Interview with J. D. Crowe, January 7, 2020
Project: Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project
Interview Summary
J. D. Crowe discusses his childhood interest in music, first listening to musicians like Ernest Tubb and Flatt & Scruggs, and later learning to play by emulating them on the guitar and banjo. He talks about playing his first shows and how he came to work with Jimmy Martin before even leaving high school. He talks about his five year career with Jimmy Martin on the "Louisiana Hayride" and the "Wheeling Jamboree." He talks about beginning his own band, The Kentucky Mountain Boys. He describes their early shows in Lexington, Kentucky at "rough" venues before being offered a 5-day a week gig at the Holiday Inn. He talks about changing the band name to The New South. Throughout the interview he discusses recording albums with Jimmy Martin, the Kentucky Mountain Boys, and the New South. He also discusses the various band members of these bands throughout the years. He talks about his retirement from the music business from 1988-1994, and his career since his return to J. D. Crowe and the New South.Interview Accession
Interviewee Name
Interviewer Name
Interview Date
Interview Keyword
Ernest Tubb (Artist) Flatt and Scruggs (Artist) Banjo players Banjos Esco Hankins and the Crazy Tennesseans (Artist) Jimmy Martin (Artist) Lexington (Ky.) Mac Wiseman (Artist) Louisiana Hayride (Radio program) Wheeling Jamboree (Radio program) Kentucky Mountain Boys featuring J. D. Crowe (Artist) J. D. Crowe and the New South (Artist) Bluegrass Album Band (Artist)Interview LC Subject
Childhood Country music. Musical instruments. Music--Instruction and study. Musicians Practicing (Music) Radio programs. Radio stations. Bands (Music) Bluegrass music. Bluegrass musicians Banjo music (Bluegrass) Musical groups. Musical performance Music--Performance. Records. Sound recordings. Sound studios Sound--Recording and reproducingInterview Rights
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.Interview Usage
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.Restriction
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.
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Crowe, J. D. Interview by Thomas A. Adler. 07 Jan. 2020. Lexington, KY: Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
Crowe, J.D. (2020, January 07). Interview by T. A. Adler. Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project. Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries, Lexington.
Crowe, J. D., interview by Thomas A. Adler. January 07, 2020, Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
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