Five-string banjo master Ross Nickerson has been playing professionally since the age of 17. Ross released “The Banjo Encyclopedia” and “Bluegrass Banjo from A to Z,” another Mel Bay Publication. Ross has been a member of some very successful bands, including the distinction of being two-time winners of the Telluride Band Contest, being selected for contracts at Tokyo Disneyland and Opryland in Nashville, two-time winners at the Four Corners Bluegrass Festival Band Contest, and winners of Newspaper Readers Poll Best Band contests three times. Ross has been performing and teaching for many years, both nationally and internationally, most recently Canada, England, Ireland, The Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden. Ross has appeared with the New Grass Revival, Hot Rize, Riders in the Sky, Del McCoury Band, The Oak Ridge Boys, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and many other noted artists. Ross has also picked and appeared with some of the best banjo players in the world, including Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck, Bill Keith, Tony Trischka, Alan Munde, Doug Dillard, Pete Seeger and Ralph Stanley.

Ross's release with Pinecastle, Blazing the West, was named as "One of the Top Ten CD's of 2003" by Country Music Television, True West Magazine named it, "Best Bluegrass CD of 2003" and Blazing the West was among the top 15 in ballot voting for the IBMA Instrumental CD of the Year in 2003. His latest release is “Let’s Kick Some Ass”. Accompanying Ross’ hard-driving, blue- grass banjo are four members of the critically acclaimed bluegrass band, Blue Highway, Rob Ickes on dobro, Tim Stafford, guitar and vocal, Shawn Lane mandolin and fiddle and Wayne Taylor, bass and vocals.

Ross is a full-time musician and on the road 10 to 15 days a month doing concerts, banjo workshops and expanding his audience. He was selected to be on the faculty of the Maryland Banjo Academy, Ireland's Johnny Keenan Memorial Banjo Festival, the Mid-West Banjo Camp and he is the founder and coordinator of the Nova Scotia Banjo Camp and the annual Banjo Cruise.

Ross is hard at work this year touring and writing. He has also recorded two new DVDs, in the process of completing more books, and continuing to offer more services for banjo players at his website, BanjoTeacher.com. Ross Nickerson is the author of The Banjo Encyclopedia, published by Mel Bay Publications in October 2003, which has already sold out of its second printing.

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