Sammy Shelor

Sammy Shelor is an American banjoist in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known as leader of the Lonesome River Band and for his solo recordings, music instruction, and session work.

Sammy Shelor
Shelor (left) in the Lonesome River Band, 2014
Shelor (left) in the Lonesome River Band, 2014
Background information
Born (1962-10-10) October 10, 1962
Meadows of Dan, Virginia[1]
GenresBluegrass music
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsBanjo, guitar, 1941 Gibson TB-75 flathead banjo[2]
Years active1984–present
Websitesammyshelor.com

Biography

Early years

The Shelor Family has a long banjo tradition. Charlie Poole taught Shelor’s grandfather the banjo, and Shelor’s grandfather in turn taught Shelor.[3] When Shelor was four years old, growing up in southwestern Virginia, his grandfather fashioned a banjo for him from an old pressure cooker lid. His other grandfather promised to buy Shelor a real banjo if he learned to play two songs.[2][4] Sam met the challenge, his grandfather bought him a Ventura banjo, and by age 10 Shelor was performing in local bands.[5]

Shelor patterned his playing and career after J. D. Crowe, Earl Scruggs, and Sonny Osborne of The Osborne Brothers.[2]

Shelor became a full time professional musician when he joined Richmond, Virginia-based The Heights Of Grass at age 19. That band eventually morphed into The Virginia Squires, featuring Rickie and Ronnie Simpkins. Shelor played six years with the band. The Virginia Squires reunited for one show in 2017.[6]

Lonesome River Band

Shelor joined the Lonesome River Band in 1990. When founder Tim Austin left in 1995, Shelor and Ronnie Bowman managed the band management. When Bowman left in 2000, Shelor became manager.[7]

Solo recording

In 1997, Shelor released a solo album Leading Roll on the Sugar Hill label. Guest artists included Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, and Alan O'Bryant.[8]

Awards

Shelor has received the following recognition:

  • 2001: International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Instrumental Album Of The Year award for his involvement in Knee Deep In Bluegrass on Rebel Records.[9]
  • 2009: inducted in to the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame.[10]
  • I995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2012: IBMA Banjo Performer of the Year award.[2]
  • 1999, 2002, 2004, 2014: Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) Banjo Performer of the Year award.[11]
  • 2011: Award for the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass.[4]

Music instruction

Shelor and AcuTab have published books and instructional DVDs.

Instruments
  • Huber Banjos designed and produced a Sammy Shelor signature model banjo.[12]

Personal life

Shelor and his wife Jordyn have two children.[13]

Discography

Solo albums

Linda Lay and Sammy Shelor
  • Taking the Crooked Road Home (Virginia Folklife program, Crooked Road series)

With the Virginia Squires
  • 1984: Bluegrass With a Touch of Class (self-released)
  • 1984: Mountains and Memories (Rebel)
  • 1985: I'm Working My Way (Rebel)
  • 1986: Hard Times and Heartaches (Rebel)
  • 1988: Variations (Rebel)

With the Lonesome River Band
  • 1991: Carrying the Tradition (Rebel)
  • 1994: Old Country Town (Sugar Hill)
  • 1998: Finding The Way (Sugar Hill)
  • 2000: Talkin' To Myself (Sugar Hill)
  • 2002: Window Of Time (Doobie Shea)
  • 2005: Head On Into Heartache (Mountain Home)
  • 2006: The Road With No End (Mountain Home)
  • 2008: No Turning Back (Rural Rhythm)
  • 2010: Still Learning (Rural Rhythm)
  • 2014: Turn On A Dime (Mountain Home)
  • 2015: Coming Back Home To You (Mountain Home)
  • 2016: Bridging The Tradition (Mountain Home)
  • 2017: Mayhayley's House (Mountain Home)
  • 2019: Outside Looking In (Mountain Home)
  • 2021: "Singing Up There: A Tribute to the Easter Brothers" (Mountain Home)
  • 2022: "Heyday" (Mountain Home)

As producer
  • 2012: Acoustic Blue - Being Country (Mountain Fever)

Also appears on

Music instruction
  • 1995: AcuTab Transcriptions Vol. I (Acutab)
  • 1995: AcuTab Transcriptions Vol. 2 (Acutab)
  • 2006 Knee Deep in Banjo book (Acutab)
  • 2011: Sammy Shelor: A Demonstration & Analysis of an Award Winning Style DVD, streaming (Acutab)

References
  1. Bud Bennett (March 12, 2015). "Sammy Shelor Talks about Life, Music, and Banjos". Appalachian Music and Culture. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  2. Daley, Katy (August 29, 2016). "20 Questions with Katy Daley – Sammy Shelor". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  3. Eddie Huffman (November 30, 2016). "Lonesome River Band just keeps rolling". Relish. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  4. Craig Shelburne (November 11, 2011). "Sammy Shelor's Banjo Leads to Letterman". CMT.com. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  5. DiGiovann, Gary (October 20, 2012). "IBMA Banjo Winner: Sammy Shelor". Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  6. Thompson, Richard (September 20, 2016). "The Virginia Squires get together once more". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  7. McGee, Marty (Jan 1, 2000). Traditional Musicians of the Central Blue Ridge (1 ed.). ISBN 9780786408764. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  8. Bogdanov, Vladimir; Chris Woodstra; Stephen Thomas Erlewine (2001). All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music (1 ed.). Hal Leonard Corporation. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  9. "Rhonda Vincent, Dan Tyminski Rake in Top Bluegrass Honors at IBMA Awards". BMI. October 9, 2001. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  10. "Hall of Fame". Virginia Folk Music Association. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  11. "2014 Award Winners". SPBGMA. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
  12. "The Sammy Shelor Truetone". Huber Banjos. January 16, 2017. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
  13. Lawless, John (April 25, 2017). "Welcome Samuel Ellis Shelor". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved August 20, 2017.
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