Roscoe Holcomb
Roscoe Holcomb | |
|---|---|
Roscoe Holcomb in 1962 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Roscoe Halcomb |
| Born | September 5, 1912 Daisy, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | February 1, 1981 (aged 68) Perry County, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Miner, construction worker, farmer, musician |
| Instrument(s) | Banjo, guitar, harmonica |
| Years active | 1958–1978 |
Roscoe Holcomb (born Roscoe Halcomb; September 5, 1912 – February 1, 1981) was an American singer, banjo player, and guitarist from Daisy, Kentucky. A prominent figure in Appalachian folk music, Holcomb was the inspiration for the term "high, lonesome sound", coined by folklorist and friend John Cohen. The "high lonesome sound" term is now used to describe bluegrass singing, although Holcomb was not, strictly speaking, a bluegrass performer.