Rex Yetman was a member of the York County Boys, a group founded in 1954 that was one of Canada's earliest bluegrass bands. (Courtesy ItCameFromCanada.com)

Rex Yetman, a bluegrass pioneer and legend in Newfoundland and Labrador, has died. He was 76.

Yetman, who was born in Jamestown, N.L., was best known as the mandolinist from the York County Boys, Canada's first bluegrass group.

For nearly 60 years, he played and sang bluegrass music.

Yetman first heard bluegrass music as a child from the Grand Ole Opry on his family's radio, but it wasn't until he moved to Ontario that he started to play.

In 1953, Yetman met a fiddler named John McManaman and the two would sneak backstage and get musicians to teach them how to play.

Along with guitarist Mike Cameron, fiddler Brian Barron and bassist Fred "Dusty" Legere, they became known as The York County Boys.

The group appeared on shows like The Tommy Hunter Show and Carl Smith's Country Music Hall, and were once opening acts for Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.

In 2006, Yetman won an East Coast Music Award for Bluegrass Recording of the year as part of the band, Crooked Stovepipe.

Yetman died Friday. His funeral will be held Monday at St. James Anglican Church in Jamestown.