Donald Glen Rigsby is an American mandolinist, fiddler, guitarist, vocalist, and producer in the bluegrass tradition. He is known for his solo career, and for his work with the

Lonesome River Band The Lonesome River Band is an American contemporary bluegrass band. The band has released 15 recording projects since its formation in 1982. Lonesome River Band is led by Sammy Shelor who is a member of the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame ...

and Longview.

Biography

Early years

Growing up in Eastern Kentucky, Rigsby discovered bluegrass music early on. At age 5, Rigsby learned to sing from a 1959 tape of

Ralph Stanley Ralph Edmund Stanley (February 25, 1927 – June 23, 2016) was an American bluegrass artist, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing. Stanley began playing music in 1946, originally with his older brother Carter Stanley as part of ...

singing "Hills of Home" and "Little Maggie." Rigsby befriended two of

's Clinch Mountain Boys:

Ricky Skaggs Rickie Lee Skaggs (born July 18, 1954), known professionally as Ricky Skaggs, is an American neotraditional country and bluegrass singer, musician, producer, and composer. He primarily plays mandolin; however, he also plays fiddle, guitar, ma ...

(Rigsby's cousin) and

Keith Whitley Jackie Keith Whitley (July 1, 1954 – May 9, 1989) was an American country music singer and songwriter. During his career, Whitley released only two albums but charted 12 singles on the ''Billboard'' country charts, and 7 more after his death. ...

. Rigsby learned guitar at age 12, then fiddle, dulcimer, and mandolin. While attending

Morehead State University Morehead State University (MSU) is a public university in Morehead, Kentucky. The university began as Morehead Normal School, which opened its doors in 1887. The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a two-year residential ea ...

, Rigsby was a member of TruGrass, which included Johnie Lewis (banjo) and Tim Gilliam (guitar), with Rigsby on mandolin. In 1987, Rigsby joined Charlie Sizemore's bluegrass band and stayed for two years. When he graduated in 1990, Rigsby moved to Nashville and joined

Vern Gosdin Vernon Gosdin (August 5, 1934 – April 28, 2009) was an American country music singer. He had 19 top-10 solo hits on the country music charts from 1977 through 1990. Three of these hits went to Number One: " I Can Tell By the Way You Dance (You ...

's road band. Rigsby's first national exposure was with

Bluegrass Cardinals The Bluegrass Cardinals were a Bluegrass band from Los Angeles, California. The group is credited with being the first bluegrass band to record bluegrass gospel in a cappella. Founded in 1974, the Bluegrass Cardinals disbanded in 1997 when foundi ...

from 1991 until 1993, then he joined

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 the New South from 1993 until 1995.

Lonesome River Band

Rigsby joined the

when

Dan Tyminski Daniel John Tyminski (born June 20, 1967) is an American bluegrass composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist. He is a member of Alison Krauss's band Union Station, and has released three solo albums, ''Carry Me Across the Mountain'' (2000), on ...

left the band. Rigsby stayed for six years and appeared on three of their albums: ''One Step Forward (1996)'', ''Finding The Way'' (1998), and ''Talkin' To Myself'' (2000). The band included Rigsby,

Ronnie Bowman Ronnie Bowman (born July 9, 1961) is an American singer and composer of bluegrass music. Besides his solo albums, he is known for his work with the Lonesome River Band. Biography Early years A native of Mount Airy, North Carolina, Bowman sang gos ...

, Sammy Shelor, and

Kenny Smith Kenneth Smith (born March 8, 1965), nicknamed "the Jet", is an American sports commentator and former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played in the NBA from 1987 to 1997 as a member of the Sacrame ...

. When

John Duffey John Humbird Duffey Jr. (March 4, 1934 – December 10, 1996) was a Washington D.C. based bluegrass musician. Duffey was born in Washington, D.C., and lived nearly all his life in the Washington D.C. area. He graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Cha ...

suddenly died, Rigsby filled in with the

Seldom Scene The Seldom Scene is an American bluegrass band that formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland. The band's original line-up comprised John Starling on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Auldridge on Dobro and baritone vocals, Ben Eldridge on banjo, Tom Gra ...

Longview

Along with Dudley Connell and James King, Rigsby was a member of Longview. The band released three albums: ''Longview'' (1997), ''High Lonesome'' (1999), and ''Lessons In Stone'' (2002). Other members included Joe Mullins (banjo), Glen Duncan (fiddle), and

Marshall Wilborn Marshall Wilborn is an American bluegrass music bass player and composer best known for his work with the Johnson Mountain Boys, Longview, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper, and the Lynn Morris Band. Biography Early years Wilborn was raised i ...

(bass). Rigsby and Connell sing Stanley Brothers-style high-baritone harmonies behind King.

Solo career

Rigsby's first solo album ''A Vision'', released in 1999, was a collection of bluegrass gospel music. J. D. Crowe, Ralph Stanley, Sammy Shelor,

Roy Huskey Jr. Roy Milton Huskey (December 17, 1956 – September 6, 1997) was a prominent American upright bass player in country music from Nashville, Tennessee. Huskey performed alongside musicians such as Chet Atkins, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash, Vince ...

, and Ricky Skaggs provide support. The album won the Association of Independent Music's Gospel Album of the Year award. He also received the 1999 Bluegrass Now Magazine Fans' Choice Award for Vocal Tenor of the Year, and the 2001 Governor's Kentucky Star Award. In 2000, the title track from the album ''Empty Old Mailbox'' won the 2001 SPBGMA Song of the Year award. Guest artists on the album included Jerry Douglas, Tim Stafford, Stuart Duncan, J. D. Crowe, and Larry Sparks. 2003's ''The Midnight Call'' featured

Jim Hurst Jim Hurst is an American bluegrass and country guitarist. He is known primarily as an instrumentalist but has also been credited for vocals with numerous other artists as well as his solo career. Hurst has performed with musicians that include ...

(guitar),

Stuart Duncan Stuart Duncan (born April 14, 1964) is an American bluegrass musician who plays the fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and banjo. Life Duncan was born in Quantico, Virginia, and raised in Santa Paula, California, where he played in the school band. He ...

(fiddle],

Carl Jackson Carl Eugene Jackson (born September 18, 1953) is an American country and bluegrass musician. Jackson's first Grammy was awarded in 1992 for his duet album with John Starling titled "Spring Training." In 2003 Jackson produced the Grammy Award-wi ...

Rob McCoury Rob McCoury is an American bluegrass musician who plays banjo. He is the son of bluegrass musician Del McCoury, and is best known for his work with the Del McCoury Band and the Travelin' McCourys. Biography Rob McCoury was born in York County, ...

(mandolin),

Kenny Malone Kenny Malone (August 4, 1938 – August 26, 2021) was an American drummer and percussionist. Life and career Malone was born in Denver, Colorado. From the 1970s onwards, he was a prominent session musician in folk, country and many other acoustic ...

(percussion), and

Vassar Clements Vassar Carlton Clements (April 25, 1928 – August 16, 2005) was an American jazz, swing, and bluegrass fiddler. Clements has been dubbed the Father of Hillbilly Jazz, an improvisational style that blends and borrows from swing, hot jazz, and ...

. Rigsby recorded two albums with

Dudley Connell Dudley Connell (born February 18, 1956) is an American singer in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his work with the Johnson Mountain Boys, Longview, and The Seldom Scene. Biography Early years Connell grew up in Rockville, Maryland. ...

(

The Seldom Scene The Seldom Scene is an American bluegrass band that formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland. The band's original line-up comprised John Starling on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Auldridge on Dobro and baritone vocals, Ben Eldridge on banjo, Tom Gra ...

) in the Appalachian brother duet style: ''Meet Me By The Moonlight'' (1999) and ''Another Saturday Night'' (2001). In 2010, Rigsby released ''Doctor’s Orders: A Tribute to Ralph Stanley''. Stanley appears on the album, as do former Clinch Mountain Boys Larry Sparks, Ricky Skaggs, Charlie Sizemore, Steve Sparkman and Stanley’s lead guitarist,

James Alan Shelton James Alan Shelton (November 3, 1960 – June 3, 2014) was an American bluegrass guitarist. Shelton was a solo musician, released 10 albums, and performed with the Clinch Mountain Boys. Life James was born in Kingsport, Tennessee and raised in G ...

. In 2016, Rigsby and David Thom collaborated on the album ''New Territory'' which also featured

Peter Rowan Peter Rowan (born July 4, 1942) is an American bluegrass musician and composer. Rowan plays guitar and mandolin, yodels and sings. Biography Rowan was born in Wayland, Massachusetts to a musical family. From an early age, he had an interes ...

, Randy Kohrs, and Tim Crouch.

Rock County

Rock County was formed by Rigsby in 2001. Other members included Glen Duncan (fiddle), Dale Vanderpool (banjo) Ray Craft (guitar), and Robin Smith (bass). They released two albums: ''Rock County'' (2002) and ''Rock Solid'' (2003). In 2003, Vanderpool was replaced by Scott Vestal, and Ray Craft was replaced by Keith Tew. The band broke up in 2004.

Midnight Call

In 2006, Rigsby released ''Hillbilly Heartache'', his first album as the leader of his new band Midnight Call. The band includes Shayne Bartley (guitar), Jesse Wells (fiddle), Robert Maynard (bass), and Dale Vanderpool (banjo).

Flashback

In 2016, Rigsby formed Flashback, a band consisting of former members of The New South. The band consists of Rigsby, Richard Bennett (guitar, lead vocals),

Phil Leadbetter Phil Leadbetter (March 31, 1962 – October 14, 2021) was an American resonator guitar player. Life Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Leadbetter began playing the resonator guitar at age 12. He was a 1980 graduate of Gibbs High School in Corryton, ...

(resonator guitar), and Curt Chapman (bass). The band name was inspired by the title of the album J. D. Crowe released in 1995.

Music education

In 2001 Rigsby accepted a director position at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State University. He remastered a series of local radio shows hosted more than three decades ago by Ricky Skaggs and Keith Whitley to be released on Sugar Hill. He also taught vocal harmony and folk/country music listening. In 2010, Rigsby left the program to pursue music full time.

Production and session work

Rigsby produced the album ''40'' by Larry Sparks, which in 2005 was awarded Recorded Event of the Year and Album of the Year by the IBMA. Rigsby sang on

Alan Jackson Alan Eugene Jackson (born October 17, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for blending traditional honky-tonk and mainstream country pop sounds (for a style widely regarded as "neotraditional country"), as well as penning many o ...

's ''

The Bluegrass Album ''The Bluegrass Album'' is the debut album by bluegrass supergroup, Bluegrass Album Band, released in 1981. It's a collection of bluegrass standards by Lester Flatt, Bill Monroe, Earl Scruggs, Ralph Stanley and others. Ultimately, four volumes ...

'' in 2013, and a tour with Jackson included an appearance on

Late Night with David Letterman ''Late Night with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on NBC, the first iteration of the ''Late Night'' franchise. It premiered on February 1, 1982, and was produced by Letterman's production company ...

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

Personal life

Rigsby still lives in Isonville with his daughter and son.

Discography

Solo albums

* 1998: ''A Vision'' ( Sugar Hill) * 2000: ''Empty Old Mailbox'' (Sugar Hill) * 2003: ''The Midnight Call'' (Sugar Hill) * 2006: ''Hillbilly Heartache'' (Rebel) with Midnight Call * 2010: ''The Voice of God'' (Rebel) with Midnight Call * 2013: ''Doctor's Orders: A Tribute to Ralph Stanley'' (Rebel) * 2016: ''New Territory'' (9 Lives) with David Thom

With
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 the New South

* 1994: ''Flashback'' (

Rounder Rounder(s) or The Rounder(s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Rounders'' (1914 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounder'' (1930 film), a comedy short * ''The Rounders'' (1965 film), a western comedy * ''Rounders'' (film), a 1998 poker f ...

)

With the
Lonesome River Band The Lonesome River Band is an American contemporary bluegrass band. The band has released 15 recording projects since its formation in 1982. Lonesome River Band is led by Sammy Shelor who is a member of the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame ...

* 1996: ''One Step Forward'' (Sugar Hill) * 1998: ''Finding the Way'' (Sugar Hill) * 2000: ''Talkin' To Myself'' (Sugar Hill)

With Longview

* 1997: ''Longview'' (Rounder) * 1999: ''High Lonesome'' (Rounder) * 2002: ''Lessons in Stone'' (Rebel) * 2008: ''Deep in the Mountains'' (Rounder)

Dudley Connell Dudley Connell (born February 18, 1956) is an American singer in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known for his work with the Johnson Mountain Boys, Longview, and The Seldom Scene. Biography Early years Connell grew up in Rockville, Maryland. ...
and Don Rigsby

* 1999: ''Meet Me By the Moonlight'' (Sugar Hill) * 2001: ''Another Saturday Night'' (Sugar Hill)

With Rock County

* 2002: ''Rock County'' (Rebel) * 2003: ''Rock Solid'' (Rebel)

As primary artist/song contributor

* 2002: various artists - ''Mother Queen of My Heart: A Collection of Songs Inspired by Mom'' (Sugar Hill) - track 11, "If I'd Had a Mother Like You" * 2005: various artists - ''Bluegrass Gospel Reunion'' ( CMH) - track 2, "Gone Home" * 2011: various artists - ''With Body and Soul: A Bluegrass Tribute to Bill Monroe'' (Rebel) - track 7, "Kentucky Waltz" * 2011: various artists - ''Appalachian Gospel Revival'' ( Rural Rhythm) - track 1, "Get In Line Brother" with Rickey Wasson

As producer

* 2000: Dave Evans - ''Bad Moon Shining'' (Rebel) * 2001: Dave Evans - ''Hang Out a Light For Me'' (Rebel) * 2001: Josh Williams - ''Now That You're Gone'' ( Pinecastle) * 2004: Josh Williams - ''Lonesome Highway'' (Pinecastle) * 2005:

Larry Sparks Larry Sparks (born September 25, 1947) is an American Bluegrass singer and guitarist. He was the winner of the 2004 and 2005 International Bluegrass Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year Award. 2005, won IBMA for Album of the Year and Re ...

- ''40'' (Rebel) * 2007: Larry Sparks - ''Last Suit You Wear'' (McCoury Music)

Also appears on

* 1994:

- ''Cold Virginia Night'' (Rebel) * 1994: David Parmley - ''Southern Heritage'' (Rebel) * 1994: Charlie Sizemore - ''Back Home's (Rebel) * 1997:

Aubrey Haynie Aubrey Haynie (born March 27, 1974) is an American bluegrass musician who plays the fiddle and mandolin. In his career, he has recorded three studio albums for the Sugar Hill Records label, all three of which contained mostly songs that he wr ...

- ''Doin My Time'' (Sugar Hill) * 1997: Jason Carter - ''On The Move'' (Rounder) * 1997: Rickie Simpkins - ''Dancing on the Fingerboard'' (Pinecastle) * 1997:

- ''Studebaker'' (Sugar Hill) * 1998: Ronnie Bowman - ''The Man I'm Tryin' to Be'' (Sugar Hill) * 1998: Jim Mills - ''Bound to Ride'' (Sugar Hill) * 1998: Mark Newton - ''Living a Dream'' (Rebel) * 1999:

Tara Nevins Donna the Buffalo is a band from Trumansburg, New York. It plays both original songs and cover versions. A musician friend suggested "Dawn of the Buffalo" as a name for the band, which was misheard as "Donna the Buffalo" and, over thirty years ...

- ''Mule to Ride'' (Sugar Hill) * 2001: Candlewyck – ''Firemen'' (Votive Records) * 2003:

Burrito Deluxe ''Burrito Deluxe'' is the second album by the country rock group the Flying Burrito Brothers, released in May 1970 on A&M Records, catalogue 4258. It is the last to feature Gram Parsons prior to his dismissal from the group. It contains the firs ...

- '' Georgia Peach'' (Lamon) * 2003: Randy Howard - ''I Rest My Case'' (Sugar Hill) * 2004: Randy Kohrs - ''I'm Torn'' (Lonesome Day) * 2005: Pete Goble - ''When I’m Knee Deep in Bluegrass'' (FireHeart) * 2005: Jim Mills - ''Hide Head Blues'' (Sugar Hill) * 2007:

Tom T Hall Thomas Hall (May 25, 1936 – August 20, 2021), known professionally as Tom T. Hall and informally nicknamed "the Storyteller," was an American country music singer-songwriter and short-story author. He wrote 12 No. 1 hit songs, with 26 more ...

- ''Sings Dixie & Tom T.'' (Blue Circle) * 2007: Randy Kohrs - ''Old Photograph'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2008: Rickey Wasson - ''From the Heart and Soul'' (Rural Rhythm) * 2013:

- ''

'' ( EMI Nashville) * 2013: James King - ''Three Chords and the Truth'' (Rounder) * 2013:

- ''The Old School'' (

Compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with ...

)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rigsby, Don Country musicians from Kentucky American country singer-songwriters American bluegrass mandolinists 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers Singer-songwriters from Kentucky People from Elliott County, Kentucky Longview (American band) members Lonesome River Band members