Meet Matthew Gallagher

Jan 10
1 min read

Updated: Jan 15

Matthew Gallagher (he/him) is a banjo player and educator with 22 years of picking, gigging, and jamming across bluegrass, newgrass, and beyond.

A Denver-scene regular for a decade, Matthew toured and recorded with the jamgrass band Whiskey Tango, performed with the traditional bluegrass outfit Last Sheets on the Roll, and sat in with luminaries including Darol Anger and Grant Gordy. His style nods to heroes Béla Fleck and Noam Pikelny—blending Scruggs, melodic, and single-string approaches to move seamlessly between tradition and genre-bending exploration.

Matthew teaches because he loves watching students light up. His motto “If we’re not having fun playing the banjo, we’re doing something wrong” shapes lessons that are welcoming, goal-oriented, and tailored to each player’s influences. He builds from fundamentals (hand position, right-hand rolls, chord shapes) and muscle memory at slow tempos, then layers techniques and connects them to real tunes. As confidence grows, students learn to take breaks, improvise in jams, and develop their own sound.

His Influences & Collaborators

Influences: Béla Fleck, Noam Pikelny
Collaborations/guest spots: Darol Anger, Grant Gordy
Bands: Whiskey Tango (jamgrass; 10 years), Last Sheets on the Roll (traditional bluegrass)

Certificates