2010 Targhee Bluegrass Camp Instructors

Danny Barnes – Banjo

Live, on studio or homemade records, and through the countless concert recordings that circulate in the taper scene as word-of-mouth gems, Barnes is a sonic pioneer, hacking through the underbrush with his musical weapons of choice, banjo as compass. In addition to being an innovative banjo player, Danny is also an amazing guitarist, singer and songwriter. Having first made the national scene with the Bad Livers, he has been touring regularly with everyone from the Dave Matthews Band to Bill Frissell to Robert Earl Keen. He has entertained the Targhee audiences most recently as a solo performer and member of the Tim O’Brien Band. We welcome him as a major creative force on our teaching staff.

Mollie O’Brien – Singing

Mollie O’Brien has a voice the way Groucho Marx had a sense of humor, the way Secretariat had legs, and the way Elizabeth Taylor has eyes (or husbands). Try to imagine one without the other--impossible.  Singing is as natural to Mollie as walking or talking. Her voice is a natural extension of herself. Anything she can imagine, she can communicate in song. Southern mountain traditional, R&B, blues, gospel, you name it, she approaches each with an ease that makes you think she was steeped in the style since the first time a note left her throat. Mollie has earned rave notices at major festivals and venues throughout the U.S., the United Kingdom, Europe, and South America both as a solo artist and in collaboration with her brother Tim. For the past few years, she has worked with Garrison Keillor and Robin & Linda Williams as the Hopeful Gospel Quartet, with her own five-piece band, and as a duo with husband Rich Moore. We are pleased to welcome Mollie and Rich Moore to teach our first ever singing class.

www.mollieobrien.com
www.mollieobrien.com/richmoore.htm

Mike Marshall - Mandolin

Mike has been on the leading edge of the bluegrass and new acoustic music world since he appeared on the scene with the David Grisman Quintet in the late 70’s. He went on to form the Modern Mandolin Quartet and has recently been blazing new mando trails in Brazilian choro music, not to mention his long standing collaborations with Darol Anger, Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Chris Thile and others. A true string virtuoso, he plays anything with strings in about every style imaginable from bluegrass to swing, classical to bebop. Mike has taught extensively, written several instructional books and is an organizer of the renowned annual Mandolin Symposium.

Ivan Rosenberg – Dobro

Ivan is a funny man and an immensely talented musician. While dobro is his main ax, he is also a fabulous clawhammer banjo player and tune writer. He is a top rate teacher as well - in demand at workshops throughout the US, Canada and UK. Combining elements of bluegrass, old time and Americana, Ivan's original songs have appeared in over 150 TV and film scores including Making Deadwood, The Daily Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and hit movie Kangaroo Jack. Ivan and Chris Stuart co-wrote the 2009 IBMA Song of the Year award-winner, "Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away" (performed by Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass). We are happy to add Ivan to our roster this year and dobro players will be in for a treat. In addition to teaching, Ivan regularly performs with Chris Stuart & Backcountry, Mighty Squirrel and the Breakmen.

Tyler Grant – Guitar

Tyler Grant is a versatile guitarist and multi-instrumentalist with a wide range of influences and musical expertise. A graduate of the California Institute of the Arts, Tyler’s name has been popping up everywhere in the acoustic music scene over the past few years. Guitarists will be exited to know he is the 2008 National Flatpicking Champion and currently a member of the Drew Emmitt Band  and the Emmitt/Nershi Band. Tyler is thoughtful and well spoken guy, who has a gift for breaking down the essentials of flatpicking technique and effectively conveying it to his students. As well as being a great picker, he is a gifted singer and songwriter as well, and released his first solo album, In The Light, in 2006.

Brian Wicklund - Fiddle

Having taught fiddle and mandolin for the past four years at Targhee, Brian is returning this year to share his phenomenal teaching talents with the lucky fiddle players. Brian plays fiddle and mandolin with Brother Mule (along with Ben Winship & Eric Thorin). He is a tremendous performer, helped found bluegrasscollege.org and has authored the best selling American Fiddle Method. Based on its success, Brian is in constant demand as an instructor - teaching workshops throughout the US, Canada and Europe.

Eric Thorin - Bass

Eric brings a wide range of teaching and performing experience to his post as staff bassist. Bluegrass fans know him as the bass player for Open Road and Brother Mule. He also performs regularly with Jeff Austin, Leftover Salmon and others. Eric is equally at home on acoustic and electric bass and has played everything from bluegrass and old time, to jazz and salsa. When not touring, he is in constant demand as an instructor and session player. Students of upright and electric bass are welcome.

Ben Winship - Camp Coordinator

Ben has been performing at the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival since its inception - initially with Loose Ties and more recently with Brother Mule, Kane’s River and the Growling Old Men. A nationally recognized mandolin player, singer-songwriter and recording engineer, Ben plays bluegrass, swing, blues and old time and has taught workshops from Alaska and Canada to West Virginia and Europe. He founded the Targhee Bluegrass camp with festival promoter Tom Garnsey in 2006.

Thomas Sneed – Camp Instigator

A mandolinist and musical historian, Thomas has performed at numerous musical festivals and venues including the Grand Old Opry, the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Merlefest, the Kennedy Center and the "Down From the Mountain Tour," which featured music from the movie "Oh Brother Where Art Thou." His mandolin playing was featured in the motion picture "Cold Mountain." He has worked with the Center for Appalachian Studies in Tennessee collecting oral histories with musicians.