Sammy Shelor


Sammy Shelor is an American banjoist in the bluegrass tradition. He is best known as leader of the Lonesome River Band and for his solo recordings, music instruction, and session work.

Biography

Early years

The Shelor Family has a long banjo tradition. Charlie Poole taught Shelor’s grandfather the banjo, and Shelor’s grandfather in turn taught Shelor. When Shelor was four years old, growing up in southwestern Virginia, his grandfather fashioned a banjo for him from an old pressure cooker lid. His other grandfather promised to buy Shelor a real banjo if he learned to play two songs. Sam met the challenge, his grandfather bought him a Ventura banjo, and by age 10 Shelor was performing in local bands.
Shelor patterned his playing and career after J. D. Crowe, Earl Scruggs, and Sonny Osborne of The Osborne Brothers.
Shelor became a full time professional musician when he joined Richmond, Virginia-based The Heights Of Grass at age 19. That band eventually morphed into The Virginia Squires, featuring Rickie and Ronnie Simpkins. Shelor played six years with the band. The Virginia Squires reunited for one show in 2017.

Lonesome River Band

Shelor joined the Lonesome River Band in 1990. When founder Tim Austin left in 1995, Shelor and Ronnie Bowman took over management of the band. Shelor became manager after Bowman's departure in 2000.

Solo recording

In 1997, Shelor released a solo album Leading Roll on the Sugar Hill label. Guest artists included Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, and Alan O'Bryant.

Awards

Shelor has received the following recognition:
Shelor and AcuTab have published books and instructional DVDs.

Instruments

  • Huber Banjos designed and produced a Sammy Shelor signature model banjo.

    Personal life

Shelor and his wife Jordyn have two children.

Discography

Solo albums

  • 1997: ''Leading Roll''

    Linda Lay and Sammy Shelor

  • ''Taking the Crooked Road Home''

    With the Virginia Squires

  • 1984: Bluegrass With a Touch of Class
  • 1984: Mountains and Memories
  • 1985: I'm Working My Way
  • 1986: Hard Times and Heartaches
  • 1988: ''Variations''

    With the [Lonesome River Band]

  • 1991: Carrying the Tradition
  • 1994: Old Country Town
  • 1998: Finding The Way
  • 2000: Talkin' To Myself
  • 2002: Window Of Time
  • 2005: Head On Into Heartache
  • 2006: The Road With No End
  • 2008: No Turning Back
  • 2010: Still Learning
  • 2014: Turn On A Dime
  • 2015: Coming Back Home To You
  • 2016: Bridging The Tradition
  • 2017: Mayhayley's House
  • 2019: Outside Looking In
  • 2021: "Singing Up There: A Tribute to the Easter Brothers"
  • 2022: "Heyday"

    As producer

  • 2012: Acoustic Blue - ''Being Country''

    Also appears on

  • 1986: Larry Rice - Hurricanes and Daydreams
  • 1988: Larry Stephenson - Everytime I Sing a Love Song
  • 1989: Wyatt Rice - New Market Gap
  • 1990: Larry Rice - Artesia
  • 1993: Larry Stephenson - Wash My Blues Away
  • 1994: Ronnie Bowman - Cold Virginia Night
  • 1995: Butch Robins - Grounded Centered Focused
  • 1997: Kenny Smith - Studebaker
  • 1997: Rickie Simpkins - Dancing on the Fingerboard
  • 1998: Ronnie Bowman - The Man I'm Tryin to Be
  • 1998: Exit Thirteen - Wind on My Back
  • 1998: Mark Newton - Living A Dream
  • 1998: Don Rigsby - A Vision
  • 1998: Suzanne Thomas - Dear Friends & Gentle Hearts
  • 1998: Robin and Linda Williams - Devil of a Dream
  • 2000: Don Rigsby - Empty Old Mailbox
  • 2000: Alan Bibey - In The Blue Room
  • 2001: The Country Gentlemen - Crying in the Chapel
  • 2001: Maro Kawabata - Carolina Blue -
  • 2001: Ron Stewart - Time Stands Still
  • 2001: Josh Williams - Now That You're Gone
  • 2005: Larry Rice - Clouds Over Carolina
  • 2006: Jimmy Gaudreau - In Good Company
  • 2006: Patrick McAvinue - Grave Run
  • 2010: Common Strings - Somewhere in Glory
  • 2010: Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press - Memories - Celebrating Bobby's 60th Anniversary As A Professional Entertainer
  • 2013: Alan Jackson - The Bluegrass Album
  • 2014: Darrell Webb Band - ''Dream Big''

    Music instruction

  • 1995: AcuTab Transcriptions Vol. I
  • 1995: AcuTab Transcriptions Vol. 2
  • 2006 Knee Deep in Banjo book
  • 2011: Sammy Shelor: A Demonstration & Analysis of an Award Winning Style DVD, streaming