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Composed

BMI’s database credits John Ray Sechler with 43 published compositions, co-compositions, and arrangements including:

  • “A Purple Heart”
  • “That Old Book of Mine”
  • “No Mother or Dad”

Early Influences

  • The Monroe Brothers with Byron Parker
  • The Morris Brothers
  • The Briarhoppers

Came to Fame With

  • Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys

Performed With

  • Yodeling Rangers, ca. 1935-1939
  • Charlie Monroe & the Kentucky Pardners, 1939-1940, 1945-1946, 194
  • Trail Riders, 1940-1941
  • Curly Seckler-Tommy Scott, 1941-1942
  • The Melody Boys (with Leonard Stokes), 1942
  • Dan Bailey & the Happy Valley Boys, 1945
  • Mac Wiseman, 1947
  • Smoky Mountaineers, 1948-1949
  • Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys, 1949-1951, 1952-1958, 1958-1962
  • The Sauceman Brothers, 1951
  • The Stanley Brothers & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1951-1952
  • Jim & Jesse, 1952
  • Carl Sauceman, 1958
  • Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass, 1973-1979
  • Nashville Grass, 1979-1994

By the Way

  • Although known primarily for his singing and mandolin work, Curly started as a four-string banjo player. Curly likes to recall Lester Flatt’s observation, “You’re not the greatest mandolin player in the world, but I always liked the way you hold it.”
  • Was known as Smilin’ Bill while working with Charlie Monroe.
  • During the busiest days of working with Flatt & Scruggs, Curly would only have time to shave “on the road” with water from a soda bottle.
  • Was exempted from military service during World War II because of bronchial asthma, but served briefly in the army reserves.
  • Almost became a partner with Lester Flatt in the Nashville Grass, and led the ensemble after Flatt’s death.

Led the Way

  • One of the premier tenor singers in bluegrass, with an instantly recognizable style.
  • Was a member of six integral bluegrass and country music groups: Charlie Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Sauceman Brothers, Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, and the Nashville Grass.
  • Was an integral part of the most popular bluegrass band of the 1950s, Flatt & Scruggs.
  • Bluegrass Hall of Fame, 2004
  • One of the premier tenor singers in bluegrass, with an instantly recognizable style.
  • Was a member of six integral bluegrass and country music groups: Charlie Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Sauceman Brothers, Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, and the Nashville Grass.
  • Was an integral part of the most popular bluegrass band of the 1950s, Flatt & Scruggs.
  • Bluegrass Hall of Fame, 2004

Composed

BMI’s database credits John Ray Sechler with 43 published compositions, co-compositions, and arrangements including:

  • “A Purple Heart”
  • “That Old Book of Mine”
  • “No Mother or Dad”

Early Influences

  • The Monroe Brothers with Byron Parker
  • The Morris Brothers
  • The Briarhoppers

Came to Fame With

  • Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys

Performed With

  • Yodeling Rangers, ca. 1935-1939
  • Charlie Monroe & the Kentucky Pardners, 1939-1940, 1945-1946, 194
  • Trail Riders, 1940-1941
  • Curly Seckler-Tommy Scott, 1941-1942
  • The Melody Boys (with Leonard Stokes), 1942
  • Dan Bailey & the Happy Valley Boys, 1945
  • Mac Wiseman, 1947
  • Smoky Mountaineers, 1948-1949
  • Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs & the Foggy Mountain Boys, 1949-1951, 1952-1958, 1958-1962
  • The Sauceman Brothers, 1951
  • The Stanley Brothers & the Clinch Mountain Boys, 1951-1952
  • Jim & Jesse, 1952
  • Carl Sauceman, 1958
  • Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass, 1973-1979
  • Nashville Grass, 1979-1994

By the Way

  • Although known primarily for his singing and mandolin work, Curly started as a four-string banjo player. Curly likes to recall Lester Flatt’s observation, “You’re not the greatest mandolin player in the world, but I always liked the way you hold it.”
  • Was known as Smilin’ Bill while working with Charlie Monroe.
  • During the busiest days of working with Flatt & Scruggs, Curly would only have time to shave “on the road” with water from a soda bottle.
  • Was exempted from military service during World War II because of bronchial asthma, but served briefly in the army reserves.
  • Almost became a partner with Lester Flatt in the Nashville Grass, and led the ensemble after Flatt’s death.

Led the Way

  • One of the premier tenor singers in bluegrass, with an instantly recognizable style.
  • Was a member of six integral bluegrass and country music groups: Charlie Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Sauceman Brothers, Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, and the Nashville Grass.
  • Was an integral part of the most popular bluegrass band of the 1950s, Flatt & Scruggs.
  • Bluegrass Hall of Fame, 2004
  • One of the premier tenor singers in bluegrass, with an instantly recognizable style.
  • Was a member of six integral bluegrass and country music groups: Charlie Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, Sauceman Brothers, Stanley Brothers, Jim & Jesse, and the Nashville Grass.
  • Was an integral part of the most popular bluegrass band of the 1950s, Flatt & Scruggs.
  • Bluegrass Hall of Fame, 2004

From the Archives

From the Archives: Foggy Mountain Boys Quartet. Left to right are Benny martin, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt and Curly Seckler. Donated by Bill Morrison.

From the Archives: Curly Seckler, Charlie Nixon, and Marty Stuart at the 1975 Dick Tyner's Golden West Bluegrass Festival. Donated by John and Sue Averill.

“…singing high ain’t everything. It’s harmony signing. Lester and I worked awful hard on that, and I don’t believe there was a duo anywhere, in our style, that could hardly beat what we did.”
Penny Parsons in “Curly Seckler: Bluegrass Pioneer,” Bluegrass Unlimited, June, 2004.
“We used to always open the show for Lester and he’d come walking out on stage after three or four numbers. You still expect to see Lester come strolling out.”
Joe Edwards in “Flatt’s Nashville Grass Carries On,” Associated Press,January 28, 1980
“It was a solid group back then. With Scruggs in there with that different banjo style. They were solid as a rock. Lester Flatt could lead a song to water.”
Randall Franks in “His Voice Soars Out Above the Pines,” The Catoosa County News, July 28, 2004.
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