KEN PERLMAN
Ken Perlman is a pioneer of the 5-string banjo style known as melodic clawhammer; he is considered one of the top clawhammer players in the world, known in particular for his skillful adaptations of Appalachian, Celtic, & Canadian fiddle tunes to the style. He has toured throughout most of the English-speaking world and in Western-Europe, both as a soloist and - for fifteen years - in a duo with renowned Appalachian-style fiddler Alan Jabbour. An acclaimed teacher of folk-music instrumental skills, Ken has written some of the most widely respected banjo and guitar instruction books of modern times, has been a regular columnist for Banjo Newsletter for over thirty years, and has taught at prestigious teaching festivals around the world. Ken founded and served as director for several music- instructional events, including American Banjo Camp, Midwest Banjo Camp, and Suwannee Banjo Camp. As an independent folklorist, Ken spent close to two decades collecting tunes and oral histories from traditional fiddle players on Prince Edward Island in Eastern Canada. He's been tapped multiple times to judge the old-time banjo contest at the Appalachian String Band Festival (better known as "Clifftop"); in 2017, he was accorded a Masters' Workshop at Clifftop, an event set up to "showcase the legends who have dedicated their lives to the preservation and presentation of old-time music."