Rick & N.T. Ward

Rick Ward was born in Watauga County on May 29, 1960, into a musical family influencing both his own playing and singing as well as his instrument building. Tab Ward, Rick’s grandfather, was a well-known banjo player and builder in the area. Tab was frequently featured at regional and state festivals for his music, storytelling, and crafts. Tab built both banjos and a number of folk toys, which he sold at Jack Guy’s store in the Beech Creek community.

N.T. Ward, Rick’s father, was also an instrument builder. N.T. didn’t play as much music, but he was a master woodworker who built banjos, many dulcimers, fiddles, and even a couple bass fiddles. N.T. made his first banjo when he was 15 or 16 years old, and he sold it for $4. He would often use only chisels and a pocketknife to carve instruments. He was mentioned in the Whole Earth Catalog as a dulcimer maker, and he received many letters requesting instruments after that. N.T. was fascinated more by working with a variety of woods than perfecting the tone of his instruments, and he built beautiful fiddles out of woods such as applewood, cedar, chestnut, and dogwood.

Rick made his first instrument, a mountain style banjo, when he was 11 or 12 years old, which he sold it at Jack Guy’s store. As he grew older, he continued to work with his father building banjos, dulcimers, and helping with fiddles. Rick uses patterns created by his grandfather, and he uses the traditional groundhog hides for the head of his banjos.

Rick also plays banjo in the “double-knock” style that his grandfather Tab Ward developed and perfected. At one time, there were a number of old-time banjo styles that were played by particular communities or families. Over the years, many of those styles have been lost to the more common bluegrass and clawhammer playing styles. Rick is a rare connection to one of the older individual banjo styles. He also sings many of the songs and ballads that his grandfather recorded, and he continues to perform them today, helping keep alive songs and style that have nearly vanished.

Rick Ward
1469 Old Watauga River Rd.
Sugar Grove, NC 28679
828-262-0056