About
Bluegrass singer, banjo player, and band leader known as the "The Duke of Drive" who was a member of multiple bluegrass groups including The Dukes of Drive, Boone Creek, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and IIIrd Tyme Out. His banjo playing was considered influential and his style has been incorporated into modern bluegrass compositions.
Before Fame
He began playing the banjo when he was 10 years old. He was inspired to play the banjo because of the Beverly Hillbillies television show. He eventually began playing fiddle at age 14. He then played banjo in his father's bluegrass group The Rocky River Boys when he was a teenager. He became well known once he helped found the band Boone Creek in 1976.
Trivia
He won the 2013 IBMA Recorded Event of the Year award for the song "What'll I Do" (2013). He was inducted into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
Family Life
He was born and raised in Monroe, North Carolina. He died of Lewy body dementia on December 7th, 2023.
Associated With
He was inspired to play banjo by Earl Scruggs's performance on the Beverly Hillbillies. He played with Ricky Skaggs and Jerry Douglas when they were all in Boone Creek together.
