Delano Floyd McCoury (born February 1, 1939) is an American bluegrass musician. As leader of the Del McCoury Band, he plays guitar and sings lead vocals along with his two sons, Ronnie McCoury and Rob McCoury, who play mandolin and banjo respectively. He became a member of the Grand Ole Opry in 2003. In June 2010, he received a National Heritage Fellowship lifetime achievement award from the National Endowment for the Arts and in 2011 he was elected into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
Early life and career McCoury was born in Bakersville, North Carolina. His mother, Hazel, sang and played several instruments. His brother Jerry plays bass. His brother G. C. taught Del to play the guitar and sparked his interest in bluegrass music. The McCoury family moved to York County, Pennsylvania in 1941. Inspired by Earl Scruggs, McCoury learned to play the banjo. He purchased his first banjo, a Gibson, and joined a band called The Stevens Brothers. He later played with Keith Daniels and the Blue Ridge Ramblers. They recorded an album for the Empire label in 1962. McCoury was drafted into the military that same year, but received a medical discharge. Del played with Marvin...
Extract from Wikipedia: “Del McCoury” (CC BY-SA 4.0).
