Crowe on the Banjo: The Music Life of J.D. Crowe

Images

Lexington, Kentucky, Christmas, 1950, at home. Left to right: Bessie Lee Nichols Crowe, Rosa Marie Crowe, Orval Dee Crowe, and J.D. Crowe. Photo courtesy Rosa Crowe Collett. Lexington, Kentucky, the Kentucky Mountain Barn Dance, ca. 1950. Onstage, Esco Hankins’s band, the Tennesseans. Left to right: “Jake” Tullock, “Aunt Liz,” unidentified announcer, Esco Hankins, Curley Farmer, and “Uncle Josh.” Left side of stage, seated, left to right: Curly Sechler and the Two Powell County Boys. Right side of stage, seated, left to right: Earl Scruggs (in hat), Lester Flatt (with handkerchief), “Jody Rainwater,” and unidentified performer. Standing, far right: unidentified announcer. In center of aisle, seated on stairs: J.D. Crowe. Photo from Kentucky Mountain Barn Dance Song Book, ca. 1950, courtesy Frank Godbey. photos_Godb.indd 1 8/3/11 9:30 AM Lexington, Kentucky, Christmas, 1950. J.D.’s first banjo, a Kay. Rosa Marie Crowe and J.D. Crowe. Photo courtesy Rosa Crowe Collett. Junction City, Kentucky, ca. 1951–52. Sam Gastin, with Ball Bearing Plectrum Gibson PB-5 with attached fifth string; J.D. would later own this banjo. J.D. with his first Gibson banjo, an RB-100. Note the early appearance of J.D.’s “claw.” Photo courtesy Rosa Crowe Collett. photos_Godb.indd 2 8/3/11 9:30 AM Barn Dance in Mount Sterling, Kentucky, ca. 1953, J.D. with Esco Hankins and the Tennesseans. Left to right: Dean Faulkner, “Red” Stanley, Esco Hankins, J.D. Crowe, and George Billings. Photo courtesy Rosa Crowe Collett. Matoaca, Virginia, High School, 1955, J.D. with Mac Wiseman. Left to right: Curtis Lee, Benny Williams (obscured) J.D. Crowe, and Mac Wiseman. J.D. is playing his RB-100; note the “claw.” Photo by Bernie Wright, courtesy Frank Schoepf. photos_Godb.indd 3 8/3/11 9:30 AM Casey Clark’s Jamboree, Detroit, 1957. J.D. with Jimmy Martin. Left to right: Billy Gill, Frank Wakefield, Jimmy Martin, and J.D. Crowe. Photo courtesy Rosa Crowe Collett. Mocking Bird Hill Park, Anderson, Indiana, 1960. J.D. with Jimmy Martin. Left to right: Herb Hooven; Paul Williams; J.D. Crowe, with his Gibson RB-3, “the Banger”; and Jimmy Martin. Photo courtesy Ken Landreth. photos_Godb.indd 4 8/3/11 9:30 AM Martin’s Tavern, Lexington, Kentucky, 1964. Left to right: Ed Stacy, Bobby Joslin, J.D. Crowe, and Charlie Joslin. Photo courtesy Rosa Crowe Collett. Martin’s Tavern, Lexington, Kentucky, 1968. Left to right: Gordon Scott, Jimmy Hatton, J.D. Crowe, and Doyle Lawson. Photo by Harry Bickel. photos_Godb.indd 5 8/3/11 9:30 AM Red Slipper Lounge, Holiday Inn North, Lexington, Kentucky, November 22, 1968. Left to right: Doyle Lawson, J.D. Crowe, and Red Allen. Photo by Marty Godbey. photos_Godb.indd 6 8/3/11 9:30 AM Shoal Creek Park, Lavonia, Georgia, July 25, 1970. Left to right: Larry Rice, J.D. Crowe, and Doyle Lawson. Photo by Marty Godbey. Carleton Haney’s Camp Springs Festival, Reidsville, North Carolina, Labor Day weekend, 1970. Left to right: Larry Rice, Jimmy Hatton (obscured), Doyle Lawson, J.D. Crowe, and Bobby Slone, posing for unidentified fan. Photo by Frank Godbey. photos_Godb.indd 7 8/3/11 9:30 AM Todd’s Fork Festival, Morrow, Ohio, September 1974. Left to right: Larry Rice, Tony Rice, Bobby Slone, and J.D. Crowe. Photo by Janice McLaughlin. Sheraton Inn, Lexington, Kentucky, March 1975. Left to right: Ricky Skaggs, J.D. Crowe, and Tony Rice. Photo by Marty Godbey. photos_Godb.indd 8 8/3/11 9:30 AM Diners’ Playhouse, Lexington, Kentucky, during taping of Bluegrass, Bluegrass, a series by Kentucky Educational Television, July 3, 1977. Left to right: Bobby Slone, Jimmy Gaudreau, Glenn Lawson, and J.D. Crowe. Photo by Marty Godbey. Breeding’s, Lexington, Kentucky, March 26, 1982. Left to right: Bobby Slone, Wendy Miller, Keith Whitley, and J.D. Crowe. Photo by Marty Godbey. photos_Godb.indd 9 8/3/11 9:30 AM Bogart’s, Cincinnati, February 1984. Left to right: Randy Hayes, J.D. Crowe, Tony King, and Wendy Miller. Photo by Marty Godbey. Red Mile Festival, Lexington, Kentucky, May 24, 1993. Left to right: Phil Leadbetter, Curt Chapman (obscured), Wayne Fields, J.D. Crowe...