Obituary

Only 70 years old, Glen "Cookie" Inman left this earth for a better home on Friday July 14, 2017. His big smile and charismatic sense of humor will be missed sorely in the bluegrass community. While trimming grass at his

Mo Lebowitz, passionate mandolinist and beloved member of the bluegrass community in New York, died on Sunday, June 25. He was 84 years of age. Though he never achieved notoriety for his mandolin playing, Mo had friends all across the US,

Bluegrass music lost one of its most iconic characters and soulful mountain-style singers with the passing of Dave Evans on Sunday evening, June 25. He was 65 years of age. Evans had given much of his life to bluegrass, developing a

Shelby Jewell, who founded The Bluegrass Kinsmen back in the early 1970s, passed away on June 17 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 80 years of age. The Kinsmen were launched in 1971 by Shelby and his brother, Ebby, who

Tony Williams, bluegrass entrepreneur, promoter, and all-around friend to the music died this morning in the hospital near his home in Kentucky from multiple post-surgical complications. He was 70 years of age. Though he was involved in multiple aspects of the

James Watson, noted clawhammer banjo player and entertainer from Roanoke, AL, died June 1, 2017 from pulmonary heart disease and complications of type II diabetes. He was 81 years of age. For many years Watson performed as a member of Doodle

Photo of Steve Sutton by Ted Lehmann Well-known North Carolina banjo player Steve Sutton passed away unexpectedly yesterday at home in Waynesville, NC. He was 61 years of age. Steve had been through multiple surgeries on his neck and spine in the

This memorial remembrance of Ben Sandoval is a contribution from Giselle Lee and Bonnie Williams. Ben had been a central figure in Arizona bluegrass and old time circles this past 45 years, starting with handyman work at a Bill Monroe

Greg Yates, lifelong member of The Yates Brothers bluegrass band, died on May 7. He was 56 years old. Greg had been dealing with pancreatitis, and underwent major surgery last year at UVA Hospital. More recently he had suffered a massive

This obituary is a contribution from Stephen Mougin, head of Dark Shadow Recording and guitarist with the Sam Bush Band, and Tony Watt, who runs a bluegrass teaching program in Boston. The bluegrass community lost one of its truly extraordinary members