The Lucas Family Photos | Digital Traditions

It all started when great-grandfather Daniel Lucas first picked up the fiddle. Daniel’s son, Jerod, was a regular guest on the WIS radio Barn Dance in Columbia during the 1940s. Daniel’s grandsons Harold, Claude, Bryant, and William began their own career in 1949 on WSB in Atlanta with Hoke Jenkins’ Smokey Mountaineers.

During the Korean War, the four brothers discontinued their musical careers to serve in the military. The brothers returned to performing during the 1960s, when they joined with members of the Harmon family. Today, Claude, Bryant, and William continue to play with the Harmon Brothers as the Carolina Legends band.

In 1971, Harold Lucas teamed up with radio pioneers Pappy Sherrill and Snuffy Jenkins as a member of their band, The Hired Hands. They were joined by Harold’s son and Daniel’s great-grandson, Randy Lucas, a banjo virtuoso from an early age. This talented family of musicians continues to delight a wide range of state, regional, and national audiences. The Lucas Family received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 1992.

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