Album Notes

The working title was Cliff Wagner and The California All Stars. California stars such as former Lost Highway member Eric Uglum, Laurel Canyon Rambler Bill Bryson, Three Fox Drive fiddler Megan Lynch, and Chris Stuart of Chris Stuart and Back Country who contributed the song Old #7 And Me , all contribute to this great recording. The title track , My Native Land, was inspired by a privately published memoir of a family friend. The memoir details the life of a World War One pilot stationed in the Azores and his day to day experiences. Cliff Wagner brings the song to life then goes on to write an album full of Alt. Bluegrass tunes that are filled with Honky Tonk, Blues, and Roots influences all played by some of Southern Cali’s most talented players.

Award winning banjo player Cliff Wagner was raised in Greenwood, Mississippi, home of blues legend Robert Johnson. He gained national exposure as one of 12 bands out of 6000 applicants on Next Great American Band Show on FOX television October – November 2007 , produced by Freemantle Entertainment , producers of American Idol.

His first instrument was his grandmother's banjo-uke at 7 years old. He started playing 5-string banjo at 11, and also picked up guitar . He played with his father, who played stand-up bass, in a local bluegrass band in Mississippi until he moved to Boston to attend Berklee College of Music. While in Boston he played traditional music in Harvard Square and the subway for a living with partner Nathan Phillips. He and the band moved to NYC. There he started playing banjo in local bluegrass heroes Drinkin' and Cheatin' with mandolinist Bob Grant, formerly of the Bad Livers, now with Tim Graves and Cherokee. He moved to California seven years ago and started his own band. Cliff has also played on several CHM recordings as well as with members of Lost Highway, The Witcher Brothers, and Bluegrass Etc. In addition Cliff has contributed on many New York and Los Angeles Alt. Country recording sessions and independent film scores as well as commercial soundtrack recordings for Mini Cooper and The Sports Network.

Cliff plays banjo and fiddle and sings lead for Cliff Wagner & The Old #7, and writes all of their original material.
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