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Curtis McPeake, a veteran five string banjo player and recording artist, is originally from a small town of Scotts Hill in western Tennessee. He was born in 1927 and spent his boyhood years on the farm. He first started getting into music at the age of six or seven. His father bought him his first guitar in 1936. In the forties he was playing steel guitar with “The Rhodes Brothers” and had a weekly radio broadcast over WTJS Radio in Jackson, Tennessee. Around 1950, during the Korean War, he really switched to the banjo full time. One of the first groups that Curtis started was “Curtis McPeake and the Rocky Valley Boys” which aired six day a week over WDXL in Lexington, Tennessee. It was around 1952 or 1953 when he first met Earl Scruggs and even appeared on some of the “Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs” TV shows. Around Christmas 1955, Earl Scruggs was seriously injured in an automobile accident and Curtis was called to stand in for him with Lester Flatt. This was considered by Curtis to be one of his first big breaks into the music field. He continued on many occasions to fill in for Earl until 1968, just before Lester and Earl went through their break-up in early 1969.
Curtis played with Bill Monroe for about two years; during that time Bill played Carnegie Hall in November 1961. Curtis also recorded some eighteen sides with bill. After leaving Bill and the Bluegrass Boys, he joined Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper and worked throughout 1963 with them. After this stint, Curtis signed on with WSM as a staff musician and continued to work as a studio recording musician. This continued for several years and in 1969 Curtis met Danny Davis and was invited to join him with the “Nashville Brass” He continued with Danny and The Brass until 1967. He took charge of a group called the “Natchez Grass” which shortly changed its name to “The Natchez Express.”
Curtis has worked throughout his career with several major artists and obtained his first recording contract with ABC Paramount in 1961. He had recorded for several other labels during his career. He is also a collector of fine vintage banjos and various acoustic instruments. He is in constant demand as an authenticator and appraiser of vintage musical instruments.
Curtis will be performing and receiving his award, Friday evening, July 9th around 7:00 at Uncle Dave Macon Days.
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