Well-Known Bluegrass Musicians

Bill Monroe, the leader of the Monroe Brothers Band, is credited with the establishment of bluegrass music as its own music genre.
The Monroe Brothers, along with the likes of Charlie Poole, Lester Flatt, and Earl Scruggs, are collectively responsible for bringing bluegrass to the forefront of the American music scene. Bill Monroe had such a command of the mandolin that he set the bar for pickers of bluegrass.

Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs met and exceeded the high quality set by Monroe. These two were among the must successful and sought after bluegrass pickers. Earl on banjo and Lester on the guitar fretboard were a force to reckon with in the early years of bluegrass.

Other greats of early bluegrass were Jimmy Martin (aka "King of Bluegrass") who played with the Blue Grass Boys and later with the Osborn Brothers. Jimmy went on to start his own band, the Sunny Mountain Boys.

George Shuffler, the creator of cross-picking, got his start with the Stanley Brothers. Shufflers' cross-picking had a profound influence on cross-pickers like Tony Rice. Then there is JD Crow, who bridged the gap between the blues, rock, bluegrass, and old country. Crow's influence is seen today in progressive bluegrass and new-bluegrass artist of today.

More recent bluegrass artists like Ricky Skaggs with his band Kentucky Thunder and the Coen brothers have moved bluegrass into other music genres. A few other well known bluegrassers are Bela Flech and the Flectones, Sam Buch, and Doc Watson.