Terry Baucom (1952 to 2023) was called the Duke of Drive for the way his banjo pushed a band forward. He was a founding member of three important bands: Boone Creek in 1976, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver in 1979, and IIIrd Tyme Out in 1991. From 2014 he led his own band, Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive. He received the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award and the Steve Martin Banjo Prize in 2023.
Why Baucom matters
Baucom is the model for a band banjo player. His steady, driving Scruggs-style picking was the engine under Quicksilver’s early records and IIIrd Tyme Out’s first albums, two of the top vocal bands in bluegrass. He played to make the singers sound good. For a jammer, his records show what drive means in practice: strong, even rolls that never let the tempo sag.
Life and career
Baucom was born on October 6, 1952, and grew up in Monroe, North Carolina. He started banjo at 10 after hearing The Beverly Hillbillies, and fiddle at 14. His father played guitar, his grandfather played clawhammer banjo, and his great-grandfather fiddled. He played banjo in his father Lloyd’s band, the Rocky River Boys. From 1970 to 1973 he played fiddle with Charlie Moore.
In 1976, at 24, he co-founded Boone Creek with Ricky Skaggs, Wes Golding, Jerry Douglas, and Steve Bryant. When Boone Creek broke up, he became a founding member of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, from 1979 to 1985. He then formed the New Quicksilver with Randy Graham, Alan Bibey, and Jimmy Haley. In 1991 he co-founded IIIrd Tyme Out with Russell Moore, Mike Hargrove, and Ray Deaton. He then worked with Lou Reid in Carolina, and later re-formed his old band as BlueRidge.
He went back to Doyle Lawson from 2003 to 2007, then freelanced with the Mark Newton Band, the Kenny and Amanda Smith Band, Dale Ann Bradley, and Mountain Heart. His solo album In a Groove came out in 2010, followed by Never Thought of Looking Back in 2013. In 2014 he formed Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive. He entered the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2023 he retired, received the IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award, and died on December 7 at 71. The Steve Martin Banjo Prize was awarded to him after his death.
Playing style
Baucom played Scruggs-style banjo built for drive, which is where his nickname came from. He kept his breaks close to the melody and used backup to frame the singers. His time as a fiddler gave him a feel for melody and for how a lead instrument should sit in a band.
Influences and legacy
Baucom grew up in a musical family and was drawn to the banjo by The Beverly Hillbillies. He played beside Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Doyle Lawson, Russell Moore, Lou Reid, and Alan Bibey. His instructional DVDs and teaching passed on his approach.
Signature tunes and songs
Knee Deep in Bluegrass Hello Blues Carry Me Back to Carolina What’ll I Do Fourth and Goal.
Essential recordings
Boone Creek, Boone Creek (Rounder, 1977) Rock My Soul, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver (Sugar Hill, 1981) IIIrd Tyme Out, IIIrd Tyme Out (Rebel, 1991) In a Groove (John Boy and Billy, 2010) Around the Corner, Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive (John Boy and Billy, 2016)
Awards and honors
IBMA Instrumental Recording of the Year (2001) IBMA Recorded Event of the Year, What’ll I Do (2013) Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame (2015) IBMA Distinguished Achievement Award (2023) Steve Martin Banjo Prize, awarded after his death (2023)
Watch and listen
The Dukes of Drive play Hello Blues at WNCW.
What to learn from Baucom
Play rhythm behind a singer for a whole song, then take one short break. That was Baucom’s job for 50 years. The technique to steal is drive. Play a forward roll with a metronome on beats 2 and 4, and dig in a little on each beat without speeding up. That push is what earned him his name.
Sources
Terry Baucom, Wikipedia Baucom, Terry (and the Dukes of Drive), BluegrassBios.com
Related players
See the banjo players hub and the bluegrass banjo guide for more pickers. Baucom co-founded IIIrd Tyme Out with Russell Moore and played with the Kenny and Amanda Smith Band.