Lost & Found Inducted Into Bluegrass Hall of Fame for 1973 Song
The Franklin County band entered the International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame on Oct. 22, 2026, following a decade of influence in the region.
By Chioma Brooks ·
The influential Virginia bluegrass band the Lost & Found joined the International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame on Oct. 22, 2026. The group formed in 1973 in Franklin County, Virginia, and has shaped the region's musical output for decades.
Founding members Gene Parker and Allen Mills wrote one of the band's most recognized tunes, "Brown Hill," during the early years of the group. Parker recalled that Mills suggested the idea during a drive home from a jam session. Mills told Parker to write about the brown hill where he lived, marking the start of the song's creation.
The duo composed the track in their car, writing on a brown paper bag from a roadside restaurant. Parker, who played banjo for the band, often credits Mills for the lyrics. Parker stated that he mostly held the pen while Mills provided the words.
The song details the history of moonshining in Franklin County during the 1920s and 1930s. Parker explained that making whiskey was a way of life for local grandfathers during Prohibition. The lyrics reference mountains emitting "dead wood smoke" because dry wood produces less smoke than green wood, making stills harder for revenue officers to detect.
Bluegrass musician Jesse Smathers noted that the song describes a specific, pinpointable location rather than a generic cabin on a hill. Smathers, who teaches at the Handmade Music School in Floyd County and performs with the Lonesome River Band, highlighted the track's fast, driving rhythm. He described the tune as an upbeat dance number with a distinct musical structure.
The song remains a staple in local jams and on stages. Young musicians from groups like the Shooting Creek Critters continue to perform the piece. Rylah Grim, a student at the Handmade Music School, spoke with Parker this summer about the song as part of a community project to compile a local songbook.
The Floyd Country Store held a celebration event for the Lost & Found on Oct. 25. Parker advised young players to make their instruments sound like the words of the song. He expressed joy in watching the next generation of musicians take the stage and introduce their own material.
