BRYAN SUTTON INTERVIEW #1
(Originally aired on February 26, 2009)
Many bluegrass connoisseurs consider Sutton the hottest flatpicker on the contemporary scene, and rank him with such greats as Doc Watson, Tony Rice, Clarence White and Norman Blake. Sutton first gained national prominence in his early 20's as a member of Ricky Skaggs' band, Kentucky Thunder. After moving to Nashville, Sutton soon established himself as a top-tier session player, recording with James Taylor, Jerry Douglas, Dolly Parton, Rhonda Vincent, the Dixie Chicks, Tony Rice, Chris Thile, Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Doc Watson and scores of others. Sutton has received the International Bluegrass Music Association's "Guitar Player of the Year" award five times, and in 2007 won a Grammy for his recording of "Whiskey Before Breakfast" with the pioneering flatpicker, Doc Watson.
In 2003, we interviewed Sutton coinciding with the release of his second solo album, Bluegrass Guitar. In our exclusive feature, Sutton explains how he chose songs for the album, his motivation for recording them and his studio techniques.