Pete Kelly

The column was one of the magazine’s regular features in 2005 and 2006, and the September 2005 issue’s online audio included his playing of “Doin’ My Time.”

In Bradley’s band he played alongside Cleveland, Brock and the bassist Vicki Simmons. Bradley’s Compass album Catch Tomorrow (2006) was largely recorded with that lineup before it broke up, and he plays banjo on five of its tracks, among them “Rita Mae,” “Run Rufus Run,” “Julia Belle” and “Me and Bobby McGee.” Early in 2006 Cleveland left after five years to lead his own band, and Kelly and Brock went with him, wanting a fuller schedule of dates than Bradley’s band could offer.

The first Flamekeeper lineup, announced that spring, had Kelly on banjo, Brock on mandolin, and Audie Blaylock and Jeff Guernsey on guitars and vocals, with Mike Bub and Marshall Wilborn filling in on bass. On Cleveland’s Rounder album Let ’Er Go, Boys! (2006), most of the banjo is by Charlie Cushman, but Kelly plays on four tracks: “Bright and Early,” “Durham’s Reel,” “Montana Cowboy” and “Sugar Tree Stomp.”