www.phillevine.com
Playing Since: 2002
Experience Level: Intermediate

nyartist has made 9 recent additions to Banjo Hangout 

Interests:
[Socializing]

Occupation: artist-art tour organizer

Gender: Male
Age: 81

My Instruments:
2 Gold Tone banjos. An 11" for travel and the new fangled 12" with the kind of composite rim which for some reason holds its tuning better than any banjo I've ever had - and that's a bunch of banjos



Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Tommy Jarrell, Frank Proffitt, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Kyle Creed.

Classified Rating: (+5)
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Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 6/1/2003
Last Visit 1/18/2026

I started with bluegrass and played religiously for 5 years but never fell in love with it. I never could get my fingers moving fast enough either. Then while on a trip to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico and playing in a park with my Cripple Creek a young guy came by and asked to play my banjo. He played clawhammer style and I was hooked. From that moment on I was determined to play in that style. I took lessons from some local people here in NYC and worked with DVD's from Mike Iverson and Ken Perlman. Also got into Round Peak style and found that I enjoy both the bum ditty and the Round Peak equally, so I play both. Started taking voice lessons in December of 2010 because I've figured out what it is I like the most about playing the banjo: singing when I play. Now that singing is part of my practice I find I'm playing more bum ditty but adding slides, hammer-ons and pull-offs to make it more interesting. Had my playing thumb fused this year and they inserted two titanium screws. It actually helps my playing because it keeps my thumb in one position all the time. Maybe I'll patent it and sell it on the Hangout. Almost as much as Iove playing and singing I love buying and selling. Just what I do.