Mark Johnson (born May 20, 1955) is an American banjoist credited with creating a style of five string banjo playing called Clawgrass, which incorporates bluegrass and clawhammer banjo styles as well as bluegrass guitar styles and bluegrass ensemble techniques. He, along with Emory Lester was nominated by the

International Bluegrass Music Association The International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, is a trade association to promote bluegrass music. Formed in 1985, IBMA established its first headquarters in Owensboro, Kentucky. In 1988 they announced plans to create the International ...

(IBMA) for a 2007 Instrumental Album of the Year award. and presented with the 2012 Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. He is a spokesman for the Deering Banjo Co., which named two Clawgrass model banjos after him."Hometown banjo player Mark Johnson keeps his day job"
''Gainesville Sun'', Sep 16, 2006. By Dave Schlenker Mark Johnson Promotional Phote

Early life and education

Johnson was raised in Yorktown Heights, New York and started playing banjo at the age of 15. In 1971, he began his first banjo lessons with Jay Ungar in Garrison, NY. While studying with Ungar he learned the "Frailing Style" of five string banjo playing."The banjo to beat : Mark Johnson is the unassailable King of Clawgrass"
''Connect Savannah'', November 29, 2011 By Bill DeYoung Johnson is self taught in the Scruggs and Melodic style of bluegrass banjo playing.

Career

Johnson moved to Crystal River, FL in 1981 to work as a contract Health Physics Technician at a local electric utility. It is there that he met Herb Rice,

Larry Rice Larry Rice (24 March 1946 – 20 May 2009) was an American racing driver in the USAC and CART Championship Car series. He was the 1973 USAC National midget driver's champion and won the USAC Silver Crown series in 1977 and 1981. He was inducted i ...

and Ronnie Rice. The Rice family included him in their musical activities, where Johnson began to apply and adjust his clawhammer banjo techniques to work in bluegrass and duet playing ensembles. Johnson continued to work with Tony and Larry Rice from 1984 to 1993. It was during this time that Tony Rice taught Johnson critical techniques in performance art, writing, creating music and recording. This led to recording several duets and bluegrass ensemble covers and original compositions on Johnson's first self- produced CD entitled ''Clawgrass - Mark Johnson with The Rice Brothers and Friends'' on the Bang label in 1994. Johnson later performed extensively with mandolinist Emory Lester. The duo released their first album, ''Acoustic Campaign'', in 2002, and over the years have released four more albums together. In 2012, while working during the week as emergency management director in Florida, Johnson was presented with the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass."Clawgrass goes to the Opry"
''Bluegrass Today'', March 3, 2017 by John Lawless The next year he released an album, ''1863'', with Emory Lester. In 2017, Johnson and banjoist Mike Snider performed together at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.

Awards

* Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass, 2012. *Nominated for a 2007 International Bluegrass Music Award for Instrumental Album of the Year for their CD, Acoustic Rising.

Discography

References

External links

Mark Johnson Clawgrass Banjo

Mark Johnson Clawgrass Facebook

Mark Johnson Youtube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnson, Mark 1955 births Living people American banjoists