Guest host Aaron Jonah Lewis interviews Steve Arkin, a well known banjo player and educator. Although Steve came to prominence during his stint with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, he has recently become a serious old time player, and performs with the Troublesome Creek String Band and the New Cut Road String Band.

January 6, 2021 would have been Earl Scruggs’s 97th birthday. To pay tribute, many today’s top players have recorded their personal memories, stories, and wisdom that they’ve gotten from Earl over the years. Enjoy!

A Freshly Picked episode with longtime friend of the podcast Greg Cahill! He joins host Keith Billik to discuss the recent Special Consensus album “Chicago Barn Dance,” which just won IBMA’s Song of the Year award for its title track.

The 2nd half of the interview with Pat Cloud features tons of great insight and live demonstrations of Pat’s musical approach to playing jazz on the 5-string banjo. Special guest Doub Pearce joins for a few questions and to play some bass. Great times were had!

In this bonus episode, Keith is joined by Doub Pearce to preview part 2 of the Pat Cloud interview. Doub is a friend of Pat’s, made the introduction, and arranged for the studio time for the interview. What hospitality!

This Freshly Picked episode features “Rooster” by Max Allard, as well as a Civil War-themed project by Warren Leming titled “A Rich Man’s War and a Poor Man’s Fight.”

Max is one of the most talented players and composers in the next generation of banjo players! You’ll really enjoy this discussion about his playing and writing.

Host Keith Billik chats with legendary banjo pioneer Pat Cloud, best known for mastering a system of playing jazz using melodic style banjo!

A “Freshly Picked” episode, exploring the recent album by banjo visionary Ben Krakauer! Ben is an extraordinarily creative force on the instrument, and this recording has his variety of musical influences on full display.

Host Keith Billik chats with Mark Cassidy, the fearless banjoist of The Hillbenders and the Get Down Boys. Topics include how he discovered the banjo, studying with Alan Munde, and opening for The Who!

In this episode, host Keith Billik teaches you how to use the 5th string for more than just drone notes. Some very useful shapes and patterns to improve your playing!

This episode profiles the recent album “Prime Time” by the trio of Dan Crary, Bill Evans, and Wally Barnick. Keith is joined by Bill Evans to discuss the background of the group, the selection and aranging of the pieces, and his banjo, singing, and composing contributions.

Greg Deering is the co-founder, with his wife Janet, of Deering Banjos, one of the largest and most popular banjo companies in the world. Topics include how he started the business, the philosophy with which Deering approaches building banjos for their customers, and how Jens Kruger has contributed to recent innovations and developments of Deering’s products.

Host Keith Billik talks to banjo virtuoso Steven Moore. Steven has won almost every major banjo contest in the country with his stunning and beautiful arrangements. He performs with the David Mayfield Parade and Almost Famous.

In the first “Freshly Picked” episode, Keith chats with the fantastic 2-finger banjo player Nick Hornbuckle about his recent album “13 or So” on Ruby’s Slipper Records. Nick is best known as a member of John Reischman and the Jaybirds, but also happens to write some great original banjo compositions.

Enjoy this conversation with Ben Wright, the banjo player for the Henhouse Prowlers. Ben has incredible stories of taking bluegrass all over the globe, on behalf of the U.S. State Department, and forging new connections with people through the common language of music.

This episode features Torrin Daniels of the popular jamgrass band The Kitchen Dwellers! Topics include his early days of learning, how he gets his unique banjo sound, his experience of working with talented banjo-playing producers, and more.

This episode features everyone’s banjo hero Ron Block, of Alison Krauss & Union Station! Although that is his primary claim to fame, he has a very prolific career with other solo projects and collaborations, including “A Light So Fair: Peaceful Guitar Instrumentals” and “Banjophony” which pairs Ron’s bluegrassy style with Irish tenor banjoist Damien O’Kane, and much more.

In part 2, host Keith Billik dives into the finer points of playing in a jam. Survival skills include how to interact with other jammers, how to incorporate licks into your playing, and how to use those licks to play songs you don’t know!

Part one of the Picky Fingers Jam Survival Guide – jam types, etiquette, and preparations.

In this episode, host Keith Billik chats with Pau Barjau of Che Apalache. Pau has a very interesting job, interpreting rhythms and sounds that are not typically heard on the banjo! Hear about his unlikely path going from a teenage bass player in Mexico City, to an aspiring banjo player in Buenos Aires, to recording a Grammy-nominated album in the United States with Bela Fleck producing.

Hosted by Keith Billik. Clarke Wyatt is a tremendous musician, primarily known as the banjo/guitar player for both the duo Betse & Clark, and also for the Short Round String Band. He has a great outlook and philosophy on what it means to be a traditional musican who also forges his own style.

Hosted by Keith Billik. This episode features one of the most influential banjo players of modern times, Sammy Shelor! Sammy is best known as the longtime 5-stringer for the Lonesome River Band.

Host Keith Billik talks with bluegrass banjo superstar Derek Vaden of the Larry Stephenson band about his career, influences, history of learning the instrument, and advice for other players.

Listen in as Keith takes a lesson with Davey Jones, the star of Episode #1 of the podcast! Davey teaches his approach to constructing chord melodies- a great way to explore arranging music, especially for solo banjo situations!

Host Keith talks banjo with Matthew Davis, best known for his contributions to the bands Westbound Situation and Circus No. 9. Great advice on improvising and practice, practice routines, and Matthew’s insight into gear and setups.