Buck's Bio: David W. BUCK Thrailkill:
Born in Meridian, MS in 1963. Started playing banjo at age 12 studying from his brother Bruce Thrailkill and with heavy influences from Buck Trent, Roy Clark, and Carl Jackson. Buck grew up playing all over the south touring on the Magnolia State Bluegrass Circuit at age 14 with childhood friend and music partner Guitarist James Beau Edwards. Buck plays the famous ‘Earl Scruggs’ style of 3 finger picking with some new grass style licks and songs all the way back to Old Southern Folk and Melodic hints of all genre's. Growing up, he played and taught regularly till 1981 when he joined the U.S. Army. So picking took a back seat to life jumping out of airplanes for a few years with Units such as the 82nd Airborne Division, 7th Special Forces Group, and several units in the Special Operations Enviroment, till he retired from military service at Ft. Bragg in Fayetteville, NC in Sept 1997. He was blessed to be alive and find his way back to his bluegrass roots and has been playing and recording in various venues in North Carolina and surrounding areas for a many years now with several different bands and instrumental configurations ranging from Country to Honky Tonk to Blues and Hardcore Bluegrass. Currently he is the the Owner of Fifth String Studio, the co-Owner of Rebel Roots Studios, partner and banjoist with J.B. Beverley, and Vice President of Operations, Designer, Engineer and Consultant at Rusty Knuckles Recording Label, with dear friend and CEO Ralph Miller.
Buck's Studio:
Fifth String Studio
Owner, Instructor, Banjo Mechanic - Fayetteville, North Carolina • 2013 to present
Banjo, Bluegrass, Jam Sessions, Bluegrass Theory, Banjo Instructor Practices
Fifth String is a place of study for advancing bluegrass banjo players. The location, atmosphere, and training outline are all designed to work together to provide the highest resolution and clarity in training and practical exercise. To allow the student to field their own path forward by recognizing and strengthen the weak areas and explore the fundamentals of expanding their strong areas.
Buck also offers lessons via Skype for those students that live elsewhere, but share the same music philosophy and love for banjo that he does.
Buck's Mission: Banjo Freedom.... To give any and every music lover with the desire to play banjo, the skills and training necessary to become the kind of Banjo Player they want to be with the freedom to take there passion to any level and genre of music they want, and not just someone who plays around with a banjo...
Buck's Professional Music Status:
Retired Army Veteran, Retired Communications Engineer, and currently the Vice President of Operations at Rusty Knuckles Music....
Operations over-site and coordination, Event planning and execution, Financials over-site, Custom Fabrications Engineer, Banjo Mechanic and Musical liaison.
Recording Discography:
Buck Thrailkill - Solo Banjo Works - Ongoing Project
Hatfields & McCoys - Ongoing Project
J.B. Beverley - Stripped To The Root
Hellbound Glory - Ongoing Project
Carolina Still - The Color Of Rust
Husky Burnette - Tales From East End Boulevard
DR Well Medicine Show - Up At The Light
Kara Clark - Kara Clark
Mickey And The Bone Pickers - Who I Am
Cadie Calhoon - Aaron Rodgers
Ronnie Hymes And Carolina Freight - Just A Working Man
Polecat Fisher And The Rank Strangers
Larry Frick - Larry Frick
Several Devils Band - Chicken Fried Voodoo
Blackpoint - Blackpoint