Old Man Luedecke

Chris Luedecke is the pied piper of banjo players: wherever he goes, indie kids and hipsters, folksters and their moms will follow. While there's a universal charm in the old-timey banjo sound, it's Luedecke's contemporary storytelling that sets him apart and gives the Chester musician wide appeal. Poetic without flowers, truthful with bitterness, sincere without saccharine, Luedecke hits it right on the heart, whether romantic love ("I brush your wrist and sparks fly") or Wall Street condemnation ("may your white collar choke you"). Though these songs could be easily stripped down to a man and a banjo, the arrangements are a rich treat, thanks to a band including producer Steve Dawson and Tim O'Brien's classic bluegrass fiddle and mandolin.