William Hundley Emerson, Jr., born January 22, 1938, was an American five-string banjo player known for his contributions to bluegrass music. He co-founded The Country Gentlemen in 1957 and joined Jimmy Martin's Sunny Mountain Boys in 1962. In 1967, Emerson formed Emerson & Waldron with guitarist Cliff Waldron, recording for Rebel Records. He rejoined The Country Gentlemen in 1970 but left after a drive-by shooting following a performance in 1972. Emerson joined the United States Navy in 1973 and performed with the Navy Band for the next 20 years. Notable albums include "Banjo Pickin' 'N Hot Fiddlin'" (1963) and Reunion (1991). He was inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2019 and passed away on August 21, 2021.
