Re: Bobby Osborne Profile on NPR
In the early 1960's, the Osborne Brothers were the first "real" (as opposed to "city-billy") bluegrass band I ever saw, in a Cambridge MA coffeehouse. They were touring as a trio with Benny Birchfield on guitar, and their performance really blew me away! Ruby, Are You Mad At Your Man was their big signature song, and Bobby sang it twice during the evening.
Listening to the NPR feature, I heard Bobby attribute his health at age 87 to avoiding tobacco, drugs and alcohol. I'd add to that his ability to control his weight; he's "half the man" I saw at Club 47 that night.
I have recordings of the Osbornes with Jimmy Martin, before they went out as a brother duet, and of course Sonny, age 14 I believe, recorded with the Blue Grass Boys in the '50's. Bobby's Grammy nomination is long overdue and well-deserved. Not too many of those first-generation bluegrass musicians left, and I hope they all get recognized before we have to do it posthumously.
Give me the roses while I live, trying to cheer me on;
Useless are flowers that you give, after the soul ls gone.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Bookmarks