When Dan Walsh first picked up the banjo, he did so with the passion and enthusiasm of a youngster who simply loved its sound. He didn’t know anything about the various playing styles, the difference between the tenor and the five-string version, or that he would in time become a widely acknowledged world-class proponent of the instrument. He just thought it sounded cool. What’s remarkable about the BBC Folk Award nominee is that he’s retained that infectious and inspiring energy right throughout his career – and has picked up equally impressive vocal and guitar chops along the way. Initially captured by the drive and melody of Irish banjo, he was soon struck by the flawless Americana of artists such as Alison Krauss, Union Station and Nickel Creek. Dan has since explored the full breadth of the folk idiom – from English jigs to inventive jazz and frenetic funk, modern singer-songwriter fare and even the Indian raga – but his upcoming album returns to those down-home country roots. He’s also a key part of the acclaimed Urban Folk Quartet (“impossibly wonderful,” fRoots). And he has toured the world, from Canada and the USA to Australia, New Zealand and across Europe, everywhere winning new fans for his rare mix of virtuosic musicianship, moving and amusing songwriting, and winning charm.