CURTISS MCPEAKE

• From Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. He was born in Scotts Hill, Tennessee.
• Best known as an early banjo virtuoso who played with Bill Monroe, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass and other bands. He also appeared on recordings by such artists as The McCormick Brothers, George Jones & Melba Montgomery, Chubby Wise, Wade Ray, Wayne Raney, Hylo Brown, Leon Payne, Curly Fox & Texas Ruby, The Willis Brothers, C.W. McCall and many others.
• 1956, he subbed for Earl Scruggs in the Foggy Mountain Boys when Earl was injured in an automobile accident.
• Owned a music shop in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee called “McPeake’s Unique Instruments.”
• 1960-61, played with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.
• 1960-1969, he was the staff banjo player for the Grand Ole Opry.
• 1966, he invented a 10-stringed banjo (doubling the strings on a regular five-string banjo).
• 1969-1987, played banjo with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass.
• 1987, formed his own band The Natchez Express.
• 2018, received a Distinguished Achievement Award from the IBMA.
• 2018, released “The Good Times Outweigh the Bad” album (Swift River Music).
• 2021, died at the age of 93.