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Tray Wellington Shares a List of Banjo Players Thinking Outside the BoxNorth Carolina musician Tray Wellington is fresh off a nomination for this year's IBMA New Artist of the Year, following the release of his full-length debut album Black Banjo. Still in his early 20s, Wellington pulls from a myriad of influences -- on his latest album he cites jazz as…

WATCH: Kasey Chambers, "Lose Yourself" (Eminem Cover)Artist: Kasey Chambers Song: "Lose Yourself" (Eminem cover) Release Date: July 29, 2022 In Their Words: “Eminem has been one of my favourite songwriters for many years. We listen to a lot of him in our house. I’ve been mostly influenced in my life by writers who bravely put fearless…

Read a Chapter From 'Rudy Lyle: The Unsung Hero of the Five-String Banjo'Banjo player Max Wareham is telling the little-known story of a pioneering bluegrass musician in his upcoming book, Rudy Lyle: The Unsung Hero of the Five-String Banjo. Set for publication on August 23, the book features exhaustive and largely never-before-published transcriptions and analyses of every break Lyle recorded with Bill…

Caamp's 'Lavender Days' Gets Its Glow From Evan Westfall's Flatpicking BanjoEvan Westfall, cofounder of the folk-pop-rock band Caamp, spends a lot of time explaining that he and bandmate Taylor Meier did not actually meet at summer camp, as commonly reported. The Columbus, Ohio, natives did attend the same camp, but they already knew each other beforehand. Which also refutes the…

Wes Corbett's Banjo Needs: 10 Songs That Make Him Happy

Kristin Scott Benson Shares Her Essential '80s Bluegrass Banjo Tracks

BGS 5+5: Lonesome River Band's Sammy Shelor

Can Banjo Transcend Cultural Divisions? Bill Evans' New Album Makes the Case

Banjo MonthJul 21, 2022

WATCH: Jake Blount, "Once There Was No Sun"

Artist: Jake Blount Hometown: Washington, D.C.; now Providence, Rhode Island Song: "Once There Was No Sun" Album: The New Faith Release Date: September 23, 2022 Label: Smithsonian Folkways In Their Words: “I learned ‘Once There Was No Sun’ from a Bessie Jones recording. The track opens with a reading from Genesis, describing the world in…

Banjo MonthJul 19, 2022

WATCH: Pharis & Jason Romero, "Cannot Change It All" (Live in Horsefly, BC)

Artist: Pharis & Jason Romero Hometown: Horsefly, BC Song: "Cannot Change It All" Album: Tell 'Em You Were Gold Release Date: June 17, 2022 Label: Smithsonian Folkways In Their Words: "'Cannot Change It All' started with Clara the banjo. Clara has a 12” rim and a small flangeless resonator, all made from Claro walnut salvaged…

Banjo MonthJul 15, 2022

WATCH: The HillBenders, "Nothing but a Banjo On"

Artist: The HillBenders Hometown: Springfield, Missouri Song: "Nothing but a Banjo On" Release Date: July 15, 2022 Label: HillBent In Their Words: "'Nothing but a Banjo On' started out as just a funny idea a good friend of mine, Anne Youngblood, came up with. Letting it all hang out while pickin’ the banjo. We would…

Banjo MonthJul 15, 2022

In a Time of Fear, We Banjo 3 Make a Brave Statement on 'Open the Road'

Walking through life, people learn, grow, and develop their own identities, and eventually find others who become figures in their chosen family. In a lot of ways, a band is a kind of chosen family. However, what if one's chosen musical family is also their family of origin? Folk music in particular, being tied to…

Banjo MonthJul 6, 2022

LISTEN: Fern Maddie, "Green Grass Growing"

Artist: Fern Maddie Hometown: Worcester, Vermont Song: "Green Grass Growing" Album: Ghost Story Release Date: June 1, 2022 In Their Words: "'Green Grass Growing' is a spooky, minor banjo tune I wrote in the dark time of the year in 2021. I recorded it live with the help of my friend Ari Erlbaum, who plays…