Bobby Osborne

John Brock · Post by **John Brock** » 27 Jun 2023 8:35 am

Passed this morning at 91……innovator..musician..gentleman RIP

Ken Pippus · Post by **Ken Pippus** » 27 Jun 2023 9:13 am

Same week as Jesse. Another legend gone.

RIP

john buffington · Post by **john buffington** » 27 Jun 2023 12:30 pm

What a horrible loss for the music world and a gain for Heaven.

David Ball · Post by **David Ball** » 27 Jun 2023 2:18 pm

Bad week for the Mandolin world for sure.

Terry Wood · Post by **Terry Wood** » 28 Jun 2023 12:57 am

Prayers for the Family and friends. He and his brother Sonny and Dale Sledd were just Awesome. They were my favorite Bluegrass Band ever! RIP Bobby

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 28 Jun 2023 5:18 pm

One of the greats. Bobby and Sonny were great stylist and could really bring life to a song. Bobby used the Monroe style mandolin chop that provided such good rhythm. My father and a friend took me to see the Obsorne Brothers when I was about 12. I still remember how professional they were on stage. They played through individual mics, but came together to sing on one mic, and it was perfect. RIP

RC

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 29 Jun 2023 7:55 am

Bobby Osborbe New York Times Obit:

"Bobby Osborne, 91, Mandolinist Who Flouted Bluegrass Convention, Dies"

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/27/arts ... -dead.html

The Osborne Brothers at Newport in 1965:

Dylan was searching for it. Sonny and Bobby had already found it, decades earlier.

With Benny Birchfield on acoustic and singing the third part.

Also with George Shuffler (bluegrasses’ premier guitar player) on bass!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60zr1qk5BgY

“Once More” The Osborne Brothers (M-G-M 1957)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTD6qvBtQPI

The Osborne’s revolutionary harmony singing first surfaced in 1957 on “Once More.”

Bobby voiced his lead on top, Sonny sang baritone in the middle, and the tenor (Red Allen on “Once More”) was voiced part on the bottom.

“Once More” (M-G-M 1957)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTD6qvBtQPI

More examples “stacked harmony.”

"Fair and Tender Ladies" (M-G-M 1960)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKwtOGHw2g0

“Sweethearts Again” (M-G-M 1959)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrOz3c06Vro

“Blame Me” (M-G-M 1960)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWKGQA1latM

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 29 Jun 2023 9:03 am

Robert,

I think that’s Benny Birchfield (Jean Shepherd’s husband) with Sonny and Bobby.

RC

robert kramer · Post by **robert kramer** » 29 Jun 2023 11:25 am

Thanks, Rick. I only knew Benny when in the 90s when he was married to and working with Shepard. Thanks! Benny is still alive and kicking.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 29 Jun 2023 11:54 am

I got to see them on several occasions. Bobby's voice would carry those high notes forever. Rocky Top became the State song for Tennessee thanks to their great music. RIP Bobby.

Bobby D. Jones · Post by **Bobby D. Jones** » 10 Jul 2023 7:42 am

Sad when I hear Bobby Osborne passed on.

If you listen close to many of the Osborne Brothers most popular recordings like Rocky Top, Fair and Tender Ladies and even Tennessee Hound Dog, Has steel Guitar in the mix.

I always wondered if it was Bobby's voice was why they used steel instead of Do-Bro, To sustain with some of his voicings.

Jim Fogle · Post by **Jim Fogle** » 10 Jul 2023 2:45 pm

Many people may not know Bobby Osborne was a decorated US Marine. https://www.military.com/off-duty/music ... korea.html

Bruce Zumsteg · Post by **Bruce Zumsteg** » 18 Jul 2023 3:20 pm

We also have to give credit to the Osbornes for using steel guitar on many for their recordings, which was out of the norm for Bluegrass performers. Usually it was Hal Rugg, but there's one album with Buddy Emmons all over it.

Dave Magram · Post by **Dave Magram** » 19 Jul 2023 8:11 am

Bruce Zumsteg wrote:We also have to give credit to the Osbornes for using steel guitar on many for their recordings, which was out of the norm for Bluegrass performers. Usually it was Hal Rugg, but there's one album with Buddy Emmons all over it.

Yes, it's great!
"From Rocky Top to Muddy Bottom--The Songs of Boudeleaux & Felice Bryant"
20 songs.

Still available: https://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Top-Muddy- ... B0000010U9

- Dave

Dave Magram · Post by **Dave Magram** » 20 Jul 2023 12:47 pm

Bobby D. Jones wrote:I always wondered if it was Bobby's voice was why they used steel instead of Do-Bro, To sustain with some of his voicings.

Bobby,

I have always been a huge fan of The Osborne Brothers, and had the honor to meet them both.
They were both very nice and friendly fellows. Sonny had a reputation for "speaking his mind"-- not in a mean way, just very candid and often very humorous. In live performances, Sonny would experiment on his banjo more than most--and laugh like a crazy person if he painted himself into a musical corner.

Bobby was more diplomatic, but also had a great sense of humor. Here's Bobby telling a funny music story:
"Bobby Osborne tells his Bill Monroe mandolin pickup story"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3FG5CYxFag

GOING COUNTRY
According to interviews with Sonny...
Although they could certainly play the bluegrass standards very well, they realized in the mid 1960s that they could make a lot more money playing country music shows year-round instead of just playing bluegrass festivals in the summer.

To appease some of the die-hard bluegrass traditionalists who claimed that they were "giving up bluegrass", in 1968 they recorded an LP Yesterday, Today & the Osborne Brothers, one side of which was hardcore bluegrass standards played note-for-note on acoustic instruments and the flip side was bluegrass with drums, steel guitar, etc. added.

And soon, The Osborne Brothers were touring with country music package shows, due to the number of "crossover" hits they had. And in the summers, they still played bluegrass festivals--usually as an acoustic band.

This "double life" enabled The Osborne Brothers to play for over 50 years as a band, while most bluegrass bands were unable to make a living playing music.

When Sonny retired in 2005 from performing due to a chronic shoulder injury, Bobby kept the band going, and did add a Dobro for a while.

-Dave

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