Charlie McCoy

Born 1941, Oak Hill, Fayette County

The undisputed king of bluegrass and country harmonica, Charlie McCoy has been a studio mainstay in Nashville for 39 years – often working as many as 400 sessions a year. He has released 34 albums, and recorded and/or performed with Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Ween, the Steve Miller Band, and virtually every classic country artist from George Jones and Johnny Cash to Dolly Parton and Alabama. A versatile multi-instrumentalist, his work on harmonica, guitar and horns can be heard on seminal Dylan LPs, including John Wesley Harding, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde and Nashville Skyline. McCoy also served as musical director for the TV show Hee Haw for 19 years.

McCoy has won a Grammy Award, two Country Music Association Awards, eight Academy of Country Music Awards and has charted more country instrumentals than any artist. Additionally, he has won numerous awards provided by the three music industry trade publications, Billboard, Cashbox and Record World. In addition to his long list of sessions and his own releases, McCoy was a member of two legendary Nashville Bands, Area Code 615 and Barefoot Jerry. He has toured Europe and Japan regularly since 1989.