Mike Auldridge

With his skill and his broad definition of the meaning of bluegrass music, Mike Auldridge became known over his multi-decade career as a master of the Dobro, or resonator guitar. Raised in Kensington, MD, he began playing guitar at 12, adding banjo when he was 16 and settling on Dobro at 17. In 1954, he made his first radio appearance on a local show, playing in a band with his brother, Dave. He graduated from the University of Maryland in 1967 and became a commercial artist, while continuing to play at local clubs. In 1969, he joined the New Shade of Green. That group soon gained a strong following and helped highlight Auldridge's unique expressive style on the Dobro. He joined The Seldom Scene in 1971, and remained with that group through multiple personnel changes up until the mid-'90s, then later re-joined them on a part-time basis in 2002. The group became pioneers of the newgrass sound which incorporated elements of jazz, folk, and rock into traditional bluegrass harmonies. Their eclectic material spanned original compositions as well as cover songs that ranged from J.j. Cale's "After Midnight" to Eric Clapton's "Lay Down Sally."

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