This series is a feature we are running to memorialize the creative and musical legacy of the late J.D. Crowe, who we lost just before Christmas. We are calling it My Favorite Crowe Lick, and each episode will include a prominent bluegrass banjo player sharing both their thoughts about Crowe and his influence, and showing us a lick they learned from his playing that sticks with them.
Today we hear from Ron Block, not only among the most highly-regarded banjo pickers on the current scene, but as serious a student of the music and playing of J.D. Crowe as we have in bluegrass. We all know Ron from his many years playing banjo and guitar with Alison Krauss & Union Station, his many solo projects, and as a banjo player at large performing with a wide variety of artists in bluegrass and acoustic music in general.
Ron gives us a two for one here, a tag lick from Sugar Coated Love, and another from Honey You Don’t Know My Mind, both great examples of the way Crowe would fill up the end of a solo with his trademark phrases.
Take a look…
Keep an eye out for future installments of My Favorite J.D. Crowe Lick here at Bluegrass Today. You can watch all of them by following this link.