Clawhammer Banjo Camp 2026 (April 16 – 18)
Registration opens Saturday January 10, 2026 (8am Central)
Join us in Nashville this coming Spring for Clawhammer Banjo Camp 2026, a three-day musical adventure designed to help you develop the confidence and skills you need to enjoy learning and playing clawhammer banjo for a lifetime!
- Develop a solid foundation of basic clawhammer strokes and patterns.
- Grow in your ability and confidence to learn and play by ear.
- Learn and practice how to play with others in group or jam session settings.
- Learn to play songs in each of the most popular clawhammer banjo tunings.
- Learn important banjo maintenance and set-up skills.
- and more…
We’ll meet onsite at the Nashville Banjo Company workshop and learn from some of the area’s finest musicians and clawhammer players. Your instructors for Clawhammer Banjo Camp 2026 will be:
- Dave Dillard
Owner/craftsman Nashville Banjo Company and host of Nashville Banjo LIVE. - Katie Monroe
Nashville singer/songwriter, touring musician, and co-host of Nashville Banjo LIVE. - Tyler Andal
Three-time National Old Time Banjo Champion and four-time Traditional Grand Master Fiddle Champion.
Camp Schedule: Thursday – Saturday, April 16-18, 2026
- Thursday 5:00pm – 8:00pm
- Friday 9:00am – 8:00pm
- Saturday 9:00am – 8:30pm
who should attend?
Clawhammer Banjo Camp 2026 is designed for players who (1) are excited about playing clawhammer banjo, (2) consider themselves to be at a beginner or advanced-beginner level, and (3) want to learn or review & strengthen their basic playing skills. Whether you are just starting out, or already know how to play several tunes, our goal is to help you move to the next levels in your playing.
We will learn together in groups, and break into smaller groups for more personal instruction. No one will be asked to play “solo” in front of others. We will introduce and work on learning by ear versus learning from tab, but will provide tab after each class to help you remember what you learned. There is no homework to prepare. Come ready to have fun, come ready to make new friends, and come ready to learn!
We will have fun learning and practicing how to play with others in jams and group settings. We’re also going to learn some very valuable banjo maintenance and set-up skills, – all in a welcoming, non-threatening and non-competitive environment.
(Note: This camp is not designed for advanced level players. For that, we can highly recommend you consider Nashville Acoustic Camps.)
Registration & Cost
Registration opens January 10, 2026 on this website, and is limited to 18 students. The cost is $750 per student and includes all scheduled classes, activities, and meals. Price does not include lodging or transportation. Full payment is due at the time of online registration.
location
Clawhammer Banjo Camp will be here in Music City onsite at Nashville Banjo Company, Nashville, TN. The workshop is at our home located on the south side of Nashville near I-65 and Harding Place. Given normal traffic, we are about 15-20 minutes by car from the Nashville Airport (BNA).
We will not be offering shuttle service to/from the airport, but rental cars are available at the airport. Detailed directions/address will be provided with your registration confirmation package.
Food & Lodging
We will provide Thursday night dinner, and breakfast/lunch/dinner on Friday and Saturday. If everyone is nice, we will also have a few cookie & coffee breaks. If you have food allergies or restrictions, please let us know. We are a small team with limited kitchen facilities, but we can make room in the fridge for special foods you are welcome to bring.
Lodging is not included in the cost of the camp. There are several nice hotels close by near the intersection of I-65 and Old Hickory Blvd in Brentwood, TN, – about 10 minutes from Nashville Banjo Company and a few are listed below. Sorry, but we cannot accommodate onsite tents or campers.
Hampton Inn Nashville/Brentwood I-65
Best Western Brentwood
Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Brentwood I-65
What will the weather be like?
Spring is wonderful in Nashville, especially when it lasts more than 2 or 3 days. Expect highs in the mid 60s to low 70s, with lows in the mid 40s. If the weather cooperates, we may enjoy some of our classes or meals outside or around the campfire. If not, we will meet in the workshop, screened porch, or house. Either way, plan to bring a jacket and/or warm clothes.
Can I bring family or friends?
Due to limited space we kindly ask that you do not bring unregistered guests with you to camp classes. If you would like to bring a guest or spouse to an evening meal, please let us know ahead of time so we can make arrangements.
What to bring?
Bring a 5-string banjo. An openback style banjo is preferred, but a bluegrass / resonator style banjo will be okay. If you want to borrow one of our shop banjos for the camp, let us know and we can try to arrange for that.
Also, bring a recording device (your smartphone is perfect for this job) so you can enjoy reviewing songs and lessons after camp is over.
Fun things to see & do in nashville
If you’re planing on coming a few days early or staying a few days late to see Nashville, there is no shortage of fun things to see and do. From live music shows and award-winning museums, to vintage instruments and hot chicken, Music City is a great place to visit.
Click here to see some of our favorite things to see and do in Nashville.
Cancel / Refund Policy
Because of the costs necessary to plan and prepare for the camp and to hire instructors, we are not able to offer any refunds after March 1, 2026. Any cancellations prior to that time will incur a 5% processing fee.
If for some reason the event is not able to be held, your registration fee will be refunded, but we will not be responsible to cover any lost expenses you may have incurred (e.g., travel, lodging, etc.)
Have questions or need more info?
Please reach out via this “Contact Us” form and we will get back to you back as soon as possible. Thanks.