The Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPBGMA) has announced that “Bluegrass Music’s Youngest Old Timer,” Ronnie Reno, will be inducted into the Preservation Hall of Greats
The induction will happen at the upcoming 42nd Annual Bluegrass Music Awards to be held February 7 at 6:30 P.M. at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.
The award is the highest honor presented by SPBGMA, a trade organization formed over 40 years ago to preserve the traditional spirit and art form of Bluegrass music.
Reno’s name will be added to an incredible list of Bluegrass legends and seminal performers who have been inducted since 1984, beginning with Bill Monroe and including such notables as Hylo Brown, Mac Wiseman, Larry Sparks, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, The Osborne Brothers, Doc Watson, Carl Story, Rhonda Vincent, Flatt & Scruggs and Bill Harrell. Reno’s name will also join his father’s, Don Reno, who was inducted into the Preservation Hall of Greats in 1985 along with Red Smiley.
“I am so incredibly humbled to be listed among artists who have inspired me throughout my entire career. While I’ve known a lot of them personally, I have also studied their licks, admired their music and respected their craftsmanship to the point that I’ve dedicated a great deal of my career getting their performances archived on film and in audio files so that others can benefit from their work,” said Reno. “To find myself listed among them is just mind-blowing! I just don’t even know what to say.”
Ronnie Reno has been blessed with one of the most colorful, diverse and distinguished careers in the music industry, one that spans over 60 years, alongside some of the most legendary entertainers in Bluegrass and Country music, including Reno & Smiley, Reno & Harrell, The Osborne Brothers, Merle Haggard, The Reno Brothers and Ronnie Reno & The Reno Tradition.
Throughout the years, he has penned many hit songs, including Conway Twitty’s 1978 hit "Boogie Grass Band" and produced successful albums for Merle Haggard, Mac Wiseman and his own recently released album Lessons Learned.
Just a half a generation removed from the birth of Bluegrass, Ronnie is one of the few remaining performers who can remember with lucidity many of the milestones that have shaped both Country and Bluegrass genres—including performances at Carter’s Fold and the Barn Dance era of radio, which led to the initial rise in Country and Bluegrass music’s popularity.
Reno performed at the very first Bluegrass Festival, was entrenched in the Classic Country scene and Bluegrass Explosion in the 70’s, and now, serves as “Ambassador of Old-Time Music” for up-and-coming artists through his longstanding, award-winning television show, “Reno’s Old Time Music,” which can now be seen in over 50 million homes in prime time on RFD-TV.
The Bluegrass Awards Ceremony is the culmination of the SPBGMA’s 33rd National Convention & Band Championship to be held at the Sheraton Music City Hotel in Nashville, February 4-7. (For tickets or information, please visit www.spbgma.com or click HERE.) Sam Passamano, Jr. (aka Sam II), President of powerhouse Bluegrass label Rural Rhythm Records, Ronnie’s current label, will make the induction presentation to Reno.
“Ronnie Reno is so deserving of the 2016 SPBGMA induction into the Preservation Hall of Greats,” says Passamano. “He has an appreciation for acoustic music and Appalachian harmony like no other. During his over 60-year career, Ronnie’s contributions to Bluegrass and Country music have been numerous,” he explains. “Just as important is his work in preserving the performances of our legendary artists, which he often shares with a global audience through his television show. This work is not only ensuring his own legacy, but he is ensuring the legacy of that those who preceded and those that will follow him, so that all will be remembered. For this, we will all be forever grateful.”
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