Becky Buller is 2-time Grammy award-winning songwriter and an 8-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) award winner who made bluegrass music history in 2016 by becoming the first artist ever to win in both instrumental and vocal categories, as well as the first female to win Fiddle Player Of The Year.
Her songs, recorded by some of the industry’s best, preceded the fiery-haired fiddler’s own prominence as an artist in the acoustic music world. Becky co-wrote “Freedom”, the lead-off track of The Infamous Stringduster’s 2018 Grammy award-winning album, Laws Of Gravity, as well as “The Shaker”, featured on The Travelin’ McCoury’s self-titled release that just brought home the 2019 Best Bluegrass Album Grammy.
“Professor” Dan Boner directs the renowned East Tennessee State University Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Program, and is co-author of the first ever Bachelor of Arts degree in Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies. Many of ETSU’s talented faculty, students, and alumni have become household names in music due to the program’s dedication to preserving the art form and encouraging musical innovation.
During the festival season, you may find Professor Dan on tour with the IBMA award-winning Becky Buller Band.
Take a moment to browse through the store and music sections for new releases. And be sure to follow Dan on Facebook.
Bio coming soon!
A talented and patient teacher as well as a great player, Roberta is experienced teaching at any level.
Education:
Teaching Experience:
Philmont Acoustic Music Camp
If you love Philmont and string music, then pack your instrument and come to the ranch this summer!
Philmont and renowned music camp leader Gerald Jones will host the inaugural Philmont Acoustic Music Camp July 3-7, 2022. You’ll receive world class instruction in guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle and bass. Get set for lively classroom instruction, daily jam sessions and a nightly instructor jam that will challenge and inspire students to new levels of playing! Gerald jones has led the Acoustic Music Camp in Dallas, Texas, for more than twenty years and now will offer this experience as a destination camp at Philmont Don’t delay signing up, because class size is limited to twelve students per instructor.
Join us at this foot stomping, chord riffing, finger picking event at Philmont Scout Ranch in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains outside historic Cimarron, New Mexico.
Follow this link to register…
Philmont Scout Ranch and Training Center is the premiere National High Adventure Base owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America.
Comprising 140,711 acres (220 square miles) of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range in northern New Mexico, Philmont serves as the largest camping operation in the world. Base camp elevation is at 6,700 feet, with program areas reaching above 12,000 feet. Each summer, about 27,000 participants engage in world class camping and training center programs.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE TRAINING CENTER
Led by an outstanding faculty of both volunteer and professional instructors, guests learn in a comfortable environment and enjoy the majesty of Philmont using our world-class classrooms and flexible program schedules. Come with your family and enjoy the rich natural beauty of Philmont in an unforgettable adventure.
Each day begins with a patriotic flag ceremony and hearty meals are served in our cafeteria style dining hall. Enjoy time with your family each evening in activities like cobbler night, crafts in our Craft Center, game nights, candlelight museum tours, stargazing, campfires, movie night, and everyone’s favorite – Western Night, complete with a buffalo barbeque dinner!
During the conference, family members of all ages, infant through adult, can enjoy any number of age-appropriate programs including hiking, crafting, shooting sports, fly fishing, high ropes and climbing tower, horseback riding, tours of our four museums, and so much more! On Wednesday, conference guests will be able to join their families in open programs or go sightseeing to places outside the ranch such as Taos, Cimarron, the NRA Whittington Center or Capulin Volcano National Monument.
The conference center includes a well-stocked craft center, a day care facility for infants through 5 years old, a coin-operated laundry, outdoor game areas, and the official store of the ranch, Tooth of Time Traders. Guests stay in Terrace canvas tents complete with two cots, mattresses, storage cabinet, and electricity, and are a short walk from our shower house buildings with individual lockable bathrooms.
This one-of-a-kind adventure is open to all families, not just scouts. You will have a chance to participate in the incredible activities offered at Philmont and make memories with your family that will last a lifetime. Don’t miss this mountaintop experience at the Acoustic Music Camp at Philmont July 3-9, 2022
Housing
Guests to the ranch will be able to select their housing as part of the registration process. Housing fees are paid through Campspot after you register for your event. Event registration will require a deposit. Housing will be paid in full at time of reservation. Some housing may not be available depending on the week.
The ranch reserves the right to pair guests without family members with another single guest to maximize attendance.
H.A. Handicap Accessible Rooms
Gretchen Priest divides her time between performing, teaching fiddle and running the Musical Heritage Center of Middle Tennessee (also known as the Fiddle and Pick) that she founded in 2008 in Pegram, Tennessee, just west of Nashville. Her school teaches traditional acoustic instruments with a staff of 35, many of whom are among Nashville’s leading recording and performing professionals.
Gretchen, along with her husband Tim May, formed the band Plaidgrass by merging the traditions of Irish, old-Time and bluegrass music and the instrumentation of fiddle, bouzouki, bodhran, bass and banjo in a variety of configurations. Prior to opening the Fiddle and Pick, Gretchen toured with the bluegrass band Crucial Smith and the Celtic rock band, Ceili Rain. She is often a featured performer on the Grand Ole Opry, Mountain Stage, the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, Kansas, and many festivals across the country.
James McKinney is a true Master of the 5-string banjo. One of the most advanced players anywhere and a Scruggs and Reno style expert, James is also considered a leading expert in jazz and theory in the banjo world, having been mentored by renowned jazz educator, David Baker, and Mr. Henry Ferrel (teacher of Chet Atkins and Jethro Burns).
In his early days James played often with legends such as Bill Monroe, Vassar Clements, and John Hartford. James won the South U.S. Banjo Championship at age 15 and in 1982 he won the National Banjo Championship at Winfield, Kansas, as well as first-place in dozens of state and regional championships. He made the first of several appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, The Porter Wagoner Show, and the stages of Opryland at age 19 as part of
“Smoky Mountain Sunshine” combining his talents as a banjoist with those of musical arranger.
In the 1980’s he lived in Dallas and recorded and toured with his band “Danger in the Air” and later moved to Nashville to do full-time touring and studio work.
James spent many years as a popular studio musician in Nashville and performed/recorded with the likes of Porter Wagoner, Barbara Mandrell, John Hartford, and Johnny Cash in addition to a long and close friendship and professional relationship with legendary fiddler ,
Vassar Clements, with whom he toured and performed as “The Vassar Clements Band”.
James has recorded on many projects and taught at many major banjo camps including SPGBMA workshops and other Master workshops all over the USA and in Australia. NightTravelers.com
Ivan Rosenberg Since releasing his first solo album in 2001, Ivan has gained a dedicated following for his recordings of melodic, expressive acoustic music on dobro and clawhammer banjo. His original songs have appeared in the background of over 300 television programs and films including The Daily Show, Oprah, Call of the Wildman, History Detectives, HBO’s Making Deadwood, the Special Edition DVD of Serenity, and the Hollywood blockbuster Kangaroo Jack. In recent years, he earned an IBMA Award for co-writing the 2009 Song of the Year; played on the CD Southern Filibuster: A Tribute to Tut Taylor (produced by Grammy winner and Dobro legend Jerry Douglas); engineered and co-produced recordings for Pharis and Jason Romero, John Reischman, The Breakmen, and the Evie Ladin Band among others; and performed throughout North America with musicians such as Chris Coole and Chris Jones. Ivan is also in high demand as an instructor, having taught hundreds of private lessons plus a combined 40 weeks at music workshops such as Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamp, The California Bluegrass Association Music Camp, 108 Mile Cabin Fever Bluegrass Workshop, NBCMS Acoustic Music Workshop, the British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop, SoreFingers, and the Grand Targhee Music Camp
Music has been part of O.J. Laier’s life from his early days playing trumpet in high school and a U.S. Army band to a busy teaching and performing schedule in Austin, Texas. Inspired by Earl Scruggs-style three-finger picking, O.J. first picked up a 5-string banjo in the early 70s. He was first introduced to frailing when he toured Europe in a Kingston Trio-type trio as part of his Army stint. About five years ago, while teaching guitar, dobro and banjo to students in Austin, he fell in love with playing oldtime clawhammer banjo. It didn’t take him long to get plugged into the amazing picking styles of Adam Hurt, Richie Stearns and many others. He enjoys learning fiddle tunes as a way to hone his banjo chops.
“The traditional style of playing is very addictive,” O.J. says. “If you apply yourself —and do it a lot! — it can get kind of Zen. I am a firm believer in using any and all available material to help me get where I want to go. By ear, tabs, video…it’s all good.”
Alison Brown has taken an unlikely path in establishing herself as an internationally recognized banjoist. A former investment banker (she has a bachelor’s degree in History and Literature from Harvard and an MBA from UCLA), she toured with Alison Krauss and Union Station and Michelle Shocked before forming her own group, The Alison Brown Quartet. She has recorded 10 critically-acclaimed banjo solo albums, received 4 Grammy nominations and a Grammy award. Alison has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning, NPR’s All Things Considered and in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times among many others. She is also co-founder of the internationally recognized Compass Records Group which oversees more than 600 releases from the Compass Records, Green Linnet and Mulligan Records catalogs and which has been called by Billboard Magazine “one of the greatest independent labels of the last decade.” Alison currently serves on the board of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce as well as on the adjunct faculty of Vanderbilt’s Blair School of Music.
https://compassrecords.com/alison-brown
Keith Yoder performs on and teaches guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, resophonic guitar, bass and drums. He has taught at music camps including Steve Kaufman’s Acoustic Kamp, British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop/NimbleFingers, and the Walker Creek Music Camp. He has performed with bluegrass legends from Bobby Hicks to Dan Crary, and has recorded several CDs, the most recent featuring him playing all the instruments and singing all the vocal parts.
George Anderson is a local musician, composer and producer with a background in jazz, gospel, r&b and classical music. He attended the University of North Texas music school, performed in the acclaimed One O’clock Lab Band. He is a former member of the Ft Worth Symphony and have performed in concerts with the Dallas Symphony. George also toured with the Woody Herman Big Band and has performed in concert with artists, including Marvin Hamlisch, Ella Fitzgerald, Chuck Berry, Willie Nelson, The Eagles, and Doc Severinsen. George was on the production team for the record-breaking “To The Extreme” cd by vanilla Ice. In 2003, George produced his solo debut album, Faces, which was in the running for a Grammy Award in the “Best Contemporary Jazz Album” category.
Currently George is recognized as one of the busiest studio session bassists in the Dallas/ Ft. Worth metroplex. He has recorded numerous local and national radio and television commercials including ESPN, CNN, Coors Light, and Coke. He is also playing on Channel 8 News and Channel 11 News. He has also played on many local, national and international artists’ recordings. George worked as a writer, producer, and bassist on the “To The Extreme” CD by Vanilla Ice. As a music producer, songwriter, composer/ arranger he has worked with many diverse artists. He is the leader of his own private party group The Signature Band (www.signatureband.com). He has worked as music director for many corporate functions, which include awards banquets for Dr. Pepper, Frito Lay, and Sally’s Beauty Supply, national conventions for Kawasaki, Century 21, Caldwell Banker, and for six consecutive years was the music director for Mary Kay National Conventions. George has also directed the music for sporting events such as the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame and Dallas Cowboys pre-game activities at Texas Stadium.
His work also includes movie soundtracks and documentaries. He also played on several “Barney” videos and is the featured bassist in the “Let’s Go To The Farm” video. He also played on Chucky Cheese Shows “in-house” soundtracks.
George has also done volunteer work with community groups such as the Boys and Girls Club by writing and producing the “Say No To Drugs” song. He has also been a guest speaker for Black History Month.
He has performed for numerous charity events such as the Cattleman’s Ball and Limbs For Life.
George realizes that his talent is a gift from God and has used that talent to honor Him by performing in churches across the metroplex. He currently plays on Sundays at Prestonwood Baptist Church.
In 2003 George wrote, produced and released his own smooth jazz/ funk CD titled “Faces” which was recorded at his own digital recording studio. In 2003 it was in the running for a Grammy Award in the Best Contemporary Jazz Album category
Dale Morris, Jr. began playing violin at age three. By the time he was ten years old, he began his professional career performing with the Bar-D Wranglers at the Bar-D Chuck Wagon Supper and Western Show in Durango Colorado. He performed there for the next three summers alongside his father, Dale Morris, Sr. As a teenager, he competed in many fiddle contests, winning numerous championships in the United States, including the Texas State Championship, Grand National Title and the Grand Masters Championship. Upon graduation from high school, he went to college on a music scholarship and performed with the jazz band at Weatherford College, in Weatherford, Texas.
In 1987, Dale went to work in Branson, Missouri, with the World’s Favorite Hobo, Boxcar Willie. He would spend the next three years with Box performing at his theatre, as well as touring the United States and Europe. A few years later he began working with Marty Stuart and The Hot Hillbilly Band touring the United States and Canada. In 1992, Dale was part of the No Hats Tour with Travis Tritt. He then took a brief hiatus from the road and worked at Cowboys Night Club in Dallas, Texas, for the next six years. In 2001, he started touring with country music legend, Ray Price. Thus far his work with Ray has led to numerous television appearances and tours with Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson as part of the Last of The Breed Tour.
At present, Dale is teaching workshops and master classes around the nation. He has been teaching for over 30 years. In addition to violin, he also teaches guitar and mandolin. He is in constant demand for live performances as well as studio work. Dale has played commercial jingles for Miller beer, Justin boots, TDMV and many more. He has also recorded with many artists including Charley Pride, John Mayall, Marty Stuart, Ray Price, Bob Wills Texas Playboys, Chuck Rainey and a host of other artists.
His latest CD is titled, First Noel, which is a collection of Christmas songs he arranged and played in a whole new way. It is a mix of Jazz, Swing, Country and Folk music. It is not your average run-of-the-mill Christmas music! Dale is currently working on two new CD projects due to be released in 2012. Come see Dale perform at a city near you and experience the magic of this world-renowned artist!
Dale Morris Jr.
Dale Morris Jr. was born November 13, 1965, in Ft. Worth, Texas, to Dale Morris Sr. and the late Anita J. Hardgrave. He currently resides in Ft. Worth, Texas. He began playing fiddle at the age of three with his earliest influence being his dad. They would attend jam sessions at the homes of Werner Cain or Bill Gilbert, the best fiddlers around would attend. With these jam sessions Dale considers himself self-taught, learning from tape recordings and vinyl LP’s, never having formal lessons.
Dale grew up around the contest circuit influenced by Benny Thomasson, Orville Burns, The Solomons, The Franklins, Joe Venuti, Keith Coleman, Buddy Spicher, Tommy Jackson, and a few others. He attended the Fiddlers’ Frolics for the first time at the age of six and remembers the encouragement given by Cliff and Velda Fryer in his early contest years. Dale has competed in many fiddling contests, winning numerous championships; including the Texas State Championship, Grand National title, as well as the Grand Master Fiddle Championship. Dale treasures the opportunity he had being around Benny Thomasson, in the early 1980’s, when Benny moved back to Texas from Washington State. Benny is probably his biggest influence in contest fiddling. Dale’s uncle, Terry Morris, was also a big inspiration to him. In Dale’s own words, “Terry certainly raised the bar for all of us in the fiddle world.” Dale also remembers a day he got to spend in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with Orville Burns in 1999, “What a treat that was! We went and picked him up at the nursing home, then went to his son, Orville Jr.’s home and fiddled the rest of the day.” By the time Dale was ten years old, he began his professional career performing with the Bar-D Wranglers, at the Bar-D Chuckwagon Suppers and Western Show in Durango, Colorado. He performed there for the next three summers alongside his father. Upon graduation from high school, Dale went to college on a music scholarship and performed with the jazz band at Weatherford College in Weatherford, Texas.
In 1987, Dale went to work in Branson, Missouri, with The World’s Favorite Hobo, Boxcar Willie. He would spend the next three years with Boxcar performing at his theatre, as well as touring the United States and Europe. A few years later he began working with Marty Stuart and The Hot Hillbilly Band touring the US and Canada. In 1991, Dale was part of the No Hats Tour with Travis Tritt. He then took a brief hiatus from the road and worked at the Cowboys Night Club in Dallas, Texas, for the next six years. In 2001, he started touring with country music legend, Ray Price. Thus far his work with Ray has led to numerous television appearances and tours with Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson as part of the Last of The Breed Tour. His music has appeared on motion picture soundtracks, television jingles, and music videos. Dale is a highly sought after studio musician and has recorded with such artists as Charley Pride, Deryl Dodd, John Mayall, Bob Wills Texas Playboys, Ray Price, Marty Stuart, Chuck Rainey, and many others. In addition to his studio work, Dale teaches at workshops, seminars, and private lessons. He also enjoys judging fiddle contests around the country. Dale is an avid musical instrument historian with a passion for vintage instruments. Dale is extremely proud of his four children Marcus, Michael, Shaun, and Allison, who are all musically inclined and will carry on the family tradition.
Bill Evans is an internationally known five-string banjo life force. As a performer, teacher, writer, scholar and composer, he brings a deep knowledge, intense virtuosity and contagious passion to all things banjo, with thousands of music fans and banjo students from all over the world in a career that spans over thirty-five years.
In Bill’s solo concert presentation “The Banjo in America,” he presents the banjo from its West African roots to the New World, performing musical examples from the 1700’s to the present day on a variety of vintage instruments, ranging from an African ekonting to a mid-19th century minstrel banjo, a modern bluegrass banjo and even an electric banjo. From an 18th century African dance tune to the music of the Civil War, and from early 20th century ragtime to folk and bluegrass banjo styles to Bill’s own incredible original music,The Banjo in America illuminates as well as entertains, exposing audiences to over 250 years of American music.
Bill also assembles first-rate progressive acoustic ensembles to perform music from his CDs at major festivals around the world. Acoustic luminaries Todd Phillips, Josh Williams, Don Rigsby, Matt Flinner, Barbara Lamb, Jim Nunally, Chad Manning, Mike Barnett, Lincoln Meyers, Missy Raines, Steve Smith, Joe Walsh, Tashina & Tristan Clarridge, Mike Witcher and Sharon Gilchrist are just some of the folks who have shared the stage with Bill in a moving musical feast he calls “The Bill Evans String Summit.”
Bill is the author of “Banjo For Dummies,” the most popular banjo book in the world and has been a Banjo Newsletter columnist for over fifteen years. He has also performed with acoustic legends David Grisman, Peter Rowan, David Bromberg, Dry Branch Fire Squad, Tony Trischka, Jody Stecher, Laurie Lewis, James Nash and Kathy Kallick, among many others.
Bill has appeared at many bluegrass and folk festivals all across North America, including appearances at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (San Francisco, CA); FreshGrass (North Adams, MA) and Wintergrass (Bellvue, WA). In 2012, Bill performed in 12 states, Canada, Germany and participated in a U. S. State Department-sponsored tour of Russia. Venues played in 2012 include the Birchmere Restaurant, VA; Banjo Camp Munich, Germany and an appearance with the San Francisco Symphony.
Bill will make his debut appearance on “A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor” in February 2013.
Bill’s 2012 CD “In Good Company” features 26 guest artists, including The Infamous Stringdusters, Tim O’Brien, Joy Kills Sorrow, Stuart Duncan, Rob Ickes, Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, David Grier, Todd Phillips and many others. “In Good Company” was the #1 CD on the Roots Music Report national Bluegrass Charts for the first two weeks of November 2012 and was the #1 CD on the Folk DJ-List charts for May 2012.
“In Good Company” occupied either the #1 or #2 chart position on the California Roots Music Report charts from May to October 2012. This project received a Spotlight Review in the August 2012 edition of “Bluegrass Unlimited” magazine. “In Good Company” has been named to many “Best of 2012” CD lists, including Pop Matters, Folk Alley, Kansas Public Radio, Engine 145, Prescription Bluegrass, and WDHX-FM.
Bill has a Master’s Degree in Music from the University of California, Berkeley with a specialization in American music history and he has been a scholar/artist in residence at many universities across the United States. He has served as a consultant to the National Endowment for the Arts and is the former Associate Director of the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owenboro, Kentucky.