The Osborne Brothers
| Osborne Brothers | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Hyden, Kentucky |
| Genres | Bluegrass |
| Years active | 1953–2005 |
| Labels | MGM, Decca, MCA, CMH, RCA, Pinecastle Records |
| Past members |
Bobby Osborne Sonny Osborne |
The Osborne Brothers, Sonny Osborne (b. October 29, 1937) and Bobby Osborne (b. December 7, 1931), were an influential and popular bluegrass act during the 1960s and 1970s. They are probably best known for their No. 33 1967 country hit song, "Rocky Top", written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant and named after a fictional Tennessee location.
The Osbornes were born in Roark, Kentucky, on Jack's Creek, but they moved to Hyden after their house burned down. They then moved near Dayton, Ohio, where they grew up and performed as entertainers in southwestern Ohio. In 1952, during the Korean War, Bobby was drafted and served in the United States Marine Corps. Sonny went to work with the "Father of Bluegrass Music" Bill Monroe. Following Bobby's discharge, the Osbornes teamed up with Jimmy Martin, performing at radio stations WROL in Knoxville, Tennessee and WJR in Detroit, Michigan. At their only session together, on November 16, 1954, the Osbornes and Martin recorded six songs for RCA Victor. In late 1955, the Osbornes left Martin and moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, where they performed on WWVA Jamboree until Christmas, together with Charlie Bailey. They returned to Dayton in early 1956 playing the local clubs with guitarist Enos Johnson. When Johnson left, the Osbornes added guitarist Red Allen and fiddler Art Stamper to form a new group.
The Osborne Brothers and Red Allen (under the pseudonym Stanley Alpine) recorded for Gateway Records in February or March 1956 cutting eight instrumentals. In the spring of 1956, Tommy Sutton, a local disc jockey, helped the Osborne Brothers get a recording contract with MGM Records. The new group, with the Osbornes on banjo and mandolin, Allen on guitar, Ernie Newton on bass, Tommy Jackson and Art Stamper on fiddles, made their MGM recording debut on July 1, 1956. Their first released 45 RPM single for MGM containing "Ruby Are You Mad" became a huge success and led to the Osbornes being signed on as regular members of the WWVA Jamboree in October 1956. The "Jamboree version" of the group comprised Ricky Russell on dobro, Johnny Dacus on fiddle and Ray Anderson on bass. "Ruby Are You Mad" marks the first time twin banjos were used on a bluegrass recording. On October 17, 1957, at their third session for MGM, the Osbornes, always experimenting with their sound, added a dobro and drums, also for the first time on a bluegrass recording. In April 1958, Red Allen, who was the last musician to receive billing next to the Osborne Brothers, left the group.
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