Sonny and Bobby Osborne, known to bluegrass fans worldwide as The Osborne Brothers, have been selected as among the 2024 inductees into the Dayton Region Walk of Fame in Dayton, OH.
The Walk was created in 1996 as part of Dayton’s bicentennial to celebrate and honor the area’s most renowned natives or citizens who have made a mark in Ohio, the nation, and the world. Honorees are chosen for their contributions in Arts and Culture, Aviation Business/Corporate Life, Community Service, Education, Entertainment/Media, Environmental Service, Government/Military Service, Invention/Innovation, Medicine, Philanthropy, Science, Significant Personal Achievement, or Sports.
The Walk of Fame is located in the historic Wright-Dunbar Business District, so named for its most renowned residents, aviation pioneers Wilbur and Orville Wright, and poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. Engraved stone marker are laid into the sidewalks on West Third Street between Shannon and Broadway Streets, with an image and a brief description of each inductee.
Though they were born in eastern Kentucky, Bobby and Sonny Osborne grew up in Dayton, where they learned to play bluegrass music and started their careers as performers and entertainers. Of course they went on to become Grand Ole Opry Stars, purveyors of numerous radio hits like Ruby, Rocky Top, Up This Hill and Down, Tennessee Hound Dog, Midnight Flyer, Once More, and many others, and have been inducted the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.
We expect that our readers need no further introduction to The Osborne Brothers, whose career from the mid-1950s through the 1970s took them as far into the mainstream popular culture as any act since Flatt & Scruggs. It is a shame that this honor couldn’t have come while they were still with us, but they will certainly be well-represented by family at the induction.
An induction luncheon is scheduled for October 15, 2024 at Sinclair Community College, after which the engraved stone markers will be installed in their designated spots on West Third Street.
Also inducted this year will be alt-rockers The Breeders, philanthropists Clay and MaryAnn Mathile, civic leader Idotha “Bootsie” Neal, and physician G. Douglas Talbo. Well done all.
Tickets to the induction luncheon in October can be purchased online.
