LouGrass Sessions: Steve Cooley Bluegrass

Steve Cooley has been a fixture on the bluegrass scene since the 1970s, appearing on the Grand Ole Opry, Hee Haw, and even Carnegie Hall. He has performed for five US Presidents and the Prince of Wales and has worked with such notables as Bill Monroe, Jean Ritchie, Hazel Dickens, Vassar Clements, Jerry Reed, Mac Wiseman, Rose Maddox, Michael Cleveland, as Art Stamper. He toured extensively in North America, Western Europe and Japan with such well-known bands as the Dillards, Bluegrass Alliance, the Cumberlands, the Goins Brothers, the Katie Laur Band. Several recordings that Steve has appeared on were nominated for Grammy Awards; he was twice featured as a soloist with the Louisville Orchestra and also been a featured soloist with orchestras in France and Spain.

A Kentucky native, Steve plays mostly with the Louisville area band, Hog Operation, occasionally leads master classes, and can often be found at the Guitar Emporium.