New York City native Pete Wernick (“Dr. Banjo”) is a bluegrass “lifer”, known for 40+ years in Colorado’s world-renowned bluegrass band, Hot Rize — new members of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. This is Pete’s 37th Merlefest, having played here with Hot Rize, in a duet with his wife Joan, and with his genre-defying Flexigrass band — appearing on every Merlefest stage. Since 1991 he has hosted popular camps prior to Merlefest. Pete has mentored many thousands since the 1970s with best-selling bluegrass instruction books and videos and nearly 200 music camps. He originated banjo camps (1980) and bluegrass jam camps (1999 at Merlefest), culminating in the Wernick Method (2010), an international network of over 100 teachers of bluegrass jamming. Pete and his Wernick Method teachers have now taught 2000 classes and camps, in 47 states and 12 countries. Having performed and taught on four continents from 1986 to 2001, Pete served as the first President of the International Bluegrass Music Association. At Merlefest this year he’ll be at the banjo workshop, host his annual Flexigrass Jam at Creekside, and bring a stage-full of his jam campers to perform late Thursday afternoon on the Cabin Stage.
