Jesse Lester McReynolds (born July 9, 1929, in Coeburn, Virginia) is an American bluegrass musician. He is known for his innovative crosspicking and split-string styles of mandolin playing, and has been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1964. He is a multiple Grammy nominee and award winner.
Jesse McReynolds, along with his late brother Jim McReynolds, formed the bluegrass band Jim and Jesse in or around 1947.
In 1993 McReynolds was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor. In 1997 he and his brother were presented with the highest honor in the United States for folk and traditional arts, the National Heritage Fellowship Award.
McReynolds plays between 60 and 70 shows each year. He regularly releases albums, both of bluegrass music and of other genres. His recording Bending the Rules received a nomination for "Best Instrumental Recording of the Year" from the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2005.
2010 marked his 63rd anniversary in music, with a birthday festival in his honor on July 9 & 10 at his Pick Inn Music Park in Gallatin, Tennessee.
In 2010 McReynolds completed Jesse McReynolds & Friends ~ a Tribute to Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter due to be released on Woodstock Records on October 5, 2010. The tribute to Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter of the Grateful Dead band features the guitar and vocal work of David Nelson of New Riders of the Purple Sage, Stu Allen of the Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band, and Garcia's longtime friend Sandy Rothman on banjo along with other musicians. The record includes 12 of the songs of Garcia & Hunter. Not all of the songs are bluegrass arrangements, but are arranged on a song by song basis as to what McReynolds felt best for the song. Also included on this project is a song written by Robert Hunter and McReynolds, called "Day by Day."
Famous quotes containing the words jesse and/or reynolds:
“They can kill us, but they can’t eat us. That’s against the law!”
—Gil Doud, U.S. screenwriter, and Jesse Hibbs. Brandon (Charles Drake)
“If you have great talents, industry will improve them: if you have but moderate abilities, industry will supply their deficiency.”
—Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792)