Twenty-plus years ago, Lluís Gómez heard Banjo Paris Session, an album featuring the playing of Jean-Marie Redon and Bill Keith. It completely changed this Spanish musician’s life. Gómez would go on to obsess over the five-string banjo, eventually travelling to the States to track down lessons with Keith, Tony Trischka and Pete Wernick. These days, Gómez is considered the “Spanish King of the Five-String Banjo.” He’s a prolific performer, educator and music promoter, bringing a distinctly American music to new audiences in Europe. On this episode, he tells us about his love affair with the banjo, the popularity of the instrument in Spain today, his excellent new record Dotze contes and much more.

This episode is brought to you by two of our favorite stores: Dying Breed Music and Retrofret Vintage Guitars.