Original Lost and Found members Roger Handy and Gene Parker with Joyce Norris
November 10, 2025 was declared Lost and Found Day by the town of Rocky Mount, VA in an official proclamation. The town is quite close to where the group was officially headquartered in Ferrum, VA, and many of their classic albums from the 1970s were recorded in Rocky Mount.
The proclamation mentioned by name the four original members: Allen Mills, Gene Parker, Dempsey Young, and Roger Handy. Their records brought a new sound to bluegrass music, and helped put the region surrounding Roanoke, VA on the map as a hot bed of bluegrass in the ’70s and ’80s.
Surviving original members were surprised by an announcement on November 9 during the Dan Tyminski concert at The Harvester Performance Center in town, where the proclamation was read to the crowd. Friend of the band Joyce Norris had urged them to attend, and guitarist Roger Handy and banjo player Gene Parker were in the audience. Lynette Young, Dempsey’s widow, represented him at the concert. Unfortunately., Allen Mills had been unable to be there.
The text of the official proclamation reads as follows:
WHEREAS, the bluegrass band Lost and Found with original members— Allen Mills, Gene Parker, Dempsey oung, and Roger Handy— has, since its founding in 1973 in Ferrum, Virginia, shared the authentic spir o wed and storyteling of traditional and contemporary bluegrass with audiences acros the nation and around
WHEREAS, according to band member Allen Mills, the name of the band came from the fact that “At the time we started this band, all of us were lost in other bands, but we found each other through a mutual love for bluegrass music”; and
WHEREAS, Lost and Found began recording in 1976 on Outlet Records in Rocky Mount, Virginia combining heartfelt vocals, rich harmonies, and masterful musicianship, mixing folk and country songs with bluegrass to create a distinctive sound that has inspired generations of bluegrass fans and musicians alike; and
WHEREAS, through beloved recordings such as Love of the Mountains, If Today Was the Last Day, Left Over Biscuits, Struttin’ to Ferrum, Peaceful Dreams, and Old Slate Mountain Home, Lost and Found has contributed enduring classics to the American musical canon; and
WHEREAS, the band’s more than four decades of recording and touring the United States and Europe have earned them widespread acclaim for their artistry, professionalism, and deep respect for the roots of bluegrass;
WHEREAS, the members of Lost and Found have not only entertained countless audiences but have also served as ambassadors of Appalachian culture, preserving and advancing a uniquely American musical heritage;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT PROCLAIMED, that the Town Council of the Town of Rocky Mount does hereby recognize and honor Lost and Found for their extraordinary contributions to the art of bluegrass music, their dedication to musical excellence, and their lasting impact on the cultural life of the Town of Rocky Mount, Franklin County, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the United States, and the world and that Monday, November 10, 2025, shall be designated as “Lost and Found Day” in the Town of Rocky Mount, in celebration of their legacy and in appreciation of the joy they have brought to generations of listeners.
The proclamation was signed November 9 by the Mayor of Rocky Mount, C. Holland Perdue III.
Many congratulations to all the many members of Lost and Found over the years, especially the four that got it all started.
