Roland White

Bluegrass Mandolin Virtuoso

American bluegrass musician of Acadian-French-Canadian ancestry. Born April 23, 1938 in Madawaska, Maine. Died April 1, 2022. He formed, together with his brothers Eric White and Clarence White (2) the group The Kentucky Colonels. After the dissolution of the group he started playing guitar for Bill Monroe's bands. From Monroe's band, Roland joined that of another bluegrass pioneer, Lester Flatt, playing mandolin and recording several albums as a member of Nashville Grass from 1969-1973. Later on he began a thirteen-year tenure with the progressive west coast group Country Gazette, first playing guitar and then mandolin. In 1989 he became a member of Nashville Bluegrass Band, winning two Grammy Awards and Grammy nominations on all of their albums. From 2000 on he toured with his own band, The Roland White Band. Received Grammy nominations and two received awards for Best Bluegrass Album. Also An IBMA Album of the Year/Recorded Event along with another IBMA recorded event. Induction into the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music (SPBGMA) Preservation Hall of Greats (2010), a Distinguished Achievement Award from IBMA (2011), and induction into the IBMA Hall of Honor in 2017 with also the Bluegrass Music Hall Of Fame in 2017.