Lonesome Pine Fiddlers
Encyclopedia
The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers (1938- 1966) were an early bluegrass
band which included such notable "first generation" bluegrass musicians as Ezra Cline
, Bobby Osborne
, Paul Williams, Melvin Goins, Charlie Cline
, Curly Ray Cline
, Larry Richardson and for a short time Jimmy Martin
. The group was started by Ezra Cline and Curly Ray Cline and was originally named "Cousin Ezra and the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers". The Clines came from a large family consisting of musically talented people. Ray and Charlie's father, Charlie, was a talented banjo player and the women in the family, Geraldine and Bobbi, were great singers. For reasons unknown, Bobbi and Geraldine never joined the band on the road but often joined in at home, especially when notable Country singers, such as Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, and Hank Williams, came visiting. None of them ever had a music lesson yet excelled on every instrument they touched. Natives of the Gilbert Creek region of southern West Virginia, Cousin Ezra, along with brothers Ireland (Lazy Ned) and Curly Ray Cline, were part of the original Lonesome Pine Fiddlers from about 1938, a group that worked on radio at WHIS Bluefield, West Virginia. During WWII, Ned was killed in action. When the Pine Fiddlers resumed regular daily broadcasts, Charlie, who played multiple instruments, joined them on a regular basis. Charlie returned to the Fiddlers briefly before becoming a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys. During 1952-1955, Charlie worked off and on with Monroe, recording some 38 songs, all on Decca. It has been said that he played every instrument at one time or another in the Monroe group except mandolin. Charlie spent most of 1953 back with the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers working at WJR radio in Detroit. When Ezra brought the band to Pikeville, Kentucky, in November, Charlie rejoined Bill Monroe. In 1954, Charlie did a session, playing lead guitar, with the Stanley Brothers and also another one on RCA with the Fiddlers, although he was not otherwise working with them at the time. He also worked briefly as a sideman with the Osborne Brothers, although he did not record with them. By 1958, Charlie (electric lead guitar) and his wife, Lee (electric bass), had rejoined Ezra and Curly Ray in the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, who were experimenting with a more modern sound and working a TV show in Huntington, West Virginia, in addition to daily radio in Pikeville. In his later years, Charlie was with the Stanley Brothers. Curly Ray also played with the Stanley Brothers at a different time as their fiddler. Curly Ray was one of the best fiddlers in Bluegrass. This most talented family of musicians were the best, surpassed by none. Finally, on October 1st, 2009, The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers got their due when they were inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame at the Ryman Theater (the original home of the Grand Ole Opry). Bobby Osborne, Melvin Goins and Paul Williams were there to receive the bands award. In the crowd of a sold out theater was the son of Ezra Cline, Scotty Ireland Cline, who recalled being in that same theater as a child sitting on stage and watching the Fiddlers play. (At the time, the Opry had bleachers for family just off stage). The final act of the evening at the IBMA Awards was the playing of "Pain in my Heart" by Osborne, Goins and Williams along with a Song from the Dillards, who were also inducted the same evening.
http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/The-Lonesome-Pine-Fiddlers.html
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
band which included such notable "first generation" bluegrass musicians as Ezra Cline
Ezra Cline
Ezra Cline was an American bluegrass bassist.He began performing locally with his cousins Ireland "Lazy Ned" Cline and Ray "Curly Ray" Cline, along with local guitarist Zeke Stepp, as the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers in Gilbert Creek, Kentucky...
, Bobby Osborne
Bobby Osborne
Bobby Osborne is a bluegrass musician known for his mandolin playing and high lead vocals.Born December 7, 1931 in Leslie County, Kentucky, Bobby Osborne is known primarily for his collaborations with his brother Sonny Osborne in their band, the Osborne Brothers. He was a pioneer in conceiving the...
, Paul Williams, Melvin Goins, Charlie Cline
Charlie Cline
Charles "Charlie" Cline , was an American bluegrass fiddler and multi-instrumentalist, known for being the sideman of several legendary bluegrass groups from the 1950s and well into the 1980s....
, Curly Ray Cline
Curly Ray Cline
Curly Ray Cline was an American bluegrass fiddler from West Virginia known for his work with the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers and Ralph Stanley.-Biography:...
, Larry Richardson and for a short time Jimmy Martin
Jimmy Martin
Jimmy Martin was an American bluegrass musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass".-Early years:Born James H. Martin in Sneedville, Tennessee. Jimmy Martin was born into the hard farming life of rural East Tennessee. He grew up near Sneedville, singing in church and with friends from surrounding...
. The group was started by Ezra Cline and Curly Ray Cline and was originally named "Cousin Ezra and the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers". The Clines came from a large family consisting of musically talented people. Ray and Charlie's father, Charlie, was a talented banjo player and the women in the family, Geraldine and Bobbi, were great singers. For reasons unknown, Bobbi and Geraldine never joined the band on the road but often joined in at home, especially when notable Country singers, such as Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, and Hank Williams, came visiting. None of them ever had a music lesson yet excelled on every instrument they touched. Natives of the Gilbert Creek region of southern West Virginia, Cousin Ezra, along with brothers Ireland (Lazy Ned) and Curly Ray Cline, were part of the original Lonesome Pine Fiddlers from about 1938, a group that worked on radio at WHIS Bluefield, West Virginia. During WWII, Ned was killed in action. When the Pine Fiddlers resumed regular daily broadcasts, Charlie, who played multiple instruments, joined them on a regular basis. Charlie returned to the Fiddlers briefly before becoming a member of Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys. During 1952-1955, Charlie worked off and on with Monroe, recording some 38 songs, all on Decca. It has been said that he played every instrument at one time or another in the Monroe group except mandolin. Charlie spent most of 1953 back with the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers working at WJR radio in Detroit. When Ezra brought the band to Pikeville, Kentucky, in November, Charlie rejoined Bill Monroe. In 1954, Charlie did a session, playing lead guitar, with the Stanley Brothers and also another one on RCA with the Fiddlers, although he was not otherwise working with them at the time. He also worked briefly as a sideman with the Osborne Brothers, although he did not record with them. By 1958, Charlie (electric lead guitar) and his wife, Lee (electric bass), had rejoined Ezra and Curly Ray in the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers, who were experimenting with a more modern sound and working a TV show in Huntington, West Virginia, in addition to daily radio in Pikeville. In his later years, Charlie was with the Stanley Brothers. Curly Ray also played with the Stanley Brothers at a different time as their fiddler. Curly Ray was one of the best fiddlers in Bluegrass. This most talented family of musicians were the best, surpassed by none. Finally, on October 1st, 2009, The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers got their due when they were inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame at the Ryman Theater (the original home of the Grand Ole Opry). Bobby Osborne, Melvin Goins and Paul Williams were there to receive the bands award. In the crowd of a sold out theater was the son of Ezra Cline, Scotty Ireland Cline, who recalled being in that same theater as a child sitting on stage and watching the Fiddlers play. (At the time, the Opry had bleachers for family just off stage). The final act of the evening at the IBMA Awards was the playing of "Pain in my Heart" by Osborne, Goins and Williams along with a Song from the Dillards, who were also inducted the same evening.
http://www.oldies.com/artist-biography/The-Lonesome-Pine-Fiddlers.html