Back in the late 1940s, when I became interested in old country music recordings, one of my earliest "discoveries" was Wade Mainer. Some 40 years later, I attended a festival in Brandywine, PA, and spent a happy hour or so picking with a group of old-timers. When we stopped, we introduced ourselves, and I found that I'd been playing with Wade Mainer.

He just celebrated his 100th birthday. A friendly gentleman, a fine banjo picker, with a style all his own.