Tony Trischka
Bio
Tony Trischka has over the past half-century garnered a reputation as one of the most influential figures in roots music. “[I]n fiddle- and fret-conscious circles from Nashville to Groton, Massachusetts, [Trischka] is known as the father of modern bluegrass,” wrote the New York Times. As a banjoist he set new standards for genre-bending virtuosity, inspiring legions of younger players, among them Béla Fleck. Through his tireless efforts as an educator and such divergent projects as his collaborations with his friend and fellow banjoist Steve Martin, and the visionary exploration of Civil War history on his recent album, Shall We Hope he’s helped to elevate and transform his chosen instrument’s profile within American culture.
Born in 1949 in Syracuse and raised in a home filled with music, he fell in love with the banjo through the Kingston Trio’s 1959 recording of “M.T.A.” Trischka moved to New York City in the early ’70s and released his landmark solo debut, Bluegrass Light, on the Rounder label in 1974, synthesizing everything from bluegrass and country to psychedelic pop, modal and free jazz and fusion. Many other milestone albums followed, including 1983’s A Robot Plane Flies Over Arkansas, which refined the eclecticism of Bluegrass Light; and 1993’s World Turning, a global history of the banjo that ignited Marc Fields’ comprehensive 2011 documentary, Give Me the Banjo, which Steve Martin narrated and for which Trischka served as musical director and co-producer.
Trischka’s Grammy-nominated albumDouble Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular, released in 2007, andGreat Big World, from 2014, feature a mix of veterans and up-and-coming luminaries. He produced Martin’s Grammy-nominated Rounder album from 2011,Rare Bird Alert, which touts performances by the Steep Canyon Rangers, Paul McCartney, and the Chicks. Through his theme song forBooks on the Airand performances on A Prairie Home Companion, Mountain Stage, From Our Front Porch, and other programs, Trischka has been a frequent presence on NPR. In addition to his Grammy nominations, he’s earned numerous honors, including the International Bluegrass Music Award for Banjo Player of the Year, as well as being named a United States Artists Friends Fellow.