Bluegrass Music - J.D. Crowe

Bluegrass band leader and banjo player, J.D. Crowe, first became known during his four years of playing with Jimmy Martin during the 1950's. Born in Lexington, Kentucky on August 27, 1937, Crowe was offered a position with Jimmy Martin and his Sunny Mountain Boys in the mid 1950's. His first recordings with the Sunny Mountain Boys were cut on December 1, 1956 and his last on August 17, 1960. J.D. Crowe recorded a total of 33 songs on Decca Records with Jimmy Martin. J.D. Crowe formed the Kentucky Mountain Boys in the 1960's. They mainly performed around the area of Lexington, Kentucky. Crowe changed the name of his band to The New South in the early 1970's. Since then, J.D. Crowe and The New South has been widely considered one of the most influential bands in bluegrass music. Many famous musicians, including Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Doyle Lawson and Tony Rice have been a part of The New South.