Bobby and Sonny Osborne just recently celebrated fifty years as members
of the Grand Ole Opry and were featured on WSM radio together for the
first time in years.
Sonny who is 76 is now retired from Bluegrass music while Bobby at 82
still plays with the Rocky Top X Press. He still tours shows and plays
the Opry on a regular basis.
In 1967 Felice and boudleaux bryant wrote their most famous recording
“Rocky Top” which they released on Decca records on Christmas day.
It is the Tennessee state college fight song and has been since.
And Bobby Osborne still proudly plays it today.
And in 1982 it was inducted as our Official Tennessee State song.
Independent filmmaker Russ Farmer has released a documentary about
these two brothers and how they helped shape Bluegrass music as it was
being brought forth by greater influences.
They grew up in Hyden, Ky and went on to become the first Bluegrass band
to ever perform in the White House in 1973.
This documentary details everything they have done since the beginning
and highlights their Opry induction in 1964 and also their IBMA induction
to the Hall Of Honor in 1994.
Sixty years on the road is a long long time and honestly I don’t blame
Sonny Osborne for his retiring, that is a hard and rough life.
They also became the first Bluegrass band to incorporate electric instruments
on stage and were also the first Bluegrass band to play on a college campus.
This film will feature ALL OF THIS and much much more.
