Scotty Stoneman
American bluegrass and country fiddler
About Scotty Stoneman
Lived 1932 – 1973 (aged 40–41). Scotty Stoneman was a fiddler.
Calvin Scott "Scotty" Stoneman (1932–1973) was an American bluegrass and country fiddler, five-time National Fiddle Champion and a member of the Bluegrass Champs, the Kentucky Colonels, and the Stoneman Family band. He was one of 23 children of Ernest Stoneman and Hattie Frost Stoneman.
Noted for his wild, improvisational style, Stoneman originally learned to play from his maternal grandfather Bill Frost, a traditional fiddler from southwest Virginia. Growing up in the Maryland suburbs, he played in an early incarnation of the Stoneman Family band called "Pop Stoneman and the Little Pebbles" and then formed the Bluegrass Champs, which included his sisters, Roni and Donna and his brothers Jimmy and Van, along with Porter Church. Success in the Washington, DC, area led to a guest spot on the Grand Ole Opry show in 1962, and an eventual move to Nashville. Stoneman left his family band in 1964 to join the Kentucky Colonels. He was praised by rock musician Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, who referred to him as "the bluegrass Charlie Parker."
Having struggled with alcoholism throughout his life, Stoneman stopped playing music in the early '70s in an attempt to quit drinking. After a period of sobriety, he died in March 1973 of alcohol poisoning.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Scotty Stoneman's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Scotty Stoneman's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Scotty Stoneman?
American bluegrass and country fiddler
When was Scotty Stoneman born?
Scotty Stoneman was born in 1932.
When did Scotty Stoneman die?
Scotty Stoneman died on 4 March 1973.
What was Scotty Stoneman's occupation?
Scotty Stoneman was a fiddler.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Scotty Stoneman. https://biography.guide/scotty-stoneman/
MLA: "Scotty Stoneman." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/scotty-stoneman/.
Chicago: "Scotty Stoneman." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/scotty-stoneman/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:15 UTC