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Mitch Jayne Biography

mitch-jayne
  • Born: July 4, 1928 in Hammond, IN
  • Years Active: 1950s-2000s
  • Member of: The Dillards
  • Genre: Country

Mitch Jayne was the host of a popular bluegrass radio show, Hickory Hollow, in Salem, MO, when he invited a local band, the Ozark Mountain Boys, featuring banjo ace Doug Dillard and his guitarist/vocalist brother Rodney Dillard, to be musical guests. When the Dillards formed a more professional group, Jayne was invited to join as bassist and chief lyricist. After quickly teaching himself to play the bass, he accepted the brothers' invitation. In the nearly four decades since, Jayne has remained an essential part of the band's sound. Although the Dillards have gone through numerous personnel changes, with only Rodney Dillard remaining from the original band, Jayne's bass playing has continued to provide a solid foundation, while his lyrics have given a voice to the working people of the Ozark Mountains region. Although he learned to play piano as a youngster, Jayne had few plans for a career as a musician. After working as a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse, he took a position as host of a radio show on KSMO. His understanding of bluegrass and his ability to tell tales about the people of the Ozarks made his show extremely successful. Jayne recently completed a book, scheduled to be published by Wildstone Media and Audio, featuring his wife Diana's illustrations. ~ Craig Harris, Rovi

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