You know my other and myself grew up almost exclusively playing with Dad and we’ve played with each other more than anyone else. Performing with your other and father quite often, does blood trump water in terms of musical chemistry? Do you ever feel like you have a “sixth sense” when performing on stage with them? Most times when we are on the road, he’s on the road too, but he’s playing with Dave. Dad’s been doing duet shows with him and David Grisman. Between the two bands we work probably 150 days a year. Its worked out great and we stay busy, we work constantly. If you get something established now, you guys will have security there. We’ll always play music, that’s what we’re all about. If I ever want to not do this or not able, you guys need to have something already in place so you’re not financially sitting there wondering what you’re going to do. He told us probably 10 years ago now, you guys need to get something of your own going. When the McCoury name is on bill, folks think of you father Del, but you've carved out an impressive career in and of itself was it important for you to step out of your father's shadow or not? It’s a lot of fun to take something and stretch it out and play it. They like to stretch things out and its fun to do. Bluegrass is typically about three minutes and that’s not nearly long enough for that crowd. The Grateful Dead and jam band tendencies in general lean toward creating improvisational music and stretching any song out is that something that the Travelin' McCourys employ?Ībsolutely, yeah. There are all types and genres of music, jam festivals, that’s kind of our ead and butter now in the summer time. Now, we don’t play that many bluegrass festivals. Our ead and butter in the summer time was playing bluegrass festivals when I first started. I’ve been playing in my Dad’s band for 30 years. My Dad, he’s widely accepted by the jam market and in turn that’s what did it for us. It just kind of grew from there you know. I think that was a great big boost that put us in front of a crowd that would never come to see us. Probably about 20 years ago they were fans of my Dad and they did a song or two of Dad’s and anyhow they booked us on their festival. I think what really did it for us, was when we played the Phish Festival in Lake Oswego, New York. While you've certainly garnered recognition and awards within the bluegrass genre/circle, the McCourys seem to have carved out a nice niche within the jam band scene how did that develop in your opinion and are you performing for audiences you might not have anticipated originally? We’re going back into 60s model, releasing singles so people have something to talk about and play and write about on a regular basis than once a year or every two years. Next month they kind of already forgot about it and moved onto the next thing. You drop an album and people are going to pick and choose the song they want to play off it. You need to keep feeding the machine, if you will.
I think that if take the time and make a full album and release it, I don’t think you get as much traction out of it. What does this formula say about the way music is produced and released today? You just released a recording of “Cumberland Blues,” and have plans to release more singles each month, leading up to an album.
I’m a big fan of the Dead, they have a lot of great songs, they kind of lend themselves to the way we play bluegrass in a way.
I guess he’s the one who turned me on to the band. My older other went to much more than I did. Man I’ve listened to the Grateful Dead since I was a kid. Let's talk about upcoming show at Rams Head On Stage, in which you'll play a co-set with Jeff Austin on Grateful Dead songs what's your personal take on the Grateful Dead catalog and how much has it been a part of your musical development? We had the chance to catch up with Rob McCoury, who can be easily recognized as the guy holding the banjo. Tickets are $35. The Grateful Ball is a unique concert experience with a set from Jeff Austin Band followed by a set from The Travelin' McCourys and ending with a combined set from both bands of all Grateful Dead songs! The Travelin’ McCourys ing the Grateful Ball with Jeff Austin Band to Rams Head On Stage Monday, October 24th, 7:30 p.m. “If you can put new material out there, a single once a month, there’s just a lot more to talk about.” – Rob McCoury The Travelin’ McCourys have just released their first recorded single, “ Cumberland Blues” and will release a new single every month, eventually leading to a release of a full album. As the old saying goes, “Like father, like son.” Ronnie and Rob McCoury, sons of bluegrass legend Del McCoury, have developed their own musical path by creating The Travelin' McCourys.