Béla Fleck
| Béla Fleck | |
|---|---|
Fleck performing on February 9, 2007
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|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Béla Anton Leoš Fleck |
| Born |
July 10, 1958 New York City, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, bluegrass, folk, classical, world, folk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, composer |
| Instruments | Banjo |
| Years active | 1976–present |
| Labels | Rounder, Warner Bros., Sony Classical, Rhino |
| Associated acts | New Grass Revival, Strength in Numbers, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Abigail Washburn, Sparrow Quartet |
| Website | belafleck |
| Notable instruments | |
| Deering Crossfire electric banjo with custom pickups and synthesizer pickup | |
Béla Anton Leoš Fleck (born July 10, 1958) is an American banjo player. Widely acknowledged as one of the world's most innovative and technically proficient banjo players, he is best known for his work with the bands New Grass Revival and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones.
Béla Fleck was born in New York City, and is named after Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, Austrian composer Anton Webern and Czech composer Leoš Janáček. He was raised by his mother, a former school teacher, and claims he did not meet his father until he was in his 40s. He was drawn to the banjo when he first heard Earl Scruggs play the theme song for the television show Beverly Hillbillies. He received his first banjo at age fifteen from his grandfather in 1973. Later, Fleck enrolled in New York City's The High School of Music & Art where he studied the French horn. He was a banjo student under Tony Trischka.
Shortly after high school, Fleck traveled to Boston to play with Jack Tottle, Pat Enright, and Mark Schatz in the group Tasty Licks. During this period, Fleck released his first solo album in 1979, Crossing the Tracks, and made his first foray into progressive bluegrass composition.
Fleck played on the streets of Boston with bassist Mark Schatz. Along with guitarist/vocalist Glen Lawson and mandolin great Jimmy Gaudreau, they formed Spectrum in 1981. Fleck toured with Spectrum during 1981. That same year, Sam Bush asked Fleck to join New Grass Revival. Fleck performed with New Grass Revival for nine years. During this time, in 1987 Fleck recorded another solo album, Drive, which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1988 in the new category of "Best Bluegrass Album".
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Wikipedia