Veteran bluegrass performer Bob Paisley died November 29 at his home in
Landenberg, Pennsylvania. He was 73.
Paisley’s family was originally from Ashe County, NC. His mother played guitar
in the thumb-picking style, his father played clawhammer banjo; his uncle Wiley
Paisley and a cousin were members of the North Carolina Ridge Runners. Paisley
grew up hearing many of the greats of Appalachian music. Alex Campbell, Ola
Belle Reed, and the New River Ranch Boys and Girls were family friends of his
grandfather and often rehearsed at his home. At summer concerts Paisley heard
Roy Acuff and Bill Monroe. In the late 1960s, he and banjo player Ted Lundy formed the bluegrass band
Southern Mountain Boys. After Lundy’s death in 1980, he renamed the band Bob
Paisley and the Southern Grass. For over 25 years the band maintained their
distinctive brand of hard-driving bluegrass music combining soulful and powerful
harmony singing with exciting instrumental work. The band performed at countless
music festivals, colleges, clubs, and special events, including President
Carter’s Inauguration, and regularly toured in Europe, Japan, and Canada.
[Obituary courtesy of the Folk Alliance].
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
