Well, here it is… the 5th volume of both Conversations with North American Banjo Builders and Conversations with Old-Time Performers. Why combine these two groups? Well, frankly, why not?

Famous composer/conductor Gustav Mahler once said, “Tradition is not to preserve the ashes, but to pass on the flame.”

Both artist groups clearly fulfill this role. After completing 4 volumes of each series, I realized these incredible people are really more alike than different and their stories complement each other! Combining the artists seemed a logical next step. Now that it’s done, I’m happy and humbled to report an even stronger, more inspiring Gestalt image of Traditional Music has emerged!

What a beautiful, vibrant musical moment-in-time we now share.

Saving it for posterity is the right thing to do.

One more reason to combine efforts: After driving through many of the same towns and places to film folks on the left side of the road, only to return a year or two later to record those on the other side of the road, I wised up and decided to film them both in one trip.

So here it is, the first combined volume of Conversations, with both groups of remarkable people! Like me, I hope you continue to be inspired by their personal stories of love for the music, the instruments and our Traditional Music Community.

Volume 5 includes the stories of the Canote Brothers (Old-time Performers), William Seeders Mosheim (Banjo Builder), Erynn Marshall and Carl Jones (Old-time Performers), Tas Philp (Banjo Builder), Beverly Smith and John Grimm (Old-time Performers), Jan Bloom (Banjo and Fiddle Builder), James Leva (Old-time Performer), Matt Acara (Banjo and Guitar Builder), Dan Levenson (Old-time Performer) and Dean Robinson (Banjo Builder).

​This Volume contains 12 exciting, inspiring life stories from the heart of our Traditional Music Community:

• 2 guitar builders
• 3 banjo builders
• 1 Traditional Music performer and publisher
• 1 Traditional Music performer and Dance historian
• And 5 Music Historian/authors covering Country, Folk, Bluegrass, Franco-American (French Canadian) traditions, ​along with the Archivist from Smithsonian Folkways.

What an amazing Music Community ​we live in! Enjoy!

Volume 6 includes the stories of Phil Jamison, Tony Klassen, Dale Fairbanks, Wayne Erbsen, Donna Hebert, Dr. Bill Malone, Dr. Ronald Cohen, Dr. Neil Rosenberg, Jeff Place, Barry Sholder, Zachary Hoyt and Carl Arcand.  ​

​Summer ’18: I’m now filming Volume 7 of my ongoing “Conversations” interview series. Some of you may be wondering why, after approximately 125 interviews, I’ve decided to dedicate an entire Volume to the stories of Black Traditional Music Performers? Haven’t they been included all along? Yes, some have.

Back in 2012, I recorded Taj Mahal as a Banjo Historian in Volume 3 of the Banjo Builder series. And in 2015, I filmed Earl White at my first Clifftop. And somewhere in between I started reaching out to Dom Flemons and Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops to set up a time to capture their narratives. But that was a busy time for them and, well, it didn’t happen.

The fact is, Black performers of Traditional string band music are alive and well and, well, out there! So rather than just continue to “catch as catch can”, I decided to simply dedicate a Volume to their stories. What a beautiful music community we share! Enjoy both the music and the history, folks. ​

Volume 7 includes the stories of Dom Flemons, Don Vappie, Jake Blount, Leyla McCalla, Rhonda Rucker, Sparky Rucker, Kaia Kater and Earl White. Television and recording historian Tim Brooks and Dr. Steven Lewis, the curator of the new National Museum of African American Music in Nashville make guest appearances.

Although this reads Volume 8, it’s really the 12th in a series of over 160 interviews! This adventure started back in 2011 as a lark to celebrate my 60th birthday… filming the stories of today’s roster of open-back Banjo Builders. Eight years later, its now become an opus on the Traditional Music Community.  What a dynamic time!

This volume includes the stories of fiddle and bow makers, Banjo Builders and incredible performers, both new and accomplished.  The good news is, this is just a sample of the beauty and humanity found in the Traditional Music Community.  It’s a great time to be playing music!

The first four-volume series, Conversations with North American Banjo Builders was donated to Smithsonian Folkways in 2014. Since then, the scope of the project has expanded to include the personal stories of performers and teachers of the music, the thoughts and findings of historians/folklorists/ethnomusicologists, retailers, festival goers/players and many more including a volume dedicated to Black performers and historians.  Combined with the Banjo Builder series, these additional eight volumes (four Old-time Performers and four Old-time Conversations) have captured for posterity a portion of the excitement, artistry, diversity and joy found in our Traditional Music Community.

Volume 8 includes the stories of Jean Horner, Nathaniel Rowen, Dr. Bob Childs, Roger Treat, Ryan Navey, Bob Anderson, Clifton Hicks, Mike Chew, Amythyst Kiah, Dakota Dave Hull  and John McCutcheon.

After finishing Volume 8 in 2018, I had big plans for the following year with Volume 9. But not before I traveled east to record Tim Brooks on his latest book The Blackface Minstrel Show in Mass Media documenting the history (and long-run) of Minstrelsy. Then, time stopped… Covid arrived and brought my travels to a screeching halt.

Where I’d planned on sampling several key Old-time festivals across the US and possibly Europe for this Volume, I narrowed my focus (and travel) to local experts that could tell me more about Traditional Music and human history.

First, I interviewed Dr. James Leary, professor emeritus at the University of Wisconsin to give me a quick course on his expertise, Traditional Music. His seminal book, Folksongs of Another America was as eye-opening as his history lessons. I also spent time with Anthropology professor Dr. Peter Harle at the University of Minnesota to learn more of the societal/cultural role of Traditional Music through recorded history (think museums). He helped me explore the Mayans, the Romans and present day Hmong in Minneapolis St. Paul. Equally as eye-opening and inspiring.

During Covid, several timely articles on the positive mental and physical benefits of music appeared. So I found and interviewed a professor (and thought-leader) on music therapy, Dr. Annie Heiderscheit at Augsburg University for the real story behind what music does to and for human beings. Fascinating!

In 2022, after two Covid-cancelled years, Clifftop finally reopened and I was capable of landing some stellar conversations with stalwart regulars Hilarie Burhans and Tricia Spencer. I also filmed a long overdue Highlight Reel.

2023 put me back on the road. In the spring I interviewed fiddle player and builder, Joe Thrift. While driving through the south, I visited Atlanta for an incredible discussion on neuroplasticity (music and the brain) with Dr. Brainjo himself, Dr. Josh Turknett. Later that spring I had a chance to meet and record the life story of storyteller Sheila Kaye Adams. And finally, a very excited Clifftop reassembled with a good crowd so I filmed a heavily caffeinated (up tempo) 2023 Highlight reel.

Since Covid had me cooped up in my office for a couple years, I decided to spend 2023 filming some major history just waiting to be found… the personal stories of Appalachian Fiddle Makers. Filming Joe Thrift’s story in the spring introduced me to a whole new group of instrument builders as motivated (and inspiring) as the Banjo Builders.

So later that fall, over 8 days I traveled 1,400 miles to interview 7 builders in 5 states: Chris Germain and Bob McCluskie in Philadelphia, PA, Don Leister in Richmond, VA, Shay Garriock in Pittsboro, NC, Larry Brown in Asheville, NC, John Ryster in Morehead, KY and Dave Bing in Gandeeville, WVA. These fiddle-makers add to those I filmed on Volume 9 (pre-Covid).