STEVE HUBER
The vision and the oversight comes from Steve Huber, who founded the company and is responsible for the design and manufacture of both the banjos and the many components made by Huber for use in the banjos. His history with banjos and bluegrass music goes back many years, and is told in some detail in our Huber Story.
Steve has assembled a staff who work with him each day in the shop to ensure that the new Huber Banjos are built to his exacting specs, assembled and set up to perfection, and delivered to their new owners as quickly as possible.
Steve Huber is the driving force as well as fearless leader of the Huber Banjos team. He has played the banjo since he was in his teens, and performed professionally for many years, both before and during his tenure at the Huber helm.
In addition to his skill and experience as a banjo player, Steve also has extensive training as a machinist, a degree in mechanical engineering and a work history in the manufacturing of metal components before launching his company. He first stepped into the banjo business with the introduction of his Huber Vintage Flathead tone ring in 1996, following that a few years later with the introduction of the first Huber Banjos.
Steve oversees day-to-day operation of the company, both on the management side and in the shop where the banjos are built and assembled. He is also continually researching design, component and set up modifications that can enhance the quality and consistency of the many Huber products.
BENNIE BOLING
Bennie Boling started his musical career at age 15, picking banjo on Bonnie Lou and Buster’s Smokey Mountain Hayride in Pigeon Forge, TN. He also worked on their local television show on WATE out of Knoxville, TN. Bennie, along with his old friend,Tim Graves, started the band Cherokee in 1982. They became the official World’s Fair Bluegrass Band in Knoxville, TN. that year. After moving to Nashville, he worked as bass player for Mike Scott and the All American Band. In 1993 Bennie hooked up with another East Tennessee friend, Steve Kaufman: (three time winner of the National Flatpicking Championships in Winfield Kansas), to help put together Steve Kaufman’s four hour bluegrass banjo workout for Homespun Tapes. During the early to mid 90’s, Bennie became a staff writer for the legendary Buddy Killen, and later with Cal IV Entertainment. He has had several songs recorded by Gene Watson, Grand Ole Opry star Jeannie Seely, the Oak Ridge Boys, and many others. He also built and set up resophonic guitars for Gibson Guitars for 5 years, and worked in quality control for Gibson at the OAI plant. For the past 10 years he has been working at Huber banjos where he is responsible for a number of tasks around the shop, including buffing, plating, assembly, CNC operation and, as Steve Huber describes it, serving as shop humorist. Bennie’s performing credits also include guitar player for Billy Troy, and a 4 year run as banjo player for the award winning bluegrass/ gospel band, The Farm Hands Quartet, where he was nominated 3 times for SPBGMA banjo player of the year.
CASEY SULLIVAN
Casey Sullivan was born in Grass Valley California. Growing up in northern California, just outside of the Plumas National Forrest, he was raised on bluegrass music. Casey took to the stage at 8 years old playing alongside his dad and brother in the family bluegrass band. Moving to Tennessee in 1996, Casey began working for Gibson Guitars. He started in the Gibson Custom Shop division, and later transferred to the bluegrass division (OAI) where he worked in the mandolin department. There he learned the art of mandolin building, varnish finishing, french polish, distressing, and final assembly on all master models.
In 2007, Casey became a member of the Huber banjo team. He is responsible for all neck assembly, binding, fretting, shaping, and all finishing.