I do play banjo (not that this gives me any more credibility than anyone else) and I think Steve Martin is a top-notch banjo player. In fact I will say unequivocally that he is as good as any bluegrass player I’ve heard in years. Does he compare to, say Bela Fleck and his jazz stylings? I wouldn’t compare the two in the first place. And for those who are aware of the distinction between three-finger style playing and clawhammer style, he is that rarity, one who plays in both ways equally impressively.
I’m actually a bit sorry that I got into this, because such comparisons are so subjective as to be almost meaningless. Is Martin better than Rudy Lyle? I would probably say so. Is he as good as Don Stover? I would say probably not. But to compare Martin to the top 20 players as you mention? Deciding who those 20 are would be a daunting task, and I have no interest in attempting it. I’ll just say he’s a damn good banjo player, and I’ll leave it at that.
