Here is another remembrance of Uncle Josh Graves, who passed away last Saturday in Nashville. This one is from Andy Hall, dobro player with The Infamous Stringdusters.
His influence on me, and all Dobro players can’t be overstated.
I’ve spent many hours pouring over his songs, listening to every detail. Trying to figure out how he played so cleanly, and just the right notes. His versions of all the great Dobro songs are still the best. Maiden’s Prayer, Fireball, Home Sweet Home, Flatt Lonesome, and many others make up the standard Dobro repertoire, and Josh is the one who made them sound so good.
We all, as musicians, strive to find the best tone, and the best timing. I think any player, of any instrument, can learn a lot from hearing Josh’s Dobro playing. Not to mention the presence he had when he stepped up to the mic.
What warms my heart is to see how popular the Dobro has become. All over the country, everywhere I go, young kids are playing the fire out of the Dobro.
Whether they know it or not, Uncle Josh started it all, and his impact on music is being felt now more than ever.
