The McLain Family Band
American bluegrass band / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The McLain Family Band is an American bluegrass band founded in Hindman, Kentucky, in 1968.
The McLain Family Band | |
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Background information | |
Also known as | Bluegrass State |
Origin | Hindman, Kentucky, US |
Genres | |
Years active | 1968 (1968)–present |
Labels | Country Life Records |
Spinoffs |
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Members |
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Past members |
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Website | mclainfamilyband |
Raymond Kane McLain studied folk music at university, and began playing bluegrass music with his then-three children in the late 1950s. They formalized their group in 1968, and played for WKYH-TV before moving to Berea, Kentucky. In the years since, the group has played in 50 U.S. states, at renowned venues across the US, and on nationwide television. Initially sponsored by the United States Department of State, the McLains performed in 63 total nations. From 1978 through 1987, the band hosted an annual family-friendly bluegrass festival in Bighill, Kentucky.
The McLain Family Band developed their sound by ear, with only their patriarch having been classically trained. Music reviewers and ambassadors of the United States alike spoke of the band's authenticity and heartfelt approach to music. In 2013, the International Bluegrass Music Association awarded the McLain Family Band with their Distinguished Achievement Award.
Some McLain songs are originals, some are bluegrass and country music standards, and some were specifically commissioned classical pieces: the first bluegrass band to combine those genres. The core of the band has always been the progeny of Raymond K. McLain, but the group has expanded and contracted over the years. Some members have worked on their own projects when the family band wasn't touring; at least a half-dozen albums attest to that.