Wayne Erbsen has made it his lifelong passion to collect, preserve and perform historic American music. An active teacher, musician, writer, and publisher, he is President of Native Ground Music, Inc. He lives with his wife Barbara and their three children near Asheville, North Carolina.

"Native Ground Books & Music is an impressive niche publisher of books and recording in the genre of historic American music, folklore, and cookbooks. One example of their outstanding work in the field of American popular music is their 'Backpocket' series of inexpensive but highly informative booklets by music historian Wayne Erbsen showcasing two distinctive fields of American music. "Backpocket Bluegrass Song Book" has the words and music for forty traditional bluegrass tunes." -- Midwest Book Review