# I just saw Steve Martin play bluegrass banjo **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 29, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989 "2009-05-29T02:42:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/1 "2009-05-29T02:42:13Z")
And it was _incredible._🙂 There were only about 80 people there, in an intimate venue (an art museum, naturally), and Steve was just as charming and funny as you’d expect him to be. And he can _play._ Of course he was joined by five other immensely talented musicians, The Steep Canyon Rangers. They were all top-notch, playing mostly instrumentals but with some vocal songs thrown in there, with excellent voices and tight harmonies. Bluegrass music isn’t the kind of thing I listen to casually, but the wall of sound these guys created was truly wonderful… and no microphones! I was in the fourth row, maybe 15 feet from them, and I loved how their “sound system” consisted of having the soloist take a step forward and everyone else taking a step back. And Steve kept the patter going between songs. "My wife actually named this next song… It’s called “When Are You Gonna Stop Playing That Goddamn Banjo?”. Anyway, I highly recommend his new album, _The Crow_, as well as anything from The Steep Canyon Rangers. Good stuff! ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/2 "2009-05-29T03:03:34Z")
I put that on my Amazon wishlist a couple months ago and was ever-so-pleased that someone actually bought it for me for my birthday. I was not disappointed. The liner notes were especially enjoyable, lol. If you are demented enough to be a banjo fan it’s a must have. ---
**Author:** ![Claire\_Beauchamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@Claire\_Beauchamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claire_Beauchamp)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/3 "2009-05-29T18:35:38Z")
He’s playing the Opry this weekend with Vince Gill & others. I’m in Nashville, but can’t go. Wish I could! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/4 "2009-05-29T18:39:30Z")
He played on the recent finale of _American Idol_, too. When asked by Ryan Seacrest who he hoped would win, he said, “This may be a stretch, but I’d say ‘me’.” ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/5 "2009-05-29T18:46:10Z")
Steve Martin was a phenominal banjo player back when he was only know for his comedy. He has a new album (banjo) out recently and all the press you see / hear about him recently is to support that. I loves me some bluegrass, and loves me some Steve Martin on the banjo. The guy is just falling down, jaw dropping good. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/6 "2009-05-29T19:29:30Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](#): > > Steve Martin was a phenominal banjo player back when he was only know for his comedy. From one of his comedy albums while he’s playing: “When you’re with me it’s like being at Shakey’s Pizza all the time.” ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/7 "2009-05-29T19:36:38Z")
That’s awesome. I love bluegrass, and have always admired Steve Martin’s skills on the banjo. Sounds like a great show. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/8 "2009-05-29T20:32:13Z")
I once saw him and John Lithgow play banjo together. I think I’d kill for either an audio or video copy of that. For those of you are going “whut?”, here’s YouTube clip of Mr. Martin strutting his stuff with a few other musicians playing [Foggy Mountain Breakdown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icMTVV5Lwaw&feature=related) and [The Crow](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jn3KCZEqxc&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/9 "2009-05-29T22:55:34Z")
Does Steve Martin play clawhammer or Scruggs style? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/10 "2009-05-29T23:36:19Z")
The Steep Canyon Rangers are a very fine bluegrass band. I have seen them play many times. If you enjoyed them, other young bluegrass bands I would recommend are [King Wilkie](http://www.myspace.com/kingwilkie),[Chatham County Line](http://www.chathamcountyline.com/band.html), and [Packway Handle Band](http://www.myspace.com/thepackwayhandleband). I believe King Wilkie plays New York quite often. (They may be based up there now.) King Wilkie started in bluegrass, but they have expanded their musical horizons quite a bit, as you will be able to tell from the link. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/11 "2009-06-07T06:48:59Z")
Hell, the man is talented. I enjoyed “Shopgirl” so much I sent him a fan letter. I don’t do stuff like that! Some people sure got extra helpings in the talent department–it’d be an achievement to be good at any \*one \*of the things he can do. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/12 "2009-06-07T09:21:36Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > Does Steve Martin play clawhammer or Scruggs style? Both (I think). ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/13 "2009-06-07T22:07:23Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](#): > > Steve Martin was a phenominal banjo player back when he was only know for his comedy. > > He has a new album (banjo) out recently and all the press you see / hear about him recently is to support that. > > I loves me some bluegrass, and loves me some Steve Martin on the banjo. The guy is just falling down, jaw dropping good. Yes, he was a pickin ninny fool as far back as I can remember. Can’t believe I didn’t catch that he was promoting a CD with all the recent exhibitions.:smack: I remember thinking it odd he was doing all this now. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2009, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/14 "2009-06-07T22:44:13Z")
> [@Savannah](#): > > Some people sure got extra helpings in the talent department–it’d be an achievement to be good at any \*one \*of the things he can do. He’s also an accomplished playwright; his _Picasso at the Lapin Agile_ is well worth seeing if you get a chance. Very funny and very smart writing. He was in the news this year when a high school production of the play was canceled after some parents complained about the subject matter; Martin offered to fund a production of the play off-campus so that the students could continue. He’s a real class act. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2009, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-saw-steve-martin-play-bluegrass-banjo/497989/15 "2009-06-08T03:01:36Z")
That is SO cool!