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On Friday, December 24, Bluegrass legend and banjo player JD Crowe passed away at 84. News of his demise was shared on Christmas eve by Kentucky Country Music on their social media pages.
It was later confirmed by one of his children, who ran his Facebook fan page. The JD Crowe Fan Page updated their profile picture on Friday, with a caption, as seen below:
While the exact cause of JD Crowe's death is yet unknown, it follows a brief hospitalization in late November.
According to Bluegrass Today, the renowned banjo player was in a rehab center and was supposed to be discharged on December 20. However, as per Crowe's fan page, the musician died at the medical facility, which hints at some potential health complications he faced during his hospitalization.
Tributes and condolences pour in as fans of JD Crowe react to his death
After the news of the Banjo legend's demise reached the internet, several followers of the musician shared their condolences. Multiple tweets from his industry network and fans stressed his impact in the Bluegrass musical genre and as a banjo player.
Exploring late Banjo legend JD Crowe's legacy
James Dee Crowe (professionally known as JD Crowe) started his professional career while a teenager. Around the mid-1950s, he became associated with Jimmy Martin's Sunny Mountain Boys, recording multiple pieces with the band for four years, beginning in 1956.
The Kentucky native formed his own band in 1961, called Kentucky Mountain Boys. They reportedly performed mostly near his hometown. The group, later known as The New South, has been labeled one of the most influential bands to uplift the bluegrass music genre. In 2011, Crowe also received the Bluegrass Star Award for popularizing bluegrass.
As a banjo artist, JD Crowe was involved with 14 albums in his lifetime, with his last album, Crowe & Wasson, slated for release in December. He won a Grammy in 1983 for his performance as a country artist in Fireball. Crowe also received a nomination in 2007 for his album Lefty's Old Guitar.
