John Herrmann has traveled the world playing old-time music for over thirty years. He plays fiddle with the New Southern Ramblers but has performed with many bands, including The Henrie Brothers (1st Place at Galax, 1976), Critton Hollow, The Wandering Ramblers, One-Eyed Dog, the Rockinghams, Bigfoot, and Chicken Train. Equally at home on banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and bass, John is known as the “Father of Old-time Music” (in Japan!) and as the originator of the slow jam. He has been on staff at numerous music camps from coast to coast and has completed several European tours with dancer Ira Bernstein. John Lives in Asheville, NC.

Cathy is one of the country’s finest clawhammer banjo players. In 1980 she became the first woman to win the West Virginia State Old Time Banjo contest. Her recordings include: “Banjo Haiku: 26 Clawhammer Banjo Tunes”, “Old Time Music Party”, “Old Time Slow Jam” on Homespun Tapes with Bruce Molsky and Marcy Marxer, and “Singing With the Banjo, Clawhammer Style” DVD on Homespun Tapes. She and Marcy produced the “The Oldtime Banjo Festival” CD and Cathy’s GRAMMY® nominated solo project “Banjo Talkin’”.

Her interest in the rich history of women in country music led Cathy to meet, play music with and even perform with some of country’s greatest female pioneers. She and Marcy toured and performed with Patsy Montana for 10 years. She visited, interviewed and played music with Ola Belle Reed and Lily May Ledford.

The music scene in her hometown of Winnipeg, Canada, immersion in Appalachian old-time communities, a performance degree at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and touring extensively throughout North America and Europe have all had a great impact on her playing. She is dedicated to honoring old-time music, the community that music creates and exploring the clawhammer banjo style. Allison de Groot combines love for old-time music, technical skill and a creative approach to the banjo forming her own sound – unique and full of personality. Although firmly rooted in old-time and music, she has shown her ability to collaborate and create outside this genre, pushing the boundaries of the clawhammer banjo.

Tom Adams is a 3-time recipient of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Banjo Player of the Year award. He’s toured and recorded with some of bluegrass music’s most influential artists these past 30 years including the Johnson Mountain Boys, the Lynn Morris Band, Michael Cleveland, Blue Highway, Rhonda Vincent, and Dale Ann Bradley. Gaining national recognition in 1983 for his work with the legendary Jimmy Martin, Tom is recognized as one of the best interpreters and innovators of Scruggs-style playing. Tom’s contribution to the Earl Scruggs Tribute Album earned him the 2013 IBMA award for Recorded Instrumental Performance of the Year.

Tony Trischka has been expanding the boundaries of the banjo for 45 years. He’s written many important banjo history and instructional books and has been a frequent banjo columnist for many magazines. Tony has created many instructional recordings and been on faculty at instructional camps nationwide. He has a lengthy list of solo and group recording credits, and is featured on many duet, anthology, and special-project recordings. Tony’s Grammy-nominated Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular won three 2007 IBMA awards. His Tony Trischka School of Banjo has revolutionized on-line instruction. Tony is a 2012 United States Artists Friends Fellow, a multi-Grammy Nominee, and recipient of the IBMA Lifetime Achievement Award.