Notes from the Road

Like many of you, I’m watching the situation in Ukraine with dismay, while deeply inspired by the spirit of the Ukrainian people. Last month marked ... Read More

The April, 2014 edition of Merlefest included a special event Friday called the BanjoRama. Festival talent coordinator Steve Johnson had thrown an interesting assignment my ... Read More

Pete and Joan Wernick and Justin Hoffenberg have returned from headlining the first-ever Russia-America Bluegrass Jamboree. The event took place July 20 and 21, 2010 ... Read More

Pete and Joan weather tsunami threat in Kauai! Today was “tsunami day” here in Hawaii. We got a call from the mainland that woke us ... Read More

I am lucky to have had some neat opportunities in music these days. Along with three banjo camps and six or seven jam camps a ... Read More

"It was a thrill and a challenge to lead so many people. We had a lot of guitars and mandolins, some banjos, a few saxophones, ... Read More

This was my 20th Merlefest, having missed only the first one, back in 1988. What an amazing event. I heard some of the most beautiful ... Read More

It’s been hard to keep this under my hat, but now it can be told: Hot Rize performed July 28 at the wedding of Steve ... Read More

Notes From The Road: This is my “Pete’s-eye view” feature on this site, with reports on interesting people and events I encounter in my travels ... Read More

Louise and Earl Scruggs first met at the Ryman Auditorium in 1946, and in the years to follow, thanks to her steadfast efforts as his ... Read More

Our TV appearance got all sorts of interesting reactions in the month after we were on. In emails and at the IBMA conference in particular, ... Read More

Well, we did it! Five banjos, two guitars, one mandolin, and a piano, playing Foggy Mt. Breakdown at top speed for three and a half ... Read More

This was our third time returning to the Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival, and each time has been more fun than the last. The unique aspect ... Read More

Notes From The Road: This is my “Pete’s-eye view” feature on this site, with reports on interesting people and events I encounter in my travels ... Read More

Joan and I spent almost two weeks in Gettysburg this summer, mostly at the Granite Hill Campground east of town. We were the only duet ... Read More

This past March, for the second year in a row, Joan and I spent early March in beautiful California. Both times, events centered around a ... Read More

Notes From The Road: This is my “Pete’s-eye view” feature on this site, with reports on interesting people and events I encounter in my travels ... Read More

Notes From The Road: This is my “Pete’s-eye view” feature on this site, with reports on interesting people and events I encounter in my travels ... Read More

Every so often, I get called to play with a rock band that wants some five-string banjo picking. It’s been quite interesting to take the ... Read More

When in Nashville, I recommend you visit this special place in the Springhill Cemetery in Madison near the Cumberland River, I have been there three ... Read More

I write this while flying high over the Atlantic as Joan and I return from a wonderful time in Italy and Ireland. The trip was ... Read More

After three years of no Hot Rize, Tim, Nick, and I decided to bring the band back to life. Since Charles Sawtelle's death in March, ... Read More

Notes From The Road: This is my “Pete’s-eye view” feature on this site, with reports on interesting people and events I encounter in my travels ... Read More

A fellow banjo player's plight brings together some very special events. As many of you know, Mark, who plays banjo with Leftover Salmon, has been ... Read More

I had been anticipating this one eagerly for a good while. John Lawless (Mr. AcuTab) and Dan and Mariann Miller (Mr. and Mrs. Flatpicking Guitar ... Read More

This was a very special first-time event. Working with Sonny and Bill, and our excellent coordinator, Cindy Sinclair, was one of the highlights of the ... Read More

The World of Bluegrass convention in Louisville was, as always, an exciting and draining week. It’s a great experience to be part of this amazing ... Read More

Over two years after the death of my Hot Rize cohort Charles Sawtelle in March, 1999, his only solo album finally appeared, thanks to the ... Read More

This outstanding event happens only 20 minutes from my home, and I feel privileged to have been part of all ten RockyGrass festivals to date ... Read More

To celebrate our son Will’s high school graduation, our family traveled to five countries, with Pete & Joan making our European debut at festivals in ... Read More

As I mention elsewhere on the site, after teaching about 70 week-long programs to date, usually working alone, I’ve decided to try some teaching at ... Read More

John Hartford is one of my dearest long-term friends, as well as a great influence and inspiration. We met about 30 years ago and have ... Read More

Often when I get back from Merlefest, people ask me, “How was it?” Lately, just to be different, I’ve taken to saying, “Sheer hell.” They ... Read More

Our long-awaited Hawaii trip was all we’d hoped, but was over just a little too soon. Traveling long distances can be jarring at times, but ... Read More

The weekend of Sept. 9 and 10 was an interesting and exciting one out at the Planet Bluegrass headquarters in Lyons, Colorado. Local "polyethnic cajun ... Read More