Steve Martin Inducts WFMT Favorite Jens Kruger Into American Banjo Hall of Fame

Known for his inventive, hard-to-categorize musical style of composition and performance, banjoist Jens Kruger has been inducted into the American Banjo Museum Hall of Fame.

A Banjoist Takes on Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1

What does a Bach/bluegrass crossover sound like? It sounds like pure relaxation.

A Hilarious Country Song About Atonal Music? We’re as Impressed as We Are Surprised!

We never thought we’d be writing this, but a new comedy sketch and song from Merle Hazard has atonal music at its center. The song, called “(Gimme Some of That) Ol’ Atonal Music,” riffs on staples of the country and bluegrass traditions, but with lyrics like “his music always made you think; it never made you smile,” some very discordant banjo soloing, and an interlude inspired by John Cage.

Hear Big Sadie Blend American Folk Traditions in New Tunes, Live at the Pregnant Buffalo Lounge

Chicago-based band Big Sadie performed at the third WFMT Cabaret hosted in the Pregnant Buffalo Lounge at the Chopin Theatre. Big Sadie is influenced by music from across America, with its core members Elise Bergman and Collin Moore hailing from the Midwest and Appalachia respectively. Rounding out the band’s current lineup are banjo player Andy Malloy and fiddler Matt Brown. Big Sadie …

How Angélique Kidjo Went from Hating Classical Music to Collaborating With Philip Glass

Kidjo’s curiosity about classical music was sparked in an unlikely way. Her father started playing Beethoven on the banjo.