Kelly Griner has been playing the 5-String Banjo since 1994. After leaving the United States Air Force in 1993, Kelly moved to Champaign, IL and along with his friend Don Sheppard, began performing Irish Pub Songs wherever they could. From singing acapella to joining together with other musicians to perform on stage and in pubs, Kelly began a life-long journey of music. With a love for the music and sounds of Luke Kelly and Tommy Makem, Kelly began playing the 5-String banjo.

In 1997, Kelly found his way to the suburbs of Detroit, MI and began performing as a solo artist and then with the local band, The Shamrock Shore. While in Michigan, Kelly performed at local pubs and festivals as both a member of The Shamrock Shore and as a solo attraction.

At the start of the new millennium, Kelly moved to the suburbs of Chicago and began a successful run as a solo artist. Before long, Kelly had made friends with a number of superb musicians and formed the Irish Folk Group, Another Pint. With a love of travel and a dream of spreading their infectious joy of Irish Music to as many people as possible, Another Pint set off to see as much of the United States as possible.

While performing with Another Pint at pubs and festivals from Wisconsin to Florida, Kelly began teaching his banjo playing style to anyone who asked. With a philosophy of teaching others the way his forefathers had, Kelly would sit knee to knee and ask for nothing in return, but a promise to pass on the gift to someone else.

In 2009, Kelly had decided that it was time to start a series of books that would allow him to spread his love of music to people all over the world. Along with his free video lessons, Kelly published his first book of tablature, Irish Pub Songs For The 5-String Banjo, Volume 1 in 2010. Kelly plans on publishing four more volumes of Irish Pub Songs covering songs and tunes that can be heard in Irish Pubs all over the world.

Currently, Kelly is writing his first book of tablature for American Folk Songs to be published in the winter of 2010.

Please feel free to contact Kelly with any requests or questions that you may have.

Kelly.Griner(at)AnotherPint.com

or

(630) 939-0373