The Banjo Of Fleming Brown with Stephen Wade

Adult Group Class

Grammy nominated Banjo player, researcher, and teacher Stephen Wade gives a rare workshop on the playing and influence of Fleming Brown.

Fleming Brown was born in Marshall, Missouri and was one of the early banjo teachers at The Old Town School of Folk Music. Fleming specialized in traditional songs of the Southern Appalachians, and was influenced by Old-Time banjo players such as Uncle Dave Macon and Dock Boggs. Fleming traveled learning first hand from other banjo players like Doc Hopkins, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Grandpa Jones, Hobart Smith, Frank Proffitt. At the Old Town School, Brown mentored banjoist Stephen Wade who eventually took over teaching Fleming's class in 1974.

Growing up in Chicago, Stephen Wade was exposed to a number of vernacular musicians who had moved north to the city from the Mississippi Delta and the Southern Appalachians. In 1972, he began studying with Fleming Brown at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music. By the mid-‘70s, Brown passed his classes over to Wade to teach. In 1972, Wade also began an association with Brown’s teacher, old-time, Kentucky-born radio singer Doc Hopkins. Under the tutelage of these two mentors, Wade immersed himself in the banjo, traditional music, and American folklore.

Buy tickets for Stephen’s concert here.

Grouped with: Clawhammer / Old Time