(information for this comes from Masters of the Five String Banjo by Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick, Oak Publications 1988, a truly wonderful book, go and buy it NOW)

If anyone can claim to be the founder of avant-garde banjo playing, it is Tony Trischka. With a strong footing in traditional styles (he takes inspiration from Earl Scruggs, avidly studies the minstrel style of banjo playing, and has written several excellent books on the various aspects of playing bluegrass banjo) he also has an eye to the future. He has played with the Violent Femmes, an alternative rock band, paved the way for newgrass music with his ground-breaking work in Breakfast Special, Country Cooking and Skyline, and has been the teacher and mentor for such banjo exemplaries as Bela Fleck and Tony Furtado.

Tony is also one hell of a nice guy. I’m glad to call him my friend.

Here’s an awesome cartoon of (from left to right) Tony Trischka, Bela Fleck (a pupil of Tony’s, and musical wizard extraordinaire), and Bill Keith (founder of one of the three main techniques of bluegrass banjo playing). It was drawn by my friend Jeff Miller for a benefit concert for Don Stover in November, 1994. The cartoon has since appeared in the Banjo Newsletter.