More About Me

Steve does private lessons by Skype as well as in person - call for info

Contact Steve at (828) 297-1918 or by email at info@steveandruth.com. website:www.steveandruth.com


Steve is a professional musician with his wife Ruth and they play a special blend of Appalachian Heritage Music on old-time banjo, guitar, hammered and Appalachian mountain dulcimer. Dirty Linen Folk & World Music Magazine says Steve Smith's clawhammer banjo provides "a traditional . . . rich, true sound."

Check out these YouTube videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ihUMxssdEc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrT_ni-3qyw

Steve teaches workshops at festivals nationwide and does private lessons in the Boone area of North Carolina as well as online through Skype. Private lessons are tailored to meet each student's needs and desires.


His workshops include:

Clawhammer Banjo for Guitar Players:
This is a workshop for guitar players who have maybe tried to learn the right hand clawhammer technique on the banjo but found it to be counter-intuitive to the thumb downbeat of fingerstyle and strumming guitar techniques. You'll learn from a guitar player who struggled on the banjo for a long time with the right-hand clawhammer technique but finally got it . . . AND SO CAN YOU!
INTERMEDIATE GUITAR SKILL LEVEL OR HIGHER [really familiar and comfortable on the guitar with good left-hand dexterity] NO EXPERIENCE OR SKILL ON THE BANJO REQUIRED AT ALL

Clawhammer Banjo from the Ground Up:
Basic right-hand clawhammer stroke, simple left-hand chords, pulloffs, and hammer-ons, along with simple melody lines to begin to play the old-timey way. BEGINNER SKILL LEVEL [No experience necessary]

Clawhammer Banjo ~ Advanced Beginner:
This is is for those who have accomplished the basic right-hand clawhammer stroke, simple left-hand chords, pulloffs, and hammer-ons, along with simple melody lines and know at least a few tunes. Developing a solid clawhammer rhythm will be stressed. The three basic clawhammer tunings will be taught and used. Drop-thumb, right-hand rolls will be introduced. ADVANCED BEGINNER SKILL LEVEL [Have a decent grasp of the right-hand clawhammer stroke and comfortable left-hand dexterity]]

Sawmill Clawhammer Banjo:
Learn the old Appalachian mountain modal tuning called “Sawmill” with the “Galax Lick,” pulloffs, hammer-ons, and a couple of basic drop thumb rolls in simple arrangements of old mountain favorites. ADVANCED BEGINNER SKILL LEVEL [Have a decent grasp of the right-hand clawhammer stroke and comfortable left-hand dexterity]

Clawhammer Banjo Repertoire:
Tunes in Double C/D, Standard G/A, & Old Mountain Modal "Sawmill" tuning. We can work on instrumental and/or vocal versions of tunes depending on students’ preferences and skill levels. INTERMEDIATE SKILL LEVEL [Student needs to have basic clawhammer stroke down, the ability to play a few chords smoothly, and the ability to pick out a simple melody line by ear]