Swallow Hill BanjoFest | Swallow Hill Music

The Pitchfork Stroke in Double D Tuning with Caleb James Hall

This workshop focuses on using a melodic technique for playing clawhammer banjo called the “pitchfork stroke.” This unique way of playing was developed by clawhammer banjoist Cameron DeWhitt and uses 3 fingers instead of the usual 2. It allows the player to access more notes without breaking the clawhammer rhythm.

Caleb will explain what the Pitchfork Stroke is, and how to use it in Double C and Double D tuning. Then he will use those techniques to teach the tune “Twin Sisters.”

Plays Well with Others: Double Banjo Arrangements with The Lowest Pair

Join Kendl and Palmer from The Lowest Pair in this collaborative banjo workshop that focuses on blending styles, creating room, and finding different textures, techniques, positions, and tunings to leave each player plenty of sonic space.

There will be something for every level of banjo student, though having a thorough understanding of the fretboard and an intermediate skill level of clawhammer or three finger will give depth to the concepts.

"G out of D" (Playing in the key of G out of double D tuning) with Chris Coole

Want to cut down your on your re-tuning? Want a unique voice for the banjo in the key G? Do you already G tunes out of FDGCD with a capo? You should check this out if the answer is yes to any of these questions.

Mapping the Fretboard with Kyle Tuttle

Using closed position Diatonic 7th Chords, learn where to find each chord in any key, and some (mostly single string) exercises to connect your ideas smoothly up and back down the neck.

Good for beginners to grasp how the chords/scales relate to eachother, and good for advanced players to fill in the harmonic gaps.

Scruggs Style Banjo Workshop with Pete Wernick

Pete will be covering jamming basics for banjo players and address the needs of those in the room.

The Lowest Pair

Declared “one of the best under-the-radar Americana duos today” by Paste Magazine, The Lowest Pair have spent more than a decade redefining roots music in America with a sparse approach that produces surprisingly expansive results. As a duo, Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee trade off on banjo and guitar, or sometimes it’s just straight up banjo and banjo. The pair top it all off with their distinctive vocal interplay; “hers an achingly beautiful distinctive tone that complements his smoky delivery to perfection,” according to Americana UK.

The band’s latest album, Horse Camp, created in collaboration with instrumental duo Small Town Therapy, leans towards each member’s string band roots and showcases brand new Lowest Pair songs Kendl and Palmer wrote during the strange times of the pandemic. It’s an awesome display of how a simple collaboration of friends can result in music that is as organic as it is undeniable.

Chris Coole

Since falling in love with the sound of folk and early country music at the age of seventeen, you could loosely divide Chris Coole’s 30-year career as a full-time musician into three eras – ten years as a Toronto street and subway busker; ten years playing bluegrass residencies around Toronto’s bar scene; and ten years touring internationally; both solo and with the likes of The Lonesome Ace Stringband, The David Francey Band, and The Foggy Hogtown Boys.

Throughout this musical journey, Chris has perhaps become best known as being one of the leading purveyors of the modern clawhammer-style banjo. He has developed a highly personal style that has often been described as instantly recognizable.

This unique voice on the instrument has not gone unnoticed by his fellow musicians and has led to playing as a collaborator (Ivan Rosenberg, Erynn Marshall, Arnie Naiman), sideman (Jim Cuddy, Natalie McMaster, Justin Rutledge, John Reischman, Sylvia Tyson), or producer (The Slocan Ramblers, David Francey) on over 200 recordings.

Apart from appearing on his own projects, his songs have been covered and recorded by artists such as Eli West, Jenny Whiteley, The Grasscals, and The Sweet Lowdown. Of his songwriting, Penguin Eggs magazine has said “Renowned for his clawhammer banjo picking, Coole now establishes himself as a gripping songwriter”.

Coole is a sought-after teacher of both banjo, guitar, and songwriting at workshops and festivals across Canada, the U.S., and Europe (Augusta Heritage Centre, Sore Fingers, Rockygrass Academy, Nimble Fingers, Midwest Banjo Camp). He has produced a popular series of online workshops as well as an instructional DVD.

These days, Chris devotes much of his time to playing banjo in The Lonesome Ace Stringband. Together, they have recorded 5 albums and played at festivals such as Merlefest, Rockygrass, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Mariposa, Wintergrass, and The Vancouver Folk Festival.

Kyle Tuttle

Equally comfortable picking pristine progressive bluegrass and electric jamband solos, Kyle Tuttle is a rare and virtuosic banjo player known for his work with Grammy-winning guitarist Molly Tuttle, and former Yonder Mountain String Band mandolin player Jeff Austin. His third album Labor of Lust, is very different from his first two albums

On his new record, Tuttle explores a wide range of sounds and possibilities for the banjo, while his songwriting gives insight into a tumultuous time in his own life; losing a mentor and going through a divorce. “A life in professional music, or performance of any kind really, is often painted in glamor… but the man behind the curtain can exist in a difficult duality. An attempt at putting a saddle on success can eat a person up and wreck the things they hold dear. In reality, any pursuit of the love of the masses can easily become a Labor of Lust.”

Growing up in Georgia, Kyle Tuttle first began singing and playing folk songs with his grandparents. After studying at Berklee College of Music and moving to Nashville, TN, Tuttle played in the band of Yonder Mountain String Band mandolinist Jeff Austin until Austin’s death in 2019.

Fresh off a full time gig with Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, (Kyle) Tuttle has been busy touring while finishing his newest album, Labor of Lust. The album was recorded over two sessions in Nashville with engineers Daniel Rice and Megan McCormick, and features a stacked cast of musicians including Golden Highway bandmate Dominick Leslie, The Infamous Stringdusters Travis Book, singer/songwriter Lindsay Lou, and many others. Sonically, the music moves from straightforward bluegrass (Trailer in Boulder Canyon), to electric funk-jams (Ghost), to song-based folk numbers (Turn On Your Radio).

Kyle has also worked closely with Jamgrass legends Larry Keel, Travelin’ McCourys, Leftover Salmon, Greensky Bluegrass, Billy Strings, Railroad Earth and many more.

Pete Wernick

Pete Wernick, “Dr. Banjo”, is renowned worldwide for his contributions to bluegrass music: the hot-picking force in several trend-setting bands including Hot Rize and Country Cooking, originator of bluegrass camps and the Wernick Method, respected teacher and author, and 15-year President of the International Bluegrass Music Association.

Pete co-founded Hot Rize in 1977 with Tim O’Brien, a group that lasted 44 years, performing throughout the U.S. and overseas, with many TV appearances. In September 2025 the band was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame

Pete has been teaching banjo and bluegrass since 1964. Starting in 1980, he has conducted over 150 camps, in most of the United States and in several other countries. His videos and books include bestsellers such as Bluegrass Jamming, Bluegrass Banjo, Bluegrass Songbook, and the JAM Songbook. He maintains an extensive educational web site, DrBanjo.com, and in 2018 was named IBMA’s Mentor of the Year.

Since 2010, Pete has directed the Wernick Method (LetsPick.org), training and mentoring bluegrass teachers to teach bluegrass jamming in 1500 classes and camps to date.

He has led the Flexigrass band (bluegrass/classic jazz fusion) since 1992 and performs in a bluegrass duo with his wife Joan (“Nondi”). Born in New York City, he’s lived in Niwot, Colorado since 1976.

Banjo Orchestras with Rex Rideout

In this half hour presentation, Rex Rideout will detail the rise and fall of the popularity of the Banjo Orchestra, which rose to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He has several banjos of the time period in various shapes, sizes, and tones on display for demonstration.

Dick Weissman

A Colorado Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Dick Weissman has had a long and colorful career as a banjoist and guitarist, performer, member of the legendary folk-pop group the Journeymen. He has written songs for such disparate artists as Judy Collins, Merv Griffin, Lothar & the Hand People and Carly and Lucy Simon.

Rex Rideout

Rex Rideout is a long-time student of the music and songs of the 19th-Century American West. As the proprietor of Time Travel Music, Rex has performed at countless historic sites and museums across the West. His music has also been featured on television and radio. Rex plays many musical instruments: banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and tin whistle, to name just a few.

Laura Goldhamer

As a folk songwriter, old-time banjo player, guitarist, stop-motion animator, & instrument inventor, Laura Goldhamer enlivens crowds with laughter and awe, conveying her intimate and focused energy in a unified and immersive musical, visual, and kinetic performance.

She draws from a variety of purely American traditions; however, Laura’s ability to merge traditional Americana with the avant-garde, mixing inventive homemade technologies with earnest folk, is particularly noteworthy.

Developing Your Own Banjo Style with Dick Weissman

In this workshop, Dick Weissman will explore taking the banjo into new musical territories through alternate tunings, and what to consider when playing in genres not immediately associated with the banjo. Dick will discuss “odd” tunings like cCGCC, and how to work with them without using a capo. This will lead into playing in genres outside the bluegrass, folk, and old-time traditions including blues and world music.

A Colorado Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Dick Weissman has had a long and colorful career as a banjoist and guitarist, performer, member of the legendary folk-pop group the Journeymen. He has written songs for such disparate artists as Judy Collins, Merv Griffin, Lothar & the Hand People and Carly and Lucy Simon.

The Pitchfork Stroke for Clawhammer with Caleb James Hall

This workshop focuses on using a melodic technique for playing clawhammer banjo called the “pitchfork stroke.” This unique way of playing was developed by clawhammer banjoist Cameron DeWhitt and uses 3 fingers instead of the usual 2. It allows the player to access more notes without breaking the clawhammer rhythm. Two tunes will be used to teach the pitchfork stroke: The Lost Girl (John Salyer) and Spotted Pony (trad.)

Prerequisites: Completion of Clawhammer Banjo 1-3 classes at Swallow Hill, or a complete understanding of clawhammer basics (bum-dit-ty rhythm, slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs) as well as a decent understanding of intermediate techniques such as drop-thumb, and the ability to play in standard, modal, and double C tunings.

Beginning Clawhammer with Laura Goldhamer

Learn the basics of this great old-time banjo style, as it currently comes back into style! Highly rhythmic and dynamic, Clawhammer emphasizes playing down with your strumming hand, giving you lots of potential for playing solo or adding to a band setting.

Prerequisites: No prior experience necessary. Please have a 5 string banjo.

Beyond the Bum Ditty Clawhammer Workshop with Brad Kolodner

In this hands-on workshop geared towards intermediate to advanced level clawhammer players, Brad will explore the versatile nature of old-time banjo and go “beyond the bum-ditty.” Tunes in a variety of tunings will be taught as vehicles for reinforcing fundamentals while also exploring an array of more advanced techniques. We will explore concepts like drop-thumb, playing back up, bass lines, going up the neck, learning by ear, incorporating variations and achieving a good tone. Regardless of your skill level, you will walk out of the workshop with a fresh approach to clawhammer and practical tools to sharpen your skills.

Banjo Songster and Storytelling Workshop with Dom Flemons

In this workshop Dom will share songs from banjo songsters over the past 100 years and demonstrate some of the banjo styles within blues, folk, country, and bluegrass music. He will share some of the stories from his personal experiences meeting and learning from banjo players along with talking about the history of the music.

Scruggs - Three-Finger Style Banjo Workshop with Tony Trischka

My workshop is open to all levels of players. I’ll start with some ideas which will enable you to achieve a more “professional” sound. I’ll discuss timing, clarity, tone, touch and much more. And there’ll be a dive into some of the more subtle aspects of Earl Scruggs’ style. If time allows, I’ll show you a rare tune that comes from jams that John Hartford and Earl did in the 1980s. I’ll also touch on the history of the melodic style. Feel free to record the workshop and I’m completely open to your questions and suggestions. I’m looking forward to seeing you!

Brad Kolodner

Hailed as a “defining voice in the contemporary banjo community,” Baltimore-based clawhammer banjoist Brad Kolodner represents the next generation of Old-Time musicians pushing the boundaries of the tradition into uncharted territory. Regarded for his delicate touch, expressive style, and original compositions, Kolodner has rapidly gained national attention for his unique approach to the banjo. A six-time finalist in the banjo contest at the Appalachian String Band Festival (Clifftop), he is on one hand rooted in tradition and on the other fiercely innovative.

Off the stage, he is an acclaimed teacher, award-winning radio broadcaster for Folk Alley and Bluegrass Country Radio, jam leader, festival organizer, community builder and ambassador for Old-Time and Bluegrass music.

Dom Flemons

Dr. Dom Flemons is the Co-Founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from Northern Arizona University. He is a Grammy Award Winner with four nominations, a two-time Emmy Nominee, an International Acoustic Music Award Grand Prize Winner, and a United States Artists Fellow.

Famously known as “The American Songster” with a repertoire that covers over one hundred years of American roots music including country, blues, folk, bluegrass, and Americana, Flemons is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar, historian, actor, slam poet, record collector, podcaster, cultural commentator, and the creator, host, and producer of the American

Songster Radio Show on WSM in Nashville, TN. He is considered an expert player on the banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones.

Tony Trischka

From his landmark 1974 solo debut Bluegrass Light, to his frequent presence on NPR, to his Grammy-nominated albums Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular and Great Big World, Tony Trischka has raised the banjo’s profile in countless ways.

He’s imparted his hard-earned wisdom to countless students and collaborators, through his private instruction, books and DVDs, and his groundbreaking work with the ArtistWorks online teaching platform. In addition to his Grammy nominations, Trischka earned a number of honors over the years, including the International Bluegrass Music Award for Banjo Player of the Year in 2007, and he was named a United States Artists Friends Fellow in 2012. His impact is so great, the New York Times has declared “Tony Trischka is known as the father of modern bluegrass.”

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Mike Jagel

See Mike’s classes here.

Scruggs Style (3-finger), bluegrass, folk, and Clawhammer Banjo

Teaching style: The objective is for students to have skills and tools to play music with others. Mike focuses on building repertoire of songs, playing/singing both lead and back-up, using tablature, basic chord theory, and ear training. Genres for Mike’s lessons include bluegrass, folk, country, western, blues, and rock.

Caleb James Hall

See Caleb’s classes here and his private lessons here.

Fiddle, Clawhammer Banjo

Originally from Denver, Caleb started out at Swallow Hill in the Quinlan Café as the Bar Manager. Then a mixture of luck and the right timing led him to teaching beginner fiddle and taking over the core clawhammer banjo classes. While he currently lives outside of Colorado, you can catch him virtually teaching students across the country through his role with Swallow Hill. When he is not working, he can be found around a table of friends playing Dungeons and Dragons.

First Concert: Red Hot Chili Peppers with Stone Temple Pilots at Fiddler’s Green

What song could you listen to all day long? “Love and Chains” by Vivian Leva and RIley Calcagno

Favorite hangout? St Mark’s Coffee shop/Thin Man

What is your favorite thing about Swallow Hill, or your favorite Swallow Hill memory? I love the community!

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