Meet Danny Stewart Jr. of Turtle Hill Banjo Company
One of the most unique music stores in North America is Turtle Hill Banjo Company in Edgewater, Maryland. We had the privilege of meeting proprietor Danny Stewart Jr. at a recent event, and it quickly became apparent that there was a natural connection between Turtle Hill and Gallagher.
We’re especially proud that Gallagher Guitars are the first guitars to join the Turtle Hill Banjo Company lineup. It’s a partnership that makes a lot of sense to us, bringing together two companies with a deep appreciation for great instruments, craftsmanship, tradition, and the musicians who play them.
We recently sat down with Danny for a conversation about the history of Turtle Hill, his passion for exceptional instruments, and what made Gallagher a natural fit for the shop. We think you’ll enjoy getting to know Danny and the story behind Turtle Hill Banjo Company.
Turtle Hill has been around since 1989. Take us back to the beginning. How did you get started, and what was it about banjos that made you want to build a business around them?
Turtle Hill was started by my friend David Shankman in the early 1980s. It began as a hobby for him, collecting banjos, and eventually evolved into buying and selling them and, ultimately, into a full-time banjo business.
Turtle Hill has become a Mid-Atlantic staple in the banjo community, serving players of bluegrass, old-time, Irish, and jazz banjo music. It is truly a unique business.
I took over the banjo business from David about 3½ years ago and, for the most part, have tried not to change what made it special while modernizing a few aspects of the business.
Throughout the years, Turtle Hill has focused almost exclusively on banjos, with the occasional very high-end mandolin or guitar finding its way into the shop. It has historically been known as a very boutique, appointment-only, one-on-one personal experience.
The shop is different from most music stores for many reasons. First and foremost, it is an appointment-only, one-on-one, personal-experience-based business. This allows us to really take the time and give personal attention to each customer when they walk through the door.
It allows us to focus on a customer’s individual preferences and introduce them to instruments they may not have even known about before visiting the shop. Most of the instruments here have historically been pretty high-end, which is also different from most traditional music stores.
Additionally, Turtle Hill has always focused primarily on banjos, along with very high-end guitars and mandolins, which makes the shop quite unique.
You’ve built Turtle Hill around some pretty serious instruments and some pretty serious players. What do you look for when you decide which instruments and builders you want to represent?
Because of the nature of our business model, I think it’s important to focus on newer builders that are very boutique-like in nature. It’s also important to represent new instrument manufacturers that can’t be found elsewhere, which goes hand in hand with the entire boutique experience here at Turtle Hill Banjo Company.
We also restore vintage instruments of all kinds while offering a carefully selected collection of very high-end instruments from new manufacturers.
What does a great instrument mean to you? Beyond how it sounds, what makes an instrument special enough that you want to put your name behind it?
Beyond how an instrument sounds, I believe a great instrument has a story behind it. Its history and legacy mean a lot to me.
The history and legacy behind Gallagher Guitar, and what they are continuing to offer today, is absolutely amazing. It is so cool to see these guitars continue to be made at the highest level possible and to see them being played by some of the best guitar players on the planet.
We live in an era with so many different high-end boutique instrument makers, which is a great thing. Being a part of the Gallagher family means so much to me, and being able to incorporate their amazing, high-end instruments into Turtle Hill’s boutique-style shop really just makes sense on so many levels.
I’ve been a fan of Gallagher guitars since I first saw Doc Watson playing one several decades ago. I really like what Gallagher Guitar is putting out these days, the attention they’ve received more recently, and the way they are putting guitars into the hands of modern-day artists who could choose virtually any guitar they wanted, but have decided to choose Gallagher.
Gallagher Guitar’s history, legacy, attention to detail, and commitment to preservation are all very much aligned with my vision of offering only the best, highest-level instruments here at Turtle Hill Banjo Company.
We agree… There’s a lot of common ground between what Turtle Hill stands for and what Gallagher stands for.
The connection for me lies in so many aspects of preserving tradition and maintaining an incredible attention to detail, both cosmetically and tonally.
As a small, boutique builder and retailer, these personal, one-on-one experiences have made Turtle Hill Banjo Company so unique throughout the years, and I believe Gallagher Guitar is very similar in that regard.
For someone who walks into Turtle Hill looking for an instrument that will become part of their musical life for years to come, what do you hope they experience when they visit your shop?
I hope they feel welcome and are able and willing to learn about new instruments in the shop that may be completely unfamiliar to them, things they might not have otherwise considered before walking through the door.
There is such a variety of high-end banjos and other instruments in the shop, and many times people come in after flying into town or driving several hours just to make an appointment at Turtle Hill. They often leave with something they had never heard of or considered before.
There are truly so many unique instruments in our inventory, and I think that makes a trip to Turtle Hill worthwhile for anyone considering making an appointment to visit the showroom.
Turtle Hill Banjo Company – PO BOX 841 Edgewater MD 21037
(570) 269-5330