Ira Gitlin
I moved to the Washington, DC, area at the end of 1986 to take advantage of its vibrant bluegrass scene. In the years since, I’ve made a place for myself there as an instrumentalist, music teacher, and writer. I’ve had the pleasure of performing with many fine musicians, played on dozens of recordings, and helped countless amateur musicians to express themselves on the banjo, guitar, and bass. Along the way I’ve racked up a National Bluegrass Banjo Championship (1992) and a shelf full of “Wammies” from the Washington Area Music Association.
Although bluegrass is at the core of my musical identity, my playing ranges far and wide over what’s often called “roots music.” In addition to traditional and progressive bluegrass, I’m also involved in western swing and older country music styles, with excursions into jazz, blues, folk, and rock ‘n’ roll.
Here are some of the bands I play with more or less regularly:
- Tex Rubinowitz, Tom Mindte, and the Original Dixieland Rock ’n’ Roll Band (guitar; since 2021)
- Skip Church and the Growlers (banjo; since 2017)
- Big Howdy (bass; since 2007)
- Karen Collins and the Backroads Band (guitar; since 2004)
- The Blue Moon Cowgirls (guitar; since 1999)
- The Oklahoma Twisters (bass; since 1995)
In the past I’ve been a member of these groups:
- Bob Perilla and Big Hillbilly Bluegrass (bass; 2007-14)
- Ty Braddock and the Branded Men (guitar; 2003-05)
- Lulu’s Fate (bass; 2002-2004)
- Bill Harrell and the Virginians (banjo; 1999)
- The Hard Travelers (bass and banjo; 1998-2017)
- Too Far Gone (banjo; 1995-96)
- The Urban Legends (guitar, banjo; 1993-?)
- The Chesapeake Retrievers (bass; 1993-96)
- Rockcreek (bass; 1990-92)
- Patent Pending (bass; 1990-91)
- The Metro Mountain Boys (banjo; 1989-93)
- Bristol Mountain Bluegrass (bass; 1984)
- Corduroy Road (banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass; 1977-80)
Here’s a partial listing of the artists I’ve worked with as a freelance musician:
- Julia Altstatt
- Randy Barrett
- Cold Hard Cash
- Crowe and McLaughlin
- Dagmar and the Seductones
- Gary Ferguson
- Footworks
- The Gillis Brothers
- Chick Hall, Jr.
- Hangover Royale
- Mike Henderson
- Red and Murphy Henry
- Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys
- The Hula Monsters
- The Johnson Mountain Boys
- Teri Joyce
- Billy Kemp
- The King Brothers
- Bill Kirchen
- Moondi Klein
- Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands
- Liberty Dawne
- Lindsay Lou and the Flatbellys
- Little Pink
- The Lone Starlet Band
- J.P. McDermott and Western Bop
- Liz Masterson
- Jesse McReynolds
- The Pat McGee Band
- Joe Meadows
- Only Lonesome
- Bobby Osborne
- Peter Rowan
- Tex Rubinowitz
- Ruthie and the Wranglers
- Doc Scantlin and the Imperial Palms Orchestra
- The Schankman Twins
- Mark Schatz
- Peter “P.D.Q. Bach” Schickele
- Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen
- Squeeze Bayou
- Franklin Taggart
- Pete and Joan Wernick
- Dede Wyland