Bluegrass Duo Lead Singer Jesse McReynolds Passes Away at 93.
Jesse McReynolds, the lead singer and mandolin player of Jim & Jesse, the first-generation bluegrass duo he established with his older brother, Jim McReynolds, died at the age of 93. The McReynolds brothers developed a smooth blend of harmony singing and a polished instrumental approach that created a bridge between the barnyard twang of early sibling duos and the more streamlined sounds of mid-20th century country music. Jesse McReynolds was known for his widely imitated cross-picking technique, which employed a flat pick to approximate the three-finger banjo roll of the bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs.