What's your earliest memory of bluegrass?

[David Newton]

What a great thread!
While I remember the "Darlins" playing "Dooley" on The Andy Griffith Show, bluegrass for me began in 1973 in Tivoli, Tx. I was in the Navy in south Texas, I had bought a D-28 a couple of years before, and wasn't sure what it was for. I saw a poster nailed to a post at a country store. It said "Bluegrass Meeting" and thought "maybe I should go and see what that is about."

[caddy jim]

I agree, this is a great thread. My earliest memories are of my dad, his cousin, and a pal or two playing what they called "hillbilly" music. This was in the early fifties. We listened to the Louisana Hayride, The Grand Ole Opry, and some show out of either Columbus or Cincinnati, Ohio. Of course, Flatt and Scruggs, the Wilburn Bros. and Andy Grifffith. We'd also catch Bonnie Lou and Buster and the Wisemans out of Bristol, Va. On Sundays Rev. Mull and Mrs. Mull had a radio show featuring Bluegrass gospel, I think out of Johnson City, Tn. There were many country, gospel and bluegrass shows that played at the old city auditorium here in Asheville back then. Carl Story always brought a show to town, as did Jim and Jesse, and Don Reno and The Osbournes. I was lucky to have grown up in area rich in the traditions of this type of music, and am still blessed to be living here. Once again, great thread.

Jim