Map - Directions

Old Time Links

Guest of Honor Index

L.J. Slavin is one of our favorite musicians and was our first Guest of Honor from Florida. He is a talented multi-instrumentalist who plays everything from Appalachian And hammered dulcimer, banjo, and fiddle, to the musical saw.

After his stint as our Guest of Honor, LJ Slavin thought he was ready for the big time. And make it in the big time he did, appearing in the Tony Award winning, the Grapes of Wrath, at the Cort Theater on Broadway in 1990. L.J. appeared on stage playing banjo, harmonic, Jew' s harp and musical saw, with Gary Sinise starring as Tom Joad.

In 1995, L.J. appeared in Woody Guthrie's American Song, playing banjo, fiddle, autoharp, and harmonica. He is in the original cast recording. 1999, found L.J. in a production of Appalachian Strings, stories, songs, and dance, many from the Smithsonian' s Folklife Center. One reviewer wrote, the shining moments … belong to L.J. Slavin … wows audiences with his ability to play a handsaw.

L.J. now married and lives near Chicago in lovely Grayslake, IL. He's a full time musician who plays bluegrass, swing, Irish, world music and other genres in his various

bands. He is in the bluegrass group, Whiskey Hollow Band, with Steve Rosen of the Volo Bogtrotters old time band. He has toured England, Ireland, Scotland and the Shetland Isles twice with his bluegrass group.

Continuing in his always eclectic ways, he is also in demand for commercial jingles by companies like Sears, Ringling Bros., Kellogg' s, and State Farm.

	Slavin has had a fulfilling theatrical career including appearing on Broadway in a Tony Award winning production.
His bluegrass band has done 2 tours of England, Ireland, Scotland and the Shetland Isles.