Steve Martin's SNL banjo:was that for real?

Yes. So if you're...let's say 30 years or older, forgive me...but not many people under the age of 30ish really know the true Steve Martin. I was perusing this weekends Saturday Night Live clips on Hulu.com (surely you know about this site from the Super Bowl commercial by now) and there were many comments throughout the web debating whether this act was a fingerpicking karaoke SNL joke or a serious song:


Most of my friends, and maybe you, thought his start was circa "Lucky Day" in The Three Amigos! or maybe in Roxanne. Few my age remember his stints on Johnny Carson, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, The Smothers Brothers or "King Tut". Little did I know until a bit ago, he not only performed, but was a writer for those shows (and many more) too. (Thanks mom and dad for taping many of those!) But, yes indeed...Steve Martin is a musician and his fingers really can pluck the fuck out of that banjo. And, he's been plucking with the best for years now, winning a Grammy with bluegrass grandaddy Earl Scruggs on this little ditty (how many legends can you fit on a small stage?)...



Steve Martin has a newish album available via 40 Productions, titled The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo. The 2009 album features 15 songs all penned by Martin and has a few cameos of note: Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Tim O'Brien, Earl Scruggs, Pete Wernick and Tony Trischka. It was even produced by Nitty Gritty's John McEuen. Not bad eh?