Marc Pruett
Musician · Haywood County, North Carolina
Best known for
Banjo
Marc Pruett is a Western North Carolina banjoist whose half-century career runs from the Bill Stanley's BBQ house band in Asheville to a Grammy-winning seat in Ricky Skaggs's Kentucky Thunder to a founder's role in IBMA Entertainer of the Year Balsam Range.
- Born August 19, 1951 in Haywood County, North Carolina; Western Carolina University alumnus.
- First recorded in 1973 at Bill Monroe's Bean Blossom festival in Indiana.
- Member of Southern Railway's corporate band Southern Lawmen (1974–1979), then led the Marc Pruett Band as Bill Stanley's BBQ house band in Asheville (1979–late 1980s).
- Joined Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder (1995–1997); won a Grammy for the album "Bluegrass Rules!" (Skaggs Family/Rounder, 1997).
- Released the solo album "Streamline Cannonball" (Skyline Records, 1981; reissued 2006).
- Founding banjo player of Balsam Range (2007–present), the Haywood County quintet that won IBMA Entertainer of the Year in 2014 and 2018.
- Honorary Doctor of Arts from Western Carolina University (2010); North Carolina Heritage Award (2016).
- A power-picking Scruggs-style stylist profiled in Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick's "Masters of the Five-String Banjo."
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Balsam RangePlayed on recordings with Balsam Range
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Ricky SkaggsPlayed on recordings with Ricky Skaggs
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Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky ThunderPlayed on recordings with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder
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Rhonda VincentPlayed on recordings with Rhonda Vincent
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Adam SteffeyPlayed on recording with Adam Steffey