• Clawgrass goes to the Opry

    Mike Snider and Mark Johnson on the Grand Ole Opry - photo by Nicole Christianson Florida's Mark Johnson, inventor of the clawgrass style of banjo, had a big moment last weekend when he traveled to Nashville to appear on the Grand

  • Deering introduces Clawgrass 2 banjo

    Deering Banjo Company has introduced a new edition of their signature Mark Johnson Clawgrass model, designed to offer the same tone and playability of the original, but at a price point more accessible to the average picker. The Clawgrass No. 2

  • Johnson and Lester shoot for Sarasota paper

    Recently the newsroom at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune welcomed guests Mark Johnson and Emory Lester, along with bassist Kene Hyatt, for an impromptu concert in their on-site video studio. The guys stopped by ahead of an October 23 concert in nearby Fogartyville and offered

  • Saturday at HoustonFest 2014

    Saturday marked the second and final day of HoustonFest 2014, bringing an even larger crowd to Felts Park in Galax, Virginia. The Generation Bluegrass Youth Project opened the Main Stage followed by the Snyder Family who could be seen jamming

  • 1863 from Mark Johnson & Emory Lester

    The talented duo of Mark Johnson & Emory Lester have released a new project called 1863. It is their contribution to the commemoration of the music of Civil War era America during this, the sesquicentennial of the fierce fighting that occurred

  • Steve Martin and Mark Johnson at IBMA

    Just before we kicked off the Red Carpet interviews last Thursday at World of Bluegrass, Steve Martin stopped by with Mark Johnson, the 2012 recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music. This new annual prize

  • Banjos (plural) on Letterman

    This past Monday night, Steve Martin appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman, along with Mark Johnson, winner of the 2012 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music. Part of this annual award, which carries a

  • Mark Johnson on Letterman with Steve Martin

    As part of being awarded the 2012 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, Florida clawhammerer Mark Johnson will appear on The Late Show with David Letterman September 24. As was the case with prior honorees Noam Pikelny and Sammy

  • Mark Johnson wins 2012 Steve Martin Prize

    Clawhammer banjo innovator Mark Johnson has been announced as the 2012 recipient of the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, the 3rd annual honoree. While a number of 3-finger banjo pickers have used a roll technique to play old