The Lyric Theatre Presents

American Bluegrass Masters Tour

For the first time in 50 years, the American Bluegrass Masters Tour unites Grammy Award winner J.D. Crowe and Grand Ole Opry legend Bobby Osborne with the hottest up-and-coming bluegrass singers and pickers on the planet.  Think of it as “bluegrass meets newgrass.”

Banjoist J.D. Crowe, one of the most influential progressive bluegrass musicians of the 70s, pioneered a distinctive instrumental style that melded country, bluegrass, rock and blues.  Inspired by the performances of Earl Scruggs, Crowe first picked up the banjo at the age of 13.  His big break came when bluegrass icon Jimmy Martin asked him to join the Sunny Mountain Boys. 

Crowe later formed the Kentucky Mountain Boys, and eventually founded the New South, the most revolutionary bluegrass outfit of its time.  He continually reinvents and updates bluegrass while simultaneously paying tribute to the legacy of tone, taste and timing established by his music idols. 

Mandolin stylist and vocalist Bobby Osborne was the first to record what would later become the Tennessee state song and the most recorded song in bluegrass history, “Rocky Top.”  As a long-time member of the Osborne Brothers, Bobby was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor.  The Grammy Award-nominated performer launched his solo career in 2005 with his band, the Rocky Top X-Press. 

In the American Bluegrass Masters Tour, bluegrass legends Crowe and Osborne pass the torch of America’s musical heritage to the unbridled talents of tomorrow.  Included on this incredible tour are:  Dean Osborne (banjo and guitar), Bobby Osborne, Jr., (bass and guitar), Richard Bennett (guitar), Curtis Burch (Dobro), J.P. Mathes (banjo, guitar and bass) and the Kentucky School of Bluegrass & Traditional Music Ensemble. 

If you love bluegrass, the American Bluegrass Masters Tour is a must-see!