"Fat Albert" Blackburn

Known to his friends and fellow musicians as "Fat Albert," Albert Blackburn is the only original FESCUE member still playing with the group. He began playing guitar when he was 13 years old and mostly entertained family and friends until the early 70's, when he joined his first band. Albert played with several bands until 1980 when he and a friend, Ed Stringer, decided to form their own band to concentrate
strictly on bluegrass, and appropriately named it FESCUE. Albert now plays bass using a 1960 Kay Bass. He is also a lead singer, doubles on harmony when needed, and writes many of the songs Fescue plays. Albert is an Institutional Training Officer for The Virginia Department of Corrections. He has a wife, Tammy, and three stepchildren. His first love is music, but he also claims hunting and fishing as hobbies in his spare time.