Countless NPR fans in Santa Barbara start their weekday morning with the sound of Jonathan Bastian’s voice as the host of Morning Edition on KCRW. Little did we know that Bastian’s true talent is in his fingers, picking a banjo as part of the bluegrass quintet Salty Strings. Originally formed by UCSB grad students before Bastian hopped on, the band is headlining their first big gig at SOhO on Saturday, February 29. Bastian and mandolinist Danny Elkin, a founding member, answered a few of my questions recently.
You are a KCRW host by day. Have you always been a musician?
Jonathan Bastian: Definitely. I started piano and guitar at age 6 and minored in music in college. I was an early member in a band called The Low Anthem, which eventually got signed by Warner Brothers Records.