Interview with Del McCoury, April 20, 2010

Partial Transcript: Uh, I'm Jon Weisberger and, uh, its April 20th, 2010 and we're here at, uh, Del McCoury's home in Hendersonville, Tennessee...

Segment Synopsis: Del McCoury is introduced. He talks about growing up in York County, Pennsylvania on a farm. He talks about his family, including his parents and siblings and his relatives in North Carolina. He talks about his mother's musical ability, and briefly mentions World War II.

Keywords: Baltimore (Md.); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Brothers; Careers; Churches; Family; Fathers; Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); High schools; Home births; Missionary Baptists; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Mothers; North Carolina; Pennsylvania; Popularity; Relatives; Schools; Siblings; Sisters; Uncles; Visiting; World War II

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Families.; Musical ability.; Musical instruments.; Traditional farming; World War, 1939-1945; York County (Pa.)

Partial Transcript: So, and so, so you were going to school up, up there in York County.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio by plugging it up to a car battery. He talks about learning to play guitar and his brother's interest in records. He talks about some of the radio stations and artists he listened to as a child.

Keywords: Acuff, Roy (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Brothers; Car batteries; Country music; Don Reno (Artist); Earl Scruggs (Artist); Ernest Tubbs (Artist); Filipino Baby (Song); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Grand Ole Opry; Guitar players; Guitars; Hillbilly music; Learning; Mac Wiseman (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Pennsylvania; Precious Jewel (Song); Radio shows; Records; Red Smiley (Artist); Reno & Smiley (Artist); Reno, Don (Artist); Roy Acuff (Artist); Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Singing; Smiley, Red (Artist); Songs; Television; Tubbs, Ernest (Artist); WBMD (Radio station); WORK (Radio station); Walking the Floor Over You (Song); Wiseman, Mac (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Instruction and study.; Musical ability in children.; Radio programs.; Radio stations.

Partial Transcript: Well, so, so you--so you were--so, so how long was it--so you, you heard Earl when you were nine or so and you played guitar and you--and that--

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about how he became interested in learning to play the banjo after hearing Earl Scruggs. He talks about teaching himself to play. He talks about the interest in Bluegrass music in the North due to people who had migrated up from the South to work in factories. He talks about playing and singing in church.

Keywords: 3 finger rolls; Backwards; Baltimore (Md.); Banjo players; Banjos; Brothers; Churches; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Elvis Presley (Artist); Factories; Fathers; Forward rolls; G.C. McCoury (Artist); Industry; Inspiration; Jobs; Learning to play; McCoury, G.C. (Artist); Migration; Pennsylvania; Picks; Preachers; Presley, Elvis (Artist); Quartets; Records; Rolls; Schools; Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Singing; Three finger rolls; Vega; World War II; York City (Pa.)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Employment; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; World War, 1939-1945

Partial Transcript: And, and how, how did--and then what happened?

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about how he first began to play on the radio, and how he soon met Keith Daniels. Daniels was playing with the Stevens Brothers but started his own band and invited McCoury to join him.

Keywords: Banjo players; Hillbilly Roundup (Songbook); Hillbilly music; Hired; Jobs; Keith Daniels & the Blue Ridge Ramblers (Artist); Keith Daniels and the Blue Ridge Ramblers (Artist); Meeting; Pennsylvania; Preachers; Radio shows; Red Lion, York County (Pa.); Singing; Stevens Brothers

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.

Partial Transcript: Well let me, let me back up just a little bit.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about his experiences as a fan going to see Bill Monroe play at places like the local drive-in theater. He describes the musicians who were in Monroe's band at the time. He mentions some other shows he saw during that time in his life.

Keywords: Bessie Lee Mauldin (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Brothers; Bryant, Donnie (Artist); Concerts; Cross Keys (Venue); Crowe, J. D. (Artist); Donnie Bryant (Artist); Drive-in theaters; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Fairgrounds; Fincher, Shorty (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); G.C. McCoury (Artist); Gigs; Hallam (Pa.); Hillbilly music; J. D. Crowe (Artist); Jimmy Martin (Artist); Joe Meadows (Artist); Joe Stuart (Artist); Local musicians; Mac Wiseman (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Martin, Jimmy (Artist); Mauldin, Bessie Lee (Artist); McCoury, G.C. (Artist); Meadows, Joe (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Pennsylvania; Rehearsals; Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Shorty Fincher (Artist); Shows; Sisters; Stuart, Joe (Artist); Valley View Park; Wiseman, Mac (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music icons; Music--Performance.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: So now, so now we come back, Keith Daniels decided he was going to, he was going to leave the Stevens Brothers and put his own band together and took you along.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks more about being hired by Keith Daniels. He talks about shows they played and about recording with Daniels. He talks about some of the jobs he worked while continuing to play music. He talks about other members of the band and how it was common for members to switch bands.

Keywords: Audio recording; Baltimore (Md.); Band members; Band names; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Booking; Clubs; Concerts; Cooke, Jack (Artist); Dump trucks; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Earl Taylor & The Stony Mountain Boys (Artist); Earl Taylor (Artist); Earl Taylor and the Stony Mountain Boys (Artist); Emcees; Gigs; Guitar players; Guitars; Hutchins, Sam "Porky" (Artist); Jack Cooke (Artist); Jobs; Keith Daniels & the Blue Ridge Ramblers (Artist); Keith Daniels and the Blue Ridge Ramblers (Artist); Money; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Music recording; Payment; Pennsylvania; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Restaurants; Roads; Rope mills; Salary; Sam "Porky" Hutchins (Artist); Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Shows; Sideman; Silk mills; Singing; Swapping; Taylor, Earl (Artist); Venues; Wages; Work; York (Pa.)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Employment; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well now, uh, had--I mean, I guess we're g, we're getting to the point where you go to New York and play banjo with--

Segment Synopsis: McCoury tells the story of being invited to play a show with Bill Monroe in New York. He describes the show and talks about being offered a full-time job with Monroe after the show. He talks about his decision to accept the offer and tells the story of how he came to play guitar for Monroe instead of banjo. He talks about staying in the Clarkson Hotel while working for Monroe, and describes the shows they played.

Keywords: 1962; 1963; Air conditioning; Ash Grove Club; Audio recording; Auditions; Baker, Kenny (Artist); Band members; Banjo players; Baritone; Bean Blossom Festival, Indiana; Bessie Lee Mauldin (Artist); Bill Keith (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); California; Campbell, Frank (Artist); Carnivals; Chapel Cafe; Civil rights marches; Clarkson Hotel; Clubs; Concerts; Cooke, Jack (Artist); Daniels, Keith (Artist); Dating; Decisions; Demonstrations; Fairs; Fiddle players; Folk festivals; Frank Campbell (Artist); Friday Night Frolic (Radio programs); Gigs; Grand Ole Opry; Guitar players; Guitars; Hired; Jack Cooke & the Virginia Playboys (Artist); Jack Cooke (Artist); Jack Cooke and the Virginia Playboys (Artist); Jean Campbell McCoury; Job offers; Keith Daniels (Artist); Keith, Bill (Artist); Kenny Baker (Artist); Married; Mauldin, Bessie Lee (Artist); McCoury, Jean Campbell; Meeting; Missouri; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Music parks; Music recording

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well now--(coughs)--uh, you were with Bill for how l--about--

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about some of the Bluegrass musicians he met while touring with Bill Monroe in California. He talks about recording with Bill Monroe, including a story about how he and Billy Baker missed a recording session. He names some of the songs they recorded. He talks about changes in the band's lineup during his time with them.

Keywords: Allen Shelton (Artist); Audio recording; Baker, Billy (Artist); Banjo players; Bea Lilly (Artist); Benny Williams (Artist); Bessie Lee Mauldin (Artist); Bill Keith (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Billy Baker (Artist); Bobby Hicks (Artist); Buchanan, Jimmy (Artist); Buses; California; Cas Walker; Concerts; Decca Records; Driving; Drumright, Joe (Artist); East Coast; Flickinger, Gloria Belle (Artist); Florida; Gigs; Gloria Belle Flickinger (Artist); Harry Silverstein; Hicks, Bobby (Artist); Hootenanny; Jimmy Buchanan (Artist); Joe Drumright (Artist); Joe Stuart (Artist); Keith, Bill (Artist); Knoxville (Tenn.); Legend of the Blue Ridge Mountains (Song); Lilly, Bea (Artist); Los Angeles (Calif.); Mauldin, Bessie Lee (Artist); Microphones; Music recording; New York City (N.Y.); Newport Folk Festival; One of God's Sheep (Song); Playing music; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Replacements; Roll On Buddy, Roll On (Song); Shelton, Allen (Artist); Show

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well, what, what um--so you played with Bill almost exactly a year and, uh--

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about his reasons for quitting Bill Monroe's band. He talks about going to California to play with the Golden State Boys, and discusses some of their gigs and television appearances. He talks about why he ultimately quit that band as well.

Keywords: 1964; Baker, Billy (Artist); Band members; Banjo players; Banjos; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Billy Baker (Artist); California; Colorado; Conover, Skip (Artist); Dude ranches; Enjoyment; Eric White (Artist); Golden State Boys (Artist); Guitar players; Guitars; Hal Poindexter (Artist); Homesick; Improvement; Jean Campbell McCoury; Leaving; Married; McCoury, Jean Campbell; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Pennsylvania; Poindexter, Hal (Artist); Quitting; Rhythm; Singing; Skip Conover (Artist); Steve Stevenson (Artist); Stevenson, Steve (Artist); Television shows; White, Eric (Artist); Wife; Worthington Dodge Show (Television program)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: And so, uh, the Bluegrass festivals started, you know.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks more about working day jobs while playing music at night and on weekends. He talks about some of the bands he was playing with, their shows, and the material they were playing.

Keywords: 1965; Baker, Billy (Artist); Baltimore (Md.); Billy Baker (Artist); Bobby Diamond (Artist); Clubs; Concerts; Cover songs; Day jobs; Diamond, Bobby (Artist); Dixie Pals (Artist); Emory Ledford (Artist); Gigs; Haggard, Merle (Artist); Hanover (Pa.); Hutchins, Sam "Porky" (Artist); Jobs; Ledford, Emory (Artist); Live radio; Mama Tried (Song); Material; Merle Haggard (Artist); Nuclear plants; Pennsylvania; Playing music; Radio shows; Sam "Porky" Hutchins (Artist); Sawmills; Shows; Three Mile Island; Timber; Venues; Weekends; Work

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Employment; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.

Partial Transcript: Now you made your--the first record around in '67?

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about some of the albums he has recorded, including details about who played on each record, what label they were on, some of the songs he played, and their sales.

Keywords: 1968; Arhoolie Records; Audio recording; Baker, Billy (Artist); Bill Emerson (Artist); Billy Baker (Artist); Buchanan, Jimmy (Artist); Buddy Spicher (Artist); Carlton Haney; Concerts; Dewey Renfro (Artist); Dick Stabler (Artist); Emerson, Bill (Artist); Farmer, John (Artist); Fiddle players; Gigs; Haney, Carlton; Jerry McCoury (Artist); Jimmy Buchanan (Artist); John Farmer (Artist); McCoury, Jerry (Artist); Music recording; Nashville (Tenn.); Neil, Tommy (Artist); Record labels; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Renfro, Dewey (Artist); Rounder Records; Sales; Schwartz, Tracy (Artist); Shows; Spicher, Buddy (Artist); Stabler, Dick (Artist); Tommy Neil (Artist); Tracy Schwartz (Artist); Wayne Yates (Artist); Yates, Wayne (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well so, so I'm, I'm thinking you, you kind of got into the--onto the festival scene pretty early.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about the beginning of Bluegrass festivals and mentions Bill Monroe's initial skepticism about them. He mentions some of the festivals he joined in their early days including Bean Blossom, Fincastle, and others.

Keywords: 1967; 1968; Allen, Harley "Red" (Artist); Baker, Billy (Artist); Bean Blossom Festival, Indiana; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Billy Baker (Artist); Bobby Osborne (Artist); Booking; Carlton Haney (Artist); Crowe, J. D. (Artist); Emcees; Fathers; Fincastle Festival; Haney, Carlton (Artist); Harley "Red" Allen (Artist); J. D. Crowe (Artist); Jean Campbell McCoury; Mandolin players; Mandolins; McCoury, Jean Campbell; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Osborne, Bobby (Artist); Ralph Rinzler (Artist); Rinzler, Ralph (Artist); Singing; Successful; Watermelon Park, Berryville (Va.)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: So you mentioned--uh, let's see, Rhonda was born in '65.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks at length about recording his album "High On A Mountain" and the musicians who played with him on the record. He talks about other albums he recorded, where he got his songs, his own songwriting, and the record labels he recorded for.

Keywords: Albums; Audio recording; Band members; Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Poffenberger; Bill Runkle (Artist); Bill Sage (Artist); Carlton Haney; Dewey Renfro (Artist); Dick Stabler (Artist); Dixie Pals (Artist); Don't You Call My Name (Song); Donnie Ellers; Dreams (Song); Ellers, Donnie; Grassound Records; Haney, Carlton; High On A Mountain (Album); High on a Mountain (Song); Irwin, Ken; Jerry McCoury (Artist); Ken Irwin; Larry "Smitty" Smith; Leather Records; McCoury, Jerry (Artist); McCoury, Rhonda; McCoury, Rob (Artist); McCoury, Ronnie (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Music recording; Ola Belle Reed (Artist); Pennsylvania; Poffenberger, Bill; Rebel Records; Record labels; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Red Lion, York County (Pa.); Reed, Ola Belle (Artist); Renfro, Dewey (Artist); Revonah Records; Rhonda McCoury; Rob McCoury (Artist); Ronnie McCoury (Artist); Rounder Records; Runkle, Bill (Artist); Sage, Bill (Artist); Smith,

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: --into the seventies.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about playing shows in the 1970s. He describes people leaving the band and new members being hired. He talks about some of the records they recorded during this time.

Keywords: 1970s; 1980s; Band contests; Band members; Busy; Changes; Concerts; Dick Smith (Artist); Gigs; Japan; Jerry McCoury (Artist); McCoury, Jerry (Artist); Meeting; Miller, Sonny (Artist); Records; Replacements; Shows; Smith, Dick (Artist); Sonny Miller (Artist); Sunset Park; Touring; Tours; Work

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: So, so y, so d--so you were, you were working a day job, you were working in the logging industry.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about working with Everett Lilly and Robert Tanaka to book his tour in Japan. He talks about recording a live album while there. He describes how his son got permission from his school principal to go on the tour.

Keywords: Accidents; Albums; Audio recording; Booking; Crowe, J. D. (Artist); Day jobs; Death; Europe; Everett Lilly (Artist); International; J. D. Crowe (Artist); Japan; Keith Whitley (Artist); Leather Records; Lilly, Everett (Artist); Live albums; McCoury, Ronnie (Artist); Miller, Sonny (Artist); Music recording; Overseas; Promoters; Rebel Records; Recording sessions; Robert Tanaka; Ronnie McCoury (Artist); Sawmill (Album); School principals; Schools; Sonny Miller (Artist); Sons; Tanaka, Robert; Touring; Tours; Weekends; Whitley, Keith (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well and, and--I'm trying to think, you made a couple--you made a Sawmill record for Rebel.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks more about recording and describes each record and the label they were made for. He talks about the musicians and band members who played on each album.

Keywords: Audio recording; Banjo players; Bass players; Bassists; California; Careers; Concerts; Day jobs; Don Parmley (Artist); Don't Stop the Music (Album); Eddie Stubbs (Artist); Families of Tradition (Album); Gigs; Jerry McCoury (Artist); McCoury Brothers (Artist); McCoury, Jerry (Artist); McCoury, Rob (Artist); Music recording; Parmley, Don (Artist); Rebel Records; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Rehearsals; Rob McCoury (Artist); Rounder Records; Sawmill (Album); Shows; Singing; Stubbs, Eddie (Artist); Work

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: So had you--I mean--'cause that, to me at least, I mean I remember--and I, and I, I looked...

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about how his career began to change, and his decision to add his sons to the band. He talks about the decision to move to Nashville and how it impacted his career. He talks about touring, recording, and the band members who were active at that time.

Keywords: ; A Deeper Shade of Blue (Album); Albums; Audio recording; Band members; Bass players; Bassists; Blair, Warren (Artist); Blue Side of Town (Album); Booking agents; Brantley, Mike (Artist); Bub, Mike (Artist); Careers; Carter, Jason (Artist); Case, Keith; Chad Marks (Artist); Changes; Children; Concerts; Convenience; Don't Stop the Music (Album); Families of Tradition (Album); Family; Gigs; Glick, John (Artist); Grand Ole Opry; International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA); International Bluegrass Music Awards; Jason Carter (Artist); Jean Campbell McCoury; Jerry McCoury (Artist); John Glick (Artist); Keith Case; Lance LeRoy; LeRoy, Lance; Marks, Chad (Artist); McCoury, Jean Campbell; McCoury, Jerry (Artist); McCoury, Rob (Artist); McCoury, Ronnie (Artist); Mike Brantley (Artist); Mike Bub (Artist); Moving; Music recording; Nashville (Tenn.); Opportunities; Pennsylvania; Profile; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Ricky Skaggs (Artist); Rob McCoury (Artist); Ronnie McCoury (Artist); Rounder Records; Shows; Skaggs, Ricky (Artist); Sons; Television; Touring; Tours

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: It, it must have felt like a pretty big change...

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks more about how he gained exposure after moving to Nashville. He talks about the types of venues he played at and the audiences he played for. He talks about his relationship with the band Phish and playing at their festival. He talks about the albums he recorded and the labels they were on. He talks about his ability as a songwriter and where he got his other material.

Keywords: Albums; Arrangements; Audio recording; Bobby Cud (Artist); Booking agents; Careers; Case, Keith; Cold Hard Facts (Album); Colorado; Concerts; Cover songs; Crowds; Cud, Bobby (Artist); Don't Stop the Music (Album); Exposure; Gigs; Grand Ole Opry; Guest appearances; Guest spots; I Feel The Blues Moving In (Song); Jam bands; Keith Case; Managers; Mandel, Max; Material; Max Mandel; McCoury, Ronnie (Artist); Music recording; Opportunities; Phish (Artist); Popularity; Record labels; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Ricky Skaggs (Artist); Ronnie McCoury (Artist); Rounder Records; Shows; Skaggs, Ricky (Artist); Songs; Songwriters; Songwriting; Stan Strickland (Artist); Strickland, Stan (Artist); Television appearances; Venues

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well now there's something I want to ask you about cause it kind of c--falls into--I guess it would also be right about this same time...

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about some of his television appearances, including the 50th anniversary of Israel on CBS, and the David Letterman Show, among others. He talks about playing at non-Bluegrass shows and venues, and his experience with non-Bluegrass crowds. He talks about being on the "Down From the Mountain" tour and his new booking agent, the William Morris Agency.

Keywords: 50th anniversary; Albums; Alison Krauss (Artist); Bonaroo Music Festival; Booking agents; Burnett, Joseph Henry "T Bone"; Burnett, T Bone (Producer); Careers; Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS); Concerts; Connick, Harry (Artist); Crowds; Down From the Mountain tour; Down from the Mountain (Documentary); Earle, Steve (Artist); Exposure; George Jones (Artist); Gigs; Harry Connick (Artist); Impressed; Israel; Jones, George (Artist); Joseph Henry "T Bone" Burnett III; Klezmer bands; Krauss, Alison (Artist); Los Angeles (Calif.); Managers; McCoury, Rob (Artist); Musical styles; Nashville Cats (Song); Opportunities; Prime time television; Requests; Rob McCoury (Artist); Rock clubs; Set lists; Shows; Songs; Stan Strickland; Steve Earle (Artist); Strickland, Stan; T Bone Burnett (Producer); Television and bluegrass; The David Letterman Show (Television program); Venues; William Morris Agency

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: But now, um--(coughs)--um, you--so, so you were--you had, you had signed with Stan as your manager--

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about the decision to create his own music label, McCoury Music.

Keywords: Albums; Audio recording; CDs; Decisions; It's Just the Night (Album); McCoury Music; Music recording; Promoting; Promotion; Record labels; Recording sessions; Recording studios; Ricky Skaggs (Artist); Sales; Skaggs, Ricky (Artist); Work

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Musical groups.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well now and the other thing that I guess happened and I--it, it just kind of occurred to me must have been pretty much right around the same time was you were invited to join the Grand Ole Opry.

Segment Synopsis: McCoury tells the story of how he was invited to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry while receiving an IBMA Award. He talks about some of the musicians he has played with on the Opry.

Keywords: Bentley, Dierks (Artist); Buck White (Artist); Careers; Charlie Daniels (Artist); Comedy; Daniels, Charlie (Artist); Dickens, Jimmy (Artist); Dierks Bentley (Artist); Fisher, Pete; Friends; Friendships; Gill, Vince (Artist); Grand Ole Opry; Honors; International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA); International Bluegrass Music Awards; Invitations; Jimmy Dickens (Artist); Osborne, Sonny (Artist); Pete Fisher; Ricky Skaggs (Artist); Skaggs, Ricky (Artist); Sonny Osborne (Artist); Variety; Vince Gill (Artist); White, Buck (Artist); membership

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Awards.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Now I, I was thinking you've done--one of the things, you know, again especially over the last, over the last decade or so...

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks more about his experiences playing at non-Bluegrass venues and with non-Bluegrass musicians, including the Preservation Hall Band, The Chieftains, and others. He talks about how all types of music have commonalities.

Keywords: Albums; Attitudes; Bentley, Dierks (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys (Artist); Brown, Dewey (Artist); Carter, Jason (Artist); Changes; Clarinet players; Collaborations; DelFest; Dewey Brown (Artist); Dierks Bentley (Artist); Difficulty; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Fiddle players; Future; Guest appearances; Guest spots; Jason Carter (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Peter Rowan (Artist); Preservation Hall Band (Artist); Rain and Snow (Song); Related; Roland White (Artist); Rowan, Peter (Artist); Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Similarities; The Chieftains (Artist); Training; U2 (Artist); Variety; White, Roland (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Let me ask you real quickly cause I, I mentioned it and then I...

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about the decision to begin his own festival, DelFest. He talks about choosing the location for the festival, and tells a story about a big storm that hit the festival the previous year. He talks about some of the musicians and bands who have played at the festival, as well as his own performances.

Keywords: Alan Bartram (Artist); Allegheny County (Md.); Attendance; Band members; Bartram, Alan (Artist); Bobby Osborne (Artist); California; Carter, Jason (Artist); Carter, Roy (Artist); Changes; Charity; Community; Crowds; Cumberland (Md.); Dark Star Orchestra (Artist); DelFest; Enjoyment; Fairgrounds; Jason Carter (Artist); Locations; McCoury, Rob (Artist); McCoury, Ronnie (Artist); Nervous; Osborne, Bobby (Artist); Potomac River; Publicity; Requests; Rob McCoury (Artist); Ronnie McCoury (Artist); Roy Carter (Artist); Singing; Sites; Stan Strickland; Storms; Strickland, Stan; Tents; Tornadoes; Volunteers

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass festivals; Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Communities in music; Music audiences; Music fans.; Music festivals.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Um, talk a little bit, if you would, about how--I mean--one of the things that I want to be sure to get in here...

Segment Synopsis: McCoury talks about his role models and influences as a rhythm guitarist. He talks about whether his playing style has changed over the years. He talks about musicians' opinions on open chords versus capos. He talks about whether he encourages the members of his band to imitate his style. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Acuff, Roy (Artist); Band members; Banjo players; Banjos; Bill Keith (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Capos; Changes; D chords; Don Reno (Artist); E chords; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Flatt, Lester (Artist); Freedom; I'm Working on a Building (Song); Idols; Imitation; Influences; Jimmy Martin (Artist); Keith, Bill (Artist); Lead guitars; Learning; Lester Flatt (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Martin, Jimmy (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Musical styles; Open chords; Reno, Don (Artist); Rhythm; Rhythm guitar players; Rhythm guitars; Rice, Tony (Artist); Role models; Roy Acuff (Artist); Runs; Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Singing; Sound; Speed; Style; Tempo; Throwbacks; Tony Rice (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music icons; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical groups.; Musical performance