Inside the Banjoverse

Damien O'Kane is a brilliant banjo player. And a fine guitarist. And an ingenious arranger. Not to mention an accomplished tunemaker, researcher, bandleader and accompanist of rich imagination and fearless vision. Hailing from Coleraine in Northern Ireland, Damien now lives in the UK with his wife, folk singer Kate Rusby and their two children. Part of Pantheon Podcasts Learn more about your ad ch...

Holder of 7 “All Ireland” titles and the first Irish banjo player to play the hallowed Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Martin grew up on a steady diet of Irish and American folk, love of music passed down by his father, Martin, a great folk singer. He has performed with the Chieftains, Carlos Nunez, Mumford and Sons, Ricky Skaggs, and Steve Earle amongst others. He once asked president Obama to hold...

It’s hard to think of an artist in traditional Irish music more influential than Seamus Egan. From his beginnings as a teen prodigy, to his groundbreaking solo work with Shanachie Records, to his founding of Irish-American powerhouse band Solas, to his current work as one of the leading composers and interpreters of the tradition, Egan has inspired multiple generations of musicians and helped defi...

All Ireland champion, renowned teacher, brilliant Irish tenor banjo player and hugely entertaining story teller, Theresa O'Grady has it all! Theresa and I go way back and have even competed against each other in banjo competitions (she won, I'm not a little bit sore about it 25 years later!!!) This was a hugely enjoyable interview. Special thanks to the American Banjo Museum in OK for permission t...

I've known Dan a long time now, we first met in Galway when I brought him salmon fishing. Fishing, not catching it must be said, but we've become firm friends over the years. Dan is a banjo player and ethnomusicologist, a protegé of Professor Mick Moloney, a music writer for the Irish Echo and also picks his way through the oft murky maze of organising some of New York's most famous Irish music se...

Nora plays old-time traditional music with a particular interest in eastern Kentucky and Tennessee banjo playing. Along with the banjo she also sings traditional unaccompanied ballads from southeast Appalachia and beyond. She has played at numerous venues and festivals on the East Coast including TED Salon in NYC, NPR Tiny Desk, Joe’s Pub, the Floyd Radio Show, Washington Square Park Folk Festival...

John Carty is one of Ireland's best loved musicians. His unique style of fiddle and banjo playing has been lauded internationally for many years. John is a true gentleman of the tradition, and his impish humour is reflected in his incredible playing and exquisite variations and ornamentation. www.johncartymusic.net Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I didn't necessarily expect that a banjo player of such renown as Alison Brown (rhyme intended!) was also a Harvard educated MBA until she got side tracked by bluegrass music and Alison Krauss. It's a fascinating story, and as someone who left the "permanent and pensionable" job to pursue music, I'm always interested to talk to others who have opted for the impermanence of a music career over a "s...

Joanne and I go way back, having come up through the life universities of The Willie Clancy summer school and the Fleadh Cheoil competitions in Ireland. We've had great fun over the years knocking head over our differing opinions on the virtue of playing polkas on a banjo. I'm not a fan, but Joanne finally explains to me how to do it properly!! We take a fond trip down memory lane in this intervie...

Tony Trischka has an illustrious and storied career in bluegrass music. He's such a well known and well loved musician that it's easy to forget what a stellar and expansive career Tony has had. A true innovator, picking outside the box for many decades, Tony has wisdom, experience and many tales to tell. Is he ready to lay down his banjo and retire? Far from it!!! Learn more about your ad choices....

It's summer time in Nashville, folks are mowing lawns and Abigail is hiding on the front porch taking some well deserved time away from motherhood to chat about all things banjo! This is a delightful conversation, Abigail showing her true spirit of kindness, integrity and honesty. Her journey to a full time music career and huge international success is fascinating and demonstrates Abigail's pure...

I had a lot of fun interviewing the effervescent Lisa Canny, she's high energy, high achieving, genre defying and very funny. A Mayo native, Lisa is a 7 time national champion on multiple instruments, yet despite spending her nascent years steeped in traditional Irish music she has gone on to create fascinating music fusing her Irish roots with hip hop and pop sounds. Now based in London, Lisa has...

The musician's musician is a phrase bandied around a lot but it's a fitting cap for virtuoso Ron Block. Ron's practice regimes are legendary and he's equally well known for being simply an all round decent human being. I've always been taken with his curious nature, his goodwill and openness to music outside of bluegrass. I really enjoyed this interview and perhaps I summed it up perfectly myself...

Have we run out of superlatives to describe Béla Fleck's banjo playing and his genre defying musical career? We Banjo 3's banjo maestro Enda Scahill, takes Béla on a winding trip down memory lane discussing his earliest influences, New Grass Revival, the enduring importance of Earl Scruggs, his deep respect and love for his mentor Chick Corea, and his brand new project My Bluegrass Heart. www.bela...

Natalie McMaster is a world-renowned Cape Breton-style fiddler and one of the nicest musicians you could ever hope to meet. She has toured with The Chieftains, Carlos Santana, and Alison Krauss, and has recorded with Yo-Yo Ma. One time live on stage at a festival, I took her shoes off mid-tune. Totally at her request mind! Let's just say we have a special bond since then! Learn more about your ad...

Grammy nominee, mind-melting mandolin playing, singer, songwriter, child prodigy...... what more can be said of Sierra Hull? Oh right, she's incredibly kind and friendly too! Inside The Banjoverse takes you on a journey with some of folk music’s most celebrated artists, exploring the minds, emotions, and experiences of these musicians to understand what drives and inspires them to greatness. Learn...

Stockton's Wing is one of Ireland's legendary genre-defining bands, one of the first to truly popularise traditional music, earning deserved commercial success in the process. Mike is the guitarist, songwriter, and singer with the band and has also had huge success performing with Ronnie Drew of the world-famous band The Dubliners Inside The Banjoverse takes you on a journey with some of folk musi...

Almost as far to the left of Ireland as you can go is a very small, wild townland called Belmullet, Co Mayo. The remoteness and deeply earthy Atlantic resonance permeate the music of David Munnelly, one of Irish music's most celebrated accordion players. This conversation is very real, sincere, and honest and gives an insight into the joy, wonder, and energy of David's music Inside The Banjoverse...

From Cadillac Sky and Chessboxer to Mumford & Sons, Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers, and now Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Texan-born Ross Holmes takes us on a winding, winsome journey from competition fiddling to gracing the stage with some of the biggest acts in the world. Inside The Banjoverse takes you on a journey with some of folk music’s most celebrated artists, exploring the minds, emotions, and...

The Wall Street Journal has described Gerry O'Connor as "the single best four string banjoist in the history of Irish Music". He is renowned for his innovative, technical wizardry and is widely regarded as one of the most important Irish banjo players of all time. We take a lot at Gerry's humble musical origins and how he ended up on a 4-year world tour with blues guitar legend Joe Bonamassa. Insi...

Multi-instrumentalist, savant, genius, wizard are some of the terms used to describe the beautifully honest and funny musician Tim Edey. A truly eclectic multi-laned mind if ever there was one! Inside The Banjoverse takes you on a journey with some of folk music’s most celebrated artists, exploring the minds, emotions, and experiences of these musicians to understand what drives and inspires them...

Inside the Banjoverse connects with the unique journeys of music’s most celebrated roots artists - delving into the thoughts, emotions and experiences that drive and inspire them to art and to greatness. Hosted by We Banjo 3’s Enda Scahill––Ireland’s four-time banjo champion and a self-confessed technophobe and recovering perfectionist–– Enda uses his musical experience (he coined the term banjo-d...