The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover
Band · Active 1964–1980 · Boston, Massachusetts
Traditional Bluegrass
The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover were the act that brought traditional bluegrass to New England — an 18-year residency at Boston's Hillbilly Ranch through the 1950s and 1960s that turned a Combat Zone honky-tonk into the urban folk-revival's most direct line to West Virginia mountain music, and that influenced a generation of Northeastern players from Joe Val and Peter Rowan to Bill Keith.
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- Brothers Bea Lilly (born Mitchell Burt Lilly, December 15, 1921) and Everett Lilly (born July 1, 1924), both from Clear Creek, West Virginia, regrouped in 1952 at fiddler Tex Logan's urging after years working separately and in family bands.
- Don Stover, born March 6, 1928 in Ameagle, West Virginia, joined on banjo; the trio relocated to Boston as the Confederate Mountaineers and quickly became the house band at the Hillbilly Ranch.
- Held the Hillbilly Ranch residency from 1952 to 1970 — one of the longest stable lineups in bluegrass history — while also performing on WCOP's Hayloft Jamboree.
- Recorded for Folkways and Prestige Folklore, including Folk Songs from the Southern Mountains (Folkways, 1962), Bluegrass Breakdown (Prestige Folklore, 1963), and The Country Songs of the Lilly Brothers (Prestige Folklore, 1964).
- Toured Japan in 1973, releasing the three-volume Holiday in Japan live set on Towa Records the following year.
- Boston tenure ended in 1970 after the death of Everett's son Giles in a car accident; Everett returned to West Virginia. The trio reunited periodically through the 1970s and into the 1990s.
- Don Stover later led the White Oak Mountain Boys, recorded the Rounder solo album Things in Life (1972), and collaborated with Bill Clifton and Red Rector after moving to Maryland.
- The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover were inducted together into the IBMA Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame on October 17, 2002. Don Stover died November 11, 1996; Bea Lilly on September 18, 2005; Everett Lilly on May 8, 2012.
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On the Radio 1952-19532002 · Rounder 1109
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At Hillbilly Ranch1989 · Globe SJET 8325
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Folk Songs From the Southern Mountains1962 · Folkways FA 2433
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Single (John Henry / Bring Back My Blue Eyed Boy to Me)1957 · Event E 4272
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Single (Tragic Romance / Are You Tired of Me, My Darling)1957 · Event E 4261
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Bea LillyPlayed on recordings with The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover
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Don StoverPlayed on recordings with The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover
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Everett LillyPlayed on recordings with The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover
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Herb HoovenPlayed on recordings with The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover
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Robert Russell “Chubby” WisePlayed on recording with The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover
