Scott Anderson – Banjo
Florida native Scott Anderson began his professional banjo career with the traditional bluegrass sound of Tom Henderson’s Bluegrass Parlor Band in 1989. Shortly thereafter he co-founded Endless Highway, releasing one CD project and showcasing at IBMA.
Following the critical success of his first solo project Rivers in 2001, he performed with The Scott Anderson Band while also doing stints in The Jim Hurst Band and Keith Sewell Band. A breakthrough CD project with his daughter Amanda in 2009 led to the formation of The Amanda and Scott Anderson Band. In 2010 with an All-Star cast, Scott dredged up a swampy soup of originals and favorites on his second solo project, Tales from the Swamp and added those songs to the setlist. In 2019 he joined forces with some very talented old friends and family to form his current band, Medicine Springs and he also still tours with The Jim Hurst Band. Scott is not only a banjo instructor but has been a serious student of the banjo for decades, studying the great players of Scruggs, Reno and single string, and melodic styles. Scott began teaching banjo as a teenager and teaches private lessons and classes at music camps across the country. Scott has also performed with Claire Lynch, Vassar Clements, Larry Rice, Byron Berline, Adam Steffey, Clay Hess, Newtown, Chubby Wise, Allen Shadd, Shawn Lane & Richard Bennett, Chief Jim Billie, and the Naples Philharmonic Orchestra (yes, with a banjo!) among many others. Scott has been featured in Banjo Newsletter and has contributed many articles to the magazine as well, including articles and interviews with Béla Fleck, Tony Trischka, Bill Evans, Barry Abernathy, Greg Cahill, Scott Vestal, Cory Walker and Ron Stewart.
Bill Evans
Bill Evans is an internationally recognized five-string banjo life force. As a performer, teacher, writer and composer, he brings a deep knowledge, intense virtuosity and contagious passion to all things banjo, with thousands of music fans and banjo students from all over the world in a music career that now spans over thirty-five years. Bill’s banjo artistry is best experienced in live performance and on his recordings Fine Times at Fletcher’s House with Fletcher Bright (2013), In Good Company (2012), let’s do something with Megan Lynch (2009), Bill Evans Plays Banjo (2001), and Native and Fine (1995). Bill successfully bridges traditional and contemporary sounds and playing techniques, creating a new music that is firmly within the bluegrass tradition but draws upon a broad knowledge of classical, jazz and world music, drawing upon his experiences as a graduate student in Music at the University of California, Berkeley and as the associate director of the International Bluegrass Music Museum. In the last two years, Bill has toured throughout the Untied States, Canada, England, and Germany and toured Russia for the U.S. State Department. Recent appearances include A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor and performances with the San Francisco Symphony. From festival to folk society stages, to universities and performing arts centers, The Banjo in America has earned standing with a dazzling display of banjo artistry of unparalleled historical depth geared towards entertaining general audiences. At any one time in his home near Richmond, California, Bill teaches between forty and sixty students, in addition to maintaining a steady international touring schedule. In addition, Bill teaches the most popular bluegrass ensemble classes in the San Francisco Bay Area at the Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse and he is on the faculty of the California Jazz Conservatory.
Alan Munde
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
Gerald Jones
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 8:30 a.m. His special topics sessions are camp favorites.TheGeraldJones.com