Scott Vestal

Scott Vestal is an American banjoist, songwriter and luthier, known for his innovative approach to playing and designing the banjo.

The older of two children, Scott Vestal was raised in Duncan, Oklahoma in a musical family. His Grandfather Famon Self was a country fiddler who taught Vestal his first guitar chords. Scott and his brother Curtis played and sang with their grandfather at bluegrass festivals and other events.

Vestal acquired a 5-string banjo at age 13 and by age 15 was playing with T. J. Rogers’ family band. At age 18, Vestal performed and recorded with Larry Sparks for a year. At age 19, Vestal moved to Texas and with his brother Curtis and Russell Moore formed the band Southern Connection, which toured the Midwest and East Coast for 3 years.

In 1985, Vestal and Russell Moore joined Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, replacing Terry Baucom. Vestal stayed with Quicksilver for four years and five albums.

Vestal then formed his group Livewire with mandolinist Wayne Benson, guitarist and vocalist Robert Hale, and bassist Ernie Sykes. Vestal toured Japan with an acoustic jazz ensemble, and starred in Phyllis McBride's original musical production Cowboy Cafe.

In 1994, Vestal moved to Nashville and formed a band with Harley Allen and David Parmley. When Allen decided to focus on songwriting, the band became David Parmley, Scott Vestal, and Continental Divide. Over the next 5 years, the band recorded three albums and toured the US and Canada. Vestal left Continental Divide in 1998.

Vestal produced, engineered, and played on an annual series of instrumental albums for Pinecastle Records. The initial project started as a solo album for Mountain Heart guitarist Clay Jones. When Jones went another direction, Vestal salvaged the project as an instrumental album.

The “Bluegrass Annual” series won the IBMA award for Recorded Event of the Year in 1996. This series of recordings continued from 1995 through 2001.