HOMETOWN ENTERTAINMENT: The Del McCoury Band is bringing its traditional bluegrass sound to The Harvester in April

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - For Del McCoury, music is in his genes.

As the leader of the Del McCoury Band, his two sons play alongside him.

And it was his older brother who first taught him now to play guitar when he was a kid.

“He was a singer and a musician and he taught me the chords on the guitar. And I got pretty good at it, I guess,” says McCoury.

Pretty good at it, but not inspired.

McCoury says it was the actually sound of the banjo, especially the recordings of bluegrass legend Earl Scruggs, that got him hooked on playing music.

“I wanted to learn to play the three finger roll, which was something new, too to everybody,” says McCoury.

His banjo playing carried him through several bands.

When he joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass boys in 1963, he switched back to guitar, and never turned back.

In the late ‘60s, he formed the Del McCoury Band, establishing his rightful place in bluegrass tradition.

“Now that I think back about it, you know, I was fortunate to be hearing this at the ground floor,” says McCoury.

When it comes to live shows, McCoury says his band never has a set list, and members seldom rehearse.

Instead, they take requests from the audience.

“It’s easier for me, and it’s more exciting, too for the band and the audience because nobody knows what’s happening, next, you know,” says McCoury.

Fans at The Harvester might get to hear some tunes from his latest album, “Almost Proud,” which came out last year.

McCoury says the band is also working on a new album right now.

And at the age of 84, it doesn’t appear that he is slowing down anytime soon.

You can catch the Del McCoury Band at The Harvester Performance Center on Saturday, April 15 at 8 pm.

For ticket information, click here.

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