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Marc Pruett
Marc Pruett played banjo on five albums with Ricky Skaggs (including Ricky’s first record in 1974 and the Grammy winning “Bluegrass Rules”). His solid three finger roll has been featured with acoustic artists like Rhonda Vincent, James Monroe, Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Peter Rowan, Jerry Douglas, Tony Rice, Bryan Sutton, Emmy Lou Harris, Everett Lilly, Billy Edd Wheeler, John R. Bowman, Tim Surrett, Adam Steffey, Buddy Melton, Darren Nicholson and a host of bluegrass friends. For a dozen years, his music was used as the featured theme for the square dances in the highly acclaimed Native American drama…Unto These Hills. Marc Pruett was featured in the definitive banjo publication, Masters Of The Five String Banjo. Marc is an accomplished entertainer, and he will lend his power-pickin’ to a show, as well as calling a square dance…he says, “Entertainment is ALL!”
I currently use a couple of different banjos. I still play the old “parts” banjo I used on Bluegrass Rules with Ricky Skaggs, and I have really enjoyed playing one of the new Sullivan banjos made by the Sullivan family associated with First Quality Music Supply in Louisville, Kentucky.
Balsam Range played at the National Quartet Convention in September of 2007, and afterwards, I went to see my old friend, Bill Sullivan at FQMS. We had a wonderful afternoon visiting and discussing banjo-stuff. I told Bill that I needed a “killer-of-the-earth” banjo, and he told me about this multi-year project he and his sons (Eric and Jeff) had been working with. As a result, he let me play several new proto-types they had built using new parts with “old” wood. I was knocked out by the sound of the first flat-head Bill let me play, and he let me take it for evaluation. So…for a year, I used Proto-type # 4 on our live shows and on most of the new Balsam Range CD called “Last Train To Kitty hawk”. I love the clear “poppin’” sound it has…the scale is wonderfully true…and for me, it is a dream to play. It is one of those instruments I don’t have to dig into to get the max from…it’s “all right there”.
There are a lot of great banjos on the market now…but I feel the Sullivan folks have a unique advantage with their deep history and love for the instrument, coupled with the fact that they have an outstanding shop that stays on top of quality development. I’m looking forward to working with Eric and the rest of the Sullivan staff to “get that Sullivan sound out there”…and hopefully develop some new banjo items.
My friends know that I love “the old five” with all my heart, and I am looking forward to a great season with Balsam Range. In closing, I want to add a note of sad respect for my old friend, Bill Sullivan. Just two weeks after I saw him, he passed away at his home in Louisville. The banjo never had a better friend, and I will always quote him as saying…”You know, Marc…we’re all just BLUEGRASS FRIENDS!”
David Schenck from Dogwood Designs (www.dogwooddesigns.com) created the strap that I am using. I absolutely love it!
Discography
Streamline Cannonball
(LP released 1981, CD released 2007)
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