Where would bluegrass be without the banjo? Well, if you listened to last week’s playlist, you’d know it wouldn’t be that bad… but we’d all miss the five-string all the same! Despite having a history that goes back many centuries, the banjo is an instrument whose players never stop innovating. This week’s playlist is a celebration of 75 years of top-tier banjo players, from the early banjo masters like Earl Scruggs and Ralph Stanley to today’s heavyweights like Alison Brown and Noam Pikelny. Enjoy a sampling of twenty of our genre’s best banjo pickers, from the 1940s to now!

David Chernack
David Chernack is a fiddler, mandolinist, and guitarist from Hyde Park, NY. Trained as a classical violist, David found out about bluegrass music through the Strawberry Hill Fiddlers program and despite his best efforts has been unable to kick the habit. He picked up mandolin and guitar in college in Boston, where he studied environmental science and music. After moving to Denver and performing and touring with several Coloradan bands, he's back in the Hudson Valley. Aside from bluegrass, David also enjoys birdwatching and wrenching on cars.

Latest posts from David Chernack
- The Kids Are Alright: Young Bluegrass - September 28, 2023
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- Bluegrass Songs About Hammers – A Playlist - August 31, 2023