Terry Joe Banjo - Biography

Terry Joe frails on a long-necked Gibson 5-string and his innovative and exciting approach to melodic clawhammer banjo has captivated audiences for over 15 years. He is a natural performer, completely at home on stage. A fine singer,a gifted songwriter and an all-around entertainer that accompanies himself with a tap-dance shuffle while he plays and sings; the original song and dance man! Whether engaging a crowd in a sing- along, getting them up and dancing, laughing out loud or listening intently from the edge of their seat, every performance comes from the heart and leaves the audience wanting to hear more.

With a plethora of songs at his disposal, from old country crooners to bluegrass breakdowns to new rock songs that were never before intended to be played on the banjo and also a slew of well-crafted originals, this talented multi-instrumentalist (plays guitar, mandolin, harmonica and dobro as well as banjo)is known for his tasteful accompaniment and innate ability to improvise. Fellow performers enjoy sharing the stage with him, which makes him a welcome addition to any festival stage or workshop.

His debut cd ,Mountain Calling, has garnered critical praise and his banjo playing can also be heard on the award-winning animated short; Nibbles. In 2005, he won the Ottawa Folk Festival’s One-Fret-Less award in an open audition. He also can be seen with the hot country rock band, Desert Heat, and bluegrass darlings, Yonder Hill.
His love for the outdoors and his work as a whitewater river guide has enabled him to travel extensively to different parts of the world and introduce the banjo to people who never had a chance to see one up close before. Now with the purchase of his cd, he’d like to introduce whitewater rafting to banjo lovers by giving away a Free Rafting Day to the lucky winner of a monthly raffle.

Another interesting fact is that he can speak and sing in four languages… but usually he lets his banjo do the talking for him.

Whether playing on a street corner or on a festival stage, his frantic frailing attack has left people amazed at the avalanche of notes he commands from his instrument. The blur of his rapid right hand has been compared to that of the wings of a hummingbird and it’s been exclaimed that it even makes lightening jealous!
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