On this week's Deering Live episode we are featuring one of my favorite young and innovative clawhammer banjoists on the scene, Victor Furtado. Victor grew up in Virginia with playing music and going to old time and bluegrass festivals with his siblings (such as Gina Furtado). Victor has won numerous awards and in 2019 won the Steve Martin Banjo Prize.
Victor understands and respects the old time tradition, but his innovative techniques and punk rock energy really separate him from other clawhammer players. You can find him laying down heavily syncopated funk riffs on the banjo or playing in a more traditional style.Definitely tune in a hear the future of clawhammer banjo. Below is a playlist of some tunes that Victor has been listening to/being inspired by as of late. This will help you understand where his musical inspiration is coming from. Also below is a video of Victor outside of Berklee College of Music in Boston playing his original tune Ghost On Hippie Hill with fiddler Andrew Vogts.