To say that Robin Kessinger is one of the country's leading flatpick guitarists
would be quite an understatement. Everyone knows that he won the National Flatpicking
Championship, in Winfield Kansas, but few know of all the State Flatpicking
Championships walked away with. And most of them multiple times! He holds titles in
Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, West Virginia, Best of Tri State (OH, KY & WV) and other
contests too numerous to mention. If you haven't heard Robin perform, you are in for a
real treat. As a writer for the Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine wrote: “When Robin
Kessinger performs, you can hear the ghosts of generations past joining in to help
blend the notes from his guitar into the familiar strains of old-time-tunes.” Robin
grew up with a rich Appalachian heritage surrounded by generations of musicians. His
Father, Bob Kessinger was an accomplished mandolin player who taught Robin many tunes.
World-renowned fiddler and recording artist, Clark Kessinger, (his uncle) and family
friend Robert Rutland (Georgia Slim) both contributed to Robin's formative years as a
musician. But it has always been the music of Appalachia itself that Robin found
irresistible. So much so, that he has dedicated much of his life to passing on his
heritage to others and preserving the music that is so much a part of our American
history. Robin continues to headline many festivals and judges up-and-coming flat-pick
artists in contests around the country. He has been featured on PBS and BBC television
specials and NPR radio shows. In addition to his performance schedule Robin is on staff
at several events including Steve Kaufman's Flatpicking Camp since 1996, Augusta
Heritage Workshops in Elkins, WV since 1983, and at the
Allegheny Echoes Workshop near Marlinton, WV since 1997.