The Béla Fleck Interview: The Journey of a Banjo Virtuoso

Béla Fleck is a renowned American banjo player, often considered one of the most innovative and banjo players of all time. Born on July 10, 1958, in New York City, Fleck was named after the Hungarian composer Béla Bartók. He was drawn to the banjo at a young age, inspired by the television show "The Beverly Hillbillies."

Fleck's musical journey has been marked by his eclectic taste and a willingness to blend different genres. He began his professional career in the bluegrass world with the band New Grass Revival and later formed the genre-bending group Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, which combined jazz, bluegrass, rock, and more.

Over his career, Fleck has won numerous Grammy Awards across various categories, showcasing his versatility. His collaborations with artists across different genres, from classical to jazz to African music, have further cemented his status as a musical pioneer. Notable collaborations include his work with the Marcus Roberts Trio, Edgar Meyer, and Zakir Hussain.

Fleck's influence extends beyond his virtuosity on the banjo. He is celebrated for pushing the boundaries of the instrument, bringing it into new musical contexts, and inspiring a new generation of musicians. His albums, such as "Drive," "Throw Down Your Heart," and "The Impostor," display a vast range of musical exploration and creativity.

Béla Fleck continues to tour, record, and collaborate, constantly redefining the banjo's place in the world of music.

My Beato Club supporters:
Justin Scott
Terence Mark
Farren Mahjoor
Jason Murray
Lucienne Kilpatrick
Alexander Young
Jason Wagner
Todd Ladner
Rob Kline
Nicholas Long
Tim Benson
Leonardo Martins da Costa Rodrigues
Eddie Perez
David Solomon
MICHAEL JOYCE
Stephen Stubbs
colin stead
Jonathan Wentworth-Linton
Patrick Payne
MATTHEW KARIS
Matthew Barouch
Shaun Samuels
Danny Kurywchak
Gregory Reedy
Sean Coleman
Alexander Verbitskiy
CL Turner
Jason Pappafotis
John Fulford
Margaret Carno
Robert C
David M Combs
Eric Flatt
Reto Spoerli
Herr Moritz Adam
Monte St. Johns
Jon Beezley
Peter DeVault
Eric Nabstedt
Eric Beggs
Rich Germano
Brian Bloom
Peter Pillitteri

[stavfirst]

Love that you're interviewing people outside of the rock/guitar world 🔥 hearing from musicians who play different genres with other instruments is awesome

[stratfanstl]

Watching Bela play his arrangement of Rhapsody in Blue was jaw dropping. The listening skill required to pick and choose from the original composition while preserving the entire vibe yet mapping it to the limitations of one instrument - ANY instrument - combined with the work ethic to master that performance is something very few on the planet can do.

[duanehill]

Bela Fleck and Steve Morse in the same week!! We are not worthy...

[ryanchrisxp]

I saw Bela Fleck and the Flecktones at Berklee College of Music on the tour for the "UFO Tofu" album. Unreal - blew me away. I had gone with a friend who had discovered them a year earlier, but I had no idea who they were - never heard of them. I walked out of that hall with my universe expanded.

[tsho]

I had the pleasure of working as a grunt engineer on a New Grass Revival album in the late 80s. I can still recall watching him practice in an iso booth while the other guys recorded their parts/overdubs...he practiced relentlessly despite the fact that he was already one of the best players on planet Earth. A true gentleman and wonderful human being. Great interview Rick!!

[bukealicious]

Look at the Grammy's in the background! This guy is a legend!

[Keverember]

Rick, you deserve to be honored in the Rock and Roll hall of fame one day for your contributions to music overall, but especially these long-form interviews!

[donscott]

I have to say what is really amazing is how incredibly articulate Bela is.

[navasaband]

He’s NAILING Rhapsody in Blue after mentioning he can’t read music and I’m like holy crap.

[patlatorres]

I truly love how open he is, how his smile just pops out at the most interesting moments. This is a man who truly loves his music and loves sharing it with the world!

[JD-hhio]

I'm calling it, best interview of 2024 on all of the internet.

[DianeLee]

Rick and Bela are both national treasures. We are so fortunate to be included in this conversation. Thank you both! 💜

[markmcclelland]

When I listen to Béla, I can’t help but hear a little of Alex Lifeson in his manner of speech and just overall kindness and respect for the music.

[crd]

"Bach was the Earl Scruggs of harmony." Best line of the day

[luisvillar]

It happened again, I said to myself "This video is too long, I will watch just a little"... One hour later I was like "What? It ended so quick!" - These videos are just wonderful.

[cameronpatrickscott]

Bela describing himself as 'picky' is hilarious, what a player and what an enlightening chat, thankyou.

[BurnsTennis]

Rick, so many legends in such a short space of time. Andy Summers, Steve Morse and now Bela Fleck, I can't keep up!! Great work! 👍

[stephanoppenheimer]

What a class act. What I love as much as Bela's music is his thoughtful, articulate views - like his comments on the racial context of the banjo pre-transition to guitar. And so low key. I bumped into him between shows upstairs at the Blue Note years ago and he talked like we were next door neighbors. Funny as a guitar player to have him as maybe my favorite musician. Will never get enough of the Telluride Sessions, the Flecktones, Africa sessions...

[rickdevlin]

As a banjo player and long-time Rick Beato fan, this interview was a little bit of heaven to me. Super interesting questions and it seemed Bela really opened up and enjoyed the interview, too. Thank you both!

[terencecaldon]

I don’t know how Rick kept his composure during that “Rhapsody in Blue”. I would have fallen out of my chair. That was some amazing playing. Bela is a national treasure.