Young Banjoist Kicks off Career with album, Black Oak Ridge
- Jason Young
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
Bluegrass continues to prove fertile ground for artists like Izaak Atlas Schwartz, whose debut album, Black Oak Ridge, is creating a buzz—not just for its virtuosity but also for its originality.
A classically trained musician from Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, Schwartz first cut his teeth at the Wind Gap Bluegrass Festivals. “I started learning bluegrass at the youth academy,” the fifteen-year-old recalls.
He discovered The Ruta Beggars. “When I saw them play, I really liked them immediately!
“I wanted to see if I could get lessons from someone in the band,” remembers Schwartz, who had already played a few instruments. “I just kept [adding] on … and learning new ones, like mandolin and guitar.”
The Ruta Beggars’ Trevin Nelson stepped up to teach the aspiring teen. “I happened to have a banjo that my uncle gave my family that I never played. I took lessons on it, and immediately it became obvious that it was my favorite instrument. I listened to some Earl Scruggs stuff,” recalls Schwartz. “I was really obsessed with the 'Dueling Banjos' recording—it was the only thing I knew at the time that I could consider as bluegrass.”
He leaned hard into Ralph Stanley’s music. “I probably got a little too obsessed with his music. I didn't want to play any other style except his.”
Schwartz adds different ingredients to his bluegrass.
“I listened to Dixieland jazz. There is some of that on my album Black Oak Ridge. Classical music is also a huge influence,” explains Schwartz, who’s trained in the Baroque style. “I also like old-time Appalachian folk music.”
His album features originals, says the banjo picker. “I write a lot of my own music,” offers Schwartz. “I actually started [writing] back when I was playing piano. I apply some of the stuff from classical training to bluegrass by adding more music theory and chords.”
His song “Icy Holler” was a stroke of luck. “I was just noodling around with some melodic lines until I accidentally thought of a G minor descending arpeggio,” explains Schwartz, using musical terms.
His parents help keep him in the creative zone.
“Both support me in different ways,” shares the homeschooled musician. “My dad gives me guidance on financial and legal matters, and my mom is more directly involved in the festivals and events.”
His mom, Amanda Schwartz, helped secure a contract to record Black Oak Ridge. “My mom reached out to Tom Mindte, owner of Patuxent Music, asking him for advice on how to promote my single, ‘Icy Holler.’ I had self-released [the song] earlier in 2025,” Schwartz recalls. “Tom suggested that we meet in person. When we did, he brought up the idea of making an entire album, and it just steamrolled from there.”
His dad, Andrew, handled the financial details. “My dad got pretty involved with the legal aspects. It was just cool to think about releasing an album on an actual record label,” says Schwartz.
“We recorded in Chambersburg at Tom’s home studio,” recalls the young artist. “The recording took three days, and we did some overdubs.” To help with the album, he assembled a studio band with local musicians. “I already knew all of them pretty well because they go to our local festivals.”
Besides enjoying the studio, Schwartz loves to play live with other musicians.
“Danny Paisley invited me up on stage multiple times. I played with him at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival and the Chesapeake Winter Bluegrass Festival,” recites Schwartz, whose favorite shows have been with Paisley.
The IBMA helped sharpen his performing skills
“They gave me a lot of band experience with their kids programs, and they’ve helped with being able to attend bluegrass events!”
The young banjoist is more comfortable off stage. “Sometimes I honestly feel like I play better in a jam circle than on stage. Probably has to do with the fact that there's not as much pressure.”
He’s free to experiment. “You can just try whatever you want and see if it works, but on stage, you have to have everything planned.
“Now that the album has come out, I'm sure it's going to be a lot easier to find musicians to join with in a band,” says Schwartz with an air of confidence. Looking ahead, “Hopefully in the future I'll be making more albums. I definitely want to have a music career.”
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