Category Archives: Uncategorized

Banjo Masters Oral History Project: Hank Smith

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Bud Bennett

A few years ago just before the Carolina in the Fall festival (the third week in September), I stumbled upon some recordings by Hank Smith. I don’t remember how I found them, but I do remember sitting here listening to … Continue reading →

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Highlights of the McConnell Library Appalachian Music Collection- Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn

Posted on September 17, 2018 by Bud Bennett

  http://   A few years ago, I was listening to an album I randomly picked out to play by a band called The Sparrow Quartet.  I knew it was a project that old-time banjoist, Abigail Washburn had put together, … Continue reading →

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Geoff Stelling- Master Banjo Luthier

Posted on May 30, 2017 by Bud Bennett

More and more, the word “luthier” seems to be one that people don’t know the meaning of.  Basically, a luthier is a person who makes musical instruments (and these days one might be hard pressed to name more than a few people … Continue reading →

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Banjo Masters Interview Series- Previews

Posted on November 10, 2016 by Bud Bennett

There are a lot of things I like about our Banjo Masters interview series. One of the first things that come to mind about that is how I really enjoy picking who to interview.  My thought on that subject has always … Continue reading →

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John Bullard Interview

Posted on July 18, 2016 by Bud Bennett

For those who want to jump right to the interview-  Part 1…… Part 2 As a banjo player, I have always been attracted to music that is a little out of the mainstream.  For several years I played banjo in a … Continue reading →

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Highlights of the McConnell Library Appalachian Music Collection- Bill Keith

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Bud Bennett

(photo copyright Fred Robbins, used by permission) William Bradford Keith (12/20/1939-10/23/2015) joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys in 1963. Bill Monroe called him Brad Keith because he didn’t want another person named Bill in the band. What he did want … Continue reading →

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Bill Monroe

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Bud Bennett

September 13, 1911 – September 9, 1996 My Last Days on Earth   (photo courtesy of Kim Johnson and used with permission)

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Rest in peace Earl Scruggs

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Bud Bennett

Earl Scruggs passed away yesterday, March 28, 2012 around 10:00am at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville.  It is a sad day indeed.  Earl was, by all reports, a kind and gentle person and I know that I am not aware … Continue reading →

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"Give Me the Banjo" on PBS Nov 4

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Bud Bennett

There has been a documentary in the works for quite a while now and it is apparently finished and will air Nov 4 at 9:00-pm on PBS. The Banjo Project has a very nice website talking about this documentary and … Continue reading →

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Highlights of the McConnell Library Appalachian Music Collection- World Turning

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Bud Bennett

When I was much younger than I am now, I came across a print of a painting that really spoke to me.  It was a painting by Henry Tanner of an old African-American man in a rustic cabin.  In his … Continue reading →

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