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 The Johnson Mountain Boys were a popular bluegrass band throughout the 1980s from the Washington, D.C. area. Their style favored a more traditional approach to bluegrass than some of their contemporaries. They released two 45 RPM single record ...

, Longview, and

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 ...

Biography

Early years

Connell grew up in Rockville, Maryland. His parents were bluegrass enthusiasts. Connell initially played banjo like his father, but switched to guitar when he realized his strongest asset was his voice.

Carter Stanley Carter Glen Stanley (August 27, 1925 – December 1, 1966) was a bluegrass music lead singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitar player. He formed The Stanley Brothers and The Clinch Mountain Boys band with his younger brother Ralph Stanley. Biog ...

was a major influence on Connell's singing style.

Johnson Mountain Boys

In 1975, Connell founded and led the

, playing guitar and singing lead vocals. Other members included Richard Underwood (banjo), David McLaughlin (mandolin),

Eddie Stubbs Eddie Stubbs (born November 25, 1961) is an American radio disc jockey. Stubbs is best known for his work and promotion of country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern ...

(fiddle) and Gary B Reid (bass). The band ended in 1988 due to road life stresses, but have since played reunion shows and another album ''Blue Diamond''. Connell and other band members also provided musical support for

Buzz Busby Bernarr Graham Busbice (September 6, 1933 – January 5, 2003), known professionally as Buzz Busby, was an American bluegrass musician, known for his mandolin style and high tenor voice. He was nicknamed the "Father of Washington, D.C. Bluegra ...

Touring and session work

Connell has recorded with

Hazel Dickens Hazel Jane Dickens (June 1, 1925 – April 22, 2011) was an American bluegrass singer, songwriter, double bassist and guitarist. Her music was characterized not only by her high, lonesome singing style, but also by her provocative pro- unio ...

, and toured with her in 1992. In 1993, Joe Wilson organized the "Masters of the 5-String Banjo" tour, with Connell,

Laurie Lewis Laurie Lewis is an innovative American singer, musician, and songwriter in the genre of bluegrass music. History Laurie Lewis was born in Long Beach, California on September 28, 1950. Her family moved regularly from place to place until she w ...

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 ...

, Will Keys, Seleshe Damessae]l, Kirk Sutphin, Tony Ellis, Seamus Eagan, and Carroll Best. Music from this tour was collected and released on the 1994 album ''Masters of the Banjo'' on

Arhoolie Records Arhoolie Records is an American small independent record label run by Chris Strachwitz and is based in El Cerrito, California, United States (it is actually located in Richmond Annex but has an El Cerrito postal address.) The label was founded ...

Longview

In 1994, Connell formed Longview with

Don Rigsby 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 and Longview. Biography Early years Growing up ...

(mandolin),

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), Joe Mullins (banjo), James King (guitar), and Glen Duncan (fiddle).

Seldom Scene

In 1995, Connell joined the Seldom Scene, playing guitar and singing lead vocals, and has remained with them since.

Dudley Connell and Don Rigsby

Connell recorded two albums with Don Rigsby: ''Meet Me By the Moonlight'' in 1999 and ''Another Saturday Night'' in 2001. They drew on the Appalachian brother style of singing in country music made popular in the early 20th century by groups such as the

Blue Sky Boys The Blue Sky Boys were an American country music duo consisting of the brothers Earl Bolick (November 16, 1919 – April 19, 1998) and Bill Bolick (October 28, 1917 – March 13, 2008), whose careers spanned over forty years. Biography The brother ...

and the Monroe Brothers.

Stony Point Quartet

The Stony Point Quartet, featuring Connell, David McLaughlin (mandolin), Linda Lay (vocals), and Billy Lux (bass), focuses on gospel music.

Seneca Rocks!

2006, Connell formed the band Seneca Rocks! with Tom Adams, David McLaughlin, and Marshall Wilborn from the Johnson Mountain Boys along with Sally Love Connell, who previously sang in a duo with Connell and is his wife.

Audio Archival

From 1989 to 1998, Connell worked as manager of the

Smithsonian Folkways Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution. It is a part of the Smithsonian's Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, located at Capital Gallery in downtown Washington, D.C. The label was fo ...

office in Rockville, Maryland. He currently is an Audio Archivist for the

National Council for the Traditional Arts The National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA) is a private, non-profit arts organization based in the United States that promotes the traditional arts. It organizes the National Folk Festival. It is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryl ...

, cataloging and digitizing their collection of recordings for the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

Awards

Connell won the 2000

International Bluegrass Music Awards The International Bluegrass Music Awards is an award show for bluegrass music presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). Awards are voted based on professional membership in the IBMA. Award winners 2021 award winners Th ...

(IBMA) award for Male Vocalist of the Year. In Sept of 2020 Connell was inducted into the International Bluegrass Hall of Fame with the Johnson Mountain Boys.

Discography

Besides his ensemble work, Connell has contributed his vocal and guitar support to recordings by numerous artists.

With The
Johnson Mountain Boys The Johnson Mountain Boys were a popular bluegrass band throughout the 1980s from the Washington, D.C. area. Their style favored a more traditional approach to bluegrass than some of their contemporaries. They released two 45 RPM single record ...

* 1981: ''The Johnson Mountain Boys'' (

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 ...

) * 1982: ''Walls of Time'' (Rounder) * 1983: ''Working Close'' (Rounder) * 1984: ''Live at the Birchmere'' (Rounder) * 1985: ''We'll Still Sing On'' (Rounder) * 1987: ''Let the Whole World Talk'' (Rounder) * 1988: ''Requests'' (Rounder) * 1989: ''At the Old Schoolhouse'' (Rounder) * 1993: ''Blue Diamond'' (Rounder)

With Longview

* 1997: ''Longview'' (Rounder) * 1999: ''High Lonesome'' (Rounder) * 2002: ''Lessons In Stone'' (

Rebel A rebel is a participant in a rebellion. Rebel or rebels may also refer to: People * Rebel (given name) * Rebel (surname) * Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution * American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...

)

With
Don Rigsby 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 and Longview. Biography Early years Growing up ...

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

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 ...

* 1996: ''

Dream Scene ''Dream Scene'' is an album by the progressive bluegrass Maryland band The Seldom Scene. There were several personnel changes in the group after the unsuccessful comeback with John Starling. Mike Auldridge, Moondi Klein, and T. Michael Colema ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 2000: ''

Scene It All ''Scene It all'' is an album by the progressive bluegrass Maryland band the Seldom Scene, released in 2000. Ben Eldridge re-recruited Lou Reid, this time on mandolin, to replace John Duffey, who died in 1996. Critical reception ''Exclaim!'' wr ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 2007: ''

Scenechronized ''Scenechronized'' is an album by the progressive bluegrass Maryland band The Seldom Scene. It was nominated for the Best Bluegrass Album Grammy in 2007. Track listing # Hometown Blues ( Steve Earle) 3:07 # Heart and Soul (David Norris) 3:18 # ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 2014: '' Long Time... Seldom Scene'' (

) * 2019: ''

Changes Changes may refer to: Books * ''Changes'', the 12th novel in Jim Butcher's ''The Dresden Files'' Series * ''Changes'', a novel by Danielle Steel * ''Changes'', a trilogy of novels on which the BBC TV series was based, written by Peter Dickinson ...

'' (Rounder)

With Stony Point

* 2003: ''Band of Angels'' (Cracker Barrel)

Also appears on

1983 - 1989

* 1983: Phyllis Boyens - ''I Really Care'' (Rounder) * 1983:

- ''By the Sweat of My Brow'' (Rounder) * 1984: Delia Bell and Bill Grant - ''The Cheer Of The Home Fires'' (Rounder) * 1985: Delia Bell and Bill Grant - ''A Few Dollars More'' (Rounder) * 1985:

Tony Trischka Anthony Cattell Trischka (born January 16, 1949) is an American five-string banjo player. Sandra Brennan wrote of him in 2021: "One of the most influential modern banjoists, both in several forms of bluegrass music and occasionally in jazz and ...

- ''Hill Country'' (Rounder) * 1986:

Gloria Belle Gloria Belle Flickinger (June 9, 1939 – May 5, 2023) was an American bluegrass vocalist and musician, playing the banjo, bass, and mandolin. She was probably the first female lead singer in bluegrass, having begun her music career as early ...

- ''Love of the Mountains'' ( Webco) * 1988: Delia Bell and Bill Grant - ''Following a Feeling'' (Rounder) * 1989: Chris Warner - ''Chris Warner & Friends'' (Webco)

1990 - 1999

* 1990:

Jean Ritchie Jean Ruth Ritchie (December 8, 1922 – June 1, 2015) was an American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player, called by some the "Mother of Folk". In her youth she learned hundreds of folk songs in the traditional way (orally ...

and

Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. W ...

- ''Jean Ritchie and Doc Watson at Folk City'' (Smithsonian Folkways) * 1993: James King - ''These Old Pictures'' (Rounder) * 1993:

Larry Stephenson Larry Stephenson is an American singer-songwriter. He sings, plays mandolin, and writes songs in the bluegrass tradition. Biography Early years Stephenson learned how to play the mandolin as a young boy. At age 13, he recorded a 45 rpm single ...

- ''Wash My Blues Away'' ( Pinecastle) * 1995: James King - ''Lonesome and Then Some'' (Rounder) * 1995: Lynn Morris - ''Mama's Hand'' (Rounder) * 1995:

Butch Robins Joseph Calvin "Butch" Robins (born May 12, 1949, in Lebanon, Russell County, Virginia) is an American five-string–banjo player with his own, distinct style. He's an individualist and, according to himself, "a seeker of information, knowledge and ...

- ''Grounded Centered Focused'' (Hay Holler) * 1995:

and Joe Isaacs - ''A Gospel Gathering'' (Freeland) * 1995: Tony Trischka - ''World Turning'' (Rounder) * 1995: Tony Trischka - ''Glory Shone Around: A Christmas Collection'' (Rounder) * 1996: Exit Thirteen - ''Wind on My Back'' (Freeland) * 1997: Delia Bell - ''Dreaming'' (Rounder) * 1997: Will Keys - ''Banjo Original'' (County) * 1997: Stephen Wade - ''Dancing in the Parlor'' (

County A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

) * 1998: Hazel Dickens - ''Heart of a Singer'' (Rounder) * 1998: Mark Newton - ''Living a Dream'' (Rebel) * 1998: Suzanne Thomas ll - ''Dear Friends & Gentle Hearts'' (Rounder) * 1999:

Tony Ellis Anthony Joseph Ellis (born 20 October 1964) is an English former professional footballer who commanded combined transfer fees of nearly £750,000 and scored 185 league goals in 518 league games during a sixteen-year Football League career. Pla ...

- ''Sounds Like Bluegrass to Me'' ( Copper Creek)Copper Creek)

2000 - present

* 2000:

Bruce Molsky Bruce C. Molsky (born 1955, New York City) is an American fiddler, banjo player, guitarist, and singer. He primarily performs old-time music of the Appalachian region. Early years As a young man, Molsky first became interested in blues music, but ...

- ''Poor Man's Troubles'' (Rounder) * 1998: Mark Newton - ''Follow Me Back to the Fold'' (Rebel) * 2001:

Bill Kirchen William Knight Kirchen (born June 29, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a member of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen from 1967 to the mid-1970s and later worked with Nick Lowe. ''Guitar Player'' magazine desc ...

- ''Tied to the Wheel'' ( HighTone) * 2001: Carroll Best - ''Say Old Man, Can You Play the Banjo?'' (Copper Creek) * 2001:

Ron Stewart Ronald George Stewart (July 11, 1932 – March 17, 2012) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1952 to 1973, as well as a coach. He spent the first half of his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, ...

- ''Time Stands Still'' (Rounder) * 2003: The Lynn Morris Band - ''Shape of a Tear'' (Rounder) * 2004: Bruce Molsky - ''Contented Must Be'' (Rounder) * 2005:

- ''King of Dieselbilly'' (HighTone) * 2006: Patrick McAvinue - ''Grave Run'' ( Patuxent Music) * 2007:

Bill Emerson Norvell William Emerson (January 1, 1938 – June 22, 1996) was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri from 1981 until his death from lung cancer in Bethesda, Maryland in ...

- ''Bill Emerson and the Sweet Dixie Band'' (Rebel) * 2007:

Curly Seckler John Ray Sechler, known as Curly Seckler, (December 25, 1919 – December 27, 2017) was an American bluegrass musician. He played with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs in their band the Foggy Mountain Boys from 1949 to 1962, among other bluegrass a ...

- ''Bluegrass, Don't You Know'' (Copper Creek) * 2007: Tony Trischka - ''Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular'' (Rounder) * 2008:

Margot Leverett Margot Leverett is a New York City, New York-based clarinettist. Born in Ohio, she lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Buffalo, New York before studying at Indiana University School of Music. At Indiana, she was classically trained.

- ''Second Avenue Square Dance'' (Traditional Crossroads) * 2013: James King - ''Three Chords And The Truth'' (Rounder) * 2013: Junior Sisk and Joe Mullins - ''Hall of Fame Bluegrass'' (Rebel)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Connell, Dudley 1956 births American country singers Country musicians from West Virginia American bluegrass guitarists 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers Singers from West Virginia Bluegrass musicians from West Virginia Living people 20th-century American guitarists Longview (American band) members Johnson Mountain Boys members The Seldom Scene members