Snapshot: Dale McCoy

Instrument: Electric Lead Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, & Vocalist

Hometown: Asheville, N.C.

Joined the Band: 1986

Dale's Story

For Dale McCoy, music was a family affair. His father and sister played the guitar, and his mother sang. His brother was a professional piano player. "He'd always have bands practicing at our house," says Dale, who picked up a small guitar when he was 9.

Danny Fulbright, a professional musician and family friend, mentored Dale. "He was a great finger picker. He took me under his wing and helped me a great deal." In no time, Dale was performing at family and community gatherings and local churches. Recalling his first performance at age 13, he says, "My brother wanted to help me get my feet wet, so we played a piano-guitar duet at a high school. I was so nervous my knees were shaking."

Throughout high school, Dale gave guitar lessons out of his Cruso, N.C., home. After graduating, he gave individual and group lessons at the Pruett Brothers Music Center, which later became the Pick 'n' Grin Music store, in Asheville,N.C. During his 11 years at Pick n' Grin, he worked as a freelance musician, performing solo and with other musicians at political rallies, festivals and concerts.

In the early 1980s, Dale was a staff musician and solo performer on The Nashville Network's "Fire on the Mountain" TV show and "The Liberty Flyer" public radio show. "These were outstanding opportunities for us local musicians," he says. He jumped at the chance to record with Grammy winners David Holt and Marc Pruett. Dale also recorded with southern gospel acts such as The Kingsmen Quartet, Squire Parsons, and The Primitive Quartet.

In 1984 and 1985, he was the lead guitarist at The Stompin' Ground Music Hall in Maggie Valley, N.C., performing with John and Audrey Wiggins and The Cross Country Band. After stints with the Lawmen as a substitute musician, Norfolk Southern hired him in 1986 as a special officer at Spartanburg, S.C. In 1994, he earned a promotion to corporate musician, becoming a full-time member of the Lawmen and returning to Asheville.

Dale is keeping music in the family. "One of my sons plays guitar, and the other plays the drums." His daughter studies theater and dance at Louisiana State University. "I remember my parents buying me a small guitar from a pawn shop to see if I'd stick with it," says Dale. "I'm glad I got the chance to encourage my children the same way my family supported me."