My Country Music Community
miles traveled, miles to go
Building banjos has forever changed my life and I'm grateful for it.
Along my journey I have befriended so many new friends & neighbors.
Some of my best memories are not the banjos that were built but the adventures and the people I met along the way.
Here are few good folks & memories from the road.
Zak Heerbrandt, Paul Bidanset & I with some early Renan Banjos.
April 2016
Fellow Virginians & Country Music Lovers,
1st Annual Norfolk Folk Festival in Hampton Roads, VA
July 2016
Fellow Richmonder, Archivist, Musicologist & Collector.
Zak Heerbrandt
1st Annual Norfolk Folk Festival @ O'Connor Brewery
Featuring Dom Flemons & Brian Farrow
Hosted by Brackish Water Jamboree, July 2016
Appalachian String Band Festival aka 'Clifftop'
Aug 1-7, 2016
Jack & Ian Moore
Me and Dwight Diller of Pocahontas County, WV
Craig 'Frailin' Evans testing out FB08
Although I didn't sell any banjos, Clifftop 2016 definitely left a resounding impression on me. Met a lot of fine folk and befriended some of the finest people who walk this Earth.
Banjo Virtuoso Victor Furtado and NPR listening in.
First visit to Buckeye Banjos Homestead & Workshop in Eggleston, VA. Sept 2016
2016 Banjo Gathering in Charlottesville, VA
Met: Pete Ross & Kristina Gaddy, Will Seeders, Brooks Masten, Jim Hartell and many others.
Nov 2016
'5 Minutes of Fame'
Interviewed by Evanne Armour of Channel 8 News Richmond, VA
#MadeinRVA Banjo maker crafting one-of-a-kind instruments
Air date: December 1st, 2016
Seth Swingle plays the Kora.
January 13th, 2017 at Wesleyan University Virginia Beach, VA
Picking 'French Waltz' and other fine Clyde Troxwell tunes
Roadtrip to Charlotte, NC
4hrs one-way, worth every mile!
While visiting the Renan Homestead we took in a Saturday night show at Floyd Country Store. First time seeing Molsky perform a stage!
Renan Banjos Exhibits at The Foundry Market, The American Civil War Museum at Historic Tredegar, Richmond, VA. June 2017
Appalachian String Band Festival 'Clifftop' 2017
July 29-Aug 6
Day 1, I've been beer'd.
Beth Hartness & Adam Hurt picking RB14
Day 6, SOLD OUT.
The gangs all here. Zak Heerbrandt, Devon Flaherty, Candice Weber & Tyler Burke
2nd Annual Norfolk Folk Festival
@ O'Connor Brewering Co.
Aug 12th 2017
In a van down by... Zak Heerbrandt aka 'Doc Elliot' sings 'Little Old Log Cabin Down the Lane' prepping for his performance at 2nd Norfolk Folk Festival August 2017
Soundcheck!
We make it to Vienna, Austria on our 2 week Euro trip and I'm already looking for a banjo to pick.
Sept 2017
John-Anthony DeMaio picks every note that exists on his new and improved Gold Tone Plectrum
Oct 2017
Tom Larsen of BlackBerry Banjos pops in for a visit, he just happened to be in town that week.
April 2018
Seen here picking newly completed RB18
aka 'One-Eyed Jack'
Longtime friend, Nick Bays holds his custom RB17 'Seahorse' for the first time. Somewhere in eastern Kentucky
April 2018
47th Annual Mount Airy Bluegrass & Old-time Fiddlers Convention
June 1-2, 2018
Got to Surryarts.org for more information on the Mt.Airy Fiddlers Convention
Appalachian String Band Festival aka 'Clifftop'
July 30-Aug 5th, 2018
John Hermann & The Ruglifters picking Vendor Alley
It's not a real Clifftop if their ain't mud. Tarp it.
Adam Hurt knows how to bring the party.
Cathy Fink & Dan Gellert & Adam in the tent and lookers on.
Dan Gellert critiques RB18, he was generous!
Dwight Diller teaching us tunes & technique.
Fellow Virginian & Banjo Addict Jim picks RB15 'Ghost' while new friend & Banjo maker
Andy Lundeen of Silver Hill Woodworks looks on.
Victor Furtado brings out the sonic resonance of RB19
Jim & his VW Bus is on a journey man. Far out.
Bon Voyage pickers & fiddlers
Rockbridge Mountain Music
& Dance Festival
September 2018
Glen Maury Park, Buena Vista, VA
for more info about the festival
The Earl White Stringband played the Saturday night dance, it was a hoot!
Southwestern Virginia Roadtrip
October 2018
Floyd, VA
Willis, VA
Galax, VA
Independence, VA
Grayson Highlands & Mt. Rogers, VA
via rt 221 and rt 58
The Blue Ridge Music Center Museum on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Galax, VA
We had the honor of hearing Riley Baugus perform at the Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, VA
Oct 2018
Old Homestead along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Grayson Highlands, VA.
Expert fit of this Saddle Notch handhewn Log Cabin. I would sign my name on that joint as well.
Wayne Henderson Guitar at the
Grayson Highlands State Park Museum
Buzz saw Frontier painting, ugh yeah I want that on my wall.
A visit to my good buddy Gene Bowlen's
Homestead & Recording Studio
Port Republic, VA
2018 Banjo Gathering at
The Birthplace of Country Music
Bristol, VA
Jake Blount records live 'ON AIR' at Radio Bristol the tune "Blow The Grave" on RB18
a pair of matchstick fiddles, functional folk art
Jake Blount is a tour de force in the Bluegrass & Old Time Community not only as musician, but as an Ethnomusicologist and Activist. It was my honor to meet him at the 2018 'gathering, to hear him speak and perform.
a visit to master banjo maker & engraver
Bob Anderson's workshop in
Weaverville, NC
January 2019
I spent a great long weekend with Bob & his wife Kathy. They treated me to dinner & brews in Weaverville. I got to tour Bob's rebuilt Tobacco Barn that he painstakenly restored. In the barn is his banjo workshop, upstairs is the engraving room. Here is where I began my own humble engraving lessons.
Vancouver, WA & Portland, OR
a visit with family and friends & a chance meetup with Brooks Masten of Brooks Banjos
February 2019
Brooks was incredibly gracious and kind. The wife and I got to tour his complete operation and hear his origin stories. Getting to visit Brooks and spend time with him and his mastercraft was a big highlight on this trip.
Suislaw National Forest - Cape Perpetua, OR
2019 Rockbridge Mountain Music Festival
Buena Vista, VA
Sept 2019
In my opinion Mountain Music festivals are whirlwind experiences. More often then not I am entirely enjoying myself and forget to take some snaps! The video below is some audio from a late night jam, just down the road from camp.
With me is Buzz, aka (the unofficial) Mayor of Clifftop,
VA chapter
I would say we were liquored.
The Thang Affrolachian String Band Concert
Sept 2019
I was more than humbled to be invited to 'The Thang' Affrolachian String Band Music Concert held by Dr. Dena Jennings at the Jennings Farm in bucolic Nasons, VA.
Peformances by: Dena Jennings, Vialerie Diaz Leroy, Joe Seamons, Brian Farrow, Moses Crouch, Piedmont Blue, Greg Adams, Jackie Merritt & Resa Gibbs, Brandi Pace, Jim Bunch, Jake Blount, Jeff Chumley, Sara Ghebremichael, Emily Oleson & Matthew Olwell.
Surprise guest musician, activist and extraordinaire Rhiannon Giddens
22nd Annual Banjo Gathering at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA
October 2019
Notable presentation by Kristina Gaddy about her travels & research on the Edelweiss Pirates for her book,