Deering Banjos

Kim Breedlove began building banjos in the 1960s, during the Folk Music movement and the popularity of such performers as Pete Seeger. After working with his brother for a few months he moved to the east coast while his brother moved to Oregon to form Breedlove Guitars. As Kim moved to Oregon, his brother returned to work with his old friend Bob Taylor in San Diego, while Kim changed his focus from the banjo to the guitar. Today, the Breedlove Guitar Company is known for their range of professional products.  

Alison Brown is a Grammy Award–winning banjoist, composer, producer, and music industry leader whose career reflects both deep bluegrass roots and a spirit of musical exploration. Alison’s musical journey began in a family transformed by music when her mother purchased guitars for both parents in 1971, inspiring them to become bluegrass players. After the family moved to San Diego in 1974, all three became active members of the local bluegrass community, where Alison first studied guitar and developed her fingerstyle technique.

Greg Deering worked for a short time with Bob Taylor in San Diego as both men sought their dreams to create their own unique fretted instruments. While Taylor Guitars was being established, Greg and his wife Janet worked long and hard to build up the Deering Banjo Company. As the company reached success within the industry Greg became a well-respected expert on the history of the banjo and the development of the instrument over the years. 

Janet Deering has become the darling of the banjo industry as co-founder of the Deering Banjo Company. Along with her husband Greg, she has brought the banjo back to its popular roots with the pride of an American-made instrument. Although the instrument was not originated in the United States it certainly gained its greatest fame as a required instrument in country and bluegrass music. Along with the success of the company, Janet has been involved with many programs which encourage music makers. 

Jens Kruger is one of the world’s most technically accomplished 5-string banjo players who have worked with the Deering Banjo Company to create a more sophisticated instrument; one that could holds its own in a classical music concert. Jens has played the banjo is many settings and finds the challenge to be creating an instrument that can showcase overtones and sustain, which the folks at Deering have been working on for several years. The results have been amazing and Jens is very proud of his role in creating new instruments for future players to use.

Chuck Neitzel joined Deering Banjo in January 1979 having previously been a woodworker with antique furniture. Chuck also brought with him a deep respect and passion for bluegrass music, which he had followed and played since he was a young man. Working closely with Greg Deering in the early days of the banjo company provided Chuck the opportunity to add his own artistic ideas to the growing product line. In 2019, just after celebrating his 40th anniversary with the company, Chuck sat down for his NAMM Oral History interview to recap his background and provide his perspective on t

Daniel Puccio grew up in the music store his mom and dad ran in Corning, New York.  As you might guess, the passion for music was passed along to Daniel at a young age.  He played and later taught guitar in the store along with other instruments along the way.  While earning his doctorate in music in Arizona, Daniel continued to return to the store whenever he could to help out.  Along with teaching music, Daniel is also an endorsing performer for Deering Banjos.

Sam Radding is the founder the famed American Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company, which was the training ground for several future iconic luthiers including Bob Taylor, Kurt Listug and Greg Deering!  Sam’s brother opened a small retail store in San Diego in the mid 1960s and soon Sam had the idea of opening a woodshop to hire builders to make instruments his brother could then sell.  The shop proved to be the place luthiers hung out and learned their craft.  Sam later sold the shop to Kurt and Bob who would later change the name to Taylor Guitar.  Greg left to form his own c