was born in Bakersville, North Carolina. His mother, Hazel, sang and played several instruments. His brother Jerry plays bass. His brother G. C. taught Del to play the guitar and sparked his interest in bluegrass music. The McCoury family moved to York County, Pennsylvania in 1941.
Inspired by Earl Scruggs, McCoury learned to play the banjo. He purchased his first banjo, a Gibson, and joined a band called The Stevens Brothers. He later played with Keith Daniels and the Blue Ridge Ramblers. They recorded an album for the Empire label in 1962.
McCoury was drafted into the military that same year, but received a medical discharge. Del played with Marvin Howell and the Franklin County Boys and Jack Cooke and the Virginia Mountain Boys. He joined Bill Monroe's band The Blue Grass Boys in February 1963. They already had a banjo player, so McCoury played guitar and sang. During his tenure with the group they had several appearances at the Grand Ole Opry and recorded six songs for Decca Records.
McCoury left Monroe's band in February 1964. He played the Golden State Boys and the Shady Valley Boys in California, but returned home in June to work a day job doing logging with his father, while working weekend gigs in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. In December 1967, he recorded his first album, Del McCoury Sings Bluegrass.
In the 1980s his sons began performing with him. Fiddler Tad Marks and bass player Mike Brantley joined McCoury's group in early 1990s. McCoury's group toured widely throughout the US. They relocated to Nashville, Tennessee as they began to attract attention. Fiddler Jason Carter and bassist Mike Bub joined in 1992. Alan Bartram joined the band as bassist in 2005. McCoury became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in October 2003.
McCoury was also one of many performers at The Clearwater Concert at Madison Square Garden on May 3, 2009. The event celebrated the 90th birthday of Pete Seeger.
McCoury has influenced a great number of bands, including Phish, with whom he has shared the stage several times, and who have covered his songs. He has also performed with The String Cheese Incident and Donna the Buffalo, and recorded with Steve Earle. McCoury has covered songs by artists as diverse as The Lovin' Spoonful, Tom Petty, and Richard Thompson. McCoury has appeared at festivals including Bonnaroo, High Sierra, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, The Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and the Newport Folk Festival. His television appearances include Late Night with Conan O'Brien and the Late Show with David Letterman. Del has a very enthusiastic fan base, known as the Del-Heads.
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