Steve Martin and the Board of The Steve Martin Banjo Prize have announced two winners for this year’s prize. Building on the Board’s mission to recognize excellence across the spectrum of banjo styles, this year’s recipients represent excellence in both 5-string bluegrass and 4-string plectrum banjo traditions.
Martin comments: “Once again, we are all honored to acknowledge these dedicated and highly-skilled musicians.” Martin will introduce viewers to the winners on December 11th at 6PM EDT on the Deering Banjo Company’s livestream show Deering Live on their YouTube channel. The live stream will be co-hosted by board co-chair Alison Brown and will be co-posted on the Facebook pages of sponsors FreshGrass Foundation and Compass Records as well as No Depression, Folk Alley and the International Bluegrass Music Association. The program will include interviews and musical performances. Viewers can click HERE to watch the live stream.
The 2023 winners are Cynthia Sayer of New York City, NY and the late Terry Baucom of Elkin, North Carolina. Each recipient will receive a $25,000 unrestricted cash prize, with Baucom’s prize being accepted by his family.
Cynthia Sayer:
Praised for her “drive and virtuosity” by The New York Times, instrumentalist/vocalist/bandleader Cynthia Sayer is renowned for bringing the swinging sounds of jazz banjo, the original fretted instrument of jazz, to concert and festival audiences worldwide. An American Banjo Hall of Famer and pioneer on her instrument, Sayer pays tribute to America’s jazz heritage through her virtuoso playing, relatable vocals, and informative, entertaining anecdotes. Sayer is a multi-instrumentalist heard on feature film and TV soundtracks and has appeared on numerous national TV and radio shows, performed at The White House, played with The New York Philharmonic and The New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and is a longtime founding member of Woody Allen’s New Orleans Jazz Band. She is also an avid educator with a long track record of jazz workshops, lecture/demos, and educational programming for all ages.
Terry Baucom:
Over the course of a 50-year career, Terry Baucom set the bar for bluegrass banjo players with his inimitable, hard-driving style. Nicknamed the “Duke of Drive” for the constancy of his timing, clean playing and clear tone, Baucom played with some of the most influential musicians in bluegrass and has helped to expand the possibilities for 3-finger banjo. In 1975, he co-founded the groundbreaking group Boone Creek with Ricky Skaggs and Jerry Douglas. In 1979 he became a founding member of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver and, in the early 90s, he founded IIIrd Time Out. In 2023, Baucom received the Distinguished Achievement from the International Bluegrass Music Association for his contributions to the furtherance of bluegrass music. He was also a member of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame and a mentor to aspiring musicians. Sadly, Terry Baucom passed away on December 7th following a brief but debilitating illness, just days after receiving word that he had been selected as one of this year’s recipients.
