Bob Black

Bob Black is nationally-renowned bluegrass banjo player who has recently written a book, "Come Hither to Go Yonder: Playing Bluegrass with Bill Monroe." (University of Illinois Press). In 2002, he was awarded the Iowa Arts Council’s Arts Build Communities Award in the Traditional Arts. Born in Des Moines, Bob began playing banjo at age 15. He moved to Iowa City in the 1970s to play in The Bluegrass Union, a band that also included fiddler Alan Murphy. From there he went straight to Nashville and played with the legendary Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys from 1974-1976.