Rual Holt Yarbrough (January 13, 1930 – September 21, 2010) was an American five-string banjo player who worked with some of the most famous bluegrass musicians.
Yarbrough was born in Bonnertown, Tennessee. He grew up listening to Bill Monroe on the radio and eventually learned to play the banjo. In the mid-1950s he joined the Alabamians. He formed the Dixie Gentlemen in 1956 together with Jake Landers and Herschel Sizemore. In the beginning they called themselves the Country Gentlemen but when they found out that another group already had that name, they quickly changed theirs to the Dixie Gentlemen. They later recorded with fiddler Tommy Jackson. The group disbanded in 1966 and Yarbrough found work with Jimmy Martin's Sunny Mountain Boys. He continued working with Flatt & Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys, Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys and Bobby Smith and the Boys From Shiloh.[1] When Yarbrough was performing in Columbus, Ohio, with the Boys From Shiloh, he met Monroe who offered him a job with the Bluegrass Boys since his banjo player Vic Jordan had just left. Yarbrough was hired and made his first recordings with Monroe two days later, on March 26, 1969. Between 1969 and 1970 he made 21 recordings with Monroe.[2] Yarbrough also recorded a number of solo albums, and also founded the group, The Dixiemen. Among these records with The Dixiemen was "The Old Oak Tree," in 1974, on Old Homestead Records in Brighton, Michigan, of which about 500 copies were pressed and few survived, though the recordings have been preserved in digital form.
Yarbrough also opened Rual's Music Service in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where he became well known for his ability to repair and build stringed instruments.[3] Due his shop's proximity to FAME Studios, Yarbrough would serve as a session performer for many of the acts who performed at the studio during the 1960s and 1970s. He also performed as session player in Nashville, and was featured on records by the likes of Hank Williams Jr, Mac Davis, and The Pointer Sisters.[4]
Rual Yarbrough died from complications from pulmonary fibrosis in Florence, Alabama, on September 21, 2010.
Legacyedit
Yarbrough was honored as an Alabama Music Achiever by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame both as a solo artist.[5] and as a member of the Dixie Gentlemen.[6]
In 2011, Yarbrough was inducted into the Alabama Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.[7]
Referencesedit
^Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide to Country: The Definitive Guide to Country Music, 2003 (p. 209)
^Neil V. Rosenberg, Charles Wolfe, "Bluegrass, Bill Monroe", Bear Family Publications, 1991
^The Steam Powered Preservation Society, "Remembering Rual Yarbrough", September 25th, 2010. . Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
^Alabama Music Hall of Fame Achievers Page featuring Rual Yarbrough . Archived from the original on 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
^Alabama Music Hall of Fame Achievers Page for the Dixie Gentlemen . Archived from the original on 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2011-03-22.
rual, yarbrough, rual, holt, yarbrough, january, 1930, september, 2010, american, five, string, banjo, player, worked, with, some, most, famous, bluegrass, musicians, background, informationbirth, namerual, holt, yarbroughborn, 1930, january, 1930originlawrenc. Rual Holt Yarbrough January 13 1930 September 21 2010 was an American five string banjo player who worked with some of the most famous bluegrass musicians Rual YarbroughBackground informationBirth nameRual Holt YarbroughBorn 1930 01 13 January 13 1930OriginLawrence County TennesseeDiedSeptember 21 2010 2010 09 21 aged 80 GenresBluegrassOccupation s MusicianInstrument s BanjoYears activeMid 1950s 1990sLabelsBlue Sky Dot Records Time United Artists Decca Records RCA Records Old Homestead RutabagaBiography editYarbrough was born in Bonnertown Tennessee He grew up listening to Bill Monroe on the radio and eventually learned to play the banjo In the mid 1950s he joined the Alabamians He formed the Dixie Gentlemen in 1956 together with Jake Landers and Herschel Sizemore In the beginning they called themselves the Country Gentlemen but when they found out that another group already had that name they quickly changed theirs to the Dixie Gentlemen They later recorded with fiddler Tommy Jackson The group disbanded in 1966 and Yarbrough found work with Jimmy Martin s Sunny Mountain Boys He continued working with Flatt amp Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys Jim amp Jesse and the Virginia Boys and Bobby Smith and the Boys From Shiloh 1 When Yarbrough was performing in Columbus Ohio with the Boys From Shiloh he met Monroe who offered him a job with the Bluegrass Boys since his banjo player Vic Jordan had just left Yarbrough was hired and made his first recordings with Monroe two days later on March 26 1969 Between 1969 and 1970 he made 21 recordings with Monroe 2 Yarbrough also recorded a number of solo albums and also founded the group The Dixiemen Among these records with The Dixiemen was The Old Oak Tree in 1974 on Old Homestead Records in Brighton Michigan of which about 500 copies were pressed and few survived though the recordings have been preserved in digital form Yarbrough also opened Rual s Music Service in Muscle Shoals Alabama where he became well known for his ability to repair and build stringed instruments 3 Due his shop s proximity to FAME Studios Yarbrough would serve as a session performer for many of the acts who performed at the studio during the 1960s and 1970s He also performed as session player in Nashville and was featured on records by the likes of Hank Williams Jr Mac Davis and The Pointer Sisters 4 Rual Yarbrough died from complications from pulmonary fibrosis in Florence Alabama on September 21 2010 Legacy editYarbrough was honored as an Alabama Music Achiever by the Alabama Music Hall of Fame both as a solo artist 5 and as a member of the Dixie Gentlemen 6 In 2011 Yarbrough was inducted into the Alabama Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame 7 References edit Vladimir Bogdanov Chris Woodstra Stephen Thomas Erlewine All Music Guide to Country The Definitive Guide to Country Music 2003 p 209 Neil V Rosenberg Charles Wolfe Bluegrass Bill Monroe Bear Family Publications 1991 George Gruhn Gruhn Guitars Newsletter 12 Newsletter 12 December 13 2003 http www gruhn com newsletter newsltr12 html The Steam Powered Preservation Society Remembering Rual Yarbrough September 25th 2010 Remembering Rual Yarbrough Archived from the original on 2011 07 25 Retrieved 2011 03 22 Alabama Music Hall of Fame Achievers Page featuring Rual Yarbrough Alabama Music Hall of Fame y Achievers Archived from the original on 2011 02 22 Retrieved 2011 03 22 Alabama Music Hall of Fame Achievers Page for the Dixie Gentlemen Alabama Music Hall of Fame DIXIE GENTLEMEN Archived from the original on 2011 02 22 Retrieved 2011 03 22 Russ Corey State Bluegrass Hall of Fame inducts Sizemore Yarbrough The TimesDaily March 18 2011 http www timesdaily com article 20110318 NEWS 110319784 1011 NEWS Title State Bluegrass Hall of Fame inducts Sizemore Yarbrough permanent dead link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rual Yarbrough amp oldid 1176592809, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
