Del McCoury was born in Bakersville, North Carolina, on February 1, 1939. A few years later the family moved to Southern Pennsylvania, where he learned to play the 5-string banjo. As a young man, he played the banjo for different bands around York, Pennsylvania, and later, in the Baltimore, Maryland area.

In 1963, Del went to work for Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys, who changed Del from playing banjo to guitar. He also took on some of the singing responsibilities for the group. Monroe’s tours took Del to California where he left the group to join the Golden State Boys.

In 1967, Del formed his own band, Del McCoury and the Dixie Pals, and during the next twenty years even made some recordings. In 1987, he and his brother Jerry did an album for Rounder Records, singing as a duet. But, a few years later, Del’s sons, Ronnie and Rob, joined him to form the Del McCoury Band. In the early 1990s, they produced two albums before moving to Nashville, Tennessee. Shortly thereafter, Del added bass player Mike Bub and fiddler Jason Carter to the group.

The Band recorded an album in 1994, “A Deeper Shade of Blue” that won them the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) album of the year. The next year, Ronnie and Rob McCoury won an IBMA award for instrumental album.

In 1996, the Del McCoury Band released an album, “Cold Hard Facts,” that earned them a Grammy nomination. They went on to virtually sweep the IBMA Awards, winning entertainer and instrumental band honors for 1996 and 1997.

Two years later, the Band moved from Rounder to Ceili Music, which is owned by Ricky Skaggs, and released two albums, “The Family” in 1999, and “Del And The Boys” in 2001. Though they did not play on the soundtrack of “O Brother, Where Art Thou”, they were added to the tour of “Down From The Mountain.” In 2003, the Del McCoury Band released “It’s Just The Night” on their own label.

The Del McCoury Band joined the Grand Ole Opry in 2003. Their music can be heard regularly on TCM Radio’s Bluegrass channel. Happy Birthday Del McCoury!

Dusty Owens

TCM Radio News