I'm a fiddle player since '72, and played in all sorts of bands since then, mostly in bars up until 2001. That year I formed a band with my 2 sons (ages 13 and 11 at that time), who had been well steeped in fiddle and other types of music since birth. We perform at festivals up and down the East Coast, and I was able to put both thru college with the $ we made. Always loved oldtime banjo, and wanted to add that instrument to our band. Failing to find a player who could keep our busy schedule (mostly away weekends) and was interested enough in our song catalog, I decided a few years ago to take it up. I keep my banjo next to my desk in the home office and pick it up to flesh out ideas all the time. Playin' banjo always puts a smile on people's faces. Mine included!

After being introduced to the banjo by a great uncle on my Dad's family side in the early 80's, I've mainly been just playing for fun in my home to myself this past 40 years. I did attend an open mic night for 6 months about 15 years ago but hated seeing my turn to perform getting closer each fortnight so gave up on that. I've met very few other musicians locally so I'll continue self pleasuring until I'm done I expect. I've not really had much outside interest in my playing or encouragement from those that have heard me so front room picking suits me.

I first learned Scruggs style and clawhammer in the early 70's on one of the early Iida's (still have it!). Played Bluegrass occasionally after moving to Indiana in 1976, but was hard to find people to play with. By 1985 I was in full-time parish ministry and went back to my guitar as more useable in that setting. Picked up my banjo again 8 years or so ago and relearned clawhammer. Got a Gold-tone open back and played with a dulcimer group (LOT of Double D tuning!). Occasionally was in a jam, but COVID pretty well did that in. Now I play most weeks in a jam that started out Bluegrass/Country but has morphed into almost all Country. Travel about once a month to play with OT fiddlers about 140 miles away in Illinois, and have recently started visiting a monthly Bluegrass jam about 60 miles the other way in Indiana.
I've not been able to find other pickers close to home. I like playing with others for mutual enjoyment, but I'm not interested in a band. If I'm honest, most of my picking is for my own enjoyment with occasional sharing with others.

I used to play in a semi-pro band (weekends, some tours), all rock/punk, and then country/Irish/punk- Pogues like. That band broke up, and I got a real job- teaching. Ironically, I play more now than I did then because I have more time and money then when I was in the band (where all time and money goes toward maintaining the band). I don't go to many jams because of my work situation (double irony), but I do busk occasionally and play just about everyday on my own, which is actually more playing than I did while in a band. With an actual job and a little actual money, I can afford nicer banjos which keeps me excited about playing. I learned a huge amount playing in a band, but the lifestyle and poverty of it kept me from really expanding on the banjo- I know- ironic!

I play for the wonder of the banjo sound. Never played in a band or in public. Friends and family are the only people who have heard me. Been playing since the mid 70s and still make plenty of mistakes. Mostly gospel and folk music. I recently broke a tendon in my left pinky and found out real quick how that digit means is in playing. Until after surgery I am limited to the simplest of tunes. May God bless all who make that joyful sound!

I play in a "not too serious" Americana/Gospel/Bluegrass trio. I switch between clawhammer banjo and mandolin, depending on the song, play either guitar or clawhammer at an assisted living center once a month, and play at church occasionally. I would like to try a jam but don't know of any in my area.

I joined the band I still play with in 1977.I was attending college on the GI Bill in Farmington (Elementary Education) and hated going back to school so much I quit after less than 2 semesters even though I could have had 4 years for free,

On my way out the door with my last armload of stuff I caught a glimpse of a card on the communal bulletin board.The card drew my attention with its colorful picture of a banjo so I walked over and read "Local band in need of a banjo player.Call this number."

And there was a phone on one of the tables so I set down my box and dialed the number.
Voice on the other end said "We're practicing tonight at my house" and I went there to audition.
After about an hour they said I was hired.

We played the Sugarloaf and Saddleback ski resorts for many years,many festivals,Rock the Dock parties and booze cruises on the Monhegan boats for Jimmy Barstow.
We still get together a few times a year and especially enjoy the annual East Benton Fiddlers Convention where we entertain and provided the sound for over 40 years.

I also had the privilege of playing with Vaughn Meader's Piano Bar for 15 years.
We did a handful of Bluegrass tunes like Dear Old Dixie and Dixie Hoedown,but mostly popular pieces like Blueberry Hill and Secret Love and so many piano pieces I only heard a couple of times.
I found not knowing what was going to happen next to be quite interesting.

I love going to our 2 local weekly jams.Again,I find these very interesting in not knowing what's going to happen next.

Playing at our Camden American Legion Monday with old friends.We play there every Veteran's Day.I'll be playing Soldier's Joy and whatever else comes along.I think we're practicing tomorrow morning.

Busking around Europe in the early to mid '80's was a gas. Then playing from the early '90's to COVID with an international theme park kept me in Europe playing banjo and jumping through the hoops. It was less fun than the Irish pubs and American restaurants in Paris, but necessary to raise a couple of kids and pay off my manoir on the banks of the Marne River. (heh, heh, - still paying)
Face it, the face of playing for the public has changed since March, 2020....at least in my neck of the woods.
I think that we all are lucky people to have an interest/passion for the banjo and should enjoy it to the max no matter what level we are on. The world has a tendency to heal itself if allowed and our contribution as players of one of the happiest sounding instruments known to man should never be underestimated.

I’m an at home clawhammer player. First learned with Cath Fink online and in person and with Adam Hurt in person. Alison DeGroot, Frank Evans, and Chris Cooke on online classes. I love the challenge of learning. I can’t say enough about how kind and wonderful these people are and the people I have met via the banjo. My husband and the dogs no longer leave when I play.

I've been playing since I was a kid. So that's 64-years.

In 1985 I became a professional 4 and 5-string player and humorous  storyteller. Made a living at it touring for 27-years. I guess you could look me up. I'm also on Facebook (Banjoman) and Youtube.  I;m pretty much self taught basing everything off of chord forms. Since I'm off the road, I tend to doodle on my 5-string to relax and I'm exploring my trad-jazz with a guitar at these Friday jams.

I would love to play with others, but there isn’t much of a jam scene in Northern Utah. Best I can do is with my kids, but they’re stuck in different decades of rock right now. I preferred the country phase. I could make the banjo fit in there.
I went to hear what was supposed to be a night of bluegrass in Salt Lake. 8 acts played. One act had a banjo. It was open back and he was mostly drop thumbing.

Ive been a session clawhammer player for 20yrs or so. I was lucky enough to play with an established folk rock band providing bluegrass style rolls etc at some great festivals. I became seriously ill with cancer and spent my recovery time learning lead guitar and producing my own music(multi genre- youtube mark styles topic). Im currently looking to get a bluegrass band together in my region. Just loving playing at the moment.

I offer boogers to anyone I jam with.

Played keys in bands for years and now have a few guys come by every once in a while, to jam on classic rock, blues and old country stuff. As for the banjo, no band. I’ve done a few jams and jam classes but get most of my playing done on the sofa with my wife on guitar and Strum Machine on bass and mandolin chops. What I think I would really enjoy most is a once-a-month small group of no more than eight regular jammers, bass, mandolin, guitar banjo to start.

I feel very fortunate to have year 'round weekly jams ( Monday,Thursday and Sunday) within 15 miles of home with a usual turn-out of 20 musicians who get to play whatever crosses their mind when it's their turn.
Sometimes only 10% bluegrass,but always inclusive.
I have always enjoyed playing banjo in non-bluegrass settings.

I would rate myself as "pretty good" at a Pete Seeger folk style and "not bad"at Scruggs style. I attend a weekly Sunday afternoon jam in Townsend at The Abbey, and I teach at banjo The Heritage Center in Townsend for the JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) program every Monday evening.

I’d say struggling learner. Lots of jamming, an occasional free gig with jam mates at retirement homes. I do have aspirations to perform for money but like many banjo players its’s been easier to find people willing to pay me to stop playing (ba dum bum).

quote:

---

Originally posted by Laurence Diehl

quote:

---

Originally posted by BG Banjo

Just out of curiosity, who here plays banjo in a serious prime time band, who plays in a not so serious less than prime time band, regularly play at bluegrass jams or with friends, and who just enjoys playing at home for their own enjoyment?
 

---

I have been through all these stages at some point but happy just to play in my living room now!

---

I'm certainly with Laurence Diehl on this:  my wife and I now play together at home and enjoy it.  When someone discovers I'm "a banjo player," they often ask where we perform.  My response nowadays is, "We regularly star in our own living room."  ;)

quote:

---

Originally posted by Just Bill

quote:

---

Originally posted by Laurence Diehl

quote:

---

Originally posted by BG Banjo

Just out of curiosity, who here plays banjo in a serious prime time band, who plays in a not so serious less than prime time band, regularly play at bluegrass jams or with friends, and who just enjoys playing at home for their own enjoyment?
 

---

I have been through all these stages at some point but happy just to play in my living room now!

---

I'm certainly with Laurence Diehl on this:  my wife and I now play together at home and enjoy it.  When someone discovers I'm "a banjo player," they often ask where we perform.  My response nowadays is, "We regularly star in our own living room."  ;)

---

Yep! I played bluegrass in Tucson around 79-80. The Oxbow Saloon days!

I'm a musician who plays traditional music on a number of string instruments (with varying degrees of competence) and some instrument without strings. I consider myself primarily a guitarist, but have had a banjo of one sort or another, starting with a polish no-name 5 string when I was in high school at the height of the great folk music scare, I currently play a 1911 Wythe Laydie conversion, Model that I bought in 1970. I also have a home made 6 string banjo and a 4 string ukulele banjo from the twenties, and a Pollmann mandolin banjo from 1890. I sold a nice tenor to a Banjo hangout member last year.
I generally pair songs I want to learn with the appropriate instrument, so I don't play fiddle tunes on the guitar, I scratch them out on a fiddle. For banjo I play primarily clawhammer, since the rhythm and melodic parts is a better accompaniment for singing than three finger style. No shade on Earl, I don't play in a band or at jams. I also divide my repertoire by instrument, so I only have to bring one to an open mic. I've learned a ton from Banjo Hangout, and gotten marginally better as a result.

In 1967 I got a used Sears 4-string banjo my mom had seen in the classifieds and began playing sort of a hybrid flatpicked bluegrass style (I tuned the banjo DBGD) in a high school jug band doing Jim Kewskin songs. Later I learned to Travis pick the guitar and applied it to the banjo (still 4-string). Eventually I acquired a Harmony 5-string and promptly cut the ugly headstock to a fiddlehead using the template from Earl Scruggs banjo book. The banjo still sounded ugly but I used it with various folk groups throughout grad school and then into my working years in Delaware. I played at a jam in Wilmington with David Bromberg for several years, which was terrifying but I learned a lot. I finally upgraded to (you'll laugh) a Morgan-Monroe Walton 5-string, which I then had hot-rodded by Steve Huber with a new rim and ring. I've led one folk band (guitar, banjo, accordion, mandolin, bass) for about 20 years and just before the pandemic joined another existing folk group in which 2 of the four members are in their mid-80's and are still terrific performers. We did a leisurely 30 gigs this past year, mostly in breweries and wineries. I would gladly play for free; but we charge to play mostly so we'll be taken seriously.

Love playing and learning but reluctant to play with others. I just have to get more brave. As primarily a fiddle player, the banjo is a fun obsession I go into sometimes and when I do it, I am reminded to do it more! One day soon I will venture to jam with friends :-)

Interesting to hear about the things that everyone does and see how accomplished most of you are.
As for me, you can tell from my moniker that I am 88 years old. Started in 1960 and played for a couple of years with friends at parties. After getting married (58 years ago) I put the Vega away and did not pick it up until I retired in 2017. At that time, my oldest grandchild ( a granddaughter) played the guitar and found out that I once played a bit of banjo. She wanted to play with me. So I dug out the old Vega, took it to Mike Munford to shape it up and started teaching myself clawhammer. Later went to my own version of two finger drop thumb ingot proficient with both styles, but only play at home for family. My wife really likes hearing me as do my children and grandchildren. Like Old Hickory, I live in the DC area but really have no interest in playing in jams,etv. I play mostly folk music and since I always could sing well I sing along.

Neglected to mention that Ira Gillian is in the immediate DC area too.

quote:

---

Originally posted by martyjoe

I love music. Love banjo. Love jams. I’m a hack but I love it.

---

What he said !