Johnny Staats and Robert Shafer

Shows at the Purple Fiddle

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Guitar flatpicker Robert Shafer along with mandolin player Johnny Staats are two of West Virginia’s most decorated pickers. They’ve both appeared separately on the Grand Ole Opry, and both have won multiple awards for their work on their respective instruments. The duo has recorded numerous CDs together. Though they can be classified as bluegrass players, Staats and Shafer draw from influences far beyond the boundaries of bluegrass.