Thomas Michael Coleman (born January 3, 1951) is an American bass player of bluegrass and folk music. He is best known for work with

Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award ...

and

the Seldom Scene The Seldom Scene is an American bluegrass band that formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland. The band's original line-up comprised John Starling on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Auldridge on Dobro and baritone vocals, Ben Eldridge on banjo, Tom G ...

Biography

Doc Watson

Coleman grew up in

Mayodan, North Carolina Mayodan is a town in Rockingham County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is a manufacturing site for Sturm, Ruger & Co., Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, and General Tobacco (ceased operations 2010). Washington Mills Company, later Tultex, op ...

, graduating from Madison-Mayodan High School in 1969 where he was a part of bluegrass and folk groups. After working as a sound technician each time

came to nearby

Appalachian State University Appalachian State University (; Appalachian, App State, App, or ASU) is a public university in Boone, North Carolina. It was founded as a teachers college in 1899 by brothers B. B. and D. D. Dougherty and the latter's wife, Lillie Shull Dough ...

, Coleman played bass with Doc Watson and his son Merle starting in 1974 and continuing until 1986. Coleman also toured with Doc Watson and David Holt during the final three years of Doc's life.

Seldom Scene

After his time with Watson, Coleman joined the Seldom Scene, replacing

Tom Gray Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in '' Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

. Coleman was with The Seldom Scene from 1986 until 1995. There were initial objections to Coleman's use of an electric bass in the normally acoustic bluegrass lineup, but Coleman's playing fit the group's sound.

Chesapeake

After leaving the Seldom Scene, Coleman joined

Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to: * Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian * The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay * Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula Chesapeake may also refer to: Populated p ...

with Moondi Klein,

Mike Auldridge Mike Auldridge (December 30, 1938 – December 29, 2012) was an American Dobro player and a founding member of the bluegrass group The Seldom Scene. The ''New York Times'' described Auldridge as "one of the most distinctive dobro players in th ...

, and

Jimmy Gaudreau Jimmy Gaudreau is a singer and mandolinist playing traditional and progressive bluegrass music. He is best known for his solo albums, and his work with The Country Gentlemen, Tony Rice, and J. D. Crowe. Biography Early life In high school in ...

. They released three albums on the Sugar Hill label. With no banjo, they were more acoustic country than bluegrass. Chesapeake disbanded in 1999 when their contract with Sugar Hill ended.

Sutton, Holt & Coleman

In 2013, Coleman recorded the album ''Ready for the Times'' with

Bryan Sutton Bryan Sutton is an American musician. Primarily known as a flatpicking acoustic guitar player, Sutton also plays mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and electric guitar. He also sings and writes songs. Biography Early career Sutton's grandfather and f ...

and David Holt. They recorded the album as a tribute to Doc Watson. The trio got together in 2011, and have performed frequently under the name Deep River Rising.

Pocket

Released in 2016, Pocket was Coleman's first album. Contributors included

Alan Bibey Alan Bibey (born August 24, 1964) is a mandolinist, singer, songwriter, and band leader in the bluegrass tradition. Biography Early years Bibey was raised in Walnut Cove, North Carolina. His dad and his mother's brothers were bluegrass music ...

Sam Bush Charles Samuel Bush (born April 13, 1952) is an American mandolinist who is considered an originator of progressive bluegrass music. In 2020, he was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame as a member of New Grass Reviva ...

Kelen Coleman Kelen Sadie Coleman (born April 19, 1984) is an American actress. Early life Coleman grew up in Potomac, Maryland and graduated from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her father is bluegrass musician T. Michael Coleman. Her mother ...

Jerry Douglas Gerald Calvin "Jerry" Douglas (born May 28, 1956) is an American Dobro and lap steel guitar player and record producer. Career In addition to his fourteen solo recordings, Douglas has played on more than 1,600 albums. As a sideman, he h ...

Buddy Greene Buddy Greene (born October 30, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, guitar player and harmonica player. Most of his recordings consist of gospel music with a distinctly Southern gospel Southern gospel music is a genre of Christian mus ...

, Lamar Hill, David Holt,

Rob Ickes Rob Ickes hymes with "bikes"is an American dobro ( resonator guitar) player, born 1967 in San Francisco, California, United States. Ickes moved to Nashville in 1992 and joined the contemporary bluegrass band Blue Highway as a founding member i ...

, Jens Kruger, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little, Pat McInerney, Stephen Mougin,

Herb Pedersen Herbert Joseph Pedersen (born April 27, 1944 in Berkeley, California) is an American musician, guitarist, banjo player, and singer-songwriter who has played a variety of musical styles over the past fifty years including country, bluegrass, pr ...

, Allen Shadd,

, and Tony Williamson.

Awards

Projects that Coleman was involved with were nominated five times for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

: once in 1982, twice in 1998, once in 1982, and once in 1994.

Personal life

Coleman is a videographer and film maker, known for his work on ''Children of Armageddon'' (2008), ''Broke: The New American Dream'' (2009), and ''Inside the Afghanistan War'' (2012). Coleman's daughter is actress

Discography

Solo albums

* 2016: ''Pocket'' (Chesterbury)

With Sutton, Holt, and Coleman

* 2013: ''Ready for the Times'' (High Windy)

With
Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award ...

* 1975: ''

Memories Memory is the faculty of the mind by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. It is the retention of information over time for the purpose of influencing future action. If past events could not be remembered, ...

'' (

United Artists United Artists Corporation (UA), currently doing business as United Artists Digital Studios, is an American digital production company. Founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Douglas Fairbanks, the stu ...

) * 1976: ''

Doc and the Boys ''Doc and the Boys'' is the title of a recording by Doc Watson, released in 1976. ''Doc and the Boys'' is out-of-print and was re-issued in 2003 by Southern Music packaged with ''Live and Pickin. Track listing # "Darlin' Cory" (Traditional) ...

'' (United Artists) * 1977: ''

Lonesome Road Lonesome may refer to: * ''Lonesome'' (1928 film), an American comedy drama part-talkie film * ''Lonesome'' (2022 film), an Australian drama film * Loneliness, the emotion * "Lonesome", a song by Unwritten Law from the album ''Unwritten Law'' * " ...

'' (United Artists) * 1978: ''

Look Away! ''Look Away!'' is the title of a recording by Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1978. ''Look Away!'' is out-of-print and was re-issued on CD in 2002 by Southern Music packaged with ''Lonesome Road!''. Allmusic entry for Lonesome Road/Look ...

'' (United Artists) * 1979: ''

Live and Pickin' ''Live and Pickin is the title of a recording by Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1979. ''Live and Pickin is out-of-print and was re-issued in 2003 by Southern Music packaged with '' Doc and the Boys''. Allmusic entry for Doc and th ...

'' (United Artists) * 1980: '' Reflections'' (

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent pool, patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Westin ...

) * 1981: ''

Red Rocking Chair ''Red Rocking Chair'' is an album by Doc and Merle Watson, released in 1981 on the Flying Fish label. Reception Writing for Allmusic, music critic Steve Leggett wrote of the album "Watson brings his own considerable guitar and banjo skills to b ...

'' (

Flying Fish The Exocoetidae are a family of marine fish in the order Beloniformes class Actinopterygii, known colloquially as flying fish or flying cod. About 64 species are grouped in seven to nine genera. While they cannot fly in the same way a bird ...

) * 1983: ''

Doc and Merle Watson's Guitar Album ''Doc and Merle Watson's Guitar Album'' is the title of a recording by American folk music artist Doc Watson and Merle Watson, first released in 1983. It has been released on CD by Vanguard Records and Flying Fish Records. Track listing # "Sh ...

'' (Flying Fish) * 1984: '' Down South'' (Flying Fish) * 1985: ''

Pickin' the Blues ''Pickin' the Blues'' is the title of a recording by American folk music artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1985. In 2006, it was re-issued on a limited edition, 180 gram all-analog virgin vinyl record from Analogue Productions. R ...

'' (Flying Fish) * 1986: ''

Riding the Midnight Train ''Riding the Midnight Train'' is the title of a recording by American folk music artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1986. It is the last album Merle Watson recorded before he was killed in a tractor accident. At the Grammy Award ...

'' ( Sugar Hill) * 1987: ''

Portrait A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 1990: ''

On Praying Ground ''On Praying Ground'' is an album by the American musician Doc Watson, released in 1990. It is a collection of gospel songs. The version of "I'm Gonna Lay My Burdens Down" was inspired by Mississippi John Hurt's arrangement. At the Grammy Awards ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 1991: ''

My Dear Old Southern Home ''My Dear Old Southern Home'' is the title of a recording by American folk music artist Doc Watson, released in 1991. Reception Writing for Allmusic, music critic Thom Owens wrote of the album "For some fans, My Dear Old Southern Home will seem ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 1992: ''

Remembering Merle ''Remembering Merle'' is the title of a recording by American folk music artists Doc Watson and Merle Watson, released in 1992. The songs were all recorded live between 1970 and 1976. Track listing # "Frosty Morn" (Traditional) – 3:44 # "O ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 1995: '' Docabilly'' (Sugar Hill) * 1999: ''

Third Generation Blues ''Third Generation Blues'' is an album by American folk music artist Doc Watson and his grandson Richard Watson, released in 1999. Track listing # "Honey Please Don't Go" ( Bukka White) – 2:48 # " If I Were a Carpenter" ( Tim Hardin) – 2:5 ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 2002: ''

Round the Table Again Round the Table Again'' is the title of a recording by American folk music and country blues artist Doc Watson and Frosty Morn, released in 2002. The group, Frosty Morn, was formed by Watson's son Merle shortly before his death in 1985. T ...

'' (Sugar Hill)

With
The Seldom Scene The Seldom Scene is an American bluegrass band that formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland. The band's original line-up comprised John Starling on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Auldridge on Dobro and baritone vocals, Ben Eldridge on banjo, Tom G ...

* 1988: ''

A Change of Scenery ''A Change Of Scenery'' is an album by the Maryland-based progressive bluegrass band The Seldom Scene. It is the first album with vocalist/guitarist Lou Reid and bassist T. Michael Coleman. Track listing Personnel * Lou Reid – vo ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 1990: ''

Scenic Roots ''Scenic Roots'' is an album by the progressive bluegrass Maryland band The Seldom Scene. Track listing # If You Ever Change Your Mind (Carl Jackson, Stuart) 02:07 # Lots in a Memory (Wes Golding) 03:41 # The Wrath of God ( Delmore, Delmore) 02: ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 1992: '' Scene 20: 20th Anniversary Concert'' (Sugar Hill) * 1994: ''

Like We Used to Be ''Like We Used to Be'' is an album by the progressive bluegrass Maryland band The Seldom Scene It's a group reunion with their original singer/guitarist, John Starling. He recorded only this album and decided to continue concentrating on his c ...

'' (Sugar Hill)

With
Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to: * Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian * The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay * Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula Chesapeake may also refer to: Populated p ...

* 1994: '' Rising Tide'' (Sugar Hill) * 1995: '' Full Sail'' (Sugar Hill) * 1997: '' Pier Pressure'' (Sugar Hill) * 2014: ''Hook, Live & Sinker'' (Chesterbury) compilation of live performances

With
Mike Auldridge Mike Auldridge (December 30, 1938 – December 29, 2012) was an American Dobro player and a founding member of the bluegrass group The Seldom Scene. The ''New York Times'' described Auldridge as "one of the most distinctive dobro players in th ...
and
Lou Reid Lou Reid Pyrtle (born September 13, 1954 in Union Grove, North Carolina) is an American bluegrass singer, band leader, and multi-instrumentalist. Biography Early life Reid grew up on a tobacco farm in Moore Springs, North Carolina. His father ...

* 1989: ''High Time'' (Sugar Hill)

As composer

* 1981:

Doc DOC, Doc, doc or DoC may refer to: In film and television * ''Doc'' (2001 TV series), a 2001–2004 PAX series * ''Doc'' (1975 TV series), a 1975–1976 CBS sitcom * "D.O.C." (''Lost''), a television episode * ''Doc'' (film), a 1971 Wester ...

and

Merle Watson Eddy Merle Watson (February 8, 1949 – October 23, 1985) was an American folk and bluegrass guitarist. He was best known for his performances with his father, Doc Watson. Merle played and recorded albums together with his father from age 15 unti ...

- ''Red Rocking Chair'' (Flying Fish Records) - track 1, "Sadie" (co-written with

Byron Hill Byron Hill (born December 12, 1953), is an American songwriter from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Living and working professionally in Nashville, TN for more than forty years, his songs have been recorded by many Country and Pop artists. Musi ...

) * 1988:

Jack McDuff Eugene McDuff (September 17, 1926 – January 23, 2001), known professionally as "Brother" Jack McDuff or "Captain" Jack McDuff, was an American jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who was most prominent during the hard bop and soul jazz era ...

- ''The Re-Entry'' (

Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...

) - track 2, "One Hundred Years" (co-written with B.J. Wright) * 1993:

Lou Reid Lou Reid Pyrtle (born September 13, 1954 in Union Grove, North Carolina) is an American bluegrass singer, band leader, and multi-instrumentalist. Biography Early life Reid grew up on a tobacco farm in Moore Springs, North Carolina. His father ...

- ''Carolina Blue'' ( Webco) - track 4, "Oh Lord Have Mercy (On My Soul)" (co-written with Lou Reid) * 1996:

and

- ''Watson County'' (Flying Fish Records) - track 15, "Sadie" (co-written with

) * 2006:

and

- ''Black Mountain Rag'' (Rounder Records) - track 11, "Sadie" (co-written with

) * 2010: Lou Reid and Carolina - ''Sounds Like Heaven To Me'' ( Rural Rhythm) - track 13, "Oh Lord Have Mercy (On My Soul)" (co-written with Lou Reid) * 2011: Lonesome Highway - ''Got Away with Murder'' (

CD Baby CD Baby, Inc. is an online distributor of independent music. The company was described as an "anti-label" by its parent company's Chief Operating Officer Tracy Maddux. The CD Baby music store was shut down in March 2020 with a statement that " ...

) - track 5, "Red Georgia Clay" (co-written with Lou Reid) * 2015: Jamie Harper - ''Old Pal'' (Mountain Fever) - track 8, "Her Memories Bound to Ride" (co-written with Lou Reid)

As producer

* 1988:

Robin and Linda Williams Robin and Linda Williams are a husband-and-wife singer-songwriter folk music duo from Virginia. They met in South Carolina in 1971, and began performing in 1973. The Williamses appeared on Garrison Keillor's ''A Prairie Home Companion'' radio ...

- ''All Broken Hearts Are the Same'' (Sugar Hill) * 1989: The Smith Sisters - ''Roadrunner'' (Flying Fish)

Also appears on

* 1976:

- ''Mike Auldridge'' (Flying Fish) * 1976:

Gove Scrivenor Richard Gove Scrivenor (b. September 18, 1945 New Haven, Connecticut) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Scrivenor is an autoharp and guitar player, and includes the instrument in many of his songs. He plays predominantly country an ...

- ''Shady Gove'' (Flying Fish) * 1979: Gove Scrivenor - ''Coconut Gove'' (Flying Fish) * 1980:

Curly Seckler John Ray Sechler, known as Curly Seckler, (December 25, 1919 – December 27, 2017) was an American bluegrass musician. He played with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs in their band the Foggy Mountain Boys from 1949 to 1962, among other bluegrass act ...

and

Nashville Grass The Nashville Grass was a bluegrass band founded by Lester Flatt in 1969, after the end of his partnership with Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys. Flatt hired most of the Foggy Mountain Boys for his new band. Over the years, as with most ...

- ''Take a Little Time'' (

CMH John Glenn Columbus International Airport is an international airport located east of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Formerly known as Port Columbus International Airport, it is managed by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which also over ...

) * 1982:

Marty Stuart John Marty Stuart (born September 30, 1958) is an American country and bluegrass music singer, songwriter, and musician. Active since 1968, Stuart initially toured with Lester Flatt, and then in Johnny Cash's road band before beginning work as ...

- ''

Busy Bee Cafe ''Busy Bee Cafe'' is the second solo album of country singer Marty Stuart. Unlike his debut solo album, this project contains original material by Stuart, including the title track, 'Boogie For Clarence' and 'Long Train Gone'. The album also pays ...

'' (Sugar Hill) * 1983:

Dan Crary Dan Crary ''(aka Deacon Dan Crary)'' was born September 29, 1939 in Kansas City, Kansas and is an American bluegrass guitarist. He helped re-establish flatpicked guitar as a prominent soloing bluegrass instrument. Crary is an innovator of the fla ...

- ''Guitar'' (Sugar Hill) * 1984: The Smith Sisters - ''Bluebird'' (Flying Fish) * 1986:

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American Country music, country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later s ...

- '' Believe in Him'' (

Word A word is a basic element of language that carries an objective or practical meaning, can be used on its own, and is uninterruptible. Despite the fact that language speakers often have an intuitive grasp of what a word is, there is no consen ...

) * 1986: The Smith Sisters - ''Mockingbird'' (Flying Fish) * 1986: Marty Stuart - ''

'' (

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region in ...

) * 1990: Mike Auldridge - ''Treasures Untold'' (Sugar Hill) * 1992: Marty Stuart - ''

Let There Be Country ''Let There Be Country'' is the seventh studio album by country singer Marty Stuart, released in 1992, though it was technically the fourth album he recorded, cut between ''Marty Stuart'' and ''Hillbilly Rock''. ''Let There Be Country'' was recor ...

'' (Columbia) * 2003:

The Chieftains The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymou ...

- ''

Further Down the Old Plank Road ''Further Down the Old Plank Road'' is a 2003 album by The Chieftains. It is a collaboration between the Irish band and many top country music musicians including Rosanne Cash, Chet Atkins, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Ricky Skaggs, and P ...

'' (Victor / Arista)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Coleman, T. Michael Living people 1951 births Bluegrass musicians from North Carolina 20th-century American bass guitarists People from Eden, North Carolina Country musicians from North Carolina The Seldom Scene members

Biography

Doc Watson

Seldom Scene

Chesapeake

Sutton, Holt & Coleman

Pocket

Awards

Personal life

Discography

Solo albums

With Sutton, Holt, and Coleman

With Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award ...

With The Seldom Scene The Seldom Scene is an American bluegrass band that formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland. The band's original line-up comprised John Starling on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Auldridge on Dobro and baritone vocals, Ben Eldridge on banjo, Tom G ...

With Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to: * Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian * The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay * Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula Chesapeake may also refer to: Populated p ...

As composer

As producer

Also appears on

References

External links

With
Doc Watson Arthel Lane "Doc" Watson (March 3, 1923 – May 29, 2012) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and singer of bluegrass, folk, country, blues, and gospel music. Watson won seven Grammy awards as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award ...

With
The Seldom Scene The Seldom Scene is an American bluegrass band that formed in 1971 in Bethesda, Maryland. The band's original line-up comprised John Starling on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Auldridge on Dobro and baritone vocals, Ben Eldridge on banjo, Tom G ...

With
Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to: * Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian * The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay * Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula Chesapeake may also refer to: Populated p ...