About
Bob Saunders
Bob was born in Washington DC and grew up across the river in Northern Virginia. After high school, Bob spent a brief tenure at UVa in Charlottesville, Va starting in 1972. Attending an institution of that caliber, he learned a tremendous amount.... avoiding classes before 10am, keeping the keg cold and the foam low, what canned soda mixes best with bad vodka, and of course, playing squash at 3AM in various states of consciousness.
By early 1973, Bob had completed his studies in Virginia and moved west to California, where he met and married his lovely wife, and returned to Virginia in 1977 to settle and raise their family of four boys. Going back to school, for real this time, Bob entered the blossoming computer software business in the early 80's and has worked in that field since.
Growing up in the 60s, Bob's first musical influences were initially from family. At summer get-togethers his talented cousins would sing and play well into the night singing the rich harmonys of 60s folk standards, Peter Paul & Mary, Tom Paxton, Everly Brother, Kingston Trio, etc. Drawn to the folksy, finger-picking style of guitar, he started playing at 12 and every song he learned was fingerpicked.... (he didn't own a flatpick until about 35 years later). Later affected by artists such as John Denver, James Taylor, Jim Croce always enjoys the sound of a well played guitar and a simple tune.
Having "noodled" off & on with his music for over 25 years, Bob got a bug in the mid-90s, then bought a decent guitar and got serious about expanding his repertoire. After playing out now and then locally, Bob answered a Craigslist post for a "fingerpicking Bluegrass guitarist" [which he is pretty sure is the only such ad ever published in the history of bluegrass music, or the world for that matter] and became a member of BrokenPick in 2004. Since Broken Pick was in need of a banjo player at that time, he was drafted, and has been playing banjo (and guitar) ever since. [It should be noted that due to the intense negative social stigma attached to the designation "the banjo player", Bob refuses to ever assume that role exclusively...]
