By maintaining his deep roots while opening himself up to new ideas, Del McCoury has become one of the most renowned figures in modern bluegrass. Born in York County, PA, in 1939, Delano McCoury started out playing banjo as a kid. When he got the loftiest gig in bluegrass in 1963—singing in Bill Monroe’s band—he shifted over to guitar. McCoury released his first solo album in 1968 and started recording with his band The Dixie Pals in the early ’70s. In the ’80s, McCoury’s sons, mandolinist Ronnie and banjo player Rob, joined the band, which eventually became The Del McCoury Band. They debuted in 1992 with Blue Side of Town. Their profile gradually increased, and by the 2000s they were bluegrass heroes, combining Del’s old-school influences with new-school ideas, like working with Steve Earle and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and recording songs by Richard Thompson and jazz standards like “Misty” as the moment demanded. Along the way they became Grammy winners, and in 2011 Del was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.