Béla Fleck really noticed the banjo while watching "Beverly Hillbillies" as a kid in the 1960s.  The sound of Earl Scruggs playing was "like sparks going off in my head," he said.  Since then, the New York native has busted through any and all barriers, pairing his banjo with everyone from Chick Corea and Branford Marsalis, to Dave Matthews and the Grateful Dead.  With 16 Grammys at home, he is often called the premier banjo player in the world.  Béla Fleck and his versatile banjo join us for an in-depth interview. 

 

Béla Fleck and the Flecktones perform Monday, March 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Smith Center.

 

GUEST

Béla Fleck, banjo, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones