currentCover Master Luthier Robin Smith
 By Dustin Ogdin
 
Banjo players should be grateful that master luthier Robin Smith did a poor job of loading his family's upright bass on top of his friend’s Corvair back when he was a young fifteen year-old kid.  continued




Alan Munde Alan Munde's Dapple Patti
 By Associate Editor Ian Perry
 
In the banjo world, any new recording by Alan Munde is an event, and “Dapple Patti,” Alan's new CD with singer/songwriter Adam Granger is no exception.   continued


banjo in 2011 Callous Thumb, February 2012
 by BNL Editor Donald Nitchie
 
NPR recently ran a story called “Double-Blind Violin Test: Can You Pick The Strad?” about how a research team gathered 17 professional violinists in a hotel room, with 6 violins   continued


currentCover Bill Schmidt
 interview by Cathy Fink
 
January 2012: Bill Schmidt is a versatile and talented musician on guitar, ukulele, fiddle and banjo. 
continued

January Contents and Sound Files here




Janet Beazley Janet Beazley
 Interview by Mitch Finley
 
December 2011: Janet Beazley plays banjo and sings with the California bluegrass band Chris Stuart & Backcountry and in the duo Chris Stuart & Janet Beazley.   continued

December Contents and Sound Files here



Nov2011Cover Learning to Play Banjo
in the New Millennium
 by Ian Perry
 
November 2011: For someone starting out on the journey of learning to play the 5-string banjo, the landscape has changed considerably since the early days of bluegrass. During the 1940’s and 50’s, there were virtually no teaching aids whatsoever.   continued

November 2011 MP3s

Dave's Bolero by Dave Russell
Manga el Banjo by Lluis Gomez (with Tony Trischka)
Here's the twin banjos tab: Manga el Banjo Tab (Twin Banjos)

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Salt Creek—Bill Monroe's mandolin solo (tabbed out by Tony Trischka)
Snowflake Reel as played by Greg Cahill
Trouble on the Mind (clawhammer) Soundfile and video by Hugh Strawn


2011-10-cover Marc Pruett
 interview by Wayne Peeler
 
October 2011: Marc Pruett is the banjo player and a co-founding member of Balsam Range, the critically-acclaimed band from Western North Carolina which was nominated for Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Emerging Artist at this year’s IBMA. (As Marc wrote on the band’s website, “I can understand ‘song’ and ‘album’…but Shootfirebuddy, I feel like I’ve been emerging now since 1962!!!”) They ended up winning Song of the Year...   continued

October 2011 MP3s

Are You Washed in the Blood? Arranged by Pete Kuykendall (Key of C, capo 5th fret), played by Eddie Collins
Are You Washed in the Blood? Arranged and played by Eddie Collins (Key of C, capo 5th fret)
Dem Tsasdik's Zemerl by Andy Rubin (claw)
Flight of the Bumblebee as played by Mark Raborn
Fredology by Fred Geiger
Georgia Railroad as played by Brooks Masten (claw) Played on one of Brooks's banjos.
Green Rolling Hills of West Virginia, as played by Tom Adams in G and in C
Lonesome John by Hunter Robertson (claw) YouTube. Banjo solo; Banjo and fiddle
Marching Home by Marc Pruett and Balsam Range
Sally Ann, as played by Dan Levenson (claw)
12th of April as played by Robert M. Long; Video: 12th of April
Also:
Neila's Dance Variations by Ian Perry, from the July 2011 BNL Video
Fog Rolling Over the Glen by Ian Perry, from the September 2011 BNL
Video.


2011-09-cover Mike Munford
 interviewed by Ira Gitlin
 
September 2011: Since 2008, when Mike Munford began touring with rising bluegrass star Frank Solivan and his band Dirty Kitchen, listeners around the country are finding out what fans and pickers in the Washington-Baltimore area have known for years: This is one amazing banjo player. The first thing that hits you when you hear Mike is his confident attack and big flathead tone. continued

September 2011 MP3s

As Time Draws Near by Tommy Jarrell (clawhammer)
Edelweiss as played by Bob Piekiel
Foggy Mountain Rock, as played by Tom Adams
Fog Rolling Over the Glen as played by Ian Perry
Schottische du Stockfish by Anton Emory (clawhammer)
Shoe Cobblers Blues by Hugh Strawn (clawhammer). Soundfile and video
Sweet Sunny South as played by Bob Piekiel
Tarred and Feathered by Mike Munford with Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen (banjo break)
Watch What Happens by Fred Geiger
Waterfall by Todd Taylor. Video
Whiskey Before Breakfast Back-up by Bill Evans


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