Earl Scruggs Center To Open Saturday in Shelby, NC

After a half decade of planning and research, the Earl Scruggs Center—an interactive museum showcasing the life and music of bluegrass legend and Shelby-native, Earl Scruggs—will host the public for a full weekend of grand opening festivities.

The Earl Scruggs Center: Music & Stories from the American South announced final plans for the dedication and grand opening on Saturday, January 11, 2014.

Located in the 1904 Shelby Courthouse on Court Square in downtown Shelby, NC, the center is home to a variety of exhibits that highlight the music, instruments and region that shaped Scruggs’ distinctive style.

Adkins & Loudermilk Unite

Two of bluegrass music's most admired players, Dave Adkins and Edgar Loudermilk, have a fresh contemporary take on their music with the official formation of the new duo, Adkins & Loudermilk. 

The two will begin touring immediately in support of their solo efforts on Mountain Fever Records, with a duo record scheduled for release sometime in summer 2014.

Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen Sign with Compass Records

Compass Records welcomes Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen to its award-winning bluegrass roster.  

Fresh off their nomination for the 2012 International Bluegrass Music Association's Emerging Artist of the Year Award, the band will release their Compass Records debut album On The Edge on April 30, 2013.

Scholarships Available to Pete Wernick’s Advanced Banjo Camp

Pete Wernick has sent us a reminder that he has two scholarships to his 2013 Advanced Banjo Camp available.  

The camp will be January 21-26 in Boulder, Colorado and is geared to players in performing bands and focuses on tone, timing, “believability”, creativity, band dynamics, and performance.

New Year Brings New Banjo Player for Monroe Crossing

18 year old David Robinson is the new man on the five-string for Monroe Crossing.  Robinson replaces the retiring Benji Flaming.  Like Benji before him, David is a very mature and driven young man with enormous talent.  He'll be joining the group in Bloomingdale, GA on January 13th for their southern tour. 

Flaming be performing his final concert with Monroe Crossing on December 18th in Omaha, Nebraska.  Fans can stay informed of his activities via the Monroe Crossing Facebook page or you can also keep in touch with him at benjiflaming.com.

December 5th Scholarship Application Deadline for Pete Wernick’s 2012 Advanced Banjo Camp

Two scholarships for Pete Wernick’s January 2012 Advanced Banjo Camp are still available, with an approaching December 5th application deadline.

One $1,000 scholarship covers almost all expenses for an out-of-state attendee and is being offered through the generosity of Stelling Banjos. The Advanced Camp runs January 16-21 in Boulder, Colorado.

Banjo Master Alan Munde Ok after By-Pass Surgery!

UPDATE 11/25/11
Alan is out of critical care. He's still in pain and facing a long recovery, but he's doing well as far as these things go. Thanks for your prayers and support. He will still need a lot of peace and quiet for his healing, and I may have to put his banjo in his lap for him, but I think we've dodged a very big bullet. The family is very grateful to all of you for your concern. From wife Kitty.


We’ve just learned from Alan Munde’s wife Kitty that Alan has just came through bypass surgery and is recovering well. He can't have visitors but we are grateful to let you all know that he will be fine.

Pete Wernick's 28th Anniversary Winter Banjo Camps set for January 2012

The original “banjo camp”, the first event billed as such, was in 1984. Since then, renowned banjo player and teacher, Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick has conducted 86 banjo camps, teaching over 1500 students from almost every state and many foreign countries. January, 2012 he will extend this string at the Boulder Inn in Boulder, Colorado. Each of the three “full-immersion” weeks is geared to different experience levels. For complete information, visit www.DrBanjo.com.

“I am always excited to offer a 6-day program, plenty of time to have fun and get lasting results," says Wernick. "Full immersion in a focused situation helps create breakthroughs, in both novice and advanced players. Everyone gets feedback from me and individualized help.”

Jan 2-7, 2012: Basic Skills. A "safe" situation for inexperienced and closet players. Includes: creating basic solos, worked-out and improvised, backup pointers, beating timing problems, practice tips and standard licks. All Pete’s camps include lots of jamming, with everyone participating.

Jan. 9-14, 2012: Intermediate. For pickers who can create a solo and have jamming experience. Focus is on good timing and tone, creating 'believable' solos, practicing for maximum progress, gaining speed, knowing the neck, backup approaches and techniques.

Jan. 16-21, 2012: Advanced. For pickers with experience in performing bands, the emphasis is on "the pro sound"--timing, tone, bringing out the best in each song, backup and lead, expanding creative choices for both left and right hands, and performance skills. The week includes a one-on-one session with Pete and a class performance with Pete January 20, in support of the Banjo Camp Scholarship fund.

Through the generosity of Stelling Banjo and others, Pete offers scholarships to deserving Advanced players who would otherwise have difficulty affording the camp. Scholarships have an application deadline of December 10. More information: http://www.drbanjo.com/camps-banjofaq.php#scholarships.

“I can’t thank you enough for your expertise and wonderful teaching skills! You’ve helped me ‘see the light’, it was a (banjo) life-changing experience! My banjo playing is gonna rock!”  -- A.H., Maryland / Advanced Camp, 2011
“I have learned an immense amount of info and am already rolling away.”  -- George Smith, Wyoming / Intermediate Camp, 2010
“Pete has an uncanny ability to zero in on areas each picker needs to work on."  -- D.S., Wisconsin

Comedian and Banjo Player Steve Martin Turns Music Journalist

CHILMARK, Mass., July 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

 Steve Martin, who has garnered worldwide acclaim as a comedian, actor, writer, producer, and musician, recently added music journalist to his resume. Martin interviews banjo player and composer Tony Ellis in the July issue of The Banjo Newsletter.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Martin queries the Ohio-based banjo player about his influences, and how his style has evolved from the early 1960s, when he spent two years with the legendary Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys.

Martin also talks with Ellis about how his music has inspired Martin's own banjo playing, particularly Martin's composition The Crow, featured on his 2009 Grammy-winning album The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo.