Eric Hardin Archives - Bluegrass Today

BrandyGrass from Brandy Miller

North Carolina teen banjo phenom Brandy Miller, winner of numerous banjo contests and a new Daughter of Bluegrass, has released her very first project, BrandyGrass, Volume 1.

Clinging to her deep traditional roots, she chose ten enduring bluegrass gems (seven of which are instrumentals). Two of the tracks that showcase Brandy’s unique style are Shuckin’ the Corn and Wheel Hoss.

Brandy covers all the banjo on the project. Other instrumentalists are Steve Lewis (guitar), Eric Hardin (guitar), Adam Steffey (mandolin), Spencer Strickland (mandolin and fiddle), Scott Freeman (mandolin and fiddle), Jake Joines (dobro), Josh Scott (bass), and Kevin Miller (bass).

Not only does Brandy pick the banjo fluently, but she also lends her vocal skills to the project. Supporting vocalists include Johnny and Jeanette Williams, and Kevin Miller.

Here’s a live performance of Brandy playing Blackjack, which is one of the tunes on the album.

The BrandyGrass CD can be purchased from her website.

The Troubadours kill at Merlefest

We’ve spoken highly in the past about The Troubadours, a talented young band from East Tennessee. They made the trek this weekend to Merlefest, and came away covered in glory.

Yesterday we posted the winners of the banjo and guitar competitions, and Eric Hardin – who plays banjo for The Troubadours – took first in guitar.

Today we learned that bass player/vocalist David Grindstaff and guitarist Ben Poteat took first in the bluegrass category of Merlefest’s Chris Austin Songwriting contest for their song, The Working Man.

Way to go guys!

David tells us that the song will be on the band’s debut album, expected this summer on Mountain Fever Records. He and Eric each have solo projects which are available from the band web site.

We hope to get more details on the other Chris Austin contest winners this evening. Also, Georgia Lowrance has an update from yesterday at Wilkesboro, but has been experiencing some Internet issues today. We’ll get that up as soon as she can get it to us.

Merlest 2011 contest winners

And speaking of Merlefest…

The winners have been announced for this year’s banjo and guitar contests. First place in the Doc Watson Guitar Championship, held on Thursday (4/28) went to Eric Hardin of Warrensville, NC, who received Boucher Alencia Goose guitar ($4,500 value), plus gift certificates from Jackson’s Music and John Pearse Strings.

For Eric, the eighth time was the charm, though he says he will miss competing now that he will be graduated to a judge.

“I’m ecstatic about winning. I’ve been doing this contest for eight years, and I have finally won. I do hate, though, that I won’t get to play in it next year.”

Weston Stewart of Anderson, AL won the MerleFest Banjo Contest on Friday, which earned him a Deering Eagle banjo, and gift certificates from Jackson’s Music and John Pearse Strings.

Second place went to Tanner Norris of Monroe, N.C., and third to Alex Edwards of Salisbury, NC. Tanner won a hard shell case from Frontier Energy and they both get gift certificates from Jackson’s Music and John Pearse Strings.

Weston was perfectly politic in accepting his prize…

“I wasn’t expecting to win. I just want to say this is a wonderfully organized event, and there were so many great pickers taking part.”

Congratulations to all the winners!

Eric Hardin – One Good Reason

We’ve posted in the past about David Grindstaff and his terrific debut CD, Here & Now, as well as The Troubadours, the group with whom he performs. Mountain Fever Records will have a project from the band in 2011, and will also bring Here & Now into the Mountain Fever catalog as a re-release.

Eric Hardin, banjo picker with The Troubadours, has a new CD of his own, One Good Reason, released this Fall. It serves as a fine showcase for this talented young picker, who has racked up wins in both banjo and guitar competitions across the US. Along with such notable pickers as Adam Steffey, Rob Ickes, Jim VanCleve and several others, Eric performs arrangements he played to win or place at Winfield, Merlefest, the Wayne Hnederson Festival and the South Carolina Banjo and Guitar Championships.

Steffey shared some words of praise on the CD cover…

“Eric’s sensibilities to both the melody of the song and to the other musicians with whom he might be playing is one of the things that I appreciate the most. His solos are never boring, but seem inspired and fresh without sacrificing taste or going too far over the top. This is an intangible that you can’t really teach, but most of the great players seem to possess. He plays what fits the song and makes it all seem effortless. When playing the guitar, he gets beautiful tone and clarity that always adds to the song. And when he’s on the banjo, he provides the drive that makes you play in that rhythmic ‘pocket’ that all pickers strive to get in.”

Just as Adam suggests, Hardin is both a capable technician and a skillful stylist. He offers up fine versions of banjo clasics like Groundspeed, The Old Spinning Wheel, Follow The Leader and Welcome To New York along with guitar favorite Big Sciota and Bill Monroe’s Big Mon.

Audio samples from all 12 tracks can be heard at CD Baby.