Joe Val

Joe Val was a staple of the burgeoning New England Bluegrass scene from the mid 1960s till his death in 1985. As a member of various Progressive Bluegrass projects, Val made a name for himself as both guitarist and banjo player but left the progressive fascination behind in 1970 to form his own band, a strictly traditional Bluegrass outfit. Over the years he released a solid catalog of vintage mountain music with his New England Bluegrass Boys, turning out the high lonesome sound with an authenticity that belies his Yankee roots.