A-list actor, comedian, writer, and brilliant banjo player. Steve Martin is really a Renaissance man. We all loved Martin’s movies, but now get ready to vibe to the beautiful melodies of his banjo picking. The Texan star and his band the Steep Canyon Rangers rocked their NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert with a 16-minute set. The seven-piece delivered charming old school bluegrass music throughout, and let me tell ya, Martin’s not the only talented musician in the group. These cats can really play.
Martin kicked off the set with some blazing banjo licks, before chilling things out and creating a folksy atmosphere for the band to groove over. Fiddle player Nicky Sanders got to shine next, adding a yearning melody that played off Martin’s lines. Martin added some quirky jokes in between songs that got the crowd roaring, creating a unique performance that made the concert a joy to watch. The Music Man has always been a Steve Martin fan, and we’re even bigger fans after seeing him tear it up on NPR.
Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers were a big hit on NPR Music, as the group’s concert drew 4.7 million views on YouTube. Viewers gave plenty of praise for Martin and the band’s musicianship, and added comments such as “Steve Martin is really amazing, but c’mon his bandmates are killing it too! Awesome bunch of guys” and “Steve Martin is one of the greatest entertainers in history. I hope he goes on forever.”
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Martin has used the banjo in his act for decades, and he’s given many classic performances with it over the years. A fan favorite is when Martin sat in with bluegrass luminary Earl Scruggs on the Late Show with David Letterman. The late, great Scruggs was one of the best in the business, as were The Tonight Show band of that era, but Martin keeps up with the fiery pace with an impressive solo just after the one-minute mark.
The Steep Canyon Rangers formed in 2000, and the six-piece began an on-and-off-again collaboration with Martin in 2009. The Music Man readers might be interested to learn that the group’s first studio album with Martin, Rare Bird Alert, topped the US Bluegrass chart in 2011. The album caused quite a stir, as it picked up a Grammy nomination for Best Bluegrass Album and sold more than 50,600 copies. Martin and the band teamed up for a second studio album in 2017, The Long-Awaited Album, which also topped the Bluegrass chart. The band’s NPR Music set features songs from this album.