SHELBY C. BERRY
A FATHER’S LOVE OF HIS KIDS & BLUEGRASS OFTEN, SEASONED BLUEGRASS MUSICIANS PASS THEIR LOVE FOR THE MUSIC DOWN TO THEIR KIDS AND GRANDKIDS. ONE NEW SUCH STORY LIES WITH BILLY MURPHY AND HIS KIDS, JOJO, LANDEN, AND JACOB - A FAMILY BAND FROM RICHLAND, NORTH CAROLINA.
After his heart attack over four years ago, Billy pondered the important things in life. For him, it was music and playing that music with his kids. “We gave them instruments for Christmas to see if they would be interested in playing,” said Billy. Billy had been out of music for almost 15 years. He had learned guitar when he was eight years old. After graduating college, he got a banjo and played with the New River Gospel Singers. Flash forward to today, Billy uses his past love and experience to teach his kids to play and sing bluegrass. They document this learning journey on their Facebook page and invite listeners to follow along as they grow in their music.
old Landon and 7-year-old Jacob won ten mandolin lessons with learn the bass and the fiddle, Steve Dilling, a founding member of Sideline. respectively. “Getting my new mandolin at Lorraine’s Coffee House during the contest was so memorable. I came in third place and won lessons from Steve Dilling, and Heavily influenced by Rhonda the first-place winner gave me her Vincent and Williamson Branch, mandolin!” said JoJo. fellow members of Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars, Billy and the As they learn to play more Kids Bluegrass credit much of instruments and grow into their music, Billy and the Kids Bluegrass are developing their sound. Harmony lessons have helped Billy and JoJo hone their singing skills. Since they have no banjo, the sound resembles folk more than bluegrass, but “maybe one day one of the boys will play the banjo!” said Billy. “I really like when we first started playing on stage,” said JoJo. “There was a lot more people to play for!”
their enjoyment in the music to the people they’ve met within the bluegrass community. “It’s a very different atmosphere at bluegrass festivals and shows,” said Billy. “Bluegrass is like a big family, and everyone acts like they’ve known you forever.”
In 2019, President John Colburn asked them to become members of Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars. Last spring, they participated in the hugely successful TBS run online bluegrass festival.
“The festival introduced them to other young artists,” said Billy. Naming themselves Billy and the Lorraine Jordan & Carolina “They made lifelong friends, and Kids Bluegrass, 12-year-old JoJo is Road hosted a Bill Monroe’s ol’ to see them grow up in the music learning mandolin while 10-year- mandolin contest, and the band pursuing their dream is such a 8
