LYNN MORRIS

• From Lamesa, Texas. Lives in Winchester, Virginia.
• Learned to play guitar at age 12 from the same man who taught Buddy Holly to play.
• Went to school in Colorado, and there began playing banjo in a bluegrass band. Her first professional gig was performing at a local McDonald’s restaurant for $10 a day.
• Won the national banjo championship at Winfield, Kansas twice (1974 and 1981) while a member of the Denver-based group City Limits Bluegrass. She was the first person to win the Winfield banjo contest twice.
• 1980-1986, performed with a Pennsylvania band called Whetstone Run. Her future husband Marshall Wilborn was also in that band.
• 1987, worked for a short time with Laurie Lewis and Grant Street.
• 1988, formed the The Lynn Morris Band with husband Marshall Wilborn when the Johnson Mountain Boys broke up. Joining them in the band were banjo player Tom Adams and mandolinist David McLaughlin who had also been with the JMB.
• Was the the first woman elected to the board of the IBMA.
• Notable appearances: On the steps of the Library of Congress, the Grand Ole Opry, The Aladdin Hotel (Las Vegas), Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.
• An animal activist, she adopted many abandoned animals and was sponsored by SPAY/USA, an organization that provides affordable spay/neutering services for house pets.
• 1990, released The Lynn Morris Band album (Rounder).
• 1992, released The Bramble & the Rose album (Rounder).
• 1995, released Mama’s Hand album (Rounder).
• 1996, 1998, 1999, won “Female Vocalist of the Year” at the IBMA Awards.
• 1996, her recording of “Mama’s Hand” (by Hazel Dickens) was voted “Song of the Year” at the IBMA Awards.
• 1999, released You’ll Never Be the Sun album (Rounder).
• 2003, released Shape of a Tear album (Rounder).
• 2003, suffered a stroke following a knee operation that has affected her ability to sing and play.
• 2010, recieved a Distinguished Achievement Award from the IBMA.