The Del McCoury Band

Schedule

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025 at 07:30 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

381 E Main St, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589 | Stoughton, WI

Advertisement
Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry, to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and digital streams, Del is the living link. On primetime and late-night television talk shows, there is Del. From headlining sold-out concerts to music festivals of all genres, including one carrying his namesake, there is Del. Where audiences number in the tens of thousands, and admirers as diverse as country-rock icon Steve Earle and jamband royalty Phish count as a few among hundreds, there is Del.
Emerging from humble beginnings in York County, PA nearly eighty years ago, Del was not the likeliest of candidates for legendary status. As a teen, he was captivated by the banjo playing of one of its masters, Earl Scruggs, and decided he’d be a banjo picker, too. The Baltimore/Washington, D.C. bar scene of the early 1960s was lively and rough. Del caught a break. More than a break, really. It was an opportunity of a lifetime; joining Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys in early 1963. Considered the Father of Bluegrass, Monroe transformed McCoury, moving him from the banjo to guitar, anointing him lead singer, and providing him with a priceless trove of bluegrass tutelage direct from the source.
Countless hours of recording sessions and miles of tireless touring dotted the decades. Del carried on, and carried with him the hallowed traditions of the form and its dedicated following. The passing years became certificates of authenticity. So, in the sea of grunge and R&B that dominated the music scene of the mid-1990s, it was special, perhaps even startling, to see: there was Del.
Now helming the Del McCoury Band, with sons Ronnie and Rob, the ensemble did, and continues to, represent in a larger growing musical community as a peerless torchbearer for the entire sweep and scope of bluegrass history. Those many years (not to mention a good-natured willingness to stay alert to the latest sounds and opportunities around him) earned McCoury a whole new generation of fans, including some in unlikely places.
“I’m just doing what’s natural,” says Del. “When young musicians ask me what they should do I always tell them, ‘You do whatever’s inside of you. Do what you do best.’”
No surprise that contemporary, bluegrass-bred stars sang his praises. Marquee names like Vince Gill and Alison Krauss (who first met Del at a bluegrass festival when she subbed for his missing fiddler). Yet, here too was rocker Earle recording and touring with the group. Here was Phish jamming onstage with the boys. Here was the band on TV, or headlining rock clubs or college campuses, as well as the can’t-miss appearances at country and jazz festivals. There was Del.
“We don’t have a setlist,” says Del. “We try and work in the new songs, but a lot of times it’s just requests from the audience. It’s more interesting for the band, for me, and for the audience because nobody knows what’s coming next.”
Almost unimaginable, McCoury’s sixth decade of bluegrass bliss brings new triumphs, new collaborations, and new music. With but a single change in membership in twenty seven years, The Del McCoury Band shows unprecedented stability. It has garnered the respect and admiration of the industry for its unmistakable work. Some of the achievements include: ten IBMA Entertainer of the Year trophies (most recently in 2024); in 2003, Del’s awarded membership in the cast of the legendary Grand Ole Opry; the band’s first Best Bluegrass Album Grammy award, in ’05, followed by a second Grammy win in 2014, (not to mention double-digit nominations).
“I know (having the same band) helped with my success. It keeps your sound constant,” says Del. “We really enjoy what we’re doing.”
The group traveled with the groundbreaking post-O Brother "Down From The Mountain" tour, and performed with Gill, recording on his Grammy-winning These Days, as well as country sensation Dierks Bentley. In addition to becoming something of a regular at the wildly popular Bonnaroo Music Festival, they’ve also curated and expanded Del’s annual namesake festival. One of the premier string-band events in the country, the multi-day, multi-stage DelFest showcases the new lions of the genre such as Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle, Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Old Crow Medicine Show, and legends like Ricky Skaggs, Sam Bush, and Bobby Osborne, plus a diversity of artists like Phish frontman Trey Anastasio and blues-rock veterans Gov’t Mule to Americana darlings The Wood Brothers and Rhiannon Giddens.
“DelFest is a great accomplishment,” says Del. “I never thought it would be as successful as it is.”
And, when Sony Music came calling, post-Hurricane Katrina, proposing a collaboration with New Orleans’ revered Preservation Hall Jazz Band, there was Del. If there was ever a collection of recordings confirming McCoury’s wide-ranging impact and spirit of musical comradery, it would be American Legacies. A wonderfully fulfilling cross-section of traditional bluegrass and the Dixieland pomp of New Orleans, the album typified the Del McCoury Band’s evolution from bluegrass vanguard to an American treasure.
“All music is related. Bill Monroe went to New Orleans and listened to jazz players. Earl Scruggs- some of the tunes he recorded were from New Orleans,” says Del. “It all fits together if you’re willing to be open-minded.”
And like any genuine treasure, the gifts keep coming. Their latest release, Songs of Love and Life, is a glorious 15-song collection. The album follows 2021’s celebrated and Grammy-nominated release, “Almost Proud,” and once again features Del touching down on a diverse set of tracks--vintage and contemporary--as he and his crackerjack band nod to icons like Kenny Rogers, Roy Orbison, and Elvis Presley, as well as welcomes next-generation talent, Molly Tuttle, to the party. Across his six decades of making classic albums, Del knows what he’s looking for in a song. “I like a challenge. I’ve always liked a challenge,” says Del. “I like to learn different things. Doing the same things is boring to me.”
One listen and it’s clear as crystal. There is Del.
www.delmccouryband.com
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

381 E Main St, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Stoughton Opera House

Host or Publisher Stoughton Opera House

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Stoughton

Deer Hunter's Sight-In
Sat, 08 Nov at 08:30 am Deer Hunter's Sight-In

944 Collins Rd , Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

SPORTS WORKSHOPS
Sons of Norway-Mandt Lodge 5-314 2025 Fall \u2013 Advanced Beginning Rosemaling Class
Sat, 08 Nov at 09:00 am Sons of Norway-Mandt Lodge 5-314 2025 Fall – Advanced Beginning Rosemaling Class

317 S Page St, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

WORKSHOPS ART
Board Game Night
Sat, 08 Nov at 06:00 pm Board Game Night

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

RELIGIOUS
Caitlin Canty
Sat, 08 Nov at 07:30 pm Caitlin Canty

381 E Main St, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Women's Open Shoot - November
Sun, 09 Nov at 10:00 am Women's Open Shoot - November

984 Collins Rd , Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

Sunday Worship Services in Stoughton
Sun, 09 Nov at 10:00 am Sunday Worship Services in Stoughton

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

RELIGIOUS
JR & Susie Anderson @ The Legion!
Fri, 05 Sep at 07:00 pm JR & Susie Anderson @ The Legion!

803 N Page St, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

The Milk Carton Kids at Stoughton Opera House
Sat, 06 Sep The Milk Carton Kids at Stoughton Opera House

Stoughton Opera House

KIDS
The Milk Carton Kids
Sun, 07 Sep at 12:30 am The Milk Carton Kids

Stoughton Opera House

KIDS
Dance Classes at Level Up (Ages: 3-12)
Tue, 09 Sep at 04:00 pm Dance Classes at Level Up (Ages: 3-12)

Level Up Fitness

ENTERTAINMENT WORKSHOPS
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Thu, 11 Sep at 06:00 pm Ray Wylie Hubbard

Stoughton Opera House

CONTESTS TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Blue Moon Karaoke with Renee @ The Legion!
Fri, 12 Sep at 07:00 pm Blue Moon Karaoke with Renee @ The Legion!

803 N Page St, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

KARAOKE MUSIC
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Fri, 12 Sep at 07:30 pm Ray Wylie Hubbard

381 E Main St, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

ART MUSIC
Fri, 12 Sep at 08:00 pm Ray Wylie Hubbard in Stoughton

Stoughton Opera House

CONCERTS MUSIC
Acoustic Yin
Sun, 14 Sep at 06:00 pm Acoustic Yin

101 Silverado Drive, Stoughton, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53589

MUSIC HEALTH-WELLNESS
Back40 Band (David and Heather) at The PUB at Pleasant Springs
Fri, 19 Sep at 07:00 pm Back40 Band (David and Heather) at The PUB at Pleasant Springs

The Pub at Pleasant Springs

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
St. Ann Parish Fall Festival
Sun, 21 Sep at 11:00 am St. Ann Parish Fall Festival

324 N. Harrison St., Stoughton, WI

FESTIVALS MUSIC
Jackie Marie & The Dance Hall Kings@ Utica Bar
Sun, 21 Sep at 02:00 pm Jackie Marie & The Dance Hall Kings@ Utica Bar

Utica Bar

John Raymond & S. Carey
Thu, 25 Sep at 06:00 pm John Raymond & S. Carey

Stoughton Opera House

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Riders in the Sky at Stoughton Opera House
Thu, 25 Sep at 07:30 pm Riders in the Sky at Stoughton Opera House

Stoughton Opera House

What's Happening Next in Stoughton?

Discover Stoughton Events