Justin Moses is a multi-instrumentalist from Madisonville, Tennessee. From 2010 to 2014 he played banjo in Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder. He took the chair from Jim Mills, who had held it for 14 years. Moses is better known today on the Dobro, where he has won seven IBMA awards. This page covers his banjo work. His Dobro work has its own page.
Why Moses matters
Jim Mills won six IBMA banjo awards while he held the banjo chair in Kentucky Thunder. When Mills left in 2010, Skaggs hired Moses. Moses held the job for four years, then went on to win the IBMA Dobro award seven times.
Life and career
Moses grew up in Madisonville, Tennessee. He started on mandolin at about age six and later learned the other bluegrass instruments. His first band outside his family was Kentucky Wind. He played in the Dan Tyminski Band before he joined Skaggs.
In 2010 he joined Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder on banjo. He left Skaggs in 2014. In 2017 he married mandolin player Sierra Hull. He later joined Blue Highway and the Gibson Brothers on other instruments.
Playing style
Moses plays every instrument in a bluegrass band, and his bands have used him in different ways. With Skaggs he played banjo. With Dan Tyminski it was fiddle, and with Blue Highway it was resonator guitar.
Influences and legacy
Moses followed Jim Mills in Kentucky Thunder. When Moses left in 2014, Cory Walker filled in on the banjo.
Watch and listen
Moses plays a banjo solo.
What to learn from Moses
Moses has played several instruments in top bands. Learn a tune such as Cripple Creek on the banjo. Then hum the melody without the banjo. Once you know a melody that well, it is easier to find it on a second instrument.
Sources
Moses, Justin, BluegrassBios.com Justin Moses, Bluegrass Unlimited One man band Justin Moses debuts as a bluegrass leader on Fall Like Rain, WMOT Kentucky Thunder, Wikipedia
Related players
See the banjo players hub and the Dobro players hub. Moses also has a page among the Dobro players. Jim Mills held the Kentucky Thunder banjo chair before him.