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Adam Hurt began playing clawhammer banjo in 1995, an instrument he discovered in an elementary-school classroom in Saint Paul, Minnesota, thanks to a homeroom teacher who was actively involved with the Twin Cities' folk music scene. Following a brief obsession with the bluegrass mandolin, Adam quickly decided to fully concentrate his musical efforts on old-time music in general and the banjo and all that it could do in particular.
In an attempt to gain a comprehensive understanding of the possibilities of the clawhammer banjo style, Adam has taken cues from such diverse players as Richie Stearns and Rafe Stefanini, among many others. Lately, however, Adam finds the majority of his musical inspiration coming from such old and new Appalachian-style fiddlers as Ed Haley, Edden Hammons, Bruce Molsky, and Bobby Taylor, which he then translates to the banjo in often groundbreaking ways. Adam also attempts on occasion to play the old-time fiddle himself, and his work on that instrument has begun to get noticed by fiddlers' convention judges.
Adam has placed at or won most of the major old-time banjo contests, including such significant events as Clifftop (first place, 2003 and 2007; second place, 2000; third place, 2005), Mount Airy (first place, 2004, 2005, and 2006), and Galax (second place, 2006); he has also claimed the state banjo championships of Virginia (2003 and 2004), West Virginia (2005), Ohio (2004), and Alabama (2004 and 2005), in addition to the state fiddle championships of Alabama (2005), Maryland (2005), and Virginia (2006).
A gifted and respected teacher, Adam has conducted banjo workshops at the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins, West Virginia, at Appalshop in Whitesburg, Kentucky, and at the FOOTMAD Fall Festival in Beckwith, West Virginia. In 2007, Adam's teaching schedule included workshops in Suffern, New York, Arlington, Virginia, and Minneapolis, Minnesota; he was also on staff during Old-Time Week at the Swannanoa Gathering and again at Augusta.
In early 2002, Copper Creek Records released Adam's debut CD, "Intrigue," a collection of traditional pieces featuring clawhammer banjo with various combinations of guitar, fiddle, and bouzouki. As his style and repertoire has since changed rather dramatically, Adam felt compelled to record a new CD, "Insight." This recording highlights Adam's innovative banjo playing both in solo settings and with accompaniment by Cathy Fink (guitar, banjo, bouzouki), Beth Hartness (guitar), Marcy Marxer (guitar, mandolin, uke), and Jarred Nutter (fiddle). The selections found on this CD represent a surprising diversity of traditional Appalachian music, running the gamut from Round Peak stalwarts to stringband rags, from a Bill Monroe original to three Ed Haley tunes recorded on clawhammer banjo for the first time. "Insight" was released on the Ubiquitone label in August of 2006.
Adam's new CD, "Insight," is now available for purchase at CD Baby! Click the button below to learn more.
