In Memory of Everett Lilly

Today, bluegrass legend Everett Lilly will be laid to rest near his home at Clear Creek, West Virginia. Lilly passed away at his home on Tuesday, May 8; he was 87 years old. I didn’t know Mr. Lilly, but I had met him once and I heard him perform a couple of times. I did have the pleasure of knowing three of his talented sons: Charlie, Mark, and Everett. While I never played music with the late Charlie Lilly, I have with Mark and Everett. Of the three, I know Everett the best as we are coworkers as well.

Everett and his brother nicknamed “Bea” got their start playing on Beckley, WV radio station WJLS in the late 1930s. With the addition of banjo picker Don Stover, they became the Lilly Brothers and Don Stover. Their group the Confederate Mountaineers brought their unique sound to Boston and an entire bluegrass music scene was born in that metropolitan area in the 1960s as a result.

In addition, Everett played with Flatt and Scruggs during the 1950s. He and the Lilly Mountaineers recorded a CD last summer and continued to book shows into 2013. As a tribute, country music star Marty Stuart opined, “I think when we all get to Heaven we’re gonna find out that Everett Lilly is God’s favorite mandolin player — and mine too!”

For our Spiritual Sunday selection, here’s the Lilly Brothers with “Sinner You Better Get Ready.”

Rest in Peace Everett Lilly.