Born in 1944, near Kingsport, TN, Doyle Lawson has loved the sound of music from childhood. He could hardly wait for Saturday nights to listen to the Grand Ole Opry, and Bill Monroe, and Doyle decided that he wanted to play that kind of music. His family sang gospel music when he was young and Doyle acquired his love of quartet music early on. Doyle began playing mandolin when he was 11 years old, on a borrowed instrument. He mostly taught himself to play by listening to the radio, a few records, and watching the occasional TV show.