Back 40
Saturday September 6th, 2025 with Encore Remembering J.D. Crowe
Profile of bluegrass trailblazer J.D. Crowe

Bluegrass Hall of Honor member J.D. Crowe left a legacy that resulted in a masterful fusion of traditional bluegrass roots with progressive innovations, establishing him as both a purist standard-bearer and the "father of modern bluegrass". He is revered as one of the most influential five-string banjo players in the history of the instrument, second only to Earl Scruggs. His groundbreaking 1975 album J.D. Crowe & The New South (known by its catalog number "0044") was a masterwork that "changed bluegrass forever". It was a statement of progressivism, incorporating songs from non-bluegrass artists and expanding the boundaries of the genre. J.D. was invited by his peers to become a charter member of both the “Longview” and “Bluegrass Album Bands”. Having played with groups that included greats like Jimmy Martin and Doyle Lawson, his own band, “New South”, became a haven that fostered the talents of many successful artists including Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, and Jerry Douglas. This not only helped launch their careers but it helped define a new era of bluegrass. “The New South” introduced songs from other genres, proving that bluegrass could modernize and appeal to younger audiences without abandoning its roots. His final album with the New South” - “Lefty’s Old Guitar” - was the IBMA’s “album of the Year” in 2007!