Hailed The Merry God of Banjo by The Washington Post, Patrick Costello lost most of his hearing to childhood ear infections. He learned to sing, play the banjo, guitar, harmonica, ukulele, fiddle, dulcimer, autoharp, and other instruments through a combination of family support, his indomitable will, and the kindness of musicians he met along the way.

Patrick is the author of The How and the Tao of Old Time Banjo and many other books. He lives in Crisfield, Maryland.