This has been quite a year for banjo picker Kristin Scott Benson. When 2006 dawned, she was a member of Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, and teaching in the bluegrass music program at the East Tennesse State University in Johnson City. In June, it was announced that she and her husband, Wayne Benson (mandolinist with The John Cowan Band), were expecting their first child.

That news led her to pass on the teaching job, and continue performing until the arrival of their son, Hogan, in October. Kristin left Lonesome Standard Time to be with the baby, but she has now returned to the stage, in familiar surroundings.

Kristin has accepted the job playing banjo and singing with The Larry Stephenson Band, with whom she traveled for nearly five years while she was in college. Both she and Larry are delighted to be working together again.

You can find their schedule on the official band web site.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m. Dreama Stephenson tells us that Kristin never actually left LST when Hogan was born. It just turned out that there was a hole in the band schedule at that time. Kristin was still a memebr of LST when she left to join Larry Stephenson.

Just a quick update to our mention earlier this week about the birth of Hogan Wayne Benson, whose parents Wayne and Kristin Benson are well known to bluegrass fans.

There is a hospital photo of young master Benson up on Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time’s web site.

We just received news of the arrival of Hogan Wayne Benson, who was born on October 6, 2006. His parents are Kristin Scott Benson, banjo picker with Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, and Wayne Benson, mandolinist with The John Cowan Band.

If ever a child was born with an impeccable bluegrass pedigree, young Hogan may be the one. Our most sincere congratulations go out to Kristin and Wayne, who we trust will be as exceptional as parents as they have been on stage and in the studio.

We posted yesterday with news that Kristin and Wayne Benson were expecting their first child in October. We mentioned that we weren’t sure what Kristin’s plans might be for the future, either with regard to playing banjo with Lonesome Standard Time, or as a faculty member at ETSU.

We heard from Kristin yesterday, and she passed along this update:

“We went to the doctor today and everything looks good. We’re past the 1/2 way point and are both really excited.

I decided against the full-time position at ETSU, after learning that we would have a baby in the fall. It’s a great job, but the days are long and demanding….not very ideal, with a newborn at home. Maybe something will work out in the future.

I am going to continue playing with Larry. The schedule is nearly tailor-made for an October delivery. I’ll only have to miss 1 or 2 shows, if everything goes smoothly. Cord is extremely understanding and I couldn’t imagine working for a better guy. It’s a fun band.”

It looks as though the future Master Benson will be well acquainted with the sounds of a five string banjo by the time he breathes his first in October. We repeat our congratulations to Kristin and Wayne.

It is announced on the Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time web site that Kristin Benson is expecting. Kristin plays banjo with the band, and is also on the faculty of the bluegrass music program at East Tennessee State University. The young master Benson, who should arrive in October, will have an impeccable bluegrass pedigree. His dad is Wayne Benson, mandolinist with The John Cowan Band and a former member of IIIrd Tyme Out. This will be their first child.

We have no word yet about Kristin’s schedule with the band, but we will be sure to pass along any information we receive.

On behalf of The Bluegrass Blog, we extend our congratulations to these two fine young people, who also happen to be first rate musicians, and who represent our music at its best.

We have posted a number of time of late about the recent change at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston to allow students of traditional fretted stringed instruments to pursue a music education at their institution. While this does not involve a “bluegrass course of study,” Berklee has added a number of clinics and labs that teach students who are not primarily bluegrass players the basics of the style, while serious banjo and mandolin players with a bluegrass background are welcomed to use their instruments to study at Berklee.

There is, however, a music program which offers a four year degree program that focuses on bluegrass music. It is the Bluegrass & Country Music Program at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. The program was launched in 1982, but without an expectation that it would evolve into a full time program. Under the direction of Jack Tottle, this program has become quite popular, bringing serious young musicians to ETSU from all over the United States. The list of celebrated alumni includes well know bluegrassers like Tim Stafford, Adam Steffey, Barry Bales and Warren Amberson and Kelly Green of Acoustic Endeavors, plus country superstar Kenny Chesney, who got his start at ETSU.

After so many years nurturing this program, Tottle is moving towards retirement, and is only teaching during the fall semesters. A full time, adjunct professor will be hired for the spring terms through 2008, and the position for 2006 has been given to Kristin Scott Benson, current banjo player with Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time. (more…)