Roland White passes away

White was born in Madawaska, Maine on April 23, 1938 as Roland Joseph LeBlanc, and grew up speaking French. The family Anglicized the name to White. At a young age, White formed a bluegrass band that performed locally with his two brothers (Eric and Clarence) and his sister (Joanne).

After a two-year U.S. Army, White re-joined the family band, The Country Boys, now renamed The Kentucky Colonels. In 1967, he signed up with the Blue Grass Boys, the backup band of his childhood idol Bill Monroe. He remained with Monroe until 1969, when he joined the Nashville Grass, the new backup band of Lester Flatt.

White stayed with Flatt until 1973, when he, Clarence and Eric re-united as The New Kentucky Colonels. But tragedy soon struck. He and Clarence were struck by an automobile as they loaded their equipment into their car after a performance in California. Roland White suffered a dislocated shoulder, but Clarence died.

White then joined the progressive bluegrass group Country Gazette with Byron Berline, Alan Munde and , staying with them for 13 years. In 1987, he joined the Nashville Bluegrass Band, remaining until 2000. After that he formed the Roland White Band, which was still active until his death.

White was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association's Hall of Fame in 2018. The Kentucky Colonels went into the IBMA Hall in 2019.