Banjo Great Jim Mills Passes

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Jim Mills

Award-winning bluegrass musician Jim Mills unexpectedly passed away on Friday (May 3) at age 57. His cause of death has not been shared.

Throughout his career, Mills’ talented banjo playing earned him gigs with Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, Barry Poss with Sugarhill Records, Bass Mountain Boys, Vince Gill, Dolly Parton and more. He was a longtime member of Skaggs’ Kentucky Thunder band and released solo material as well.

James Robert “Jim” Mills was born and raised the youngest of three boys in Raleigh, North Carolina. He started teaching himself to play banjo at 12 years old. After high school, Mills began pursuing a career in bluegrass full-time with the group Summer Wages. This led to a long career in various bands.

Mills shared his talent from the stage at the Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall. He won the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Banjo Player of the Year award six times as well as the IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year for his Bound To Ride album and six Grammy Awards.

Nicknamed “Smilin’ Jim” in the bluegrass community, Mills was known for his friendliness. He was also known for his knowledge of the history of banjos—even writing a book on Gibson pre-war banjos in 2009.

After retiring from the road in 2010, Mills acted as a dealer of rare banjos and guitars and held seminars on the subject.

Mills was preceded in death by his brothers Michael and Alan, father John and mother Shirley. He is survived by his wife Kimberly Mills, his step-mother Mary “Annie” Roberts, mother-in-law Linda Gregory Mills, father-in-law George Neil Mixon, brother-in-law Robert Mixon (Kate) and nieces Hannah and Emma Mixon.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

LB Cantrell
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