He got his name from his wide singing range....High to low.
The organizers of Newport didn't forget to hire Lester. He refused to go.
Hilo was a regular on The Flatt and Scruggs TV show and was also sponsored by Martha White Mills (goodness gracious sakes alive Martha White!)
Hilo was like Jim Eanes and Jimmie Skinner in that he was an important Bluegrasser who didn't always record with Bluegrass back up. He thought of himself as a 'folk singer'.