Phil Banaszak
Philip Banaszak, a 2005 inductee of the North American Fiddler’s Hall of Fame, a former New York State Fiddling Champion, and a three-time Erie County Fiddle Champ, has been performing and teaching in the Western New York area for over 20 years. Mr. Banaszak and his wife, Gretchen, currently make up the City Fiddle Band, mixing Bluegrass, Celtic and original music. He is a charter member of the Canal Street String Band which formed in the summer of 2010, blending fiddle tunes, sea shanties, western swing (just to name a few) styles and harmonies among its group members, entertaining around Upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Mr. Banaszak holds an Associates Degree from Erie Community College, and is a credited Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor in New York. While he taught himself mandolin, his musical credentials include study from George Kedzierzawski, Matthew Tworek and Frank Riley of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2002, he released his book and CD of original neo-traditional fiddle music, and more recently, and the debut album from the Canal Street String Band.