Alvin Breeden, 70, a traditional bluegrass musician and an enthusiast of the late Don Reno’s style of banjo died on February 26, 2013 at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, VA. The cause of death was not disclosed. The Preddy Funeral Home Chapel in Madison, VA., confirmed the death.
Breeden played professionally from the time he was 16 years of age. During his career Breeden played with Dr. Ralph Stanley; and banjo extraordinaire, Don Reno. The Osborne Brothers recorded a song, "Fastest Grass Alive," written by Paul Craft in Breeden's honor.
He was entered into the Piedmont Fiddlers Association Hall of Fame in 2001 and retired from music in 2006.
At an early age, Breeden acquired a passion for bluegrass, which led to his mother teaching him the "claw hammer style" of banjo at the age of ten. By the time he was sixteen, he was playing professionally with Bob and Cindy Dean. It wasn't long before he had a band of his own, The Virginia Cutups, which played for thirty years.
He inspired and mentored so many people throughout his many years in music that his fan base spanned the globe from as far away as Sweden, Japan and England.
Two of Breeden’s recordings, “Banjo Special” and “Roadrunner” were included on the Stelling Banjo Anthology album along with the likes of Bill Emerson, Alan Munde, Ned Luberecki and Murphy Henry which is still available from Amazon.com and a complete album, “Bluegrass From The Heart Of Virginia” from Alvin Breeden and the VA Cutups is available from CountySales.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, 2013, at Preddy Funeral Home Chapel in Madison conducted by Pastor Eddie Dean. The interment will follow at Pine Ridge Church Cemetery in Earlysville. The family will receive friends from 4 until 8 p.m. on Friday, March 1, 2013, at the funeral Home.
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Claude King was 90, Wolverton Mountain
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