Instructor

Jane Henderson

Posted on by Jim Kendrick

Jayne Henderson is a luthier based in Asheville, North Carolina, and one of the few women in the world who specializes in handcrafting custom ukuleles alongside guitars. A former aspiring brain surgeon turned environmental lawyer, Jayne’s journey into lutherie began as a practical solution to pay off student loans. She asked her father—legendary guitar maker Wayne Henderson—to build her a guitar she could sell. His response: “I’ll help you make one, but you have to do the work.”

She did. The guitar sold, the debt diminished, and a new passion was born.

Over the past decade, Jayne has built more than 150 instruments, earning a reputation for her extraordinary craftsmanship, environmentally conscious material choices, and soulful connection to each piece she creates. Her work has caught the attention of icons like Doc Watson and has been featured by NPR, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, and Blue Ridge PBS.

Jayne’s approach to building blends traditional Appalachian techniques learned from her father with modern sensibilities and sustainable practices. She often sources wood from her own backyard or rescues high-quality “scrap” pieces from other builders’ burn piles—transforming them into exceptional instruments with new life and purpose. From black walnut and North Carolina maple to salvaged koa and Kona coffee wood, Jayne believes each piece of wood has a story, a soul, and a song waiting to be heard.

Her ukuleles, which now account for about half of her output, are especially close to her heart—not only because she plays them herself, often with her young daughter Matilda, but also because they offer space for creative experimentation. From brass and copper inlays inspired by jewelry-making to delicate “tree of life” fingerboard designs, each instrument is deeply personal and artistically expressive.

Jayne builds exclusively to order, with a long list of clients who trust her to interpret their vision and translate it into wood, tone, and detail. “I meet a person, get a hint of their personality, and I see their instrument in my mind,” she says. “Everything I make has so much of me in it.”

She has created matching guitar-and-ukulele sets, instruments with kudzu vine inlays for goat farmers, and pieces that showcase the unique resonance of overlooked Appalachian hardwoods. Whether crafting a ukulele or a dreadnought, Jayne brings the same precision, passion, and playfulness to every step of the process.

Don MacRostie

Posted on by Jim Kendrick

Don MacRostieDon MacRostie, widely known for his Red Diamond mandolins,
has been building them for 50 years. For the past 20 years his focus
has been on making mandolins that incorporate the essence of the
Lloyd Loar signed mandolins of the early 1920’s.

For forty years Don was a major part of the Stewart-MacDonald
crew designing and producing parts, supplies and tools for the
lutherie community. In this capacity at StewMac, he had his hand
in the design and production of the instrument kits and plans,
resurrection the 3-ply maple banjo rim, and many of the lutherie
tools sold by StewMac today.

Over the years he has been an active member of the Guild of
American Luthiers and A.S.I.A. presenting at many symposiums,
and mentoring aspiring instrument builders. For sharing his
knowledge and for his artistic achievements, he was recognized in
2022 by the Ohio Arts Council with an Ohio Heritage Fellowship.

 

Tony Williamson

Posted on by Jim Kendrick

2018 North Carolina Heritage Award recipient Tony Williamson is a visionary musician, composer, musical instrument expert, teacher and mentor.  He has played stringed instruments, most famously mandolin, for six decades and has been receiving awards and honors for his music for nearly 50 of those years. Never content to rest on his laurels, today Tony continues to perform live and travel internationally and has recordings with fresh new concepts in progress.

Tony was born and raised in rural Piedmont North Carolina to a family of wood-workers and musicians.  His grandfather, Alfred, made his own musical instruments (at one time his banjo was on display the N.C. Museum of History) and inspired his grandchildren, who began playing music around 1957.  With Tony on mandolin and his brother Gary on banjo, they became child sensations and by 1969 had won first places in the coveted “World Championship” in Union Grove, North Carolina.  In 1968 the Williamson Brothers recorded “John Henry” for Follett Publishing Co. for an anthology called “Discovering Music Together”. Also included in this book and LP record album collection were contributions from “Blood Sweat & Tears” and the Boston Symphony.

After taking a degree with highest honors at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1975, Tony answered the call to go on the road with a touring band, the Bluegrass Alliance, whose alumni include Vince Gill, Sam Bush and Tony Rice.  Afterwards, working in a succession of bands led him to the top of his field playing classical, jazz and folk music as well as bluegrass.  His credits include performances on stage and/or in the recording studio with Alison Krauss, Chris Thile, Earl Scruggs, Bill Monroe, Bobby Hicks, Tony Rice, Vassar Clements, David Grisman, Sam Bush, Mike Marshall, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Don Stiernberg, and Robin and Linda Williams of Prairie Home Companion fame.  In addition to the prestigious NC Heritage Award, his list of honors includes the IBMA recorded event of the year in 1994, many on-stage highlights such Mando-Mania at Merlefest and an unforgettable performance for Luciano Pavarotti!

Jeremy Wanless

Posted on by Jim Kendrick

Jeremy Wanless is celebrated for his own rugged and bluesy take on the traditional Blue Grass mandolin style created by Bill Monroe. As a teenager, Jeremy studied under internationally known mandolin masters Mike Compton and Skip Gorman. Jeremy worked for years on staff at the Augusta Heritage Center, American Mountain Theater, Gandy Dancer Theater, and Franks Family Music’s “Greatest Show On Rails” as well as numerous bluegrass ensembles over the years. A patient teacher with a refined musical manner, Jeremy teaches mandolin both privately and publicly and performs regularly with the “Phrawg Giggers” and “Franks Family Music.”

Jeff Burke

Posted on by Jim Kendrick

Jeff Burke is a professional musician and instructor who teaches bluegrass music and improvisation to individuals and groups. He plays Guitar, Mandolin and Banjo and has performed and recorded with a number of bands over his 23 year career. Jeff has worked both independently and in connection with the Wernick Method to bring group jamming classes to both Nashville, TN and Chicago, IL. He founded the popular bluegrass jamming class at the World famous Stayion Inn and works extensively with the Country Music Hall of Fame to provide hands on acoustic instrument and jamming workshops for their youth and family programs.

In 2020 Jeff Became the general Manager of The Station Inn in Nashville, handling day to day duties and booking the bands. In 2021 he left Station Inn to join the management and booking team at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge in Madison, TN where he is currently employed. He is also involved with Bluegrass Wednesdays at American Legion Post 82 in Nashville. Jeff also produces 2-3 day jam camps at festivals around the country and has been a faculty member at numerous music camps.

Silas Powell

Posted on by Heidi Herzog

Silas is a 5th generation picker from the small town of Salem, WV. While a multi-instrumentalist of fiddle, guitar, and banjo, his passion remains with the mandolin.

Silas first had the mandolin in his hands in his playpen, and his dad and Papaw knew then he was going to follow them in their music talents.  He first started playing the mandolin at age 7 when he picked up the instrument and started ‘chopping’ along to his dad’s band rehearsal!

Silas has performed at Merlefest, Houston-fest, Remington Ryde, Bob Evan’s Festival, and Baygrass Festival in the Florida Keys. He has performed with many top Bluegrass musicians, including Jesse McReynolds, David Grier, Doyle Lawson, Mike Compton, Blue Highway,  Missy Raines, Sierra Hall, Mandolin Orange, Emory Lester, Johnny Staats, Terry Baucom, Joe Mullins , and The Grascals.  Silas has been featured on Woodsong’s Old Time Radio hour as a “Woodsong’s Kid” as well as being a member of “Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars”.  In 2017 and 2018 Silas was selected as 1 of 25 kids to participate at the IBMA’s Kids on Bluegrass.

Silas’s lists of competitions wins and awards is impressive for such a young player:

  • 4 time Junior Champion, State of Maryland;
  • 2nd place, Maryland State Adult division (age 12);
  • West Virginia State Championship Adult Division Top 5;
  • 4th place, Monterey Virginia’s Old Time Fiddler’s Convention (at age 10);
  • 2106 State of West Virginia Junior Flatpick Champion
  • 2nd place Appalachian Old time Fiddler’s Championship, West Virginia University (Fiddle);
  • Scholarship Recipient Houstonfest, Galax, VA

In 2019, Silas became the 1st Recipient of the Monroe Mandolin Camp Apprenticeship, which offers students going into music teaching, a teachers hands-on experience and mentoring.

Add on to all of these accomplishments, Silas shares his love of music monthly at a local nursing home, which has earned him “Youth Volunteer of the Year”, State of West Virginia.  You can see Silas Powell and The Powell Family Band at festivals around the country.

Will Kimble

Posted on by Heidi Herzog

Kimble mandolins are custom made tools for acoustic musicians. Each mandolin is carefully crafted by hand based on input regarding tone, feeling, aesthetics. There are no standard models or trim levels. Excellent workmanship is key to great sounding mandolins.  Will started building mandolins in 2000.  Taught by his father, Fred Kimble, they still work side by side building instruments.

Brian Christianson

Posted on by Heidi Herzog

Brian Christianson, one of Nashville’s top violin luthiers, manages the repair department of the Violin Shop. He is a winner of the Grand Master Fiddler Traditional Championship and performs regularly on the Grand Ole Opry with Mike Snider. Christianson has performed with the Nashville Bluegrass Band, the Roland White Band, and the Russ Barenberg Trio.  We welcome Brian back for his second year of instruction at MonManCamp!

Alan Munde

Posted on by Jim Kendrick

Alan Munde was born November 4, 1946 in Norman, Oklahoma and began his bluegrass banjo musical career while attending the University of Oklahoma. He and fellow student Byron Berline, fiddler extraordinaire, spent much of their time away from classes traveling around to various fiddle contests and musical events honing their performance skills.

After graduation, Byron left for a several month stint with Bill Monroe followed by a couple of years in the Army and on to his very long and successful career. After Alan’s graduation two years later in later 1969, he moved to Kentucky and recorded with Sam Bush and Wayne Stewart on the legendary and groundbreaking album Poor Richard’s Almanac. Moving to Nashville, Tennessee in late 1969 Alan was hired by Jimmy Martin to fill the banjo seat in his Sunny Mountain Boys bluegrass ensemble.

Alan toured and recorded with Jimmy Martin for two years appearing at many of the early festivals and participating in the recording of the much-applauded Jimmy Martin gospel album Singing All Day and Dinner on the Ground.

Leaving Nashville in early 1972, Alan rejoined his musical schoolmate Byron Berline as he and Roger Bush were forming in California the seminal bluegrass band Country Gazette. The Gazette traveled extensively making regular tours to Europe and Japan for several years. The group’s first album, Traitor in Our Midst, was a top selling album for United Artists. The Gazette, with many personnel changes over its thirty-five year run, has recorded over 30 projects (albums and CDs) and is still a touring with mandolin player Billy Bright and recording band under the banner The Bright Munde Quartet. Alan has also released many highly acclaimed banjo instrumental albums beginning with Banjo Sandwich to the most recent release on Munde’s Child Records of Bright Munde.

During his career Alan also spent much time developing bluegrass banjo workshop/seminar materials and presentations that have become a mainstay of the summer music camp scene. Munde was one of the first high-profile players to make his recorded solos available in written form and also one of the first artists to present workshops. He has made available much of his musical output available through instructional material for Mel Bay Publications, Texas Music and Video, and his on self produced material.

To further the educational aspects of his career, Munde joined in 1986 the faculty of the Creative Arts Department at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. As the bluegrass expert in the Commercial Music Program, Munde further developed his unique teaching concepts that resulted in several publications including Getting Into Bluegrass Banjo that offers his best effort at offering a systematic path to learning the bluegrass style banjo.

Alan retired from the school in 2007 and continues his performance, teaching and recording career. His latest recording project is a duo CD with mandolin player Billy Bright titled Bright Munde. Alan and co-author Beth Mead-Sullivan have a book available from publisher Hal Leondard titled The Great American Banjo Songbook containing banjo arrangements of 70 songs from the golden age of American popular songwriting. Additionally, Alan operates the on-line business Al Munde’s Banjo College that sells his instructional books, DVDs, his bluegrass banjo recordings, and downloadable lessons.