Foothills Times January 2014 Vol 34 May 2014 | Page 40

VOL. NO.3

Through the years, he, his brothers, paw and sister Charlene would roll into town on the old
truck and fill Mayberry with their mountain bluegrass music and dead pan humor.
Rodney Dillard was born on May 18, 1942 in East St. Louis, Illinois,
USA. He is an actor, known for Return to Mayberry (1986), The Return of
the Beverly Hillbillies (1981) and The Andy Griffith Show (1960).
Rodney Dillard has had a long and varied career resulting two Grammy
Nominations, induction into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of
Fame, a well known acting stint on the Andy Griffith Show, many other
movie, commercials and TV appearances.

The Andy Griffith Show has
captured the hearts of Americans
since the 1960's. Its emphasis on
family values, Christian principles
and simply “doing the right thing”
made it the most popular show in
television history.

www.rodneydillard.tv
www.foothillstimes.com

As founding member of the legendary group, ‘THE DILLARDS’ (aka
the Darlings) is seen nearly everyday somewhere in the world thanks to the
still enormous popularity of The ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW reruns.
Rodney continued to modernize and innovate the sound of Bluegrass as he
wrote and collaborated to write such now classic songs as “There Is a
Time”, “The Darlin Boys”, “Ebo Walker”, and “Dooley”.
By the late 1960's Rodney had transformed the Dillards into the driving
force creating new sounds in the West Coast music environment. Later,
called “The Father of Country Rock”, Rodney was among the first
Bluegrass musicians to “electrify” traditional Bluegrass instruments while
also adding drums, steel guitar, and orchestra.

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