Album Notes

Keith started playing the banjo in 1975. He got hooked on it from his Dad's 10-year experience with the instrument and through the Beverly Hillbillies. He formed his first band “Classic Grass” in 1977 with high school friends and worked almost every weekend through late 1980. The highlights of this period were an appearance on the NBC show Stuff in 1979 and several live radio performances.

Arneson joined "Mountain Laurel" in 1981 and stayed with them until 1986. Highlights of this period included the release of their first and only recording Swingin' and an appearance on Nashville Now in 1985. They were also featured as the opening act for "Asleep at the Wheel" and John Prine.

In 1986 he joined the "Dixie Ramblers" and performed with them as a regular member until 1993. The band released two recordings Original Bluegrass Selections and I'm Playin' Too in 1988 and 1991 respectively. They also had an appearance on the CBS program 48 Hours. " I still sit in with these guys from time to time," remembers Arneson, "and we do a yearly telethon for cerebral palsy each January in Calvert County, MD.

When banjo legend Bill Emerson retired in 1993, an audition was held for his position as banjoist in the United States Navy's Country/Bluegrass ensemble "Country Current." Keith took on this audition, passed and has been a member of this high profile group ever since.

"I still do workshops around the country and taught weekly from 1981 until 1992”, he says, "and I'm still a big fan of all types of music especially Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck, Miles Davis, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and many others too numerous to mention. I'm currently attempting to master the art of melodic clawhammer banjo, wish me luck!"