Larry Christopher Sharp (born July 17, 1973) is an American musician, guitarist, singer, and record producer who participated in the
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
-winning soundtrack of ''
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' is a 2000 comedy drama film written, produced, co-edited, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and ...
''. He is considered to be an accomplished guitarist and has taken a special interest in advancing
Lester Flatt's guitar style. Among other accomplishments, Chris has been nominated twice for a Grammy Award as a guitarist and producer and has won once. Bob Piekiel's seminal
banjo instruction book describes Chris as "the cream of the crop."
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...
also considers Chris to be among "the finest
bluegrass guitar players in existence today.
With John Hartford
In 1997, Sharp landed a job touring with
John Hartford
John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937 – June 4, 2001) was an American folk, country, and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive kn ...
and played guitar in the style of
Lester Flatt in the John Hartford Stringband. This gig enabled Chris to play the ''
Grand Ole Opry'' at the
Ryman Auditorium
Ryman Auditorium (also known as Grand Ole Opry House and Union Gospel Tabernacle) is a 2,362-seat live-performance venue located at 116 Rep. John Lewis Way North, in Nashville, Tennessee. It is best known as the home of the ''Grand Ole Opry'' fr ...
numerous times. Chris played guitar and sang on John's 1999 album ''Good Old Boys''
and John's final album ''
Hamilton Ironworks'' which was released in 2001.
Chris also produced his first solo record ''Good Fa’air Side'' which featured musicians such as
Earl Scruggs,
Kenny Baker,
Josh Graves
Josh Graves (September 27, 1927 Tellico Plains, Monroe County, Tennessee – September 30, 2006), born Burkett Howard Graves, was an American bluegrass musician. Also known by the nicknames "Buck," and "Uncle Josh," he is credited with introduci ...
, and John Hartford. During his time with John, Chris participated on the ''O Brother Where Art Thou?'' and ''
Down from the Mountain
''Down from the Mountain'' is a 2000 documentary and concert film featuring a live performance by country and traditional music artists who participated in the Grammy-winning soundtrack recording for the Joel and Ethan Coen film, ''O Brother, ...
'' projects; the soundtrack to ''O Brother Where Art Thou'' helped Chris to win a Grammy Award. The ''Down from the Mountain'' documentary, which was filmed at the Ryman Auditorium, featured Chris playing guitar and singing. Chris was also part of the subsequent ''Down from the Mountain'' tour which played such venues as
Radio City Music Hall,
Constitution Hall
DAR Constitution Hall is a concert hall located at 1776 D Street NW, near the White House in Washington, D.C. It was built in 1929 by the Daughters of the American Revolution to house its annual convention when membership delegations outgrew Me ...
,
Universal Amphitheatre, and
Carnegie Hall.
Solo career
In 2001, after Hartford died, Sharp moved back to North Carolina. Chris joined
Bobby Hicks
Bobby Hicks (born July 21, 1933) is a Grammy Awardbr>winningAmerican bluegrass fiddler and a professional musician with more than fifty years of experience.
Career
Hicks was born in Newton, North Carolina and learned to play the fiddle befor ...
,
J.D. Crowe
James Dee Crowe (August 27, 1937December 24, 2021) was an American banjo player and bluegrass band leader. He first became known during his four-year stint with Jimmy Martin in the 1950s. Crowe led the bluegrass group New South from 1971 until ...
, and others to record on Josh Graves's album ''Memories of Foggy Mountain''.
He would later form the Chris Sharp and
David Long Band. This group released an album entitled ''One Hand on the Radio'' which was described as "something timeless—a record that sounds 50 years old and brand-new at the same time." 2003 saw the release of the Tipton Hill Boys’ album ''Lucky'' whose ensemble (featuring drums,
pedal steel guitar, and piano in addition to acoustic string instruments) was characterized in
No Depression as reminiscent of "1960s Nashville bluegrass." Chris played guitar and sang on
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...
’s 2010 album ''
Country Music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
'' and was featured on an episode of
Soundstage
A sound stage (also written soundstage) is a soundproof, large structure, building, or room with large doors and high ceilings, used for the production of theatrical film-making and television productions, usually located on a secured movie stu ...
as part of Willie's band. The ensuing tour allowed Chris to make a return performance at the Ryman Auditorium.
Also in 2010, Chris produced and performed on the Grammy-nominated recording ''Memories of John'' which reunited the John Hartford Stringband after nearly a decade. This album featured such artists as
Tim O’Brien,
Bela Fleck, George Buckner, and Alan O’Bryant as well as John Hartford himself (who was present in the form of previously unreleased recordings).
Discography
*''Chris Sharp – Good Fa'Air Side'' – producer, guitar, vocals (special guests include John Hartford and Earl Scruggs)
*''The John Hartford Stringband – Good Old Boys'' – guitar, vocals (Rounder Records)
*''John Hartford – Hamilton Ironworks -'' guitar (Rounder Records)
*''A Tribute to John Hartford – Live from Mountain Stage'' guitar (Blue Plate)
*''O Brother Where Art Thou?'' – guitar, mandolin (soundtrack for the film)
*''Down From the Mountain'' – guitar (film and soundtrack)
*''Josh Graves – Memories of Foggy Mountain'' – guitar (OMS Records)
*''Kenny Baker – Spider Bit The Baby'' – guitar (OMS Records)
*''The John Hartford Stringband – Hamilton Ironworks'' – guitar (Rounder Records)
*''The Tipton Hill Boys – Lucky'' – producer, guitar, vocals -(with George Buckner and Kevin Sluder; Red Clay Records)
*''Chris Sharp and David Long – One Hand On The Radio'' – producer, guitar, vocals (independent release)
*''Chris Sharp – Working It Out'' – producer, guitar, vocals (Red Clay Records)
*''The Tipton Hill Boys – Songs We Like'' – producer, guitar, vocals (with George Buckner and Kevin Sluder; Red Clay Records)
*''Willie Nelson – Country Music -'' guitar, vocals (''Rounder Records'')
*''The John Hartford Stringband – Memories of John'' – producer, guitar, vocals (''Compass Records'')''
''
References
External links
Official Chris Sharp website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharp, Chris
American country banjoists
American country fiddlers
American country singer-songwriters
Grammy Award winners
Living people
1973 births
Country musicians from North Carolina
Musicians from Asheville, North Carolina
Musicians from Appalachia
21st-century American singers
Singer-songwriters from North Carolina