Podcast 342: Tristan Scroggins

On this week's Fretboard Journal Podcast, we chat with musician,
educator, and FJ contributor Tristan Scroggins. 


Scroggins has had an eventful month: He won the IBMA 2021 Writer
of the Year award for his music journalism and then, just a
couple of weeks later, released a truly unique solo album,
'One-Ring Circus.' That album features Scroggins - best known for
his mandolin playing - in the midst of a truly wild pandemic
project, playing solo instrumental tunes on a vintage tenor
(four-string) banjo. It's an amazing undertaking filled with
great playing ... and a far cry from what you imagine when
you think about "tenor banjo" music. We hear about the making of
the record, his decision to release it on cassette (don't
worry, it's also on all the streaming platforms), and the
Paramount tenor he used for it. 


 


This conversation also goes deep: Scroggins talks about his
unusual upbringing, growing up on the road playing mandolin
for his dad, banjo player and bandleader Jeff Scroggins. We hear
about the pressures of bluegrass competitions, his move to
Nashville, mental health, and his decision to stay busy
(Scroggins has been steadily releasing some great mandolin
instruction books), plus a lot more.


 


Look for pieces Scroggins penned on John Reischman and Bela Fleck
in the Fretboard Journal's next two issues. You're going to love
them. Subscribe here to get them: start a print
subscription or a digital / PDF subscription. 


 



Follow Scroggins' many projects here:
https://www.tristanscroggins.com
Bandcamp for 'One-Ring Circus':
https://tristanscroggins.bandcamp.com


Scroggins playing "Seneca Square Dance" from the record at
Carter Vintage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waiFNRqk9oE

This week's Fretboard Journal Podcast is brought to you by
Retrofret Vintage Guitars.


 


Note: We are currently working on our 50th issue of the
Journal. We'd love to hear your stories about how the FJ (or
its podcast) has changed your life. Got a noteworthy instrument
with a great back story? Email us about that, too... at
podcast@fretboardjournal.com.


 


We'd also love it if you all subscribed to the magazine so we
can start our next 50 issues stronger and bigger than ever.
 


 


Don't forget, we now host an entire family of podcasts,
about everything from lutherie to home recording: Luthier on
Luthier; The Truth About Vintage Amps; The Truth About
Recording & Mixing; Acoustic Voices; and Sweep the
Floor.