Hailing from Asheville, Bryan Sutton is one of the most intricately talented acoustic guitar players of the modern era. He’s also an A-list, in-demand session musician and collaborator in Nashville, Tennessee. 

Sutton first appeared on the national bluegrass scene when, in 1995, he was named lead guitarist for Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, a position he held for three years.

Since 2002, he’s been a member of legendary group Hot Rize. For his session work, he’s been on albums by Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks and hundreds of others.

A 10-time International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) “Guitar Player of the Year,” Sutton also took home the Grammy for “Best Country Instrumental Performance” for “Whiskey Before Breakfast” with Watson in 2007. In 2024, he teamed up with six-string ace Billy Strings for a storied performance at American Legion Post 82 in Music City, the recording itself becoming the acclaimed “Live at the Legion” album.

And yet, for Sutton, his greatest passion might just be sharing his love for the guitar with others, as seen by his Blue Ridge Guitar Camp. Held every May at the Brevard Music Center, the annual gathering has become a crossroads of some of the greatest pickers on the planet, all of whom engage with eager students wanting to learn as much as they can from their heroes. Each camp culminates with a special concert open to the public, the North Carolina Guitar Celebration, which will be held on May 30.

Smoky Mountain News: How did the Blue Ridge Guitar Camp come about, and what was the initial thought as to what it is or could be? 

Bryan Sutton: The initial idea came from Woody Platt, who had worked with Béla Fleck and the Blue Ridge Banjo Camp for a couple years. Woody floated the idea of a guitar camp to me and invited me to hang out at Béla’s camp in 2019. I was so impressed with Brevard Music Center and the general feel of the space and knew that hosting a camp there was definitely for me.

Woody and I started working to plan the Blue Ridge Guitar Camp and the North Carolina Guitar Celebration. I knew there were things about Béla’s camp I wanted to maintain but had some ideas of my own. The original vision to have a welcoming and supportive learning environment has been the overarching intent from day one.

We came up with the idea of making the Saturday night show more of a collaborative “festival-in-a-day” spirit. We aim to present a unique musical event with outside artists playing with instructors and campers. Having the performers as guest speakers is also great for the camp.

SMN: You’ve had so many incredible artists teach and take the stage at BRGC. How do you design each camp? Where does the inspiration and vision come from, the ethos behind it all?

BS: My goal for camp instructors is to present a kind of well-rounded team. I want to be able to cover topics important to bluegrass guitarists but also keep some open doors as far as connections to other related styles. We have had players more associated with traditional jazz playing and improvisation. Here in 2026, I’m excited to have John Doyle, a master of Irish rhythm playing as an instructor.

I pay attention to players who have shown a passion for teaching. It’s important to find folks who are recognized masters of their craft and who can also clearly articulate what they do, how they’ve learned and how they continue to learn. I know that a camper’s playing is not going to change in a few days, but if we can leave campers feeling inspired and refueled to take their learning to the next level, we’ve done a good job.

The vibe or ethos I hope to create, is found in a community of instructors, campers and other industry pros all sharing equally. We go deep and support each other with guitar-playing specifics, learning to be a better learner and the very human experience of accepting vulnerabilities and risks when sharing music with others. I hope that players see the BRGC as a destination. Not elitist or exclusive, but yet something to work for.

SMN: When you think about the BRGC, what memories and moments immediately come to mind? What’s the sentiment you feel and hear and see when reflecting on just makes that event so special and magical each year?

BS: The memories or moments of the BRGC that come to mind for me revolve around campers who’ve been able to trust the support of the community and try something they thought they couldn’t do or would’ve just avoided previously. Maybe it’s taking a solo or singing in a jam. Those are scary things. To see people elated, inspired, and encouraged to grow beyond their perceived limitations is rewarding for me.

Beyond that, it’s scenes of a guy like Billy Strings just hanging out and playing tunes with some kids. The fact that he can sell out an arena just fades away in the groove of a fiddle tune and he’s just one more part of the community.

There’s always a special moment or two in the show. It’s like a chemistry experiment where you put some different elements together and stand back to watch what happens — it’s so much fun.

Want to go?

Presented by Mountain Songs Productions, the fifth annual North Carolina Guitar Celebration will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 30, at the Brevard Music Center.

Hosted by Bryan Sutton, the event will showcase marquee names like Rosanne Cash, John Leventhal, Darrell Scott, Shawn Camp and Daniel Kimbro, as well as Tray Wellington, Cody Kilby, Jake Eddy and others.

For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit blueridgeguitarcamp.com/concert.