Billy Baker

b. 5 July 1936, Pound, Virginia, USA. With the strong encouragement of his musician parents, who both played banjo, Baker was very much a child prodigy. He played banjo at four, fiddle at six and he was soon playing at local dances with his father. In the early 50s, he began playing professionally with local bands. He recorded with Earl Taylor and worked with him on WBMD Maryland in the early 60s. In 1963, he joined Del McCoury and played on recordings made for Arhoolie Records. The following year he spent some time with Bill Monroe before relocating to Los Angeles, where he p...