Don Reno

Recording Artist · Active 1954–1984 · Spartanburg · Also a musician
Traditional Bluegrass

Don Reno was one of the foundational bluegrass banjo innovators — a player who developed three-finger techniques parallel to Earl Scruggs, then extended the vocabulary into melodic, chord-based, and single-string styles that anticipated Bill Keith's later innovations by a decade. As half of Reno and Smiley (with Arthur “Red” Smiley) from 1951 to 1964, he produced classic bluegrass recordings that rank alongside Flatt and Scruggs and the Stanley Brothers in influence and quality.

Assisted by AI. Spot something off? Help us fix it.
  • Born Donald Wesley Reno in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Got his first banjo at five; by his teens was playing on WSPA radio with his mother's family band the Morris Brothers.
  • Played with the Morris Brothers on WSPA and WWNC Asheville. Auditioned for Bill Monroe in 1943 at age 16; Monroe offered him the Blue Grass Boys banjo chair but Reno had to turn it down to fulfill his enlistment in the Army. The job instead went to Earl Scruggs in December 1945.
  • Served in the 32nd Infantry Regiment in World War II, including combat in the Philippines. On discharge, played with the Morris Brothers and with Tommy Magness.
  • Finally joined Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys in 1948 after Scruggs's departure — too late to be considered the first Scruggs-style banjoist but in a position to shape the ongoing evolution of the style.
  • Left Monroe in 1949. Formed Reno and Smiley with Arthur “Red” Smiley (guitar, lead vocals) in 1951. Recorded for King Records 1952–1964 — over 300 sides. Classic repertoire: “I'm Using My Bible for a Road Map,” “Don't Let Your Sweet Love Die,” “Emotions,” “Country Boy Rock 'n' Roll,” and Reno's instrumental tour de force “Dixie Breakdown.”
  • Developed single-string banjo technique — playing fiddle-tune melodies with individual notes rather than rolls — a decade before Bill Keith's melodic style became widely recognized. Also pioneered chord-melody approaches on banjo.
  • Excellent flatpicking guitarist as well — his guitar instrumentals on the Reno and Smiley recordings established him as one of the genre's first important lead guitarists alongside George Shuffler.
  • Reno and Smiley split in 1964. Formed Reno and Harrell with Bill Harrell in 1967, continuing until 1977. Also worked extensively with his sons Ronnie Reno and Don Wayne Reno in various family band configurations.
  • Composed over 500 songs including “Charlotte Breakdown,” “Banjo Signal,” “Follow the Leader,” and the oft-recorded “I Know You're Married (but I Love You Still).”
  • Inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Honor in 1992 (with Red Smiley, inducted together). Inducted into the South Carolina Entertainment and Music Hall of Fame.
  • Died of heart failure in Lynchburg, Virginia on October 16, 1984 at age 57.
  • His sons carry on his legacy: Ronnie Reno is a veteran bluegrass vocalist and guitarist; Don Wayne Reno and Dale Reno are both respected banjo players and bandleaders.

Roulette Settings

Calculating…
Popularity
Type
Genres
Bluegrass
Folk
Country
Old-Time
Other
Popularity
Difficulty
Type
Key
Featured Instruments
Origin

Share Playlist