Bellows, Bows, and Banjos: Kirk Sutphin and Bertram Levy House Concert March 11th
Kirk Sutphin, undisputed ambassador of the Round Peak sound, and Bertram Levy, original member of the legendary Hollow Rock String Band, together will present a concert called “Bellows, Bows, and Banjos” at 6 PM on Sunday March 11th, in the South Charlotte home of Elizabeth Teagarden and Carter Mills. Admission is $15. Reservations and pre-payment are required; space is limited. Contact Elizabeth Teagarden at or 704-444-0253 to make your reservation. Write checks to “Bertram Levy” and mail them to Elizabeth Teagarden, 15911 Prescott Hill Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28277. Guests are invited to come at 5 PM to socialize. Please bring an appetizer to share and the beverage of your choice.
Several years ago Kirk and Bertram met for the first time at the Port Townsend Fiddle Tunes Festival for an afternoon music session. Late that night they took a break for dinner before going back for more. Since then they have sought out each other whenever possible to continue sharing their music and friendship. That there is a bit of magic in this duo may be no surprise, considering that they both learned directly from the same luminaries in the decade of the 1960s. And like their mentors Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham, and Henry Reed, they have spent a lifetime playing their tunes. For Kirk and Bertram, the old tunes of the early 20th century are part of their DNA and they are masters of their instruments.
Kirk’s fiddle playing is recognized as the reincarnation of the Tommy Jarrell style, while his banjo styles are those of Fred Cockerham and Charlie Poole. He has shared his expertise with countless other musicians, teaching in music camps such as the Swannanoa Gathering, Mars Hill Blue Ridge Old-Time Music Week, and the Augusta Heritage Center Old-Time Music Week in West Virginia. Kirk is a proponent of western North Carolina mountain music through performances and recordings with numerous other masters of old-time music, Riley Baugus, Richard Bowman, Wayne Henderson, Jim Lloyd, and Kinney Rorrer, to name a few.
Bertram is an innovator known for his unique nylon banjo clawhammer style. In 1977, he created the prestigious Port Townsend Fiddle Tunes Festival, which has produced generations of West Coast old-time musicians. His recordings are enduring classics and include The Hollow Rock String Band, That Old GutFeeling, First Generation with Peter Ostroushko, and, recently, the Henry Reed Reunion with Alan Jabbour and James Reed. Bertram is also a virtuoso of the Anglo concertina, which he refers to as his “laptop orchestra.” He has appeared in several national broadcasts of Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion and in 1983 published the definitive tutorial on the instrument, The Anglo Concertina Demystified. He recently published a second tutorial entitled American Fiddle Styles for the Anglo Concertina, which brings a new dimension to the old-time sound. Learn more about Bertram Levy at
Kirk and Bertram will feature fiddle, banjo, and the concertina. The concert promises a fresh interpretation of the old tunes as well as stories and humor from their experiences: “A new wind in the old aires.”
Sidebar Article: Kirk Sutphin & Bertram Levy Banjo Workshop March 11th
Banjo masters Kirk Sutphin and Bertram Levy will lead a banjo workshop for intermediate players on Sunday, March 11th, 2-4 PM, in the home of Elizabeth Teagarden and Carter Mills. Tuition is $25 per person. A minimum of five students is required for the workshop to take place. Contact Elizabeth Teagarden at or 704-444-0253 for reservations. Reservations and pre-payment are required. Write checks to “Bertram Levy” and mail them to Elizabeth Teagarden, 15911 Prescott Hill Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28277.