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Founder of the
Banjo Factory, John Salicco is a banjo maker, historian, musician, story
teller and entertainer. Side tracked into the corporate world for 25 years
or so, he has now returned to the performance arts. Originally trained in
the classical theatre, Mr. Salicco holds two certificates in Theatre Arts
from the Banff School of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the
University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. John made his first banjo over 20
years ago from a cigar box and a stick of firewood. Early American folk
music has been his hobby since the 1960's.
Throughout
his corporate career, John put a lot of his free time into historic
restoration and reenactment programs at places such as Sutter's Fort,
Petaluma Adobe, Fort Ross and the gold fields of California. A regular
story teller and performer at the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum, in
Tacoma, WA, he currently sits as a director on the board of the Fort
Nisqually Foundation. Mr. Salicco is a performer for the State of Washington
2008-2009 Inquiring Mind* Program.
Over the years, John has hand made primitive bows and arrows, flint knife
blades and "stocked" a few 18th and 19th century long arms along the way.
He has hand sewn 19th century clothing and tents and has built a small 19th
century style "bateau" which he rows and sails around the Puget Sound.
When time permits, he explores Washington's back roads in his restored 1929
Model A pick up truck.
John strives to infuse local content and relevance in all of his
presentations. "A Canadian
transplant by way of California... John Salicco is a history buff's history
buff, who has absorbed more of the lore of this place in six years than most
people who were born here will likely learn in a lifetime."
Tacoma News Tribune, Sept 7, 2004