MY GRANDFATHER  WAS SCOTS-IRISH  HIS FAMILY FIRST SETTLED IN 'ROSE'S  BROOK "IN DELAWARE COUNTY  WHERE MANY SCOTS-IRISH SETTLED. 
MY GREAT GRAND FATHER JOHN ROGERS CAME TO AMSTERDAM NY FROM IRELAND WHEN HE WAS 10 YEARS OLD . HE  WORKED FOR SANFORD BIGALOW MILLS , AND NAMED MY  GRANDFATHER  KENNETH SANFORD  ROGERS  AFTER THE MILL;

I LEARNED BANJO  BY TEACHING MYSELF ; AND WITH THE BRIEF HELP OF TEACHERS , AND FRIENDS OVER THE YEARS.  JOHN HULL THE FOUNDER OF OLD TIME BLUEGRASS ASSOCIATION  AND 3RD GENERATION  FIDDLE  MAKER  BUILT A BANJO  FOR ME WHICH IS A COPY OF A GIBSON  WHICH I PLAYED WITH THE  BAND FOR MANY YEARS.  HE  AND OTB ALWAYS  ENCOURAGED ME IN MY MUSIC . I REMEMBER ONCE EARL HARRIS SAID TO ME. WHEN I SAID I WASNT GOOD ENOUGH TO JOIN THE JAM SESSION  'THEY WOULD BE INSULTED IF THEY THOUGHT YOU THOUGHT YOU WERENT GOOD ENOUGH.". 
MY SUGGESTIONS TO PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PLAY  BANJO;
1. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
2.PRACTICE
3 LISTEN TO A LOT OF BANJO MUSIC
4. BE DETERMINED
5 MAKE MUSIC A PART OF YOUR LIFE..  SET THE BANJO IN THE KITCHEN  AND PICK IT UP EVERY  TIME YOU CAN.  MAKE MUSIC A PART OF YOUR HOLIDAYS AND PARTIES. I THINK MY BEST FRIENDS AND BEST TIMES HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH MUSIC
6 ENJOY
7 LEARN SCRUGGS FIRST

MY FAVORITE BANJO PICKERS ARE  EARL SCRUGGS, BUTCH ROBBINS , BELA FLECK, CHRIS LESKE FROM THE MCKRELLS  AND LEROY TROY A FRAILER WITH BANJO  MANIPULATIONS  BEYOND BELIEF!

I ALSO PLAY PENNYWHISTLE AND LOW D WHISTLE  AND AM TRYING TO LEARN TO PLAY SHUTTLE PIPES  GAEL SAYS I SOUND LIKE A DRUNKEN MOSQUITO! ONE OF MY FAVORITE IRISH GROUPS HAS ALWAYS BEEN  STOCKTOSNS WING THEIR MUSIC IS ETCHED IN MY MIND FROM EXCESSIVE LISTENING .



Jane with Ralph Stanley at a Bluegrass Festival

HOME

NEW CD

MUSIC SAMPLES

NEWS AND SCHEDULE