Noam Pikelny

Noam Pikelny, born on February 27, 1981, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Skokie, Illinois, began playing the banjo at the age of eight. He honed his skills at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music and later studied with Greg Cahill of The Special Consensus. Pikelny’s early career included membership in the music group Leftover Salmon from 2002 to 2004, followed by a period with the John Cowan Band from 2004 to 2006, contributing to their “New Tattoo” record. These formative experiences laid the groundwork for his future endeavors in the bluegrass genre.

Pikelny became a founding member of Punch Brothers in 2006, initially known as “The How to Grow a Band.” The group, led by Chris Thile, evolved through various names before settling on Punch Brothers and released their debut album, “Punch,” on Nonesuch Records in February 2008. His dedication to advancing the banjo’s role in music was further recognized in 2010 when he received the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass. He appeared on “Late Show with David Letterman” with Steve Martin, performing “Dueling Banjos” and later with Punch Brothers.

Throughout his career, Pikelny has achieved critical acclaim, including a Grammy nomination in 2013 for Best Bluegrass Album for “Beat the Devil and Carry a Rail.” He was also named Banjo Player of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2014 and 2017. His 2013 album, “Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe,” received the Album of the Year award from the IBMA and a Grammy nomination in 2015. In 2019, Punch Brothers won a Grammy Award for Best Folk Album for “All Ashore,” further cementing Pikelny’s standing as a respected figure in contemporary folk and bluegrass music. He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.