Roland White
Roland White | |
---|---|
Born |
Madawaska, Maine, US | April 23, 1938
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Mandolin, guitar |
Associated acts | Kentucky Colonels, Blue Grass Boys, Nashville Grass, Country Gazette, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Roland White Band |
Website |
www |
Roland White (born April 23, 1938) is an American bluegrass music artist, performing principally on the mandolin.
Biography
At an early age, White formed himself, his two brothers (Eric and Clarence) and his sister (Joanne) into a bluegrass band which performed locally. When the family moved to California, the group won a talent show on a local radio station, after which a television station hired them (minus Joanne) as The Country Boys.[1]
After a two-year US Army enlistment, White re-joined the Country Boys, now renamed The Kentucky Colonels. In 1967, he had the opportunity to join the Blue Grass Boys, the backup band of his childhood idol Bill Monroe. He stayed with that group until 1969, when he joined the Nashville Grass, the backup band of Lester Flatt. White stayed with Flatt until 1973, when he, Clarence and Eric re-united as The New Kentucky Colonels. This only lasted a few months; he and Clarence were struck by an automobile as they loaded their equipment into their car after a performance. Roland White suffered a dislocated shoulder, but Clarence died in the accident.[1]
White then joined the progressive bluegrass group Country Gazette, staying with them for 13 years. In 1987, he joined the Nashville Bluegrass Band, staying with that group until 2000. After that he formed the Roland White Band, which is still active.
White is a noted mandolin teacher who gives many workshops and private lessons and has published book/CD instruction sets.
Discography
Solo Albums
- 1976: I Wasn't Born To Rock'n Roll (Ridge Runner)
- 1994: Trying To Get To You (Sugar Hill)
- 2003: Jelly On My Tofu (Copper Creek) with the Roland White Band
Collaborations
- 1964: Dobro Country (World Pacific) with Tut Taylor and Clarence White
With the Kentucky Colonels
- 1964: Appalachian Swing! (World Pacific)
- 1975: Livin' In The Past (Polygram) live recordings 1961-1965
- 1976: 1965-1966 (Rounder) compiled privately recorded live sessions
- 1978: 1966 (Shiloh)
- 1984: On Stage (Rounder)
- 1991: Long Journey Home (Vanguard) recorded July 1964 at the Newport Folk Festival
- 2003: Live in Stereo (FGM) 1965 Vancouver concert
With Country Gazette
- 1976: Out To Lunch (Flying Fish)
- 1976: Country Gazette Live (Antilles)
- 1977: What a Way To Make a Living (Ridge Runner)
- 1979: All This, and More Money, Too (Ridge Runner)
- 1981: American and Clean (Flying Fish)
- 1982: America's Bluegrass Band (Flying Fish)
- 1986: Bluegrass Tonight (Flying Fish)
- 1987: Strictly Instrumental (Flying Fish)
- 1991: Hello Operator...This is Country Gazzette (Flying Fish)
With The Nashville Bluegrass Band
- 1990: The Boys Are Back in Town (Sugar Hill)
- 1991: Home of The Blues (Sugar Hill)
- 1993: Waitin' for the Hard Times to Go (Sugar Hill)
- 1995: Unleashed (Sugar Hill)
- 1998: American Beauty (Sugar Hill)
Also appears on
- 1969: Joe Greene - Joe Greene's Fiddle Album (County)
- 1971: Lester Flatt and Mac Wiseman - Lester 'N' Mac (RCA Victor)
- 1971: Lester Flatt - Flatt on Victor (RCA Victor)
- 1972: Lester Flatt - Foggy Mountain Breakdown (RCA Victor)
- 1972: Lester Flatt and Mac Wiseman - On The South Bound (RCA Victor)
- 1972: Lester Flatt - Kentucky Ridgerunner (RCA)
- 1973: Lester Flatt - Country Boy Featuring Feudin' Banjos (RCA)
- 1973. Lester Flatt and Mac Wiseman - Over the Hills to the Poorhouse (RCA)
- 1974: Muleskinner - Muleskinner (Warner Bros.)
- 1975: Alan Munde - Alan Munde's Banjo Sandwich (Ridge Runner)
- 1976: Dave Ferguson and his Friends - Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Other Fiddle Tunes (Ridge Runner)
- 1976: Dan Huckabee - Why Is This Man Smiling (Ridge Runner)
- 1977: Charlie Hardiman - On The Well-Beaten Path To Bluegrass (Hillside)
- 1977: Butch Robins - Forty Years Late (Rounder)
- 1977: Buck White and the Down Home Folks - That Down Home Feeling (Ridge Runner)
- 1978: Bobby Hicks - Texas Crapshooter (County)
- 1978: Paul Warren with Lester Flatt and The Nashville Grass - America's Greatest Breakdown Fiddle Player (CMH)
- 1980: Joe Carr - Otter Nonsense (Ridge Runner)
- 1980: Alan Munde - The Banjo Kid Picks Again (Ridge Runner)
- 1981: Blaine Sprouse - Summertime (Rounder)
- 1983: The Dreadful Snakes - Snakes Alive! (Rounder)
- 1988: Glen Duncan - Sweetwater (Turquoise)
- 1990: Doc Watson - On Praying Ground (Sugar Hill)
- 1991: David Grier - Freewheeling (Rounder)
- 1992: Stuart Duncan - Stuart Duncan (Rounder)
- 1992: Marty Stuart - Let There Be Country (Sony Music)
- 1994: Gene Wooten - Sings & Plays Dobro (Pinecastle)
- 1995: Clint Black - Looking for Christmas (RCA)
- 1995: Joe Carr and Alan Munde - Windy Days and Dusty Skies (Flying Fish)
- 1996: Leroy Mack - Leroy Mack & Friends (Rebel)
- 1996: Bernadette Peters - I'll Be Your Baby Tonight (Angel)
- 1998: Valerie Smith - Patchwork Heart (Rebel)
- 2000: Kazuhiro Inaba - Dixie Dream (Copper Creek)
- 2000: Valerie Smith - Turtle Wings (Rebel)
- 2002: Ricky Skaggs and Friends - Sing The Songs Of Bill Monroe (Lyric Street)
- 2004: Clint Black - Christmas with You (Equity)
- 2007: Ry Cooder - My Name Is Buddy (Nonesuch)
- 2010: Skip Battin - Topanga Skyline (Sierra)
See also
References
- 1 2 Romano, Joe (September 1996). "Roland White". Bluegrass Now.
External links
- Official website
- Roland White at AllMusic
- Roland White discography at Discogs
- Roland White Interview NAMM Oral History Library, June 18, 2008.