Pete had the honor of presenting IBMA’s 2015 Distinguished Achievement Award to Steve Martin at the annual awards ceremony in Raleigh, NC. Enjoy these two videos!… Read More
Pat in Alabama writes: I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind sharing some advice. It’s about warming up. I’m playing with a church bluegrass band in a “Bluegrass and Stained Glass” concert here in a few weeks. … Read More
The Deering folks and I have been allies over the years, and they recently asked if I’d review one of their recent Goodtime Banjo variants.… Read More
J.C. from Nebraska writes: Pete… I am very interested in your jam camps which are geared toward those with no experience with jamming. That is what I would like to learn to do.… Read More
First, big congratulations to Steve Martin for winning the Bluegrass Grammy! From my research, this is the first time that the Bluegrass Grammy has gone to a banjo instrumental album. … Read More
I along with my Hot Rize compadres will be co-hosting the IBMA Awards Show October 1 at the Ryman Auditorium. If I’m not mistaken, this means that for the first time in 20 years, a banjo player will be a host of the IBMA Awards Show. I am honored and excited to represent our music in one of the bigger bluegrass media events of the year.… Read More
It’s been interesting to watch the extremely rare mass exposure the banjo has been getting lately due to the major success of Steve Martin’s new record, “The Crow”. … Read More
Chances are, everyone reading this column has done some work as an Ambassador of the Banjo. We of “Banjoland” are occasionally in the position to represent our favorite instrument to “the rest of the world”.… Read More
The word has gotten around that Hot Rize played at Steve Martin’s wedding, and as with about anything involving Steve, there’s a fair amount of curiosity. For the sake of brevity, here are some sound bites:… 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 Martin to Anne Stringfield, at his home in Beverly Hills, California. Due to Steve’s concern about disruption by paparazzi, we were asked to not discuss the event in advance.… Read More