Wayne Erbsen
Wayne Erbsen came to North Carolina from his original home of California in the early 1970s. Inspired by his love of traditional Southern music, he moved to the mountain South to learn from the masters of old-time and bluegrass. In the more than forty years since, he has become a leading teacher of traditional music himself, while carrying on a busy career as a performer, and documenting the history of Appalachian music.
Erbsen has recorded more than two dozen solo albums, with Civil War, railroad, and cowboy themes, and featuring old-time, bluegrass, country, and gospel music. He has published more than thirty books, primarily instructional books about a variety of acoustic instruments, including his popular “…For the Complete Ignoramus” series. His company, Native Ground Books & Music, carries these titles, as well as books and recordings by fellow preservationists of Appalachian traditions, including traditional cooking teacher Barbara Swell (to whom Erbsen is married), musician Laura Boosinger, and herbalist Doug Elliott.
Erbsen offers group and individual music lessons from his home in Asheville. When not teaching, writing, and recording, he hosts Country Roots, Blue Ridge Public Radio’s longest-running program.
Availability
Wayne Erbsen is available for workshops, classes, consultations, programs, and concerts.
