Jared first fell in love with old-time music while living in Portland, Oregon, where the old-time stringband scene was (and still is) incredibly vibrant. He went to weekly jams all over town, played square dances with his own little band, and made regular trips up to Washington for gigs, including at Conor Byrne. He spent summers at the Centralia Campout and never missed the Portland Old-Time Festival. Jared’s teaching philosophy is: “Start slow. Learn the fundamentals of clawhammer technique, then get yourself to a slow jam; even if you sit on the outside and just bum-ditty along. Playing with real people is the fastest, most joyful way to grow. Listen widely, keep your instrument out of its case so you can pick it up often, and try not to rely too heavily on online tabs. Most importantly, explore until you find the technique that suits you. There’s no one “right” way.” “And once I started sitting in on jams, the rhythm... hooked me for good.” When were you first introduced to music and what got you “hooked”? I grew up in Texas, Tennessee, and Ohio, and my first banjo came from my grandpa—a huge musical influence on me. When we’d visit him in Tennessee, he’d play old country and gospel on both banjo and guitar, and he passed those instruments down to me. I actually fell in love with the acoustic guitar first, playing tons of oldies—Everly Brothers, Louvin Brothers, Monroe Brothers. But in my twenties, the banjo completely took over my life. Hearing the McCrae Sisters (especially Marian McCrae’s clawhammer) sealed the deal. Some of my favorite players are Roscoe Holcomb, Buell Kazee, Clarence Ashley, Seven Foot Dilly & the Hot Pickles, and the Skillet Lickers. I was obsessed with the energy of those old 1920s–30s recordings. And once I started sitting in on jams, the rhythm—bum-ditty on banjo, boom-chuck on guitar—hooked me for good. What is one of your most memorable experiences as a performer? Old-time music shaped the way I travel and connected me with community everywhere I went. One of my favorite memories is from Galway, Ireland, where I busked for a few weeks and heard Appalachian tunes played with a Celtic twist. One day I met Emily O’Sullivan, a world-class sean-nós dancer (very similar to Appalachian flatfooting), who happened to know several of the same Asheville teachers and had been to many of the same U.S. festivals I love. We instantly clicked. She invited me to join a dance workshop she was teaching on Inishbofin, a tiny island off the west coast. I spent a week there playing for dancers, gigging in pubs, exploring the island, and staying in a beautiful old cottage. The people were unbelievably warm and welcoming—it was truly unforgettable. Do you have any good practice tips for music students or musicians in general? Keep your instrument out of its case at home—on a stand or a wall sling—so you can pick it up easily. Focus on one thing at a time; don’t bounce between tabs, lyrics, and techniques all at once. Repetition is your friend. Avoid staring at a laptop while you play. If you’re learning a song, listen to it and write the lyrics by hand. Be present with your instrument and with the people you’re playing with. Practice slowly, use a metronome, and give yourself time to truly master a technique. When jamming, aim to blend in rather than overpower. Play softly, use a lighter touch, and listen more than you play—this builds control and makes the whole group sound better.
