One can only imagine the number and variety of musical influences Broadway, classical, jazz, rhythm and blues that surrounded Joel as he was growing up in New York City. Like Uwe and Jens, Joel began his musical career early in life, and “picked up” the bass at the age of 12. Like many musicians, Joel began learning music with classical training on the piano. After several years of piano lessons he switched to the bass and decided to devote all of his attention to playing the instrument. Joel has devoted his full attention to the bass ever since he first discovered his love of the instrument.

Destined to find Uwe and Jens, in 1989 Joel moved to Switzerland and began a successful career as a bassist with various country/rock and jazz groups based throughout Europe. It was during this time that he met the Kruger Brothers and developed what would turn into a deeply rewarding musical alliance and friendship. In early 1995, Joel was initiated into the ‘Brotherhood’ and has been performing full time with the band ever since.

For more information about Uwe, visit: https://www.KrugerBrothers.com.

Guitar players may not recognize Joe Carr’s name at first, but his face is probably familiar. That’s because he appears in over 20 instructional guitar videos ranging from country to western swing, bluegrass and even heavy metal! Add to these his videos on mandolin, fiddle, banjo, and ukulele and Joe may be the most recorded video music instructor anywhere.

Joe is a self-taught musician originally from Denton, Texas who started guitar at age 13, inspired by the folk musicians of the 1960’s. A few years later, he was hired to play guitar in Alan Munde’s internationally known bluegrass group, Country Gazette. Over the next six years Joe recorded 3 group albums, numerous sideman projects and produced his own critically acclaimed solo guitar album, Otter Nonsense.

Joe left the Country Gazette in 1984 and joined the music faculty in the unique commercial music program at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. He continues to perform in duo with former Gazette leader and South Plains College colleague Alan Munde. “Alan and I have a great artistic communication that leads us into many new areas of music,” Joe says. In addition to two albums on the Flying Fish label, Joe and Alan have published an award-winning book about West Texas Country Music called Prairie Nights to Neon Lights from the Texas Tech University Press. Joe is also a regular columnist for Flatpicking Guitar magazine and writes for several other periodicals as well.

For more information about Joe, visit Joe’s MySpace Page.

At age six, when Jens (Yens) heard the banjo on one of his dad’s American records, he yearned to play it. But having no access to one, Jens played their mother’s accordion, accompanying Uwe, who played their father’s guitar. When Jens turned ten he acquired a tenor banjo and started to play Dixieland jazz, hoping that one-day ‘Foggy Mountain Breakdown’ would somehow flow from the instrument. A year later, Jens and Uwe made their first public appearance, and two years later Uwe bought Jens his first five-string banjo.

At age 16, Jens and Uwe left home and traveled throughout Europe calling themselves the Rocky Road Band, attempting a living as street musicians. Their adventure paid off in the form of a record contract with CBS. In 1982, at the age of 20, Jens crossed the Atlantic, heading for the Bean Blossom Festival and Bill Monroe. Munroe introduced Jens to the Grand Ole Opry, as the first known European banjo player. After living with Bill for the summer and following his advice, Jens returned to Switzerland to develop his own musical style and repertoire. For four years, Jens spent days and nights learning tunes from all the records he could find.

In 1986, Jens and Uwe reunited to form the Appalachian Barn Orchestra, the forerunner of today’s Kruger Brothers. Since MerleFest 1997, the event that launched the Kruger Brothers’ career in America, Jens has performed with Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, John McEwen, Willie Nelson, and Ricky Skaggs, to name only a few. Like Uwe, Jens can play many stringed instruments with proficiency, and like the Kruger Brothers, Jens’ style and virtuosity cannot be characterized with a word or phrase. But those who have heard Jens play banjo know that he is truly a master of his art. As a composer, Jens’ comprehension of music in all of its forms is becoming well known among his peers, colleagues, and the Kruger Brothers’ growing audiences.

For more information about Jens, visit: https://KrugerBrothers.com

The original banjo player with Blue Highway, Jason is a native of Newland, North Carolina. A talented multi-instrumentalist, he brings all-around musicianship to the group, not the least of which is his distinctive, rock-solid banjo style. Writing for the Memphis Area Bluegrass Association, Betty Westmoreland observed about Jason and his habit of saying very little onstage: “His banjo does the talking, as is true of most superb performers. From Newland, NC, in Avery County, Burleson is part of that fine crop of North Carolina banjo players. There must be something about the air, or water, or the soil in that part of the country—so many fine banjo players seem to come out of those hills.”

Jason’s instrumental compositions form an integral part of the Blue Highway repertoire, including “The North Cove” ( Through the Window of a Train), hailed by one critic as “a burning instrumental with a sinuous melody” that offers “more to chew on than just the whiz-bang pyrotechnics of many modern bluegrass instrumentals” (Smoky Mountain News). Jason also anchors the group’s quartets with his bass vocals. A jazz devotee, Jason’s talent hasn’t been fully revealed yet to the bluegrass community and gives Blue Highway unlimited options for the future.

Eddie Collins is recognized as one of today’s foremost instructors of the 5-string banjo, having authored numerous books designed to help all levels of players from beginner to advanced. He was the founder/editor of the highly regarded 5-String Quarterly, a trade publication dedicated to all aspects of the 5-string banjo. Eddie currently authors the “Beginner’s Corner” column for Banjo NewsLetter. As a features writer for numerous acoustic music publications, he has interviewed many of today’s top banjo players – gaining key insights into their playing styles.

Collins resides in Austin, TX, where he teaches music and performs with some of the finest musicians in Texas. He has numerous recording credits, including his latest all-instrumental solo project, Rapid Transit (2008). Eddie holds a Master’s degree in education and formerly taught teacher education courses at California Lutheran University. Also an accomplished guitar and mandolin player/instructor, he has performed and conducted workshops throughout the United States and Europe. Eddie’s career and original music have been documented in several publications and were highlighted on the nationally-syndicated television show, Texas Music Café.

For more information about Eddie, visit: http//EddieCollins.biz

As a kid in high school in the early 60s, I was in a folk music trio: guitar (me), bass, and banjo. Next to Chuck Berry, folk music was the big thing. This naturally led to exposure to banjo and bluegrass music. Which then led to watching the Flatt and Scruggs television show on Saturday evenings , along with all the other Nashville shows of the 50s and 60s. Remember when Norma Jean was replaced by Dolly Parton on the Porter Wagoner Show?

Flatt and Scruggs – what the heck was that guitar played flat with the hubcap in the middle? Wow! What a sound!. That was the late Josh Graves playing dobro. I’ll never forget those shows or his sound. He could make that thing sing, cry or rock! He was an innovator who changed the style and sound of dobro playing forever.

All of today’s dobro all-stars have built on what Josh Graves started.

After I got out of the military some ten years later I got a dobro, still hearing the sounds that Josh made. And I’ve been at it ever since. Mike Auldridge’s first album “Dobro”

had just come out in about 1972, and that was what I learned to play from.. Dobro instructional material? None at the time.

Squeezing in all the dobro I could while working a 38 year career as an auditor, I’m self-taught in music theory, dobro and guitar. A lot of bluegrass, but lately more blues, folk, country, Latin and originals. There is no style of music I would shy away from with the dobro – it is truly a very versatile instrument if you invest the time. Since I could never remember all the melodies I would hear at the bluegrass jam sessions, my emphasis has been to learn theory and licks to allow me to improvise in most musical situations.

I’ve been in the studio with the old Salt Creek bluegrass band, numerous local artists, playing blues piano, country and bluegrass dobro, and one track with the Dixie Chicks before they went big-time. I currently teach private dobro and guitar lessons, and I am a Veteran and a volunteer guitar teacher at the Dallas Veterans Administration Hospital.

For more information about Dennis, visit: DallasDobroLessons.com.

David Talbot has become one of the most respected banjo players in the music business, by both peers and fans alike since his move to Nashville Tennessee in 1998. His noted precise timing, finesse and tasteful playing has captured the attention of fellow artists, who have invited him to work on a large number of recordings and performances.

David contributed to Lonesome Standard Time’s Grammy nominated “Murder On Music Row”. As well he was a founding member of IBMA’s Entertainer of the Year “The Grascals”, recording two Grammy nominated albums for Rounder. He also appears on 2007 Grammy nominated recordings by Dolly Parton and Jim Lauderdale.

David has appeared on numerous bluegrass, country and americana releases. He played on the classic “Bluegrass Fiddle Album”, winner of IBMA’s Instrumental Album of the Year. He has recorded with Reba McEntire, Tony Rice, Larry Cordle, Sam Bush, Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Bryan Sutton, Aubrey Haynie, Marty Raybon and many more.

David has appeared on both Letterman and Conan O’Brien’s network television shows with the legendary Dolly Parton. He has played on numerous Parton recordings, including the current Grammy nominated soundtrack “Travelin’ Through”. David’s pristine musicianship caught the attention of Ms. Parton, who has invited him to be a full-time member of her “Mighty Fine Band”. He now tours with her extensively both nationally and abroad.