Regularly drawing SRO crowds which run the gamut from tie-dyed’n’patchouli neo-hippie jammers to button-down Yuppies to suspendered good ol’ boys, The Del McCoury Band may well boast the broadest, most inclusive fan base this side of the Grateful Dead. One of the most talented, revered and vital groups in bluegrass history (and one of the most potent bands in any field today), The Del McCoury Band continues its non-stop production of exquisite Americana music with yet another pillar-to-post wonder, “It’s Just The Night”.

Due in stores August 12th, the 14-track disc will be the first release on Del’s own McCoury Music label in association with bluegrass powerhouse Sugar Hill Records and Welk Distribution. At 64 years young, Del joins such varied artists as Natalie Merchant, The Eagles, and The Dixie Chicks on the cutting edge of a movement to form artist-driven labels as a means to keep full creative control in the hands of the creators--the realization of a dream long-denied even such giants as McCoury’s peers/mentors Bill Monroe and Ralph Stanley.

Over the years, the Del McCoury Band has been noted for its willingness to bring material from unexpected sources into the bluegrass field. Obscure, little-known and/or previously overlooked ’grass’n’country songsmiths have delighted in having their tunes illuminated by the McCoury’s, and such otherwise far-afield notables as ’60s jug band The Lovin’ Spoonful, blues lion Robert Cray, roots-rocker Tom Petty and Celtic folk legend Richard Thompson have had their works displayed in fresh, down-home frames.

And, since fancy picking and great tunes know no borders, the Del McCoury Band has exerted immeasurable influence on a whole new generation of players, as well.

“Yeah, I really think we have,” admitted a bemused Del, “especially with the jam bands. The younger bands are mixing electric with bluegrass instruments, and you know a lot of them have come to Telluride and the other festivals for years--probably even before they started playing music.

“It’s funny,” he continued, “Jon Fishman, the drummer for Phish, told me that they did an article on him for a drum magazine, and they asked him what was some of his early influences. And he told them that one of them was “Don’t Stop The Music”, a record I put out back in ’88 or ’89. But the real funny thing about it is that there was no drum on that record, but it was still one of his influences early on.”

The elder McCoury is amused, but not surprised.

“Shoot, it’s always been that way, even back with Carl Perkins and that guitar player from St. Louis--Chuck Berry. They listened to Bill Monroe and a lot of the note patterns that came from his mandolin, because he was playing that down beat stuff; he was playing early rock’n’roll is what he was doing.”

The band’s leader/patriarch/namesake is one Delano Floyd “Del” McCoury, a nimble, inventive guitarist and an unmatched master of the ‘high lonesome’ vocal style that has been the foundation of the bluegrass sound since its inception. Already an accomplished banjo picker as a young man in York County, Pennsylvania, Del was hired as lead singer/guitarist by the Father of Bluegrass, Mr. Bill Monroe, in the early ’60s. After a year of traveling with the seminal Blue Grass Boys (including appearances on the Grand Ole Opry), McCoury accepted an offer to appear on a weekly California television show with The Golden State Boys in 1964.

Despite the sunny weather and TV success, the pull of home was stronger, so McCoury and his new bride returned to Pennsylvania to raise their family. He worked weekdays in a sawmill, keeping his hand in music with weekend gigs. As his tribe grew up, Del returned to music full-time. His son Ronnie joined Del’s Dixie Pals on mandolin and vocals at age 14 in 1981; son Rob – originally on bass, now on banjo - brought his talents into the fold in 1988.

Del McCoury has recorded some 16 full-length records for a variety of labels since 1968. In 1992, the family relocated to Nashville. Young Kentucky fiddler Jason Carter and Lonesome Standard Time’s bassist Mike Bub joined in short order, and that stellar lineup has been intact ever since.

In their 11 years together, the Del McCoury Band has absolutely dominated the International Bluegrass Music Association’s annual awards with a total of nearly 40 individual and group citations from the IBMA--including a whopping seven “Entertainer Of The Year” honors. They are regular headliners at nearly all major folk, bluegrass and country festivals, taking their shimmering, inclusive brand of hill-country magic to clubs, concert halls and television shows in between.

The McCoury’s were prominently featured in the hugely successful, 41-city “Down From The Mountain” tour which tapped into the burgeoning popular fascination with roots/Americana music torched by the darkhorse success of the film “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” High profile television appearances include dates on “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” “The Late Show with David Letterman,” and “Sessions On West 54th.” Their roof-raising contributions to the 2002 PBS special “All*Star Bluegrass Celebration” led to an encore performance in the show’s second edition, slated for airing in August of 2003.

Del & The Boys’ top-drawer instrumental and vocal firepower combined with deep-rooted dedication to hallowed bluegrass heritage have kept them at the top of their field in the hearts of rock-ribbed traditionalists, while their consummate showmanship, high spirits and willingness to incorporate writers from eclectic sources into the fold have continued to spread the boundaries of their influence. Naturally, “It’s Just The Night” expands that welcoming, inclusive umbrella even further, so c’mon in--there’s room for everybody...

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