Bill Evans - San Francisco Bay Area musician and Virginia native Bill Evans has been involved with bluegrass music and the banjo for over twenty-five years as a player, teacher, writer and historian. He occupies a unique niche in the banjo world: celebrated worldwide for his traditional and progressive bluegrass banjo styles as well as his innovative original compositions, he also enjoys a reputation as an outstanding instructor as well as being an expert player of 19th century minstrel and classic/parlor banjo styles. His latest accomplishment is authoring Banjo for Dummies for Wiley Publications. Since its release in August 2007, Banjo For Dummies has become the largest selling banjo book in the world.

Bill Honker - .Bill Honker's bass style has been honed and seasoned by 30 years experience with groups ranging from traditional to progressive bluegrass, as well as country music and western swing groups.  He has played with many of the groups which have defined bluegrass in the Oklahoma/Texas area, including Roanoke, the Lone Star Grass, Grounds for Divorce, the Cooke Brothers, the Stone Mountain Boys, Bill Grant and Delia Bell, and Billy Joe Foster and Special Edition.  He currently anchors the Alan Munde Gazette.  Bill's easygoing manner, thoughtful approach, and quick wit put students at ease and make him a favorite at bass workshops. www.AlanMundeGazette.com

Tim May - If you were not fortunate enough to have caught a show by the Nashville-based group Crucial Smith during its fifteen-year run, flatpicking guitarist Tim May has probably managed to fly under your flatpicking radar. If that is the case, then get ready for him to pop up on your screen and be added to your list of favorite flatpickers because he is starting to fly high. Guitar guru, toured with Patty Loveless promoting her bluegrass album, “Mountain Soul” and also played in Eddie Rabbitt’s “Hare-Trigger Band”. Tim has recorded three albums with “Crucial Smith”. He has been featured in “Flatpicking Guitar Magazine”, “Bluegrass Unlimited” and “Bluegrass Now”.

In the past couple of years he has toured with Patty Loveless, played on an all-star-cast Rounder project called Moody Bluegrass: A Nashville Tribute to he Moody Blues and recorded a bluegrass gospel project with Charlie Daniels. Additionally, FGM Records is getting ready to release Tim’s new solo CD and he is featured in a new FGM Records concert DVD with Brad Davis and Cody Kilby.

If you own the Flatpicking Favorites: Hot and Spicy CD and have listened to Cody Kilby and Tim May tear up “Lonesome Fiddle Blues,” you’ll know why Tim is now getting called to play so many prominent gigs in Nashville. As they say here in southwest Virginia, “The boy can pick!”

Elliott Rogers was born in Osceola, Arkansas and grew up in Albuquerque NM. He fell in love with bluegrass music at an early age by hearing local bands like the Big River Boys and the Clear Ditch Ramblers. His trio in High School opened for Doc Watson. “That was a mighty big deal for me and pointed me in the direction I took with music.” That path led Elliott to Austin Texas after a hitch in the Army at FT Hood. There he worked for years with songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, George Ensle and Blaze Foley, and recorded with Lyle Lovett , Nancy Griffith and Robert Earl Keen on Roberts first album, ‘No Kinda Dancer’

“Along with everything else, we hosted a weekly Musician Night at the Soap Creek Saloon and had a great time in Austin.” Elliott and his wife Janice moved back to Albuquerque and as fate would have it, started a band with 2 members of the Big River Boys, the band that he would sneak in to see as a kid. “Wayne Shrubsall has taught me everything I know about Bluegrass and is an outstanding banjo player and musician.” (Look for his CD with Alan Munde, ‘Old Friends’.) He and Claude Stephenson on mandolin and super talented wife Janice on Bass make up the current Elliott’s Ramblers and have been festival favorites in the southwest for nearly 20 years. Elliott is also a member of the ADOBE BROS. a popular band that plays a huge variety of songs and styles. The Brothers are Moby Adobe (Wayne Shrubsall), Toby Adobe (Bruce Thompson), Obi Juan Adobe (Tim DeYoung) and Hydrophoby Adobe. They recently added the lovely Anita Pricechek on bass. What a band! Elliott’s songs have won awards and have been recorded by Jill Jones, the Bluegrass Patriots and Sons and Brothers. Elliott brings driving rhythm guitar, smooth lead and harmony vocals and contributes original material to the Gazette.

Nate Lee - Nineteen-year-old Nate Lee brings a youthful energy to the camp. Like Steve Smith, Nate was born in Virginia, but moved to Texas when he was four years old. Growing up in a musical family in Ovilla, Texas (Nate’s father is banjo maker Chuck Lee), Nate started playing fiddle at the age of ten. He took lessons from Valerie O’Brien and gained valuable experience in Texas Old-Time Contest fiddling. Nate is currently a student at South Plains College. Nate plays fiddle and sings harmony vocals with the Alan Munde Gazette.

Anne Luna – While attending SPC (AA Commercial Music 2004) Anne was voted Female Instrumentalist of the Year two consecutive years.  To complement her instruction at SPC,  Anne studied classical bass techniques at Texas Tech University.  As a bassist, she has recorded with Alan Munde, Kenny Maines, and Amanda Shires, to name a few.  She has played with various groups over the years, including the Spring Creek Bluegrass Band, Doctor Skoob and the Acoustic Groove, the April Verch Band, Steve Smith and Hard Road, and Hot Foot Toby.  Her energy and easy-going manner make her an excellent addition to the Camp Bluegrass family. 

Megan Lynch was raised in Redding, California. She began taking lessons at the age of four and started competing shortly thereafter. Megan won her first National Championship at age 8 and followed that with three consecutive wins at ages 10, 11, and 12. In 2003 Megan made a return to serious competition and captured two more National titles in 2003 and 2004. During the last 24 years of on-and-off competition, Megan has also won 6 California State titles, as well as the Minnesota State Championships.
Since moving to Nashville, Megan has played with country legend Pam Tillis as well as bluegrass luminaries Roland White, Larry Cordle, Jim Hurst, and Chris Jones. Megan is a former member of Koch recording artists 3 Fox Drive and west coast supergroup Due West. She is the founder and director of FiddleStar Youth and Adult Fiddle Camps. Megan is a fiddler of varied interests and influences. You never know if she’s going to go Texas style, Celtic, Motown, Bluegrass, or all of the above!

Steve Smith - is a musician, composer, performer, and teacher. His music reflects the many influences his life, from his beginnings in Virginia as the son of a musician to his current home in the desert southwest (Las Cruces, New Mexico). You can observe these influences in his musical compositions, performances and multi-instrumental prowess as he conquers everything from Bluegrass and Old-time, to Jazz, chamber, Celtic and New Age music. Steve has performed professionally for over 25 years and has toured in 47 states, 8 European countries, Cuba, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He has appeared in the national touring company cast of the Harry Chapin musical "Cotton Patch Gospel" as an actor and multi-instrumentalist. He also appeared in the off-Broadway production hit "The Robber Bridegroom" and composed the score to the Sam Sheppard play "Curse of the Starving Class". He is founder and leader of the old-time, retro-bluegrass, modern acoustic band Steve Smith and Hard Road. He is a former member of the group Cloud Valley and the Nothin' Doin' band. Steve plays mandolin, sings lead and harmony vocals.
www.DesertNight.com

Steve Williams - Steve is a talented multi-instrumentalist ( dobro, steel, guitar, bass) from Lubbock,Texas with many years experience as a professional musician. He has worked with a who's-who of Texas musicians including Austin favorite Marcia Ball. He is now a full time faculty members of the South Plains College Commercial Music Department and a first time Camp Bluegrasser!

Dede Wyland - Best known in Bluegrass circles as the lead singer for Tony Trischa's influential 1980s band SKYLINE, Dede will share her beautiful voice and years of vocal teaching experience with a small group of lucky students. BACK AGAIN BY POPULAR DEMAND!

The Rest of the Faculty:
(special in their own ways)

Joe Carr - Joe is an experienced teacher with many instructional books and videos to his credit. His patience with and love of beginner players will be put to good use this year as he directs afternoon "slow jams."

Gerald Jones - Certified banjo weirdo, who also plays guitar, mandolin and fiddle, you are more likely to see him at 3 a.m. in the dorm teaching and picking, than in class at 10:00 a.m. His special topics sessions are camp favorites.

Ed Marsh - Kentucky native Marsh is a Bluegrass fiddler, bassist, video music instructor, songwriter, recording engineer, and music theory specialist. Along with Tim McCasland, he was one of the first instructors in the bluegrass music program at South Plains College. Ed understands our music in a way few others do.

Alan Munde - World class banjo stylist featured in the banjo bible, SPC instructor and excellent teacher. Many years teaching experience give Alan special insight into the problems faced by players of all levels. His time tested techniques really work! www.AlanMundeGazette.com

Beth Mead - is the bluegrass and banjo specialist at South Plains College. She has two well-received solo cds (available on CD baby) and is a contributor to Mel Bay's webzine Banjo Sessions. Here what a fan had to say: "Met her at Camp Bluegrass. Great CD's! author: Met Beth at the 2004 & 2005 sessions of Camp Bluegrass. She did several of the songs on this CD. Had to have it! My banjo instructor and I played it on the long drive from Levelland to San Antonio. Made an otherwise boring drive most enjoyable!! "

With a strong education background, Beth has the rare ability to breakdown difficult techniques into easily digestable (and tasty) morsels.