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Bluegrass legend Curly Seckler began his career in music in 1935, performing with his brothers on WSTP radio in Salisbury, NC.  In1939 he hit the big time, when Charlie Monroe recruited him to sing harmony in his new band after the breakup of the Monroe Brothers. 

Curly Seckler & Charlie Monroe circa 1946

Curly worked several stints with Charlie Monroe early in his career.  He also teamed with various other bluegrass pioneers, including Jim and Jesse McReynolds, Mac Wiseman, The Sauceman Brothers, and The Stanley Brothers.

In 1949 Curly joined Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs’ Foggy Mountain Boys, as tenor singer and mandolinist.  Except for a couple of brief absences, he remained with Flatt & Scruggs until 1962.  During that time he recorded well over 100 songs with them, including many of their best known and most popular hits (“Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” “Salty Dog Blues,” I’ll Stay Around,” “I’ll Go Stepping Too,” “Dim Lights, Thick Smoke,” etc.). 
The Foggy Mountain Boys circa 1955

The Lester Flatt/Curly Seckler duets from the 1950s are still considered to be among the best bluegrass performances ever.  In addition, Curly’s rock-solid “chop” rhythm on mandolin was the foundation of the Foggy Mountain Boys’ instrumental sound during his tenure.  Several of Curly’s original songs were recorded by Flatt & Scruggs, including the popular “No Mother Or Dad” and “That Old Book of Mine.”

Curly left the music business briefly during the 1960s, but soon returned to performing when bluegrass festivals began to thrive.  He joined Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass in 1973 and remained until Lester’s death in 1979.  Lester passed the torch to Curly, and he took over leadership of the Nashville Grass for another fifteen years, until his retirement in 1994. 
Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass circa 1973

That same year Curly recorded “60 Years of Bluegrass With My Friends,” a celebration of his career, with a stellar guest list of musicians, including Ralph Stanley, Josh Graves, Jim & Jesse McReynolds, Mac Wiseman, Benny Martin, Marty Stuart, Willis Spears, Jimmy Martin, Doyle Lawson, Alan O’Bryant, and more.  In early 2005 Copper Creek Records reissued this great recording, with several bonus tracks.  Also in 2005, County Records reissued Curly’s first solo album from 1971, with additional bonus tracks from 1989 (“That Old Book of Mine” Cnty-2740).

In the studio for "Down in Caroline"- 2004

Though Curly retired from active touring, he has continued to make guest appearances at festivals and concerts.  He also has continued to write songs, and in 2004 he made his first new recordings in ten years.  Nearly half of the songs are Seckler originals, many of which have not been performed before.

The incredible list of guests who appeared on these recordings includes Dudley Connell, Larry Sparks, Russell Moore, John Carter Cash, Laura Weber Cash, Larry Cordle, Tater Tate, Rob Ickes, Herschel Sizemore, Chris Sharp, Larry Perkins, Leroy Troy, and many more.  The first volume of new material, “Down in Caroline” (CC-0236), was released on Copper Creek in the fall of 2005.  It was a finalist for 2006 IBMA Recorded Event of the Year.  In October of 2006, Copper Creek released Curly’s latest CD, “Bluegrass, Don’t You Know” (CC-0243).

Curly Seckler is regarded as one of the best tenor singers ever in bluegrass, and in 2004 he was inducted into the IBMA Hall of Honor. At age 88, Curly is still a vital, creative, and entertaining performer. He has an amazing memory for events and humorous stories from his 70-plus years in bluegrass music, and loves to share them with his audience.  Curly continues to perform at selected festivals and special events, where he is often joined by some of the musicians who performed with him on his new recordings.  

Seckler at IBMA 2004

Curly Seckler is the embodiment of bluegrass history - a legendary entertainer who has seen it all - and living proof that traditional bluegrass still thrives in the new millennium!

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