Sleepy Man Banjo Boys (United States)

    Ten year-old banjo picker Jonny Mizzone along with his brothers Robbie (13) on fiddle, and Tommy (15) on guitar, are The Sleepy Man Banjo Boys. Though their combined age is younger than music’s Hip-Hop era, it’s the 1950’s music of Flatt & Scruggs & The Stanley Brothers that inspires them. The Sleepy Man Banjo Boys are the result of brotherly-love, faith in God, and a passion for inspiring others with their musical gifts.
    Best known for their YouTube bedroom practice videos, with over 11 million views, this young bluegrass trio has become an overnight sensation, the only such phenomenon in the history of bluegrass music, going back to 1939. Shortly after the videos started going “viral” in early 2011, the phone began to ring. The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno were calling, and in summer of 2011 appeared as musical guests on The Late Show with David Letterman and NBC’s Today Show. In July, the boys were contacted by Fox News to appear on the Mike Huckabee show, and the overwhelming response led to an invitation to appear again the following week – the only musical guests to appear on back-to-back episodes in the history of the show.
    
    In August 2011 the boys were named official Martin Guitar Ambassadors, made their Grand Ole Opry debut, and performed with banjo legend J.D. Crowe at a bluegrass festival near their home in western rural New Jersey. Their first album, ‘America’s Music’ released in September 2011, has sold over 7,500 copies and in February 2012, debuted at #8 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Album Chart, spending 11 weeks among the top selling bluegrass albums in the country.
    
    Fresh off the sacred stage of the Ryman Auditorium where they kicked off a stirring tribute to the late Earl Scruggs with actor Steve Martin, the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys are pleased to announce the release of their new album, The Farthest Horizon. The album is shipping as a six-panel digipak and is the boy’s first release with original material.