Beginning Banjo Track 2024

“In what order should I go through the videos?” Thanks for asking! To get the most out of our Murphy Method videos, we strongly suggest you follow our Beginning Banjo Track, laid out below. Our step-by-step approach makes learning the banjo as easy as possible. Each song builds on the previous song so please don’t…

Blast From The Past: Mac and Me By Murphy Henry

Here’s an article Murphy wrote long ago for the Winchester Star’s “Slice of Life” column. It was published on April 15, 1991. As the song goes “that has been some time ago!” Mac And Me When I heard that Mac Wiseman was going to be playing at the Apple Blossom Bluegrass Festival this year my…

Picky Fingers Banjo Podcast: My Interview With Keith Billik By Murphy Henry

As many of you may know, Keith Billik recently did a long interview with mefor his Picky Fingers Banjo Podcast. Thinking back on it, I’m reminded of thetime I interviewed Missy Raines for my book Pretty Good for a Girl: Womenin Bluegrass. At the end of the interview, I thanked her profusely for beingwilling to…

Intermediate Banjo Camp April 21-23: Learning to Play the Melody

Casey and I are really looking forward to our upcoming Intermediate Banjo Camp, April 21-23! We love seeing all of you—old faces and new—and this is one of the few times Casey and I actually get to play music together. And remember: At this camp we have an Advanced Beginner/Beginning Intermediate track. Check with us…

My Surprise Birthday CD! By Murphy Henry

Back in May of this year, I had a special birthday. I turned 70! No one was more surprised that I was—not surprised that I’d made it that far (although I am extremely grateful for each of those years)—but surprised that I was SEVENTY! It seems so old, yet I feel so young! (At times!)…

I Blew The Kickoff! (With Video) By Murphy Henry

Recently I spent six wonderful days teaching beginning banjo at Augusta Heritage Bluegrass Week in Elkins, West Virginia. It had been many a long year since I’d walked those “green rolling hills of West Virginia” (Hazel Dickens song) and they seemed to have gotten a bit steeper! One of the highlights of the camp every…

What Would J.D. Do?

The great J.D. Crowe passed away on December 24, 2021, at 84 years old. He was the biggest influence on my banjo playing right after Earl Scruggs. I spent literally hours trying to get my pull-offs to sound like his. I learned many of his classic songs including "Train 45" and "Blackjack" and his break to…

Ask Murphy: Your Jams Are Kind

“Your jams are kind.” Okay, that’s not a question. One of my students said that to me recently and I’ve been reflecting on it ever since. I consider it to be high praise. I want my jams to be a place where students feel comfortable and supported. Goodness knows it’s hard enough to scrounge up…

Ask Murphy By Murphy Henry

I’m sure you all have heard by now of the passing of the great banjo player Sonny Osborne. As a tribute to Sonny, I’m writing an article for Bluegrass Unlimited magazine based on Sonny’s Banjo Newsletter column. It was called “Keep on The Sonny Side,” and every month Sonny answered questions that readers would send…

Slowest Student in The Fiddle Class by Murphy Henry

Well, it’s been years since I blogged [Editor's note: it has actually been one year, four months, and ten days.] but since I just spend 5 days being a fiddle student at the Augusta Heritage October Old-Time Retreat in Elkins, W.Va., I thought I’d relive the experience by telling you about it. It was such…