LeRoy Larson received his B.S. degree in music education from Bemidji State University and thus began a career in public school music. He received an M.S. degree from Indiana University and a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from the University of Minnesota, at which time he conducted one of the concert choirs. Larson co-founded Banjar Records, Inc. and began recording his band The Minnesota Scandinavian Ensemble, which were regular performers on A Prairie Home Companion radio show. In 2003 the Ensemble performed at the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. Other media performances include local and national TV, and Norwegian TV and radio specials. In 1989 they received a Minnesota Music Award. Larson is an internationally renowned banjo soloist and entertainer. His other combo, LeRoy’s River Minstrels, have been very active during his career, specializing in early jazz, ragtime, and the great American songbook. He continues to compose and produce recordings and publications for Banjar Records, and is an active music educator. Our presenter, Nathan Gibson is tis an ethnomusicologist, folklorist and audio preservation engineer at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his PhD. in ethnomusicology from Indiana University this year with a dissertation on the performance of American roots music in Finland. He currently serves as the Ethnic American Music Curator at Mills Music Library where he is also a part of the Sustaining Scandinavian Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest Initiative at UW-Madison. He is a fan of LeRoy Larson and his presentation will delve into the wonderful collection of his recordings.