Discography
Biography
Awards
Booking Information
Available for Purchase

• Banjo Man
• Home of the Red Fox
• Gold Plated Banjo
• Bill Emerson Reunion
• Appaloosa
• WEBCO Classics Volume One

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Beginning in 1957, Bill Emerson established himself as a banjo virtuoso and history maker alike! A founding member of the famed bluegrass ensemble "The Country Gentlemen", billed as a featured artist while with "Jimmy Martin" during the very height of that bluegrass legend's career, the very man who introduced the now classic "Fox on the Run" to bluegrass, founder and shaper of "Country Current" the world renowned bluegrass ensemble of the United States Navy Band, to be sure; Bill Emerson has made an impact in the world of bluegrass and acoustic music. Called "a banjo legend" by the "Washington Post", twice awarded "Banjo player of the Year" by the Muleskinner News Bluegrass Magazine, credited with giving start to the careers of both dobro legends Mike Auldridge and Jerry Douglas, credited by Ricky Skaggs as being responsible for his post Ralph Stanley musical career, Bill Emerson was also inducted into the "Virginia Folk Music Association" Hall of Fame in 1984 and June 10th was proclaimed "Bill Emerson Day" by the governor. All this is pretty heavy stuff when you consider Bill has virtually been absent from main-stream bluegrass these last twenty years that he's been in the US Navy Band!

Over the last few year, Bill has been laying the ground work for the resurgence of his bluegrass career. Here's a sampling of the last five years: along with songwriting master Pete Goble; Bill released two extremely well received hit albums as "Emerson & Goble" on "WEBCO Records of Virginia" in 1985 and 1988 compilation of these and was re-released on the CD format as WEBCO Classics Volume One in 1995. Along with guitar master Tony Rice, Bill has released two very highly acclaimed instrumental albums on "REBEL Records" in 1988 and 1991. Bill has also recorded extensively on projects with Tony Rice and the Rice brothers over the last few years as well as producing recordings for artists such as Larry Stephenson, Jimmy Gaudreau, and Bill's latest protégé, Wayne Taylor. Paying homage to Bill's tremendous banjo prowess, "Stelling Banjo Works, Ltd." issued a signature series of the "Bill Emerson Red Fox" model in 1990, as well as a "Bill Emerson" Line of banjo gear. In August 1992, "WEBCO Records of Virginia" released Bill Emerson's "Reunion" album. "Reunion" is a collection of new recordings featuring some of the legendary lead-singers and guitar players Bill has worked with over the years, including Jimmy Martin, Charlie Waller, Red Allen, and Tony Rice, among others. "Reunion" has garnered best album final nominee awards from both the "International Bluegrass Music Association" and the "National Association of Independent Record Distributors". Bill's latest project released in 1996 is "Bill Emerson, Banjo Man" featuring original and bluegrass standard instrumentals.

Having retired from the United States Navy Band in June 1993, Bill Emerson is clearly once again in full-stride for his return to the festival and concert circuit. Bill will be doing a variety of appearances including shows as Bill Emerson, Mark Newton and the New Group, "Bill Emerson & Wayne Taylor" with a variety of bluegrass and acoustic music prodigies, guest with "The Tony Rice Unit" and special reunion shows with "The Country Gentlemen" among others, as well as conducting banjo performance and technical workshops in conjunction with "Stelling Banjo Works".

Awards

1995 Final Nominee IBMA "Album of the Year" - "Emerson & Taylor"
1995 Final Nominee IBMA "Song of the Year" - "Appaloosa"
1994 Final Nominee IBMA "Album of the Year" - "Tony Rice Plays and Sings Bluegrass"
1993 Final Nominee IBMA "Recorded Event of the Year" - "Reunion"
1993 Final Nominee IBMA "Bluegrass Album of the Year" - "Reunion"
1991 Final Nominee IBMA "Banjo Player of the Year"
1990 Final Nominee IBMA "Instrumental Recording of the Year" - "Gold Plated Banjo"
1990 Final Nominee IBMA "Recorded Event of the Year" - "The Rice Brothers"
1990 Final Nominee IBMA "Song of the Year" - "Grapes on the Vine"

Bookings

Available for Purchase . . .

AcuTabs banjo instruction book featuring the tunes from Bill's recordings on Emerson & Taylor's "Appaloosa" and Gold Plated Banjo; are available at $15.00 each plus $2.00 postage and handling. AcuTab Publications
PO Box 21061
Roanoke, VA 24018-0108
540-776-6822 Voice
540-776-6827 Fax

Email: AcuTab@roanoke.infi.net

Stelling Bill Emerson Redfox Model 5 string banjos and Stelling Bill Emerson banjo strings are available from Stelling Banjo Works.

For a free catalog and additional information, please write or call:
Stelling Banjo Works LTD 7258 Banjo Lane
Afton, VA 22920
(434) 295-1917
(434) 971-8309 fax

Discography

• Banjo Man
• Home of the Red Fox
• Gold Plated Banjo
• Bill Emerson Reunion
• Appaloosa
• WEBCO Classics Volume One

Banjo Man

1. My Little Home In West Virginia
2. Rawhide
3. The Grey Ghost
4. Nellie Grey
5. Randy Lynn Rag 217k
6. Good To Go
7. Curly Maple
8. Soft Winds Of Oklahoma
9. Pick Your Own
10. You Can Run But You Can't Hide
11. Little France
12. Bill Cheatham 260k
13. Flint Hill Special

Home of the Red Fox

1. Home of the Red Fox 269k
   
2. Old Times in Virginia
   
3. Appalachian
   
4. Stonewall Country
   
5. Cowboys and Indians
   
6. Theme Time 221k
   
7. Sweet Dixie
   
8. Down to the Wire
   
9. Welcome to New York
   
10. Trail Dust
    

Gold Plated Banjo

Bill Emerson has Gold Plated Banjo on the Rebel Records label. You will enjoy Bill Emerson on banjo (of course), Tony Rice on guitar, Jimmy Gaudreau and Larry Stephenson on mandolin, Rickie Simpkins on fiddle, Mark Schatz on bass and open back banjo, and Ronnie Simpkins on bass.

1. Ridin' the High Iron
2. Black Mountain Rag
3. New Camptown Races 230k
4. Silver Bell
5. Ridin the High Iron 241k
6. True Blue
7. Reynard in the Canebrakes 241k
8. Earl's Breakdown
9. Home Sweet Home
10. Jump Cricket Jump
11. Choking the Strings
12. Knights of the Golden Horseshoe

Bill Emerson Reunion

"Lead singer-guitar players and banjo players are the heart and soul of bluegrass music, and that's what this album is all about. As I grew up listening to the great pioneer guitar-banjo duos, their music inspired me to learn the banjo and become a professional." - Bill Emerson

1. We'll Meet Again Sweetheart - Tony Rice
2. The Gunfighter's Lament - Pete Goble
3. My Smokey Mountain Home - Wayne Taylor
4. On Whiskey Mountain - Bill Harrell
5. The Last Song - Jimmy Martin
6. Don't Wake Me - Red Allen
7. Teach Your Children - Charlie Waller
8. It Takes One to Know One - Jimmy Martin
9. When We Look on His Face - Cliff Waldron
10. High Lonesome - Charlie Waller
11. I Don't Know Why - Red Allen
12. Old Salty Dog Blues - Tony Rice 208k

Appaloosa

1. Appaloosa
2. Do You Still Love Me
3. Tex-Mex Shindig
4. We Used To Have It Made
5. Some Things I Hope I Ain't
6. Espaņol 248k
7. Too Many Tears
8. Song For L.R.
9. The Old Lonesome Road Blues
10. Storm Cloud 212k
11. On This Rainy Day
12. Lonesome Pine Breakdown
13. Rose

WEBCO Classics Volume One

1. Country Life Looks Better (To Me Now)
2. Tennessee 1949
3. Back to Hancock County
4. Dixie In My Eye 267k
5. The Old Man And The Kid
6. Many Hills Of Time
7. I'm Only A Phone Call Away
8. Blue Virginia Blues
9. Leavin' You and Mobile (Too)
10. Colleen Malone
11. You Can Keep Your Nine Pound Hammer
12. Julianne
13. Back To Sugar Hill
14. My Kentucky Dream