Banjo Studio Podcast

Chad Kopotic is the master builder over at the Deering Banjo Company and has been with Deering for 27 years now. Chad knows pretty much everything there is to know when constructing and setting up banjos. He's a great resource and gives us a lot of great tips on how to properly set up your banjo.

New Orleans tenor banjoist Don Vappie talks with us today. We get into a number of things including some chord voicings, articulation and phrasing in your music, what it means to be Creole, and more!

Raised in Lafayette, Louisiana but based in New Orleans, Doug Belote is one of the most in demand drummers on the scene today. He has played or recorded with too many musicians to name but some of these include Jerry Douglas, Derrick Trucks, Dr. John, John Oates, Robben Ford, Charlie Hunter, Anders Osborne, Ryan Cavanaugh, and many more (including yours truly).

We're glad to feature shredding 5-string banjoist Ryan Cavanaugh back on the Banjo Studio podcast. Ryan just released a fantastic record called Ryan Cavanaugh Screams Electric with his New Orleans based jazz fusion trio. We get into the process of making this record as well as a number of other topics.

In this episode we interview French guitarist Antoine Boyer. Antoine has his roots in gypsy jazz but progressed to study in depth classical guitar and modern jazz.

We are happy to feature the Grammy winning singer songwriter and multi instrumentalist Tim O’Brien on the Banjo Studio podcast. Tim grew up singing in church and in school, and after seeing Doc Watson on TV, became a lifelong devotee of old time and bluegrass music. Tim first toured nationally with Colorado bluegrass band Hot Rize, which formed in 1978. Kathy Mattea scored a country hit with his song “Walk The Way The Wind Blows” in 1986, and soon more artists like Nickel Creek and Garth Brooks covered his songs. Over the years, Tim has collaborated with his sister Mollie O’Brien, songwriter Darrell Scott, and noted old-time musician Dirk Powell, as well as with Steve Earle, Bill Frisell, Mark Knopfler, Steve Martin, and Sturgill Simpson.

O’Brien says his most recent recording “He Walked On” is about “what you need to do to survive in America”. Covering work, racial issues, and modern technology, its eight originals and five covers offer an expansive portrayal of the nation from its beginnings to the present day, Personnel includes long time bandmates Mike Bub (bass), Shad Cobb (fiddle), and Jan Fabricius (mandolin and vocal), along with drummer Pete Abbott, bassist Edgar Meyer, guitarist Bo Ramsey, and gospel singer Odessa Settles.

We recently got to chat with banjo master Tony Trischka about many topics including his new recording Shall We Hope.

Taj Mahal has been one of my favorite musicians since I was a teenager. We were very honored that Taj would take time to speak with us. Initially slated for a short 15-20 minute interview, Taj had a good time speaking with the Banjo Studio Podcast host, Jonathan Freilich, and spoke with him for over an hour!

Listen as Taj talks about his beginnings, how he got started playing the banjo, his approach to the banjo and the way he tunes it, and much more.

David Grier is one of the greatest flatpicking guitarists of all time. Listen to his reflections on Tony Rice's influence, the direction of bluegrass today, his own influences, and more.

David Immergluck is an American multi-instrumentalist who is best known as a guitarist in the alternative rock bands Counting Crows, Camper Van Beethoven and the Monks of Doom, as well as for his tenure with American singer songwriter John Hiatt. A versatile musician, Immerglück plays mandolin, pedal steel guitar, bass, slide guitar, electric sitar, keyboards, and sings.