Banjo instructional books that come highly recommended

For back-up technique and new licks try BACK-UP BANJO by Janet Davis. Published by Mel Bay it is a very intensive manual that will help you develop a solid back-up....remember that a good banjo player doesn't play lead 100% of the time even though he thinks he should. If he would try to the guitar player would probably terminate his life!

For good ole Scruggs style playing I recommend none other that the Earl Scruggs and the Five String Banjo book. He teaches you the basic rolls and shows you how to play some of his more famous songs. Even how to build a banjo ( if you are good with wood, which I am not. If it cant be welded then it cant be fixed).

Another good book is by Tony Trischka. It is called HOT LICKS FOR BLUEGRASS BANJO. It features over 650 hot licks in bluegrass, blues, jazz, single string and melodic styles. It also features licks from J.D. Crow, Bela Fleck, Bill Keith, Alan Munde, Don Rene, Peter Wernick, and more. All of these books are reasonably priced and well worth looking into.