Makes my hillbilly heart glad to see news like this:
From a small Spring Valley factory, the Deering Banjo Co. is having its best year ever, defying the U.S. skills gap and California's manufacturing doldrums. It has expanded and trained its own workforce and expects to top $4 million in sales for the year ending June 30.
Greg Deering, 62, is the creative force behind the banjo design and the machinery used to build them. Janet Deering, 58, handles operations. Daughter Jamie Deering, 34, might have the most fun job: liaison with the company's big-name roster of professional musician customers.
Over the company's 38-year history, it has developed a loyal following from the likes of Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, the Dixie Chicks, Steve Martin and Mumford & Sons. Artists who play Deering banjos rolled up 13 Grammy nominations this year.
Here's one of those loyal Deering devotees playing with some of the best (I mean, come on, Bela Fleck) in the bussines, doing "The Crow," one of his original compositions.
Comments
Deering isn't a very common name. Suppose the Deering Harvester company was founded by the great-or-so grandfather of the banjo maker?