Art Rosenbaum

New York native Art Rosenbaum belonged to a generation of city slickers who discovered, fell in love with, and dedicated themselves to traditional rural music. Unlike others, though, for one reason or another Rosenbaum never came off as a copycat or hollow imitation. Instead, his banjo playing for Elektra Records in the mid-60s actually extended and built upon the country tradition rather than just aping it. As an extension of his passion for the music, Rosenbaum began producing and assembling collections of traditional music, including Fine Times at Our House, a collection released on Folkways that featured fiddler John "Dick" Summers and became a favorite among the neo-folky crowd. After authoring a 1968 instructional book for banjo, Rosenbaum moved to Iowa where he taught painting and released solo records on tiny labels such as Meadowlands and Kicking Mule. He then moved again, this time to the college town of Athens, GA, where he authored a book on the state's musical history and released several more records on Flyright and Folkways. Rosenbaum remains a well-respected academic presence on the scene for his continued commitment to traditional country music and his inspired banjo player.