Suwannee Banjo Camp Directors

Ken Perlman has been a director of SBC since its inception in 2003. He has also directed several music-teaching festivals, including American Banjo Camp, Banjo Camp North, Bath Banjo Festival, Maryland Banjo Academy, Midwest Banjo Camp, Northeast Heritage Music Camp and Suwannee Banjo Camp. He is also on the teaching staff for SBC. You can find a more detailed biography for him on the 2026 Instructors page (click on the “Old-Time Banjo” tab”), and on his website kenperlman.com.

Chuck Levy was co-director of SBC from 2006-15. He is a prominent Florida banjoist and fiddler, based in Gainesville. He has taken an active interest in studying the banjo’s African roots and has helped expose American audiences to African musicians. He still directs the Stephen Foster Old-Time Music Weekend in White Springs, Florida.

Florida based Mark Johnson was a founding co-director of SBC and served in that capacity from 2003-05. He is best known for his “clawgrass” approach to banjo, developing a clawhammer style compatible with bluegrass music. He toured for many years with the great mandolinist/guitarist Emory Lester.

Stan Werbin and Lily Werbin joined the SBC director team when SBC went online for the 2021 season. Stan is best known as the founding owner of Elderly Instruments, the world-renowned music store and mail-order service in Lansing, Michigan, and is internationally known as an authority on vintage banjos and other fretted instruments.  Lily is now the President of Elderly Instruments, her family’s business, in Lansing, Michigan. Stan, Lily, and Ken also Co-Direct Midwest Banjo Camp, now located in Indiana.