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Roland White

Roland White

Recording Artist · Active 1994–2022 · Also a musician
Classic Bluegrass

Roland White was a foundational modern bluegrass mandolinist — a founding member of the Kentucky Colonels with brother Clarence White, a Bill Monroe Blue Grass Boy, a Lester Flatt Nashville Grass member, a Country Gazette mainstay, and a two-decade member of the Grammy-winning Nashville Bluegrass Band. His warm tone, rhythmic imagination, and generous mentorship of younger players made him one of the most beloved figures in the Nashville bluegrass community, and the Station Inn's unofficial greeter.

  • Born Roland Joseph LeBlanc in Madawaska, Maine at the northern tip of the state, into a French-Canadian family. Grew up speaking French. Father Eric Sr. was a multi-instrumentalist who handed Roland his first mandolin with no instruction.
  • Family moved to Burbank, California in 1955. Formed the Country Boys with younger brothers Clarence (guitar) and Eric Jr. (bass) and sister Joanne — later renamed the Kentucky Colonels at Merle Travis's suggestion.
  • Kentucky Colonels became one of the most influential West Coast bluegrass bands of the 1960s. Landmark 1964 album Appalachian Swing! featured Clarence's pioneering lead flatpicking guitar work that inspired Tony Rice, Dan Crary, and every flatpicker since.
  • Took a two-year Army enlistment in the early 1960s (stationed in Germany), missing the Colonels' first album. Rejoined on discharge.
  • Colonels disbanded in 1966. Roland moved to Nashville in 1967 and joined Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys on guitar and lead vocals — despite being primarily a mandolinist — since Monroe already played mandolin himself. Stayed with Monroe 1967–1969. Recorded “The Gold Rush,” “Kentucky Mandolin,” and the haunting duet “Walls of Time.”
  • When Flatt and Scruggs split in February 1969, Roland became a charter member of Lester Flatt's Nashville Grass — returning to mandolin. Recorded 93 songs across 21 sessions with Flatt through 1973.
  • 1973 reunited with brothers as the New Kentucky Colonels. Tour was cut short in July 1973 when a drunk driver struck Clarence and Roland as they loaded equipment after a Palmdale, California show. Clarence was killed; Roland suffered a dislocated shoulder. Clarence's death remained a lifelong sadness for Roland.
  • Joined Country Gazette (with Byron Berline, Alan Munde, Roger Bush) in late 1973. Stayed 13 years — the longest single tenure of his career. Released solo album I Wasn't Born to Rock'n Roll (1976) during his Country Gazette years.
  • Joined the Nashville Bluegrass Band in 1989 after Mike Compton's departure. Recorded five albums with NBB including Grammy winners Waitin' for the Hard Times to Go (1993) and Unleashed (1995).
  • Left NBB in 2000 and formed the Roland White Band with wife Diane Bouska on guitar and vocals. Debut album Jelly on My Tofu earned a Grammy nomination. Band remained active until his death.
  • Became a central member of the Station Inn family from its 1974 opening, particularly after its 1978 relocation to The Gulch in Nashville. Known as the Inn's resident greeter; curated an annual Bill Monroe Tribute night and organized benefit shows.
  • Prolific mandolin teacher: published multiple instructional books and DVDs on bluegrass mandolin. Also compiled The Essential Clarence White: Bluegrass Guitar Leads, transcribing his brother's guitar work for students.
  • Inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2017. The Kentucky Colonels inducted in 2019.
  • Died on April 1, 2022 in Nashville at age 83 from complications of a heart attack. Survived by wife Diane Bouska, daughter Roline Hodge, and son Lawrence Lee LeBlanc.

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