Bluegrass music legend J.D. Crowe dies

Kentucky has lost a Bluegrass music legend.
Banjoist and Lexington native J.D. Crowe died early Christmas Eve morning. His son, David, confirmed the news on social media.
He was revered for his skilled banjo playing and his innovation in Bluegrass music, with a career that spanned more than 50 years.

Born James Dee Crowe in 1937, he began his Bluegrass career in the 1950s, playing with Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys. Later, he formed the Kentucky Mountain Boys, which became The New South in 1971.
​Throughout his career, he played with Bluegrass musicians like Jimmy Martin, Doyle Lawson and Keith Whitley. The New South included members Tony Rice and Ricky Skaggs. Crowe won a Grammy in 1983 for his song “Fireball” in the Country Instrumental of the Year category. He also received the Bluegrass Star Award in 2011. He officially retired from touring in 2012, but continued to attend and play at concerts and festivals, according to Herald-Leader archives. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Kentucky in 2012, and a lifetime achievement award from the Lexington Music Awards in 2016. In Kentucky, the annual J.D. Crowe Bluegrass Festival is held in Wilmore.