Fred Van Eps

Fred Van Eps was probably the greatest banjoist on early records, notwithstanding stiff competition in the acoustic era from artists such as Vess L. Ossman and Olly Oakley. In acoustic recording, the banjo was a popular, mainstream instrument, and often utilized on early records due to its clear, penetrating tone. A New Jersey native, Van Eps was not quite 20 years of age when he purchased his first phonograph in 1896, primarily so that he could hear records made by his idol, Vess L. Ossman. Within a year, he was using this phonograph to make his own home recordings on wax cyl...