Bob Carlin

Bob Carlin is probably the best known clawhammer style banjoist performing today. He has taken the distinctive southern banjo style to appreciative audiences all over the US, Canada and Europe.

Faithful to timeless Southern Traditions, Bob Carlin has taken the distinctive “clawhammer” banjo style to appreciate audiences worldwide. As a solo performer, and a member of John Hartford’s Stringband, Bob has appeared at countless festivals, clubs, schools and museums. These have included the Philadelphia Folk Festival, Merle Fest, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Rockygrass. Various national radio appearances have included NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” “A Prairie Home Companion,” “Mountain Stage” and “The Grand Old Opry.”

Bob Carlin brings listeners into the performance by encouraging audience participation. The music is entertaining and appeals to audiences of all ages. Bob aims to make each performance a special occasion not only for the audience but also for the artist. “My first goal is that people come away from my performance entertained,” says Carlin. “But very quickly following that, I would like them to feel a love for this kind of music and to appreciate it as much as I do.”

He has studied both in person and on transcriptions the work of master players from previous generations. Combined with archival research, the result has been over fifty different albums, primarily for Rounder Records, and countless magazine articles and cd notes. Carlin has participated in two Grammy-nominated recordings. Through an association with the Blue Ridge Institute at Ferrum College, Bob helped produce the touring museum exhibit and catalog, “The Banjo in Virginia.”

Bob Carlin’s website: cartunesrecordings.com