Renowned musician/teacher Bill Evans to demonstrate banjo techniques at free Gibson Clinic in Berkeley

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…Nashville, Tennessee…May 24, 2005..Banjoist Bill Evans will conduct a free banjo workshop for all levels of players at the Gibson Bluegrass Banjo Clinic, hosted by Fifth String Music Store in Berkeley, CA, on June 23, 7:30-9:00 pm. Evans, who is as well-known for his teaching as his playing, will demonstrate Scruggs style, melodic and single-string styles, lead playing, improvisation, back-up and more.

Participants will get the chance to see and play many new Gibson banjos and to ask Gibson representatives about Gibson banjos and how to play them. Alan Senauke will accompany Bill on guitar.

“There are great banjo players and there are great teachers, but no one brings it all together – inspiring you with a performance and then showing you exactly how it’s done – like Bill Evans does,” said Henry Juszkiewicz, Gibson Chairman and CEO. “After a Gibson Bluegrass Banjo Clinic with Bill Evans, everyone wants to play the banjo.”

Bill Evans was born in Virginia and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. He made his mark with the band Dry Branch Fire Squad in the 1990s and currently performs on the West Coast with the bands Due West and Bluegrass Intentions and also with Jody Stecher, in addition to guest performances with Maria Muldaur, Laurie Lewis, Peter Rowan and David Grisman.

Bill’s Rounder CD Native and Fine, featuring Stuart Duncan and David Grier, was awarded an honorable mention for Acoustic Instrumental Recording of the Year from the Association for Independent Music. The Chicago Tribune and County Sales named his most recent CD Bill Evans Plays Banjo, featuring Rob Ickes and John Reischman, a Top 10 CD of the Year. In addition to teaching at most of the major banjo and bluegrass camps in the world, Bill hosts the Osborne Banjo Retreat with banjo legend Sonny Osborne each year in Cumberland Furnace, TN. He has released instructional projects for Mel Bay and AcuTab Publications, including his best selling “Power Pickin’ Vol. 1: Up The Neck Backup for Bluegrass Banjo.”

Gibson Bluegrass Banjo Clinic with Bill Evans

Thursday, June 23, 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.

Fifth String Music Store, 3051 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA

Admission is free. Phone 510-548-8282 for more details.

Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos. Gibson’s digital guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, MI, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland,  Maestro, Baldwin, Hamilton and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com or www.gibson.com/press

CONTACTS:

Caroline Galloway        GIBSON         440-338-3469 caroline.galloway@gibson.com

Jason Padgitt                Rogers & Cowan 310-854-8140 jpadgitt@rogersandcowan.com

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