 Our
banjo player, Ronald Smith, is from Roxboro,
North Carolina, and joined the band on the eve of Y2K. Luckily for us,
he turned out to be Y2K compliant. Seems that every time you need
a banjo player you can just go to the Carolinas and pick one off the banjo
player tree. Well, it’s not quite that easy but every full time banjo player
for the Lost & Found, since original banjo great Gene Parker, has come
from North Carolina. Ronald Smith is one of
the most talented players yet. He plays as clean as it gets. Ronald
has recently began sharing more of the vocal harmony work with the band
and is definitely an asset.
Born August 5th 1966,
Ronald like many other players, got started at an early age. At age ten
he was playing mandolin, and just two years later, was on his first recording
session with a group called The Bluegrass  Gospel
Five. With so much talent, why waste it on one instrument? Ronald became
interested in the banjo and for the next few years he spent his time learning
to play it.  And
learn to play it he did! He’s been playing it well ever since. In 1994,
he joined The New Classic Grass playing shows and competitions, many in
which he won first place on the banjo. Since joining The Lost &
Found in December of 1999, Ronald has been grabbing the crowds’ attention
from the first note he plays. He plays a 1991 Deering Golden Era, and also
sings harmony with the group.
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