THE BO-MAN

My all time favorite quote: "The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it."

John Ruskin.

The Music Story:

Bluegrass came into my life in September 1989 learning to play the "dawg house". My first band was Cherokee Junction. The last bluegrass band I was a member of was Windfall and I sure learned a lot from Tom, Deb and LOU ANN! These days I'm playing with Rob McNurlin And The Beatnik Cowboys and it ain't exactly bluegrass but it's good! It's folk music with an attitude, or hillbilly music on steroids. Somewhere between Dylan, the Dead and Cash. Thanks Rob for letting me play.
I play a Kay with Dr. Thomastik Spirocores, a Fishman BP-100 pickup and go to my GK MB-150 most the time.
January 1991 joined BLUEGRASSAMERICA!
December 1992 joined IBMA. March 7, 1992 my first radio show at WOKT-AM in Cannonsburg, Kentucky. It ran for twenty-six weeks. BLUEGRASSAMERICA! would purchase airtime and I would record the show. It was just costing BGA! to much money to continue.
September 1992 FCC license.
September 1992 started filling in for Judy Masters at WSIP AM/FM, Paintsville, Kentucky.
January 1993 alternating Sundays with Judy Masters at WSIP AM/FM.
Spring 1993 I started filling in for Judy Masters at WSAC-FM in Lousia, Kentucky.
March 19, 1995 got my own show at at WSIP AM/FM, Paintsville, Kentucky.
I've done sound for several festivals and shows. These days only doing sound at selected events.
Became a reporting station for Bluegrass Unlimited for the Bluegrass Unlimited Charts.
Became a reporting station for Bluegrass Now's Gospel Truths.
1997 Nominated for the DJ Of The Year in the Bluegrass Now Survey.
April 3, 1998, Nashville, TN at the Ryman Auditorium I was awarded the Bluegrass Now Fans' Choice Award for DJ Of The Year in Region 5 (Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin). Thank you, thank you, thank you!
1998 A Top 5 finalist in the Bluegrass Now Survey. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
September 1999 I started hosting THE CECILIAN BANK BLUEGRASS HOUR.
September 1999 each Tuesday with Rob McNurlin & The Beatnik Cowboys Pickin' Party Radio Show on WSAC 92.3 Louisa, KY.
November 4, 2001 I started hosting a new bluegrass show, AMERICA'S BLUEGRASS presented by BOYD COUNTY FORD on WLGC 105.5 FM.
February 16, 2002 AMERICA'S BLUEGRASS moved to WTCR 103.3 FM.
February 2003 AMERICA'S BLUEGRASS has the largest market share in the Tri-State at 18.9.
March 2005, The America's Bluegrass Gospel Show begins on WSAZ Television 3 and I serve as announcer.
September 2005, The America's Bluegrass Gospel Shows beings airing on KET2 across Kentucky.
December 2005, Production begins on The Chop & Bo Show to air locally on cable access channels.
Thanks to Kelly Glancy, George Webb and Dave Lacaze you guys got me started and I'll never quit! Thanks to BLUEGRASSAMERICA!, Judy Masters and D.J. Topping for allowing me to get my big mouth on the radio. Extra big THANK YOU to Judy Masters for telling me to be myself, I am and always will be! Thanks all the artists, those wonderful song writers, the record companies, IBMA, BluegrassAmerica!, Bluegrass Unlimited, Bluegrass Now, WSIP AM/FM, America's Bluegrass, Boyd County Ford and of course the whole McCarty family. If you are reading this thank you. The fans of bluegrass music you are my family, thank you! A special Thank You to Bill Monroe, he got us all started! We miss you!

MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS:

September 4th, 1993 at the Eastern Kentucky Music Center, late at night. I was playing URB for Windfall and Courtney Johnson (banjo) and Curtis Burch (dobro) joined us on stage to play "With Care From Someone." That I'll never forget.
I own a 1994 Martin D-28, a five dollar Martin! I won the puppy at a raffle at the Olive Hill Shriner's Bluegrass Festival in July 1995, and IT'S NOT FOR SALE!! What's really cool is that I was chatting with Wayne Benson (IIIrd Time Out) and Kitsy Kuykendall of Bluegrass Unlimited when Ralph Stanley pulled my name out of the hat. No I don't play the guitar, I play the bass. I can't change chords on a guitar as T. Michael Coleman has been known to sing about.
MCing at the Frontier Ranch! Wow it's an honor and thrill to introduce the likes of Alison Krauss & Union Station, Sam Bush and friends (Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Ricky and Ronnie Simpkins) and the Seldom Scene to a crowd of 9,000+ smiling faces. I also MC at several other places like the BluegrassAmeirca! Band Competition at the Mountaineer Opry House in Milton, W.Va. Email if you'd like to compete, judge or help in anyway.
MCing at Bobby's Bull Mountain, Olive Hill Shriners and at the Poppy Mountain Festivals, thanks guys I love it!
Singing on stage with IIIrd Tyme Out at the 1998 Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival (they were okay, ha).
Of course going on the air every Sunday night as WSIP AM/FM.
Recording Cowboy Boot Heel at Cedar Hill Refuge, that's Johnny Cash's cabin studio and having John Carter Cash as engineer and co-producer.
Playing with Dave Evans on the Beatnik Ranch Party on July 4, 2000.
The Mountain Arts Center, I'm honored the MAC asks me to serve as MC to many of their bluegrass events.

July 06, 2005, I became a daddy!! MaKaleigh Rose McCarty came into the world at an even 8 pounds and 21 inches long. I love you Lucinda. Thank you

If you see mistakes/broken links, etc.. email

The BO-MAN is a registered Service Mark of James McCarty.