Bobby Osborne

**Danny Clark** · Nov-05-2004, 8:19pm

anyone know if Bobby has a instrumental recording?

**sunburst** · Nov-05-2004, 9:25pm

He does. I heard one maybe 15 years ago and was surprised how good it was considering he has always been known more as a singer than a picker.
I don't know the album title or label.

**Michael Lewis** · Nov-06-2004, 12:14am

It's called "Bobby and his Mandolin". I have an old vinyl LP and it is good. You can also hear Bobby on the Bluegrass Mandolin Extravaganza. Bobby was a fiddle player before taking up the mandolin, and gets around the fingerboard pretty well.

**Dan Cole** · Nov-06-2004, 6:44am

He plays a great tune called Surefire. Don't know the album.

**AlanN** · Nov-06-2004, 8:19am

Bobby and his Mandolin is a great record, on the CMH label I believe, many original tunes, cross tunings, etc.

**Danny Clark** · Nov-06-2004, 8:28am

anyone know where i can get a copy?availiable on CD?

**mikeh** · Nov-06-2004, 11:25am

"Masters of the Mandolin" CD w/Bobby and Jesse McReynolds is a good example. Although there are some vocal tracks, the majority are instrumental and it's a good showcase of both of thier styles.

**Spruce** · Nov-06-2004, 1:30pm

I really enjoyed seeing Bobby play with the Grasscals at IBMA a couple weeks ago...

They were having a very good time....

**Christian** · Nov-07-2004, 4:31am

yes, Sure-Fire is one good tune. It was recorded by Bobby on the Decca LP Up This Hill And Down", and also featured on "Bluegrass Express" on MCA Coral. It might have been reissued or re-recorded by Bobby on other albums but I'm not aware of it. Alan Bibey has a great version on his CD "Up In the Blue Room".

**Scotti Adams** · Nov-07-2004, 5:35pm

..prolly the most underrated mando picker in the world..period....the tone he grabs out of that Loar on "Bobby and His Mandolin" is so good...the pickin is top shelf.

**Michael Lewis** · Nov-08-2004, 12:51am

Scotti, I think that was his Fern, as he didn't get his Loar until about 1986. You are right about his tone, and being underrated. I think that since his voice is/was so great that it overshadowed his picking.

**Moose** · Nov-08-2004, 9:02am

Yup! - I (think!) I could pick Bob out in a session of 50+- mandolin players - the Mando Extraganza CD is a good starting point. I can't give the "technical" points that define his playing......, but I can sure pick him out after the first coupla' "licks" - As posted above, I think most experienced mando players can pick up on this to. IMHO.

**Willie** · Nov-13-2004, 10:22am

I was at Gibson`s repair house recently and Bobby`s Fern and Loar were both in for "tweeking"...I for one have never cared for the sound of his Fern...Just my opinion but he IS a great mandolin picker and as someone said, he is under rated...Willie

**Scotti Adams** · Nov-14-2004, 9:54am

Originally Posted by (Michael Lewis @ Nov. 08 2004, 01:51)

Scotti, I think that was his Fern, as he didn't get his Loar until about 1986. #You are right about his tone, and being underrated. #I think that since his voice is/was so great that it overshadowed his picking.

..could be Michael..but the album cover I have shows its his Loar...Clearly....I for one think that Fern is the finest sounding Fern..period.

**Fretbear** · Nov-14-2004, 9:43pm

I have an old "Frets" mag where Bobby describes his old Fern as having the two best low strings he had ever heard, but that he had always found the trebles "tinny" and that he was only contacted about selling the Loar for somebody else, but decided to get it for himself.....He describes the neck on the Loar as a "pure dreamboat neck, just like the neck on Monroe's mandolin" and that the new Loar had given him "courage to play some more...."

**Michael Lewis** · Nov-15-2004, 12:43am

The "dreamboat" neck on Bobby's Loar is 27 mm wide at the nut. Most gibsons are closer to 29mm. That's only .080" difference, but when the neck gets that narrow a little difference goes a long way. Most folks would find that a very slim neck.