Earls of Leicester, The

THE EARLS OF LEICESTER

  • From Nashville, Tennessee.
  • Pronounced “The Earls of Lester.”
  • A bluegrass supergroup formed by Jerry Douglas to pay tribute to the music of Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys. They re-enact the songs of Flatt and Scruggs by performing them in similar costumes and choreography.
  • Band members (2013): Jerry Douglas (Uncle Josh Graves/Dobro™), Tim O’Brien (Curly Seckler/mandolin), Shawn Camp (Lester Flatt/guitar), Johnny Warren (Paul Warren/fiddle), Charlie Cushman (Earl Scruggs/banjo) and Barry Bales (Jake Tullock/bass.) Subbing for O’Brien (who is also a member of Hot Rize): Shawn Lane, Ronnie McCoury and Frank Solivan.
  • While the name of the band is a pun, there have been many actual Earls of Leicester in Great Britain, part of the English “peer system” of dukes and earls which bestows automatic membership in the House of Lords. The current “7th Earl of Leicester” is Edward Douglas Coke, b. 1936. His heir apparent is Robert Edward Coke, b. 1965.
  • 2014, released their debut album Earls of Leicester on Rounder Records.
  • 2015, won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.
  • 2015, Jeff White took over the mandolin (Curly Seckler) spot in the band.
  • 2015, won IBMA Awards for Entertainer of the Year, Album of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year and Gospel Recording of the Year.
  • 2016, released Rattle & Roar album (Rounder).
  • 2017, won their third consecutive IBMA Award for Entertainer of the Year.
  • 2018, released Live in the CMA Theatre in the Country Music Hall of Fame album (Rounder).
  • 2022, Daniel Kimbro took over the bass (Jake Tullock) spot in the band.