Happy Picking! A Banjo and Bluegrass Podcast

Sheffield Banjo Lessons

Welcome to 'Happy Picking!' podcast about all things banjo & bluegrass! We'll will bring you interviews, tips, breakdowns and information to help you explore the fabulous world of bluegrass & the banjo. Get in touch with any questions, or what you would like to see on the show! 👕 T-Shirts Available - www.SBLFunDesigns.com 📺 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons ☕ Support at Ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/sheffieldbanjolessons 🪕 Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/cw/SheffieldBanjoLessons 🌐 Website - www.sheffieldbanjolessons.co.uk Happy Picking!

Episodes

  1. 15h ago

    EP11 - Frank Evans Joins 'Happy Picking!' & Chats All Things Banjo, Bluegrass, Recording & Fit For A Dog!

    Welcome to the Happy Picking! Podcast… @FrankEvans  Frank Evans!Frank joins the show today for a chat and to talk about the important things in life, how to beat those stage nerves, dogs and the banjo!Fresh from this year’s solo album ‘Fit For A Dog’ and touring with Bronwyn, Frank finds the time to chat about life, touring, writing and recording. Sit back and relax and enjoy the stories about growing up in Canada, learning the banjo, playing with  @theslocanramblers8812  and  @bronwynfiddle  , moving to Nashville, playing the Opry, writing, recording and touring. Along the way we share some awesome tales (pun intended) and have a lot of fun hearing how the album came together.Along with these accomplishments, Frank has also being the recipient of an IBMA award, Canadian Folk Music Awards and has been nominated for a JUNO.His biography of playing includes appearances with Old Crow Medicine Show, Molly Tuttle and Jason Carter, as well as offering his services to recordings by Sierra Hull, Michael Cleveland and The King of The Hill soundtrack amongst others.Frank’s classical upbringing and fusion of abilities between clawhammer and traditional 3-finger bluegrass banjo create his individual sound and you can hear the joy in every note.Make sure you check out ‘Fit For A Dog’ and look out for the new releases from ‘The Slocan Ramblers’ and ‘Bronwyn’ too!=========== 👕 HAPPY PICKING! MERCHANDISEMens and Womens T-Shirts are now available worldwide at:www.SBLFunDesigns.com🪕 SUPPORT THE 'HAPPY PICKING!' PODCAST:For the price of a cup of coffee per month you can support SBL and help me to keep bringing you more banjo content on 'Happy Picking!', YouTube and Patreon. 🪕 To support click the links below:Support at Ko-fi⁠ (https://ko-fi.com/summary/3a4b68ed-a1aa-4c27-ab0f-7d1c1df54c09) ⁠Support at Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/12521555/join) ⁠ 🪕 SPONSOR AN EPISODE:If you want to show thanks and support, you can sponsor an episode and I'll give you a shout out on the next podcast! 🪕 To sponsor an episode click the links below:⁠Sponsor at Ko-fi (https://ko-fi.com/s/444063cc4d) ⁠ (https://www.patreon.com/SheffieldBanjoLessons/posts/sponsor-episode-165278535?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link) Sponsor at Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/SheffieldBanjoLessons/posts/sponsor-episode-165278535?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link) ---Remember to check out the rest of the shows and the YouTube channel!www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons

    EP11 - Frank Evans Joins 'Happy Picking!' & Chats All Things Banjo, Bluegrass, Recording & Fit For A Dog!

  2. Oct 18

    EP10 - Ron Block on Happy Picking! Hear his story, approach to the banjo, practicing, joining & playing with Alison Krauss & Union Station and Damien O'Kane.

    Welcome to episode 10 of the ‘Happy Picking!’ Podcast.It’s a time to celebrate and there is no better way to do it than welcome a super special guest...@RonBlockAKUS He is one of the most accoladed, respected and celebrated banjo players of our generation and is best known as a member of Alison Krauss and Union Station, which he joined back in 1991.He also has released multiple solo albums and received a Gospel Music Association Dove Award for “A Living Prayer.”Along with playing with AKUS Ron has formed a banjo duet with Damien O’Kane, the fabulous Irish Tenor banjo player and leader of the Kate Rusby Band.Ron and Damien have 3 albums out melding the Irish and bluegrass styles and as Ron puts it, leaning towards each other to create a complimentary sound.If that wasn’t enough, he also plays with Southern Legacy who’s new single “Bill From Isonville” nods back to traditional bluegrass in a fantastic, lively and harmonious way.Over his career Ron has won 14x Grammy, 6x IBMA, 1x CMA for his work with AKUS. He also has the Ron Block Banjo Workshop application where you can learn from the man himself.So sit back and listen to the conversation with Ron as we discover how he started out, views music and musicianship and shares some stories from an awesome career and fascinating life.=========== 🪕 SUPPORT THE 'HAPPY PICKING!' PODCAST:For the price of a cup of coffee per month you can support SBL and help me to keep bringing you more banjo content on 'Happy Picking!', YouTube and Patreon. 🪕 To support click the links below:Support at Ko-fi⁠⁠Support at Patreon🪕 SPONSOR AN EPISODE:If you want to show thanks and support, you can sponsor an episode and I'll give you a shout out on the next podcast! 🪕 To sponsor an episode click the links below:⁠Sponsor at Ko-fiSponsor at PatreonRemember to check out the rest of the shows and the YouTube channel!www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons

    EP10 - Ron Block on Happy Picking! Hear his story, approach to the banjo, practicing, joining & playing with Alison Krauss & Union Station and Damien O'Kane.

  3. Sep 12

    EP9 - Banjo in the Hollow - How this song become the BIGGEST bluegrass song of all time?! Find out the songs surprising history and why it's still such a great song to play on the banjo today.

    Join the 'Happy Picking!' Podcast for Episode 9... ...where we discover the surprising history of the song 'Banjo in the Hollow' and discover how this song become the BIGGEST bluegrass song of all time. The history of the song takes us from Missouri to California and the surprising links between The Dillards, Earl Scruggs and The Andy Griffith Show. Stay tuned in and hear how the construction of the song makes it a bluegrass standard and staple for every picker to have still today. TODAY'S LINKS: SUPPORT THE 'HAPPY PICKING!' PODCAST To support the podcast, click any of the links below: Support on Patreon Support on Ko-fi SPONSOR AN EPISODE: To sponsor and episode, click any of the links below: Sponsor on Patreon Sponsor on Ko-fi YOUTUBE LESSON - LEARN TO PLAY BANJO IN THE HOLLOW: Click here to learn how to play Banjo in the Hollow BANJO TAB - BANJO IN THE HOLLOW: Click the links to get the banjo tablature for Banjo in the Hollow. PatreonKo-fiSBL Tab Store ANTHONY MILLER @ MILLERS MID-WEEK MUSIC: Click here for Anthony's YouTube page ANTHONY MILLER'S SOLO ALBUM: Click here to check out Anthony's solo album Get in touch and let me know if you enjoyed today's episode and if you dusted off Banjo in the Hollow too. Happy Picking!

    EP9 - Banjo in the Hollow - How this song become the BIGGEST bluegrass song of all time?! Find out the songs surprising history and why it's still such a great song to play on the banjo today.

  4. Sep 1

    EP8 - A Chat with Ben Clark! We hear Ben's Story; from growing up, the unexpected pivot to music, Nashville, Taylor Swift and The Purple Hulls, the origins of 'Banjo Ben' and what truly matters most

    This episode of the 'Happy Picking!' Podcast on Sheffield Banjo Lessons is a good one! Today we get to have an open and honest chat with one of the great personalities and educators of bluegrass and the banjo. We catch up with Ben Clark and listen to his story and journey in life and music.We hear Ben's open, honest and real stories about growing up with music, his parents influence and his unexpected journey into bluegrass.We then share stories about moving to and playing in Nashville and touring with Taylor Swift before coming full circle and playing music with his sisters, The Purple Hulls. Ben also explains how it all began by starting BanjoBenClark.com, his joy of the the Cabin Camps and Banjo Ben's General Store. Finally, we hear some sage advice and truly matters to Ben when he thinks about his influence and legacy.Pull up a chair, get your headphones on and enjoy spending some time with Ben Clark! =========== 🪕 SUPPORT THE 'HAPPY PICKING!' PODCAST: For the price of a cup of coffee per month you can support SBL and help me to keep bringing you more banjo content on 'Happy Picking!', YouTube and Patreon. 🪕 To support click the links below: Support at Ko-fi⁠ ⁠ Support at Patreon⁠ 🪕 SPONSOR AN EPISODE: If you want to show thanks and support, you can sponsor an episode and I'll give you a shout out on the next podcast! 🪕 To sponsor an episode click the links below:⁠ Sponsor at Ko-fi ⁠ Sponsor at Patreon ---- Remember to check out the rest of the shows and the YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons

    EP8 - A Chat with Ben Clark! We hear Ben's Story; from growing up, the unexpected pivot to music, Nashville, Taylor Swift and The Purple Hulls, the origins of 'Banjo Ben' and what truly matters most

  5. Aug 5

    EP7 - A Conversation with Jim Pankey! We catch up with Jim ahead of his trip to the UK to host some workshops. We talk about how Jim got started, his approach to teaching and share some fun stories.

    A Conversation with Jim Pankey Joining the 'Happy Picking!' Podcast today is a very special guest, the wonderful Jim Pankey!   Jim is widely regarded as the largest purely banjo personality and tutor on the internet and you may already know him as ‘Wild Jimbo’ from his social media and Patreon pages.   More than just a great tutor, Jim has a huge depth of professional experience playing and live work continuously for years now.   We catch up with Jim and have a conversation about how it all started for him, his movement into online tutoring and his approach to teaching and playing live, ahead of his trip to host workshops in the UK.   Enjoy! Jim Pankey’s Banjo Workshop:   DATES: Saturday 22nd & Sunday 23rd August 2026 VENUE: Holiday Inn  - Liverpool Centre, L1 1NQ   Click the links below to get tickets:  - Eventbrite - Bitly SUPPORT THE 'HAPPY PICKING!' PODCAST: For the price of a cup of coffee per month you can support SBL and help me to keep bringing you more banjo content on 'Happy Picking!', YouTube and Patreon. To support click the links below: ⁠Support at Ko-fi⁠ ⁠Support at Patreon⁠ SPONSOR AN EPISODE: If you want to show thanks and support, you can sponsor an episode and I'll give you a shout out on the next podcast! To sponsor an episode click the links below: ⁠Sponsor at Ko-fi⁠ ⁠Sponsor at Patreon⁠ Remember to check out the rest of the shows and the YouTube channel! ⁠www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons⁠ Thanks! Happy Picking!

    EP7 - A Conversation with Jim Pankey! We catch up with Jim ahead of his trip to the UK to host some workshops. We talk about how Jim got started, his approach to teaching and share some fun stories.

  6. Jul 31

    EP6 - The Quest For Speed! - Increasing Your Speed on the Banjo Without Losing the Quality of Your Playing.

    Hello and welcome to the Happy Picking! Podcast. In today's episode we take a deep dive into the topic of playing at speed and increasing your picking speed on the banjo. It can be quite a daunting task to get this progressing and it's so easy to approach it incorrectly and tarnish your playing. This episode will discuss safe ways to build your speed, avoid harming yor play and give you exercises and some other food for thought... SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: For the price of a cup of coffee per month you can support SBL and help me to keep bring ing you more banjo content on 'Happy Picking!', YouTube and Patreon. To support click the links below: Support at Ko-fi Support at Patreon SPONSOR AN EPISODE: If you want to show thanks and support, you can sponsor an episode and I'll give you a shout out on the next podcast! To sponsor an episode click the links below: Sponsor at Ko-fi Sponsor at Patreon Remeber to check out the rest of the shows and the YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons Thanks! Happy Picking!

    EP6 - The Quest For Speed! - Increasing Your Speed on the Banjo Without Losing the Quality of Your Playing.

  7. Jul 10

    EP5 - The History & Mystery of Cripple Creek - Looking at the Origins and Importance of a Bluegrass Standard.

    Have you ever played the bluegrass classic 'Cripple Creek' on banjo, listened to Earl Scruggs or been to a jam , heard the song and thought... "Earl Scruggs wrote this, right?" ...well ...actually ... Welcome to the 'Happy Picking!' podcast, where in Episode 5 we dive into 'The History and Mystery of Cripple Creek', taking a long look at the origins, history and lesser known facts about 'Cripple Creek'! Sit down, put your headphones on and discover more about the classic standard of bluegrass.LEARN TO PLAY CRIPPLE CREEK: Cripple Creek Lesson on YouTube - CLICK HERE FREE TAB - Cripple Creek Standard Version- Click one of the links below to get the free banjo tablature for Cripple Creek. SBL Tab Store Ko-fi Store Patreon FULL TAB COLLECTION - Standard + Earl Scruggs Version + 3x Versions Building Cripple Creek + Banjo Back-Up Tab SBL Tab Store Ko-fi Store Patreon Remember to 'Follow' the podcast and drop me a comment with anything that you would like to hear about! Watch more Sheffield Banjo Lessons content on... YouTube Patreon Happy Picking!

    EP5 - The History & Mystery of Cripple Creek - Looking at the Origins and Importance of a Bluegrass Standard.

  8. Jun 23

    EP4 - Deering Deep Dive: Choosing the Right Banjo for You & What to Look out for When Buying a Banjo...

    Thinking about buying a Deering banjo but not sure which model is right for you? ...or do you just want to know what goes in to choosing the right banjo? In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Deering banjo lineup, from the popular Goodtime series right through to the professional-grade Sierra, Eagle II, Golden Era and Tenbrooks models. We'll explore the history of Deering Banjos, what makes each model different, and the key features every player should understand before making a purchase. From tone rings and resonators to neck woods, hardware and build quality, we'll explain how these components affect banjo tone, playability and value. Whether you're looking for the best beginner banjo, upgrading to an intermediate bluegrass banjo, or considering a high-end professional instrument, this episode will help you compare Deering banjos and make an informed decision. We'll also share our recommendations for different budgets, discuss common mistakes banjo buyers make, and look at alternative brands such as Recording King, Gold Tone, Pisgah and Ozark. Topics covered: • History of Deering Banjos • Which components make the biggest difference • Open-back vs resonator banjos • Tone rings explained • Best Deering banjo for beginners • Intermediate and professional banjo options (Sierra, Boston and the Eagle II) • What to look for when buying a banjo • New vs used banjos • Alternative banjo brands worth considering If you've ever wondered "Which Deering banjo should I buy?" this episode is for you. Thanks for joining and as always... Happy Picking! #DeeringBanjos #BanjoPodcast #BluegrassBanjo #BanjoBuyingGuide #GoodtimeBanjo #SierraBanjo #BanjoReviews #BanjoPlayer #BanjoLessons #OldTimeMusic #BluegrassMusic

    EP4 - Deering Deep Dive: Choosing the Right Banjo for You & What to Look out for When Buying a Banjo...

  9. Jun 16

    EP3 - Building Simple Banjo Breaks - Finding the Melody Behind the Music

    Do you want to build better banjo breaks? One of the most important skills in bluegrass banjo is learning to hear and find the melody. In this episode, we'll build a banjo break from the melody of Worried Man Blues and then strip back Earl Scruggs' break on The Ballad of Jed Clampett to discover how melody forms the foundation of every great banjo arrangement. Let's take a look at all the building blocks so that you can then build better and more suitable banjo breaks. *Please remember to like, subscribe and get in touch to tell me how you enjoyed the show and which sort of licks you have written. Get the full tabs for these songs in the various arrangements from melody to banjo break by clicking the links below: Worried Man Blues: Patreon SBL Tab Store Ko-fi Store Ballad of Jed Clampett: Patreon SBL Tab Store Ko-fi Store Get the FREE tab for this episodes here: Patreon SBL Tab Store Ko-fi Store 🎥 YouTube Channel: Join me over at the YouTube page for more lesson, tips, songs and tracks! https://www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons Happy Picking!

    EP3 - Building Simple Banjo Breaks - Finding the Melody Behind the Music

  10. Jun 8

    EP2 - All About Licks! - Deconstructing & How to Write Banjo Licks

    Welcome to Episode 2 of the 'Happy Picking!' podcast! This episode we talk 'All About Licks'. Playing, learning and being able to craft licks on the banjo is such a fundamental tool for all banjo players and has been for over 100 years! In this episode we take a deep dive into the world of licks and look at understanding licks by approaching the questions of: - What is a lick? - When do we play licks? - How do we know which lick toplay? - How many licks should I learn? With that knowledge in mind, we will progress to look atdeconstructing a lick and the recipe for building them yourself. We look at: - What is in a lick? - The recipe for writing a lick. - Writing licks in 'G'. - The G major scale and the theorythat we need to know to write a lick. - Adding techniques and scalenotes to licks. - Writing licks for 'C' and 'D'chords. In the final part of the show we will delve even furtherand get into the awesome nitty-gritty world of the blues note and the dominant 7th and how to really flavour your licks in a more 'bluegrass' way. - Bluegrass techniques for licks - What is a 'blues note'? - Using blues notes in 'G' and 'C'. - What is a 'dominant 7th'? - Using the dominant 7th in licks. * Please remember to like, subscribe and get in touch totell me how you enjoyed the show and which sort of licks you have written. LINKS Click on the links below to get the files for the show. HP#2- 'All About Licks' Tab Sheet: - Download the tab file for today's episode and check out the other tabs available. Patreon Ko-fi Store SBL Tab Store Blank Tablature Sheet: - Print these blank tablaturesheets for 5 string banjo and write your own licks. ⁠Patreon⁠ ⁠Ko-fi Store⁠ ⁠SBL Tab Store⁠ ⁠12 Bar in G Backing Tracks:⁠ - Practice different licks playingalong to these 12 bar backing tracks in the key of G. - Available at 80/100/120/140 bpm.   Have fun writing and...Happy Picking!

    EP2 - All About Licks! - Deconstructing & How to Write Banjo Licks

  11. Jun 2

    EP1 - The Call of the Banjo!

    Welcome to 'Happy Picking!' a podcast about all things banjo! Hosted by Richard from Sheffield Banjo Lessons (me), this show will bring you stories, information, lessons, tips and tricks, breakdowns of concepts and other bits exploring the fabulous world of the banjo. In episode 1 we will talk about how we all have a story when we get into the banjo whether it be from bluegrass music, country music or instrument hand-me-downs and I'll take you through my journey with the banjo. We'll look at the artists got me into playing, got my ears listening and influenced my style; such as Ashley Campbell, Earl Scruggs and Stevie Wonder!

  • 11 Episodes

About

Welcome to 'Happy Picking!' podcast about all things banjo & bluegrass! We'll will bring you interviews, tips, breakdowns and information to help you explore the fabulous world of bluegrass & the banjo. Get in touch with any questions, or what you would like to see on the show! 👕 T-Shirts Available - www.SBLFunDesigns.com 📺 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@SheffieldBanjoLessons ☕ Support at Ko-fi - https://ko-fi.com/sheffieldbanjolessons 🪕 Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/cw/SheffieldBanjoLessons 🌐 Website - www.sheffieldbanjolessons.co.uk Happy Picking!

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