Rick Faris

Rick Faris grew up in NE Kansas with his family band for musical inspiration; his father was both a professional touring musician and expert teacher, so Rick was steeped from the start in the Bluegrass, Country, and Western Swing traditions. He won the SPBGMA Midwest Guitar Player of the Year multiple times while still playing in the Faris Family Band. In 2009, Rick joined the well-known bluegrass band Special Consensus, led by long-term MBC banjo instructor Greg Cahill, and he has played mandolin and guitar in that ensemble ever since. Since Rick joined the band, "Special C" has earned a Grammy nomination and won several awards from IBMA (the International Bluegrass Music Association). Rick has taught at prestigious camps and festivals round the world, such as the American Music Academy, the British Columbia Bluegrass Workshop, Nimble Fingers Old Time and Bluegrass Camp, Nashville Mandolin Camp, the Joe Val Festival, and Bluegrass Camp Germany