Biography
Kentucky native Dave Woolum never pursued music on a full-time basis yet remained immersed in bluegrass and country circles from an early age onward. During his teenage years he is said to have performed on WHBB, the Mt. Orab, Ohio station whose modest studio occupied the rear of a retail shop and was locally touted as a wellspring of formative bluegrass and old-time recordings rivaling the Grand Ole Opry. By the 1980s he continued fronting bluegrass groups from a Florida headquarters, despite an era generally unreceptive to traditional sounds.
Already versed in basic guitar and vocal technique before his family relocated from Kentucky to Ohio, he gained experience across multiple ensembles before founding his own group, the Kentucky Mountain Boys, in 1945. The band maintained steady radio work on several Ohio outlets, among them a pair of rival Dayton stations. Through the 1950s and 1960s the loosely organized unit persisted intermittently, sidestepping the fatigue that often plagued full-time acts. Its recordings drew particular attention from bluegrass enthusiasts thanks to the participation of exceptional banjoist Noah Crase, an artist whose limited documentation belied his mastery. Banjo aficionados especially value the track “Old Age,” whose striking arrangement highlights the interlocking parts of Crase and Curtis Allen; reissued by Rounder during the 1970s within its Early Days of Bluegrass series, the performance remained Woolum’s favorite among sides cut for small regional labels including Excellent and Pinetree as well as larger concerns such as Starday and Sage. Additional sessions paired the group with country vocalist Rusty York for mail-order albums credited to Rusty York and the Kentucky Boys. Woolum subsequently recorded mixed bluegrass-and-gospel material for the Melody and Pine Tree imprints based in Hamilton, Ohio, and appeared regularly on package shows such as the Renfro Valley Barn Dance and Bill Monroe’s Brown County Jamboree.
In the 1970s he rebranded the ensemble the Laurel County Partners and added mandolinist Paris Decker to the lineup. After retiring from his regular employment in 1974 he settled in Florida, where opportunities for traditional bluegrass proved limited yet still justified the endeavors of a seasoned performer whose influence, though understated, has proven lasting.
Already versed in basic guitar and vocal technique before his family relocated from Kentucky to Ohio, he gained experience across multiple ensembles before founding his own group, the Kentucky Mountain Boys, in 1945. The band maintained steady radio work on several Ohio outlets, among them a pair of rival Dayton stations. Through the 1950s and 1960s the loosely organized unit persisted intermittently, sidestepping the fatigue that often plagued full-time acts. Its recordings drew particular attention from bluegrass enthusiasts thanks to the participation of exceptional banjoist Noah Crase, an artist whose limited documentation belied his mastery. Banjo aficionados especially value the track “Old Age,” whose striking arrangement highlights the interlocking parts of Crase and Curtis Allen; reissued by Rounder during the 1970s within its Early Days of Bluegrass series, the performance remained Woolum’s favorite among sides cut for small regional labels including Excellent and Pinetree as well as larger concerns such as Starday and Sage. Additional sessions paired the group with country vocalist Rusty York for mail-order albums credited to Rusty York and the Kentucky Boys. Woolum subsequently recorded mixed bluegrass-and-gospel material for the Melody and Pine Tree imprints based in Hamilton, Ohio, and appeared regularly on package shows such as the Renfro Valley Barn Dance and Bill Monroe’s Brown County Jamboree.
In the 1970s he rebranded the ensemble the Laurel County Partners and added mandolinist Paris Decker to the lineup. After retiring from his regular employment in 1974 he settled in Florida, where opportunities for traditional bluegrass proved limited yet still justified the endeavors of a seasoned performer whose influence, though understated, has proven lasting.