When Bob saw the Dillards perform as the Darling family on the early Andy Griffith television shows, he was immediately drawn to the music and saw the banjo as a magical instrument. Once he started to play 40 years ago, there was no turning back, and over the years he developed a distinctive style, merging traditional bluegrass banjo with blues, swing and jazz. Bob has played in various bands, taught banjo for many years, published a lot of instructional material and performed on radio and television commercials.

     After honing his banjo chops in the 1970s, playing bluegrass, blues, jazz and country rock in various bands including Shagbark Hickory, Bob joined the Dyer Switch Band in 1996 and has performed with them ever since. His banjo playing is featured on the band’s American Airwaves and Family Business CDs and on their upcoming live performance CD. Bob has played banjo (and Dobro) with Dyer Switch at countless festivals, coffeehouses and concerts and on National Public Radio and many other radio shows, in addition to opening for Ralph Stanley and Larry Stephenson.

  Bob has been an in-demand banjo instructor for over 30 years. He has headed the beginner bluegrass banjo track at Banjo Camp North since 2003 (www.mugwumps.com/bcn.html), given workshops at bluegrass festivals and taught many private students. Check out Bob’s guidelines for learning banjo in his on line interview for Banjoman Dan’s Blog at banjonews.wordpress.com/banjo-spotlight/ .

  The prestigious online banjo webzines Mel Bay Banjo Sessions (www.banjosessions.com) and Angie’s Banjo Silver Strings (www.angiesbanjo.com/Subscription.htm) publish his many banjo instruction articles, with over 80 so far. The May 2011 issue of Banjo Newsletter included a personal profile article about Bob written by Arnie Fleischer. Bob also has the honor of being featured in a workshop chapter in Gene Senyak’s 2008 book Banjo Camp!, which includes chapters on banjo legends Pete Seeger, Tony Trischka, Bill Keith, Alan Munde, Janet Davis and others.

  Bob's love for banjo and bluegrass goes into overdrive each year when he attends the International Bluegrass Music Association World of Bluegrass, where he hobnobs with bluegrass musicians from all over the world, plays dozens of different banjos all day and jams all night.