Horst von der Wege, Germany
"The big picture is my Swing-Band, "Das
Kleine Salonorchester".  Don's Solo Books
are a great help both for me personally
and for the band."
Bob Renier, Jarbidge, NV
"I was helping to move a house in Jarbidge and while the
house was moving along I entertained at the back door."
John Coleman, Portland, ME
"2009, with my 1928 White Laydie.  I had
removed the resonator, as I was playing in a
small venue coffee house at the time,
backing up a maritime folk singer".
Robert T. Dooley,  OK, USA
"Me and my Richelieu."
"Little Al" NJ, USA
"With my custom Richelieu.  Thanks,
Don, for all your help and
encouragement".
"Rogues Gallery"
"I'd like you to meet some of my past and present students from all over the world".  
Don Van Palta
Peter Mezoian, ME, USA
"I owe a great deal of my playing and career to Don Van Palta."
Don Stevison, OH,USA
"Just a pickin' an' a grinnin'"
Bill Little,  AZ, USA
"Don did all the work and I'm having all the fun."
Jackie Lynn McCoy, OH, USA
"Heeeeeere's Jackie"
Buster Mondello, TX, USA
"Decisions, decizions,
dezizionzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"
Gary Hicken, MD, USA
"Thanks for getting me started in the
greatest direction of my life (next to
meeting my wife!)"
John Mumford, CO, USA
"Click on my mug to go to my
Jazzbanjo website."
John & Charlene Taber, WA,
USA
"We love to entertain."
Good Shepherd Seniors Jazz Band, Cincinnati, OH,  Bill Cleary on
the banjo
"We are playing the Retirement Homes, Nursing Homes, Seniors Church groups, etc.
 We love what we're doing!"
Pete Donaldson,
Kingwood, TX
"Me and my Paramount Leader
are sounding better by the day."
Pastor Steve McCoy,
Neptune Beach, FL
"I am progressing steadily."
Carmel Finn & Ray Towers, Australia
"We're wooping it up at  Australian's 60th Jazz
Convention in Lismore, N.S.W."
Rick Sanders, Merrill, Iowa
"Banjo music will live forever, let it flow
from your heart."
Jerry Unger and his Arkansas Shrine Music Club
"Our banjos may be fakes but just wait until you hear us play for
one of those wakes!"
Maxine Pomeroy and friend, Dewey, AZ
"I'm enjoying my new short-neck banjo. It accommodates my little
tiny fingers a lot better."
Torvald Netterby,  Sweden
"Thanks Don, the neighbors aren't
complaining anymore!"
Banjo Barry Calben, Port Jarvis, NY
"Performing on my Eddie Peabody
VegaVox Deluxe at the Allenberry Resort,
Boiling Springs, PA."
Alan "Papa Al" Hamilton, USA
"My tremolo is coming right along.  By the
way, the vest uses a lot of batteries!"
Jackie Lynn McCoy
OH, USA
"Heeeeeere's Jackie . . . . . again!"
Bob Irwin, "Banjo Bob",
Fruitvale, BC, Canada
"Moe Boyler said to me before he
passed:
You are a BB playing a B&D"
Paul Badey, Media, PA
"Don, could you help me find a banjo with a
neck I can wrap my fingers around?"
click
click
Dean Bennett
Mount Vernon, Maine
"A Bacon & Day Silver Bell #1.
My pride and joy."
Pete Donaldson . . .
again!
"See Don, I fixed my elbow, so quit
pickin' on me!"
Mike Bevan,
Isle Of Wight, England
"That's me with my beloved     
Clifford Essex Banjo."
LLeo Skovgaard
Ringe, Denmark
"It doesn't hurt to have your picture taken, .
. . . only afterwards!"
Chip Lillie, Media, PA
"I'm with the Philadelphia Irish String Band.  Come join us
if you play a string instrument and you too can look like
me!"          
John Mullen, Kinghorn,
Scotland, UK
"Wow!  This is bigger than my old
ukulele, But thanks to Don I'm
already making music with it!"
Mel Bernstein, USA
"Possibly the oldest beginner on the plectrum banjo (almost 72).  
But Don
will teach me, if I sit up straight, hold the banjo at the
correct angle, arch my fingers, hold the pick properly and keep my
elbow away from my body!"
Ron McLawhon,
IL&CA, USA
"Me and my banjo . .
.always bring on a
smile!"
Sammy Rose, California
"You like my 1927 Gibson
Mastertone Grenada?
I got it for $150!"
Falco Krieger, Germany
Dear Don, here is a picture of me with my
Deering Calico banjo.  Your Programs
helped me a lot.  Thanks and Best Wishes.
"Here are some of my outstanding students who went on to became professional entertainers!"  
Don Van Palta
Bill Dendle, Sacramento,
CA,  USA
I'm often complemented on
my clean technique!  You
always insisted that I do
things "correctly" and I've
always been grateful for that.
Victor Kreimeyer, WA, USA
"Thanks for your help and
encouragement.  The 6 Solo Books are
a treasure!"
Pat Blakely, banjo & Al Huish, piano at
a Shakey's in Orem, UT in mid 1970's.
"New student, old banjo player!"
Carl Bivins on Banjo with the
"Pot Roast Dixieland Band
Montrose, CO"
John Coleman, Portland, ME
"Circa 1989.  When I was living in
Fergus Falls, Minnesota.  At the time I
was considered the best player in town
(of course that was after the only other
banjo player died!)"
Banjo King, Denis Shink
Levis, Quebec City, Canada
"It's very hard to find a teacher in my
town!  Now I found you, Don!  Now I can
play plectrum banjo!  Thank you Don.
Bob O'Neal, Tacoma, WA
"Here's to the 'pluck' of the
Irish!"
Maria vanLeuven,
Australia
"I'm practicing my tremolo with my new
metronome.  By the way, that thing
wasn't cheap!"
Johnny Thorson & Otis, Canada
"Usually Otis leaves the room when I start to practice.  
This time he stuck around.  Maybe it had something to
do with having his picture taken!"
Steve Dofing, Macomb, IL
"Some time ago I purchased Program #3.  
The DVDs have been extremely helpful in
learning right-hand techniques that do
not seem to be available elsewhere."
My wife, son and I went to see Peter Mazoian
play a show in Rhode Island on Saturday,
February 27, 2010.  He was fabulous! He is
also one of the nicest people I have met.  Mel
Bud and Deb Johnson, Tucson, AZ.
"We are very active in the 'Tucson 'Banjo
Blasters'.  Come see us at the  "Tucson Banjo
Blast"  May 13 - 15.  We'll be strummin' away
with all the other 'Blasters'"
Jerry Hashman, Canada
"I'm a longtime rocker who got
interested in the Banjo thanks to
Don!!"