Since falling in love with the sound of folk and early country music at the age of seventeen, you could loosely divide Chris Coole’s 30-year career as a full-time musician into three eras – ten years as a street and subway busker, ten years playing bluegrass residencies around Toronto’s bar scene, and ten years touring internationally, both solo and with the likes of The Lonesome Ace Stringband, The David Francey Band, and The Foggy Hogtown Boys. 

In that time, he has become known as a leading voice on the clawhammer-style banjo. This has led to playing as a collaborator, sideman, or producer on over 200 recordings (John Reischman, Natalie McMaster, Ben Winship, Sylvia Tyson).  

Coole is a sought-after teacher of both banjo, guitar, and songwriting at workshops and festivals across Canada, the U.S., and Europe (Augusta Heritage Centre, Sore Fingers, Rockygrass Academy, Nimble Fingers, Midwest Banjo Camp). He has produced a popular series of online workshops as well as an instructional DVD.

“I come from a family of school teachers, so I sort of think teaching is in my blood. I believe teaching can be as artful as any other part of music. Finding a clear and eloquent way to explain something as beguiling as music is as rewarding and exciting to me as writing a song.”