James Dee Crowe (born August 27, 1937, in Lexington, Kentucky) is an American banjo player and bluegrass band leader. He first became known during his four-year stint with Jimmy Martin in the 1950s. G#m B A E F# G D Chords for Blackjack - JD Crowe and The New South with capo transposer, play along with guitar, piano, ukulele & mandolin. Crowe, Doyle Lawson, Larry Rice, Bobby Slone Kentucky Mountain Boys Reunion-Blackjack. Sections of this page. JD Crowe Fan Page. November 27, 2013. Blackjack is one of J.D. Crowe and the New South's best albums, featuring a mixture of bluegrass standards and contemporary country-rock and folk songs, like the Flying Burrito Brothers' 'Sin City.' It's a stunning display of ambition, progression and heritage, highlighted by Crowe's excellent instrumental work and Doyle Lawson's wonderful lead.

• J D Crowe Blackjack
• Jd Crowe Blackjack Album
• Gibson Jd Crowe Blackjack Banjo
• Jd Crowe Blackjack Banjo Tab
• Setting Up Gibson Jd Crowe Blackjack Banjo Tab
• Jd Crowe Blackjack Banjo

James Dee Crowe (born August 27, 1937, in Lexington, Kentucky) is an American banjo player and bluegrass band leader. He first became known during his four-year stint with Jimmy Martin in the 1950s.

Biography[edit]

Crowe began playing the banjo early on and was offered a job with Jimmy Martin's Sunny Mountain Boys in 1954.^[1] He recorded with Jimmy Martin between 1956 and 1960.^[2] In 1961, Crowe formed the Kentucky Mountain Boys, principally performing in the Lexington region.^[3]

In 1971,^[4] Crowe changed the band's name to The New South and included material from rock and country music sources. Crowe's New South band is widely considered one of the most influential bluegrass groups since the 1970s.

Kentucky Educational Television in 2008 aired a biography of James Dee Crowe, A Kentucky Treasure: The James Dee Crowe Story, produced by H. Russell Farmer.^[5]

Crowe received the Bluegrass Star Award, presented by the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation of Dallas, Texas, on October 15, 2011. The award is bestowed upon bluegrass artists who do an exemplary job of advancing traditional bluegrass music and bringing it to new audiences while preserving its character and heritage.^[6]

Discography[edit]

• 1968: Bluegrass Holiday (Lemco)
• 1969: The Model Church (Lemco)
• 1971: Ramblin' Boy (Lemco) – reissued as Blackjack (Rebel)
• 1973: Bluegrass Evolution (Starday)
• 1973: Bluegrass Holiday (King Bluegrass)
• 1975: J.D. Crowe & The New South (Rounder)
• 1977: You Can Share My Blanket (Rounder)
• 1978: My Home Ain't in the Hall of Fame (Rounder)
• 1981: Somewhere Between (Rounder)
• 1982: Live in Japan (Rounder)
• 1986: Straight Ahead (Rounder)
• 1994: Flashback (Rounder)
• 1999: Come on Down to My World (Rounder)
• 2006: Lefty's Old Guitar (Rounder)

Media appearances[edit]

Crowe took part in a brief banjo jam session on the episode 'Sawmill Slasher' of the Animal Planet television series Call of the Wildman which aired August 5, 2012.

On September 6, 2014, Crowe came out of retirement and performed with Wildfire at the historic Lincoln Theatre in Marion, Virginia, for the Song of the Mountains PBS program.^[7]

He has also been featured on Tim Farmer's television show, Homemade Jam in Episode 101.^[8]

On September 21, 2015, Crowe was the featured guest on the radio series 'An Intimate Evening With Eddie Stubbs' for WSM (AM) at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN.

References[edit]

1. ^Godbey, Marty (2011). Crowe on the Banjo: The Music Life of J.D. Crowe. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. p. 31. ISBN9781283251167.
2. ^Godbey, Marty (2011). Crowe on the Banjo: The Music Life of J.D. Crowe. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 45-63. ISBN9781283251167.
3. ^Godbey, Marty (2011). Crowe on the Banjo: The Music Life of J.D. Crowe. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. pp. 64-65. ISBN9781283251167.
4. ^Kentucky Encyclopedia, p.243
5. ^'A Kentucky Treasure: The James Dee Crowe Story'. KET-Kentucky Educational Television.
6. ^'Bluegrass Heritage Foundation official website'. Bluegrassheritage.com. 2010. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
7. ^'Legendary Banjo Picker J.D. Crowe on Song of the Mountains Cybergrass Bluegrass Music News'. Cybergrass.com.
8. ^'Acts: Tim Farmers Homemade Jam'. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015.

External links[edit]

• Home page - 'J. D. Crowe and the New South'. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007.
• Feature story on J. D. Crowe - Lupton, John. 'J.D. Crowe plays 'Lefty's Old Guitar' - November 2006'. Country Standard Time.
• J.D. Crowe Interview NAMM Oral History Library (2016)

Submitted by The Old Timer (see all reviews from this person) on 5/24/2014

Where Purchased: BHO Classifieds

Year Purchased: 2014
Price Paid: $3000+ ($US) (bought USED)

J D Crowe Blackjack

Sound

It's my first mahogany banjo and it has EXCEEDED my expectations after very minor set up work. Loud. Quicker note decay than my 1990 Granada. POWERFUL up the neck on the 1st string. Great 4th string I play traditional bluegrass. There's nothing about its sound that I dislike. I think I like it more than my Granada.

Sound Rating: 10

Setup

Jd Crowe Blackjack Album

It was pretty good (used). I tightened the head just a bit to A. Put on a new Sullivan roasted 11/16' bridge, and an AMB tailpiece (the factory Presto had broken at the bend and was unusable, repaired with epoxy)

Setup Rating: 9

Appearance

Mahogany is plain grain, not the 'stripey' grain like you see on some new Asian Masterclones, thank goodness. Good old Gibson 1930s reddish-brown mahogany color. All inlays, bindings, marquetry, woodwork, etc typical very good Gibson. The copper flash under the gold (or maybe is it over the gold?) has aged very unevenly, with very dark areas (almost like tarnish) on some of the tension hoop, gold very faint on the tension hooks. Armrest looks really 'old' with some wear on it, brass and copper showing through a little. Engraving is typical late Gibson 'faint, cursory', not at all as good as the pre-war work. But you can see it. However, no complaints, I really like its looks.

Appearance Rating: 10

Reliability

Hardware is excellent except there is 'slop' in the ivoroid tuner buttons on the shafts. However, as is apparently typical, the original Presto tailpiece broke in half at the bend. Someone tried to repair it with epoxy which didn't work. I have put a gold over copper plated AMB tailpiece on it. Of course it's missing the Blackjack engraving n the cover. Finish is excellent. A thoroughly professional banjo.

Reliability Rating: 9

Customer Service

The seller was very friendly and communicative. We met in person to examine the banjo and do the deal. Of course Gibson is no longer any use at all on banjo issues, so I expect no support from them at all. After 45 years of picking I feel quite capable of taking care of this (or any) banjo.

Customer Service: not rated

Components

Gibson Jd Crowe Blackjack Banjo

Late Gibson Presto tailpieces have a reputation of breaking I guess. Ivoroid tuner buttons don't fit the shafts tight and have slop. The Blackjack inlay is the first original thing in years in banjos and I like it a lot. The Crowe pot is really outstanding and feels, looks and sounds terrific.

Jd Crowe Blackjack Banjo Tab

Components Rating: 10

Overall Comments

This banjo sounds, looks and plays better than I had any right to expect. It may be slowly becoming my favorite over the Granada, which is saying a lot! It 'shrieks' up the neck on the 1st string like some prewars I've played. Good 'BONG!' on the open 4th string. Intonation is excellent, neck very well made and the 'V' is different but feels great.

Setting Up Gibson Jd Crowe Blackjack Banjo Tab

If they're all as good as this one I'd have to recommend them whole-heartedly!

Jd Crowe Blackjack Banjo

Overall Rating: 10