1997 Maryland Banjo Academy - Overview of VHS Tape (Out of Print)

The Nitchie Family Loves Banjos!

It loves them so much that family members have devoted much of their lives the past couple of
decades to this unique instrument through their magazine, the "Banjo Newsletter." When Nancy
Nitchie realized that the good folks who had developed and sponsored the highly-regarded
Tennessee Banjo Institute wouldn't be able to hold another one soon, she responded to the urging
of family and colleagues -- and the seeds for Maryland Banjo Academy were planted.

The seeds quickly grew, helped by old-fashioned hard work and fertilized by devotion to the
banjo, and the plans for the first banjo academy were completed. Of course, others had to help.
Acoustic Musician and Bluegrass Unlimited magazines, along with Maryland's Caroline County
Arts Council, agreed to co-sponsor the event. Teachers of all stripes, representing some of the
best talent in various styles on the 5-string banjo, were lined up, and the call went out to players.
Soon pickers, strummers and clawhammer players signed up to spend three days in April on the
campus of the Bishop Claggett Center in Buckeystown, Maryland.

As word of the academy spread, it attracted the notice of even Maryland's Gov. Parris N.
Glendening. The governor was inspired to write a note to the banjo lovers, welcoming them to his
state. "I applaud your devotion to enriching the lives of all Marylanders by sharing your music and
culture. I hope this event becomes an annual tradition," the governor wrote.

By the time the doors opened Friday, April 18, 1997, for the first Maryland Banjo Academy, students from 28 states, Canada and even Sweden were carrying their banjos across the campus grounds.

Although other types of banjos and styles of playing have their devotees, the decision was made
to focus mainly on the traditional 5-string at the Maryland Banjo Academy. And what a focus it
turned out to be. The assembled players and banjo builders provided participants with an
overview of this instrument from its days in the late Eighteenth Century to its use in the hands of
the most modern, creative players today. Two hundred years of banjo history and styles of
playing were on display this lovely, but windy, spring weekend.

Pete Seeger joined the group at Buckeystown for the long weekend. Pete is famous for his role with The Weavers, a vastly popular folk-singing group that paved the way for the folk music boom of the late 1950s and 1960s. Pete also pioneered popular banjo instruction with his book on "How to Play the 5-string Banjo," now considered a classic.
	Béla Fleck has pushed banjo playing to new limits and has thrilled audiences worldwide. His tastes have led him to explore music for the banjo that has never been tried before.
Bill Keith is called the father of "melodic or chromatic" style, three-finger banjo. He discovered in the late 1950s that he could play fiddle tunes note for note and spawned a technique that continues to this day to attract new adherents. And, of course, Bill is also famous for the tuners he developed.
	Eddie Adcock is a veteran and a bluegrass favorite. Eddie played in his early days with Bill Monroe and later with the original Country Gentlemen. He is also known for a distinctive "Travis" banjo style picking.

In the 1920s, the recording industry exploded in popularity, giving the banjo a boost. With records
came a parallel development of the radio industry. The banjo was exposed to a wider audience
than it had seen in years. Soon the Grand Old Opry started broadcasting. It featured the Dixie
Dew Drop, Uncle Dave Macon, who performed as a modern-day banjo minstrel. Uncle Dave's
popularity gave the banjo a much-needed shot in the arm.

	Among those at the Maryland Banjo Academy is LeRoy Troy, who patterns much of his exuberant playing after Uncle Dave. In fact LeRoy's playing has a direct link to this early star of the Grand Old Opry.
Michael Miles is assistant director of the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Mark Schatz, one of the finest acoustic bass players today, also has a keen passion for the banjo. Both are grounded in the traditional clawhammer style but have ventured into new areas of playing.
	Some players remain strongly tied to the traditions of their style, while others use it as a basis to expand their musical horizons. Ken Perlman is considered a master of what is called melodic clawhammer.
Tony Trischka's renown as a player is nearly equaled by his fame as a teacher. His instructional books, videos and performances have inspired countless banjo players.
	Bruce Molsky, considered one of the finest old-time musicians in the world, calls himself a square-dance style player.

The weekend wouldn't have been complete without the traditional jam sessions, and there were
plenty involving both teachers and students. This phenomenal music weekend was topped off with
a great concert.