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Janet Beazley plays banjo and sings with the California band, Chris Stuart & Backcountry. She also co-produced and engineered both CSB band albums as well as solo projects by Chris Stuart and guitarist Eric Uglum. Janet' solo CD, 5 South, is just out on the Backcountry Records label and is the focus of the profile article in the August 2005 issue of Banjo Newsletter. Janet has taught banjo, music theory and harmony singing classes at the British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop in B.C., Canada, the Northern Bluegrass Circle Music Society Workshop in Edmonton, Alberta, and the California Bluegrass Association Music Camp in Grass Valley, CA. She holds a doctorate in early music performance and when not on the road with the band she teaches at the University of Southern California, University of California at Riverside, and Claremont Graduate University. (Backcountry Records Web Site) (Janet Beazley at Elderly.com)

Greg Cahill formed The Special Consensus in 1973 in the Chicago area and the band became a full time touring and recording entity in 1975. Greg has appeared on all twelve Special Consensus recordings and has released three solo recordings, one European bluegrass music recording and four banjo instructional videos/DVDs. He has also appeared on numerous recordings by other artists and on countless national television and radio commercials. Greg conducts workshops and master classes at bluegrass camps and festivals worldwide. His teaching credits include Nashcamp, the Maryland Banjo Academy, the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Workshop Camp, the British Columbia Bluegrass Workshops and the Cabin Fever Bluegrass Workshops. He has taught banjo at The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago for over 25 years and currently teaches at the World Folk Music Company in Chicago; he also is a regular contributor to Banjo Newsletter. Just recently, Greg was appointed chair and president of the International Bluegrass Music Association. (Greg Cahill Web Site) (Greg Cahill at Elderly.com)

Bob Carlin has taken the distinctive southern banjo style to appreciative audiences all over the US, Canada and Europe and he is a three-time winner of the late Frets Magazine "Favorite Banjoist" readers poll. He has several solo recordings with Rounder Records, including Banging and Sawing, Where Did You Get That Hat?, and Fiddle Tunes For Clawhammer Banjo, in addition to which he as recorded duo CDs with Bruce Molsky and John Hartford. He also played as a regular in Hartford's band for several years prior to the latter's untimely demise. A noted teacher, Bob recorded a two volume instructional series on clawhammer for Homespun Tapes, and he has served as instructor at the American Festival of Fiddle Tunes and at the Ashoken Fiddle and Dance Camp. He started his career as sought after producer of acoustic recordings by organizing the seminal recording, Melodic Clawhammer Banjo back in the 1970s. He is also a highly regarded folkloris (Bob Carlin's Web Site: cartunesrecordings.com) ( Bob Carlin at Elderly.com)

Pat CloudPat Cloud was playing banjo professionally by age 16; soon afterwards he was touring with Bob Hope's USO Oriental Command tours of 1967 and 1970. He has been a Los Angeles studio musician for 35 years. In 1972, he began jazz studies with former Nat King Cole guitarist, Horace Hatchett and then with William Thrasher, and started to adapt a fluid jazz vocabulary to five-string banjo utilizing melodic technique pioneered by such banjoists as Carrol Best, Bobby Thompson and Bill Keith; he later continued jazz study with vibraphone player Dave Pike. In the 70s, he toured throughout the southeast with the New Tradition Bluegrass Band; in 1983, he recorded the LP, "Higher Power" (Flying Fish) with Barry Solomon and Bob Applebaum. As Tony Trishka describes his playing, "He is the first five-string player to achieve a wide-reaching command of the jazz vocabulary, and as such inhabit a rarefied world which he now shares with a select few. To hear him play is amazing, but to watch him elicit those streams of "boppish" notes from a predominantly bluegrass instrument is other-wordly." (Pat Cloud's Web Site) ( Pat Cloud at Elderly.com)

Chris Coole (co-leader, old-time novice program), was first attracted to the sounds of old-time and bluegrass music as a teenager growing up in Toronto, Ontario. In the late 90s, his style of clawhammer began to reach a wider audience with the release of his first two C.D.s - both collaborations with fellow Torontonian Arnie Naiman -- entitled "Five Strings Attached With No Backing" and "Five Strings Attached, Vol. 2." Both recordings featured sparse, well played rrangements of traditional tunes as well as a number of original compositions. Apart from his own recordings he can also be heard as a sideman on over thirty CDs by Canadian artists such as Sylvia Tyson, Ron Hynes, Jenny Whiteley and April Verch. Chris performs regularly with Crazy Strings, The Foggy Hogtown Boys and with fiddler Erynn Marshall. ( Chris Coole at Elderly.com) (Chris Coole Web Site)

Bill Evans is well-known within the bluegrass banjo world as a player and teacher. A former member of Dry Branch Fire Squad, Bill currently tours nationally with Peter Rowan, John Reischman, Tony Trischka, and with his solo historical concert The Banjo in America. In addition, he writes a monthly instructional column for Banjo Newsletter and has produced instructional books and videos with Sonny Osborne and J.D. Crowe for AcuTab Publications and Homespun Tapes. He has taught at American Banjo Camp, Augusta Heritage Center, Banjo Camp Northm Camp Bluegrass, and Nashcamp Bluegrass Instructional Camps. (Bill Evan's Native and Fine Web Site) (Bill Evans at Elderly.com)

Cathy Fink In 1980 Cathy Fink became the first woman to win the West Virginia State Old Time Banjo contest, an honor she earned 3 times. Beginning in 1984, she has taught banjo, guitar, fiddle, vocal styles and more at a number of major music camps such as Augusta Folk Heritage, the Maryland Banjo Academy, the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, Steve Kaufman's Kamp, and Swannanoa. Cathy's banjo recordings include " Banjo Haiku: 26 Clawhammer Banjo Tunes," " Old Time Music Party," " Old Time Slow Jam" with Bruce Molsky and Marcy Marxer, and the new " Singing With the Banjo, Clawhammer Style" DVD on Homespun Tapes. Cathy has won two GRAMMY awards and performs full time with Marcy Marxer. (Cathy Fink at Elderly.com) (Cathy Fink Web Site)

Adam Hurt Deemed a "banjo virtuoso" by the Washington Post, Adam Hurt draws on diverse musical influences from the North Carolina piedmont, the mountains of central West Virginia, the Ohio River Valley and beyond to create his own elegantly innovative clawhammer banjo playing. At age 24, Adam has already placed in or won most of the major old-time banjo competitions including Clifftop, Mount Airy, and Galax, and won the state banjo championships of Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, and Alabama. A gifted and respected teacher, Adam has conducted banjo workshops at the Swannanoa Gathering, the Augusta Heritage Center, and Appalshop, among other venues around the country. In 2006, he released his second CD, "Insight," on the Ubiquitone label. ( Adam Hurt at Elderly.com) (adamhurt.com)

Bill Keith - A renowned explorer of the frontiers of banjo picking and of the instrument's harmonic potentialities, Bill Keith largely invented the three-finger picking style known as "melodic" banjo. He first came to international attention in the early 60s when he played and recorded with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys. He co-authored the original Earl Scruggs banjo instruction book and record, and has also written several other banjo instruction books, including the first ones ever published in French and Italian. He has recorded several albums for Rounder, Green Linnet, and Hexagon, and has toured widely throughout North America, Western Europe, Japan, and Australia. He devised and, through the Beacon Banjo Company, still markets the famous tuning pegs that bear his name. (Bill Keith at Elderly.com)

Peter Knupfer (Camp bluegrass fiddler) - East Lansing's own Peter Knupfer is an award-winning fiddler with over thirty years of freelance and professional practice to his credit.He toured and recorded with 'Grass, Food & Lodging, a Milwaukee-based bluegrass band, for five years, followed by six years playing country, string swing, and Irish fiddle in a variety of bands. He has shared the stage with the likes of Byron Berline, Donald Stiernberg, Tony Trischka, Peter Ostroushko, and Tim O'Brien. He was the state old-time fiddle champ for Wisconsin (1976) and Kansas (1995). Currently he plays with Detour Bluegrass, from the Traverse City, MI area. (Peter Knupfer's Web Site)

Jens Kruger Since his electrifying introduction to American audiences at Merlefest in 1997, the Swiss musician Jens Kruger has established himself as one of the world's most musically sophisticated and technically accomplished five-string banjo players. He has performed with Earl Scruggs, John McEwen, Willie Nelson, Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, and many others. Along with his brother Uwe on guitar and Joel Landsberg on bass, the Kruger Brothers band has appeared in hundreds of arts council and theater concerts as well as at major folk and bluegrass festivals. They have released nearly a dozen CDs on their Double Time Music label. Now living permanently in North Carolina, they perform year-round throughout the U.S. (Jens Kruger at Elderly.com) (Jens Kruger Web Site)

Brad Leftwich's music is a direct link to the old-time traditions of the southern Appalachian and Ozark regions, notably the area in southwest Virginia/northwest North Carolina known as the "Round Peak " region. A noted banjo player, fiddler, and singer, he has been performing for some 30 years, both solo and in bands including Plank Road, Leftwich & Higginbotham, and -- most recently -- Tom, Brad & Alice. Recordings of his music appear on the County, Copper Creek, Rounder, and Marimac labels. Brad is especially regarded for his teaching of traditional fiddle and banjo style. He is a frequent staff member at the major workshops and teaching camps throughout the country. He has a book on Round Peak style clawhammer banjo published by Mel Bay, and two old-time fiddle-teaching videos released by Homespun Tapes. (The Brad Leftwich Web Page at the Tom, Brad and Alice website.) (Brad Leftwich at Elderly.com)

Reed Martin Reed Martin is one of those rare, absolutely astounding players who has rarely sought the limelight. He learned to play old time banjo in the early 60s and was soon a regular attendee at all the Virginia and Carolina fiddlers' conventions, where he had the chance to hear and play with such great roots players as Roscoe Holcomb, Snuffy Jenkins, Fed Cockerham, Tommy Jarrell, Kyle Creed, Pete Steele, Buell Kazee, Fields Ward, and Wade Ward. From all these influences and others he has created a completely unique, virtuoso style of clawhammer that is absolutely true to the spirit of old-time music. Reed won the "World Champion Old Time Banjo Prize" in 1979 at the Union Grove Fiddler's Convention, and in 1996 he released a solo CD called simply "Old Time Banjo." He has been on staff at Banjo Camp North, Common Ground on the Hill, and the Maryland Banjo Academy. (Reed Martin at Elderly.com)

Ron McKeever (Camp bluegrass guitarist) Ron is a fixture on the mid-Michigan bluegrass scene and his lead and rhythm guitar playing always inspires his fellow musicians. He has shared the stage with Tony Trischka, Bill Evans, Steve Kaufman, Lare Williams, and many others. He is currently playing with Soldiers of the Cross, a southern gospel group. (Ron McKeever at Elderly.com)

James McKinney - is both a Scruggs and Reno style expert, one of the foremost jazz players of the bluegrass banjo world, and one of the most technically precise banjoists around. He won the Southern U.S. Banjo Championship at age 15. Before long he had won dozens of state and regional championships, including the National Banjo Championship at Winfield, Kansas. He made the first of several appearances on the Grand Ole Opry at age 19 and worked for a time at Opryland theme park as a banjoist and musical arranger. James moved to Nashville for good in 1990 to play full time in the James and Angela McKinney Band; he also does studio and touring work out of Nashville. James is a dedicated banjo teacher, he has taught countless workshops, and he has been on the staff at a number of major banjo camps, including the Smokey Mountain Banjo Academy, and the SPBGMA workshop. He has performed and/or recorded with the likes of Vassar Clements, Porter Wagoner, Barbara Mandrell, John Hartford, and Johnny Cash . His latest CD is called "Mind Over Banjo." (James McKinney Web Site) (James McKinney at Elderly.com)

Michael J. Miles - Recording artist, writer, actor, educator, composer B Michael is a rare artist who combines talents from numerous disciplines. His highly acclaimed CD's, Counterpoint and American Bach have earned rave reviews firmly establishing him as a musician in a category all his own. Miles has taught music and songwriting to children in the Chicago Public Schools; has taught in the graduate music education divisions of Villanova University and Vander Cook College of Music; he has taught banjo at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago; and he has been a featured workshop artist at numerous events including the Tennessee Banjo Institute and Banjo Camp North. (Michael J. Miles' Web Site) (Michael J. Miles at Elderly.com)

Alan Munde needs no introduction to long-time Bluegrass fans. From his early creative work with Sam Bush in Poor Richard's Almanac to his traditional bluegrass apprenticeship with Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys to his 21-year stint anchoring the landmark Country Gazette, Alan has blazed a trail as one of the most innovative and influential banjo players of all time. Along the way, Alan also recorded and contributed to numerous instrumental recordings, including the 2001 IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year -- "Knee Deep in Bluegrass." Alan has supplemented his recorded work with several instructional publications for the banjo, and, since 1986, he has taught Bluegrass and Country Music at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. (Alan Munde's Web Site) (Alan Munde at Elderly.com)

Joe Newberry Joe Newberry is a Missouri native and North Carolina transplant who has played music most of his life. His powerful and innovative banjo playing has won contests around the country, including first-place at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival. He has taught at the Augusta Heritage Workshops, the Swannanoa Gathering, Ashokan, and Pinewoods. His bands include the prize-winning Big Medicine, and the Grey Eagles, a trio with Rafe Stefanini and Jim Collier. Joe also performs with original Red Clay Ramblers Jim Watson, Bill Hicks, and Mike Craver. In addition to his banjo work, Joe is also a fine guitarist, fiddler, and singer. His solo CD "Two Hands" has earned praise from reviewers and fans alike. (Joe Newberry web site) (Joe Newberry at Elderly.com)

Ken Perlman - Perhaps the best-known exponent of the "melodic" clawhammer style, Ken is known where-ever banjos are played as a master of clawhammer technique and an expert teacher of clawhammer mechanics. He has been a Banjo Newsletter columnist for over 20 years; he has written several books on clawhammer instruction including the well known works Melodic Clawhammer Banjo and Clawhammer Style Banjo, and he has recorded several series of audio and video banjo instruction. He has taught at well over a dozen banjo and general music camps including the American Banjo Camp, Banjo Camp North, Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, Maryland Banjo Academy, the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop, Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, Common Ground on the Hill, Suwannee Banjo Camp, and the Tennessee Banjo Institute. His most recent recording is Northern Banjo, and his most recent book is Everything You Wanted to Know About Clawhammer Banjo. (Ken Perlman's Web Site)(Ken Perlman at Elderly.com)

Mark Sahlgren - (Camp Old-Time Guitarist) - Kalamazoo's own Mark Sahlgren has found Stringband and bluegrass music a near obsession since the 1950's, and the guitar quickly became the driving force in his musical life. Having led his own band, Sweetcorn, for many years, developing recording projects, producing music festivals, teaching guitar workshops throughout southern Michigan, and hosting the radio program Grassroots on public radio for over 30 years, Mark remains active in Americana music. (Mark Sahlgren Web Site)

Lynn "Chirps" Smith - (Camp Old-time Fiddler) Chirps has played fiddle for more than thirty years. He specializes in playing Midwestern dance tunes and has played in many Old Time dance bands. As a member of the Indian Creek Delta Boys, he searched out senior fiddlers in Illinois and surrounding statees, and collected and learned many fine old tunes. He has taught classes at Augusta Heritage Workshops, the University of Wisconsin String-Along Weekend, the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, the Montana Fiddle Camp, Blue Ridge Old-Time Week, Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, and numerous weekend workshops at festivals and dance weekends across the country. In 1997 he was recognized as a master Illinois fiddler and awarded an Illinois Arts Council Apprenticeship Grant. His love of playing dances has enabled him to develop a strong sense of rhythm and his love of Midwestern fiddling has enabled him to develop a fairly large repertory of familiar to obscure dance tunes. (Lynn "Chirps" Smith at Elderly.com)

Mike Sumner - claims numerous playing influences, from his father Joe Sumner to Bela Fleck, Scott Vestal, Allison Brown, and Sammy Shelor. He won the Indiana State Picking and Fiddling Banjo championship seven times and the Kentucky State Banjo championship twice. In 2001 alone, he placed first at Merlefest, first at Rockygrass, and won the Winfield National Banjo Championship (which he repeated in 2007). Mike currently plays banjo for Detour, a northwest Michigan bluegrass band; he has taught extensively throughout Indiana and Michigan. (Mike Sumner's Web Site) (Mike Sumner at Elderly)

Pete Wernick - Dr. Banjo," is renowned worldwide for his contributions to bluegrass music. He has been a member of such trend-setting bands as Hot Rize and Country Cooking, is a respected author and teacher, and was President of the International Bluegrass Music Association for 15 years. Pete has recorded dozens of original instrumentals and songs since his career got underway in the 1970s, including two bluegrass chart-topping hits, and is known for his soulful tradition-based style. Since 1980, Pete has conducted over 100 instructional camps nationwide and overseas, and continues to refine his teaching methods. His instructional videos and books include bestsellers such as Bluegrass Jamming, Bluegrass Banjo, Branching Out on the Banjo, How to Make a Band Work, and many others. Pete currently performs with his bluegrass/classic jazz fusion group Flexigrass, in a bluegrass duetwith his singer/guitarist wife Joan ("Nondi"), and in occasional reunions with Hot Rize. (DrBanjo's Web Site) (Pete Wernick at Elderly)