Norman and Nancy Blake

Nancy Short, a cellist with a classical background who was then playing in a folk group, met Norman Blake during his Nashville years, when he was a session player and a touring musician with Johnny Cash and later Kris Kristofferson and John Hartford. Her cello is on The Fields of November (Flying Fish, 1974), the first album they made together, and that year she joined his act; they married in 1975 and have been billed as Norman and Nancy Blake since. In 1979 they added the fiddler James Bryan to form the Rising Fawn String Ensemble, which made two albums for Rounder.

Under the duo’s own name, Blind Dog (Rounder, 1988) was the first of their albums nominated for a Grammy. In the 1990s they moved to Shanachie, where Just Gimme Somethin’ I’m Used To (1992), While Passing Along This Way (1994) and The Hobo’s Last Ride (1996) were all nominated for Best Traditional Folk Recording. Nancy also played mandolin and cello in the band Norman assembled for Norman Blake & Tony Rice 2 (Rounder, 1990), alongside Mark Schatz and Doc Watson. Later duo records include The Morning Glory Ramblers (2004), Back Home in Sulphur Springs (Dualtone, 2006), named for Norman’s first solo album, and Rising Fawn Gathering (2009). Norman Blake was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2022.