Ron Block

Banjo Instructor
Nashcamp Fall Banjo Retreat

For the past ten years, Ron Block has been the spiritual touchstone of Alison Krauss and Union Station, contributing not only sterling musicianship on banjo and guitar, but also a catalogue of beautiful songs that deal mostly with issue of religious faith and devotion. Before joining Union Station, Ron was a member of the Lynn Morris Band (1991) and Weary Hearts (1985 - 1989).

The son of a southern California music store proprietor, two of Ron's earliest memories are the smell of old guitars and the sounds of musicians playing rock, blues, and jazz at Hogan's Music. At eleven years of age Ron received his first guitar. At thirteen he became intrigued with the banjo after seeing Lester Flatt on television, so his dad gave him a Kay banjo that Christmas. It wasn't long before he also became infatuated with bluegrass guitar.

Ron's early influences include Flatt & Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe, George Shuffler, Larry Sparks, J. D. Crowe, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, and Clarence White. Later, as his interests broadened, his musical influences began to include Joni Mitchell, Pat Metheny, Larry Carlton, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, James Taylor, Benny Goodman, and many others. Current favorites are Bryan Adams, Bonnie Raitt, Fernando Ortega, and Sonny Landreth.

In addition to the seven songs recorded by Alison Krauss and Union Station, Ron has had songs recorded by Rhonda Vincent ("You're In My Heart"), Randy Travis ("Which Way Will You Choose"), Dan Tyminski ("Be Assured"), Michael W. Smith, The Cox Family and the Forbes Family, whose Block-produced "In the Shadow of Your Wings" is a classic of contemporary bluegrass gospel. He also has a song by AKUS on The Prince of Egypt: Nashville.

Ron's debut solo project for Rounder, a musically wide-ranging collection of original gospel songs called Faraway Land was released August, 2001. Barry, Dan, Alison, Jerry, Larry, along with Adam Steffey, the Forbes Family, Chris Thile, Sean and Sara Watkins, Viktor Krauss, and others join Ron on Faraway Land.

Frequently in demand in the studio on guitar and banjo, Ron has recorded with Susan Ashton, Vince Gill, The Cox Family, Clint Black, Brad Paisley, Bill Frisell, Fernando Ortega, Billy Dean, Michael Johnson, Dolly Parton, and many others.