Musician. A legendary violinist, he began performing with Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys when he was 14 and became a regular member with Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in 1949. During his career as a fiddle virtuoso and A-list studio musician, he played on more than 2,000 albums. His work bridged various styles, including country, jazz, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and classical. Artists he performed with include Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, The Byrds, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Tom T. Hall, Paul McCartney, Bonnie Raitt, the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers and Woody Herman. Nominated for 5 Grammy Awards, he won the Grammy Award for best country instrumental performance, as a contributor to "Earl's Breakdown" in 2005. Cause of death, cancer at age 77.
Musician. A legendary violinist, he began performing with Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys when he was 14 and became a regular member with Nashville's Grand Ole Opry in 1949. During his career as a fiddle virtuoso and A-list studio musician, he played on more than 2,000 albums. His work bridged various styles, including country, jazz, bluegrass, rock 'n' roll and classical. Artists he performed with include Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, The Byrds, Kris Kristofferson, John Prine, Tom T. Hall, Paul McCartney, Bonnie Raitt, the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers and Woody Herman. Nominated for 5 Grammy Awards, he won the Grammy Award for best country instrumental performance, as a contributor to "Earl's Breakdown" in 2005. Cause of death, cancer at age 77.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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