Bill Keith Banjo Workshop - Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival 2003 - Part 1 of 2

Called "Bluegrass Banjo 101", but it's more like "Advanced Melodic Banjo and Music Theory" ... Here's the first of two amateur videos posted on Google Video showing Bill Keith's master class from the Grey Fox Bluegrass Fest in 2003.

More Online Music Instruction Sites

Harmonica Country
The site offers ten free lessons.

Mars Music
Lessons for $11.95 per year. You need to download their proprietary software.

Tonos
Access to guitar or piano lessons is $15.95 a year.

Wholenote
Offers more than 900 free lessons plus a free metronome via the Net.

There's a free video over at the Gibson guitar and musical instrument company's web site featuring Earl Scruggs, his sons Randy and Gary, Sam Bush, Phil Leadbetter on Dobro(R) and Ricky Scaggs jamming on "Jingle Bells" in the Ryman. You can even download an iPod-ready video free. (This link courtesy of Jim Polaski)

Josh Graves, Marty Stuart, Vassar Clements - Great Big Woman

Here's proof of the common roots of bluegrass and the blues.

Merle Travis - Cannonball Rag

I never noticed before seeing this, but Merle Travis used only his thumb and forefinger. I'd always been taught he used three fingers a la Scruggs banjo picking technique. Now I know.

[ From the expansive mind of Jim P., we present ... ]
Trillium The Band

Jim's connection to Trillium comes through its guitarist, Ed Hall, who is a fingerpicking champion and was once Jim's teacher. Visit the band's site here.