The Picky Fingers Banjo Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#157 - Graham Sharp Mar 19, 2025

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

Graham Sharp is a prolific, award-winning banjo player, singer, and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the Steep Canyon Rangers, as well as several of his own solo records. One constant of the Rangers' sound through the years is the presence of Graham's expert banjo picking, whether that means hot licks on a fast bluegrass tune, tasteful support of a down-tempo song, or even navigating double banjo performances alongside the band's longtime collaborator Steve Martin.

Sponsored by Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Bluegrass Country Radio, and Sullivan Banjos

Graham on the web:

https://grahamsharp.com/

https://www.steepcanyon.com/

Contact the show:

pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

#156 - Mike Munford (Re-Mix of Episode #16 from November 2018) Mar 08, 2025

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

It's a Re-mixed episode! The new-and-improved version of this classic interview with the great Mike Munford. Mike is best known for his recordings and performances with Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, as a banjo setup guru, and an afficionado of prewar Gibson flathead banjos. His thrilling style of playing earned him the 2013 IBMA Banjo Player of the year award.

Sponsored by Peghead Nation, Elderly Instruments, Bluegrass Country Radio, and Sullivan Banjos.

Contact the show:

pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

#155 - Bob Carlin Feb 28, 2025

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

Bob Carlin is among the world's top innovators and prolific performers of clawhammer banjo, and is best known for his solo recordings, collaborations with artists such as Bruce Molsky, Cheick Hamala Diabate, John Hartford, Erynn Marshall, and as a longtime member of the legendary Hartford String Band. He also enriches the banjo world through his substantial work as an author, folklorist, and instructor.

Sponsored by Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Sullivan Banjos, and Bluegrass Country Radio

Photo by Mac Carbonell

Bob on the web:

http://www.bobcarlinmusic.com/

Contact the show:

pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

#154 - Tim Ellis Feb 14, 2025

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

This episode features Tim Ellis, a wonderful bluegrass banjoist best known for his years performing & recording with Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys. He has also worked as a sideman for various other professional groups and recording sessions, and released an album under his own name titled "Banjo Serenade."

Sponsored by Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Bluegrass Country Radio, and Sullivan Banjos.

Contact the show: pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

#153 - ToneDexter WaveMap Shootout! Jan 29, 2025

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

Today we have a follow-up episode to #152, which featured the engineers behind the innovative ToneDexter product, by Audio Sprockets. In this one, host Keith Billik demonstrates what ToneDexter can do, by programming wavemaps using every combination of 3 different banjo pickups (by K&K, Schatten, and EMG) and 5 different microphones (by Rode, Behringer, Shure, Audio Technica, and Mesanovic).

Sponsored by Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Sullivan Banjos, and Bluegrass Country Radio

Episode Time Codes:

Intro & explanation of WaveMap Shootout - 03:40

Microphone Base Samples (Not using ToneDexter):

Rode NT5 (Small diaphragm condenser) - 12:27

Behringer ECM8000 (Omnidirectional measurement microphone) - 17:27

Shure SM57 (Dynamic cardioid) - 22:29

Audio Technica AT4047(Large diaphragm Condenser) - 27:05

Mesanovic Model 2 (Figure 8 ribbon) - 31:46

Pickup Base Samples (Not using ToneDexter):

K&K Banjo Twin - 40:38

Schatten BJ-02 - 47:13

EMG ACB Barrel - 53:47

Wavemap Samples

K&K Pickup wavemaps:

Rode NT5 - 42:18
Behringer ECM8000 - 43:18
Shure SM57 - 44:16
Audio Technica AT4047 - 45:14
Mesanovic Model 2 - 46:14

Schatten Pickup WaveMaps:

Rode NT5 - 48:26
Behringer ECM8000 - 49:29
Shure SM57 - 50:32
Audio Technica AT4047 - 51:38
Mesanovic Model 2 - 52:42

EMG ACB Barrel Pickup WaveMaps:

Rode NT5 - 55:02
Behringer ECM8000 - 56:08
Shure SM57 - 57:16
Audio Technica AT4047 - 58:22
Mesanovic Model 2 - 59:30

Conclusion + Keith's Reaction - 1:00:36

Contact the show: pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

BONUS - Fireside Chat w/ Bob Black: Stories of Bill Monroe Dec 24, 2024

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

This Bonus episode is a recording of a "Fireside Chat" session from the 2024 Great Lakes Music Camp, featuring legendary banjoist (and Bluegrass Boy) Bob Black! Bob shares his stories and experiences of his time playing and working for Bill Monroe in the mid-1970's.

Contact the show:

pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

Bob Black on the web:

www.banjoy.com

#152 - ToneDexter! Feat. James May & Josh Bennett Dec 08, 2024

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

This episode will tell you everything you want to know about ToneDexter, an innovative product from Audio Sprockets for live acoustic musicians that gives you the tone of a microphone, with the simplicity of using a pickup! Here to discuss that, as well as ToneDexter's many other features, are James May and Josh Bennett, the engineers and developers behind the product.

Stay tuned for part 2 of the ToneDexter episode, which will feature audio clips using various pickup & microphone combinations using the ToneDexter's wavemap technology!

Sponsored by Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Sullivan Banjos, and Bluegrass Country Radio

Tonedexter on the web:

www.tonedexter.com

Josh Bennett website:

https://joshbennett.com.au/

Contact the show: pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

#151 - Bob Black Nov 23, 2024

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

Bob Black is a legendary bluegrass banjoist, best known for performing & recording with Bill Monroe, Kenny Baker, William Lawson, his current band Banjoy, and many others! He is a true master of the traditional bluegrass style, and was an innovator of the melodic style of playing fiddle tunes on banjo. He is also an author, and has written several books about his time as a Bluegrass Boy, a biography of Roland White, and others.

Sponsored by Bluegrass Country Radio, Peghead Nation, Elderly Instruments, and Sullivan Banjos.

Bob on the web:

www.banjoy.com

Contact the show:

pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

#150 - Brad Campbell Oct 24, 2024

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

Brad Campbell began playing professionally when he was just a teenager, and went on to tour, record, and perform with bands such as Gary Adams & the Bluegrass Gentlemen, Wendy Smith & Blue Velvet, and finally landed his dream gig playing with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver. Brad is the very definition of hard-driving bluegrass banjo with huge tone and impeccable timing!

Sponsored by Elderly Instruments, Peghead Nation, Bluegrass Country Radio, and Sullivan Banjos

Contact the show:

pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com

#149 - Jens Kruger (Remix of Episode #26 from May 2019) Sep 17, 2024

Show notes

www.patreon.com/banjopodcast

This episode is a new-and-improved remix of Episode #26 from May of 2019, featuring banjo phenom Jens Kruger. Jens is the longtime banjoist and composer with acclaimed bluegrass group The Kruger Brothers, and has inspired a generation of musicians with his dazzling, inventive, and soulful playing. He is also an innovator in banjo design, and works in that capacity for Deering Banjos.

Sponsored by Peghead Nation, Elderly Instruments, Sullivan Banjos, and Bluegrass Country Radio.

Jens on the web:

https://www.krugerbrothers.com/

Contact the show:

pickyfingersbanjopodcast@gmail.com