Notes & Queries – January 2022

Queries Q: I heard a song “Hills of Jackson County” on the radio recently. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch name of the group. Can you help? DC, via email A: The name of the group is The Bluegrass Thoroughbreds. The song you heard was the title track from their debut album which came out in 1978. As their name implies, the group hailed from Lexington, Kentucky, which is known for bluegrass and race horses. The band was headed by the husband-and-wife team of James B. (lead guitar and mandolin) and Marcie (rhythm guitar) Malicote. The couple was ably assisted by banjoist Charlie Hall and bass player Clarence Riley. Amazingly, all twelve of the album’s songs were originals, most of which were written by James.  Reviewing the album in the February 1978 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited, Frank Godbey cited the group for its “strong ties to the early days of bluegrass.” Not surprisingly, James Malicote (born in 1942) grew up hearing bluegrass legends Bill Monroe, Flatt &