rferg - Posted - 01/25/2012:  10:13:32

I've been paying close attention lately to some of Ron Stewart's backup.  He's awesome.  Who else do you think does great backup?

Fathand - Posted - 01/25/2012:  10:17:00

Earl

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 01/25/2012:  10:21:35

Earl yes but you have to mention Sonny and JD. Sonny was amazing.

ken

Banjophobic - Posted - 01/25/2012:  10:25:04

Another name that doesnt get mentioned is Joe Mullins. he's one of the great players who never gets enough press.

Barnet in SoCal - Posted - 01/25/2012:  10:27:05

Craig Smith!! Incredible.... definitely Earl/JD influenced, but always recognizably his own. One of my big influences, for sure.

Trashbanjo - Posted - 01/25/2012:  10:29:25

John Hartford comes to mind.

kmwaters - Posted - 01/25/2012:  11:05:14

If it was banjo, Earl was great at it.

PickandRoll - Posted - 01/25/2012:  11:09:46

Richard Bailey and Ron Stewart are two of my favorites.

rferg - Posted - 01/25/2012:  11:26:43

Russell Sparks

banjoken - Posted - 01/25/2012:  11:29:15

Earl, JD, Mills come to mind for straight bluegrass feel, I also love Bill Keiths jazzy and bouncy backup to vocals!

Brian T - Posted - 01/25/2012:  11:29:42

Watching him in concert from the second row, Ross Nickerson.
Of course, he's a really good picker. But where he went, when he moved
forward and back, which way he turned, made a remarkable difference to the mix.
Same for Nick Hornbuckle. They know what the audience will hear.

Couchie - Posted - 01/25/2012:  11:39:01

J.D.

Jason Wilkerson - Posted - 01/25/2012:  11:52:31

This could be a really long list.  Jim Mills comes to my mind.

Prof - Posted - 01/25/2012:  12:25:06

Lynwood Lunsford

jjiscoo - Posted - 01/25/2012:  12:29:23

Scott Vestal!

69in2011 - Posted - 01/25/2012:  12:38:56

Can' forget Ralph Stanley. Rich

robbyboone - Posted - 01/25/2012:  12:42:56

Kenny Ingram...........

dennis andrews - Posted - 01/25/2012:  12:46:25

The master of the backup "Charlie Cushman"

Gator - Posted - 01/25/2012:  13:02:27

I love to watch and hear sammy shelor settle into a groove playing backup. Ron Block is also solid.

bc99 - Posted - 01/25/2012:  13:02:43

Great recommendations by everybody, I love listening to Doin' My Time with Earl playing for some nice inspiration for backup.

pick it - Posted - 01/25/2012:  13:05:50

I always thought Sonny with all the original material  with all the big hits they done through the years was the most innovative in his backup of anyone I've heard.

OSCAR82AA - Posted - 01/25/2012:  13:19:01

Listen close to what Raymond Fairchild played behind The Crowe Brothers lyrics.

 Some great banjo for sure.

eMike - Posted - 01/25/2012:  13:25:49

Ben Eldridge has been one of my favorites for a long time.  Very tasteful, but amazing back-up.

Mike

robbie93 - Posted - 01/25/2012:  14:10:28

Rob McCoury is amazing. Great backup licks.

CAPT Steve - Posted - 01/25/2012:  16:29:06

Kenny Ingram, Ron Block, Keith Arneson, Eric Gibson

Kemo Sabe - Posted - 01/25/2012:  16:35:49

Bill Evans does great back-up!  A couple of years back I saw Pete Wernick play with a band at the Argyle Festival in North Texas (this was not his regular band) - I never got the chance to tell Pete that my wife and I were very, very impressed with Pete's back-up.  We saw and heard him play and demonstrate that sometimes 'less is more' and that sometimes 'don't play at all' for a bit fits the song beautifully.  Phil 

Edited by - Kemo Sabe on 01/25/2012 16:40:25

Old Man - Posted - 01/25/2012:  16:54:38

I will second Lynwood Lunsford

JLB - Posted - 01/25/2012:  17:10:25

quote:

---

Originally posted by dennis andrews

The master of the backup "Charlie Cushman"

---

 Here's another vote for Charlie Cushman. I love to listen to his backup and he makes it look effortless.

BanjoFlyboy - Posted - 01/25/2012:  17:17:08

The Big K, Kenny Ingram.

rferg - Posted - 01/25/2012:  18:48:32

Definitely a list of great pickers here.

Gymbal31 - Posted - 01/25/2012:  18:54:28

Earl plays back-up that sounds complicated in its simplicity.  J.D. Crowe makes complicated back-up sound simple.

And as any great picker will tell you, playing back-up is 90% of what they do.  They need to be good at it. 

stringbreaker - Posted - 01/25/2012:  21:26:41

quote:

---

Originally posted by JLB

quote:

---

Originally posted by dennis andrews

The master of the backup "Charlie Cushman"

---

 Here's another vote for Charlie Cushman. I love to listen to his backup and he makes it look effortless.

---

he overplays

chaosfrailer - Posted - 01/25/2012:  22:34:30

I'd have to say that J.D. Crowe is probably the best backup player of all time. Listen to the Model Church LP---everything he does on that album is just perfect and tasteful.

Catman - Posted - 01/26/2012:  03:36:27

Another vote here for Joe Mullins. Real great stuff on the Longview recordings, Traditional Grass and now with his own band the Radio Ramblers.

Tim13 - Posted - 01/26/2012:  04:51:08

All good pickers to be sure.

Personally, simple backup played flawlessly is what I think sounds best.  Any competent player can achieve this.  The problem is most people don't spend enough time working on backup.  I'm guilty of this myself.  

Tim

Possom - Posted - 01/26/2012:  05:05:40

Earl laid the groundwork and JD pumped it up on steroids. Kenny Ingram is always driving away and pushing the music behind his work with Rhonda Vincent. Shelor is awesome as well. Always a fun feeling to his backup and knows when to back off. Mills well that's Earl reincarnated. Sonny has some awesome stuff floating around in the background. Original licks galore. All the big names we know and love are great at it probably one reason they are the "big names".

daveh - Posted - 01/26/2012:  16:20:28

I have always liked Alan O'Bryant from Nashville Bluegrass Band.

Dave

Jim Yates - Posted - 01/26/2012:  16:44:12

Earl Scruggs and John Hartford have both been mentioned.  I love both of their back-ups to Leather Britches with only banjo and fiddle.

FatManMary - Posted - 01/26/2012:  19:21:36

For my ears nobody beats Earl or Sonny. Crowe was cool with Jimmy. Porter Church and Walt Hensley are great too.

privard - Posted - 01/26/2012:  21:24:18

I do.

privard - Posted - 01/26/2012:  21:27:29

Oh, and Gregory Liszt in his work with Crooked Still. I really dig his damping technique using the heel of his hand on the bridge. Plus he's quite tastefully melodic in short bursts punctuated by percussive chucking and cleanly stated picking. 

Tom Robison - Posted - 01/26/2012:  22:55:56

Greg Cahill with Special Consensus.

Tom

sunburst - Posted - 01/26/2012:  23:03:16

Lots of great backup players mentioned already, but I haven't seen Bill Emerson mentioned.

gunnah - Posted - 01/27/2012:  19:08:02

another vote for scott vestal.....

Woodwalker - Posted - 01/27/2012:  19:28:31

Ron Stewart

Edited by - Woodwalker on 01/27/2012 19:30:14

Beardog - Posted - 01/27/2012:  20:39:11

I don't know of any professional level players who don't play great backup. At least 85% of what they do is backup, so they have to be very good at it.

hweinberg - Posted - 01/28/2012:  07:34:58

Steve Arkin.  Story from the late Marshall Freedland:  "Monroe et al. were in Burlington for a concert years ago. I brought along some photos of him I had taken over the years thinking he'd buy some for The Monroe Museum. (He DID!). There on the bus, just him and me, we talked and I asked him: "Of all the banjo players you have had over the years, Keith, Earl, Reno, etc., who did you think was the best?" Without blinking, he said, "This Jewish fella from New York, Steve Arkin!" I was incredulous. "Better than Keith, better than EARL?" "Yes, he was. I liked his back-up."  Steve toured with Mr. Monroe for a summer or a bit more after Bill Keith left the band.  Not sure if he recorded.  He's on the BHO, so maybe he can tell us if we can here his backup recorded.  I have only heard him live, and like everyone mentioned on this list, he is great.

Banjowen - Posted - 01/28/2012:  08:01:38

Dick Smith....

Shamino - Posted - 01/30/2012:  02:49:40

Beardog has it right...but if I had to choose, I'd go with Gene Parker...