Von vielen als der beste Banjospieler benannt. Begann Banjo zu spielen mit 15 und wurde 1982 Mitglied der Progressive Bluegrass Band „New Grass Revival“, in der er über acht Jahre spielte. Nebenbei veröffentlichte er auch Soloalben auf Rounder Records.
1989 formierte er die Flecktones. Das Debütalbum unter dem Bandnamen von 1990 enthielt Mischungen aus Bluegrass und Jazz (blu-bop). Schnell wurden die Kritiker aufmerksam und der kommerzielle Erfolg kam. Bela Fleck wurde in diversen Kategorien für Grammies nominiert, unter anderem in Jazz, Bluegrass, Country und Pop. Diverse Auszeichnungen wurden ihm und seinen Flecktones in den Jahren zu teil. Zuletzt das 2006er Album „The Hidden Land“ als „Best Contemporary Jazz Album“!
Startbesetzung:
Bela Fleck – banjos, guitars
Victor Lemonte Wooten – bass
Howard Levy – harmonicas, piano, pennywhistle, ocarina
Futureman – synthaxe drumitar, percussion
Levy wurde später ersetzt durch
Jeff Coffin – saxes, clarinett
1978
Tasty Licks - This is the band Béla joined when he moved to Boston. Band members were Jack Tottle, Stacy Phillips, Paul Kahn, Robin Kincaid. Rounder 0106
1979
Crossing The Tracks - Béla's first solo album featuring Jerry Douglas, Pat Enright, Sam Bush, Mark Schatz, Bob Applebaum and Russ Barenberg
Anchored to the Shore - Tasty Licks Rounder
1981
Opening Roll - Spectrum with Mark Schatz, Glenn Lawson, and Jimmy Gaudreau Rounder
Fiddle Tunes For Banjo - with Tony Trischka and Bill Keith, an album of traditional fiddle tunes played on the 5-string banjo featuring Russ Barenberg, Andy Statman, Sam Bush and Darol Anger ROUN0124
1982
Natural Bridge - featuring Mark O'Connor, David Grisman, Mike Marshall and Sam Bush - New Acoustic Music ROUN0146
It's Too Hot For Words - Spectrum with Jimmy Mattingly, Mark Schatz, Glenn Lawson, and Jimmy Gaudreau. Rounder
1983
The Dreadful Snakes - Jerry Douglas, Pat Enright, Blain Sprouse, Mark Hembree, Roland White - Traditional-grounded Bluegrass Music Rounder
Live in Japan - Spectrum Rounder
Live - New Grass Revival - Live show from Touluse, France. Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Pat Flynn and John Cowan - Hard-edged blend of bluegrass, rock and soul Sugar Hill
1984
Double Time - a series of duets between Béla and other musical greats such as David Grisman, Mark O'Connor and Tony Rice ROUN0181
Deviation - rock and jazz-influenced album featuring Sam Bush, John Cowan, Pat Flynn, Mark O'Connor, Jerry Douglas and others ROUN0196
On the Boulevard - New Grass Revival Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Pat Flynn and John Cowan - Hard-edged blend of bluegrass, rock and soul Sugar Hill
1986
Inroads - solo project featuring Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Pat Flynn, Kirby Shelstad, Mark O'Connor, John Cowan, Timothy Britton, Edgar Meyer ROUN0219
New Grass Revival - New Grass Revival Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Pat Flynn and John Cowan - Hard-edged blend of bluegrass, rock and soul Capitol
1987
Daybreak - compilation featuring selections from Crossing The Tracks, Fiddle Tunes For Banjo, Anchored To The Shore and Natural Bridge ROUN11518
Hold to a Dream - New Grass Revival Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Pat Flynn and John Cowan - Hard-edged blend of bluegrass, rock and soul Capitol
1988
Drive - a solo Bluegrass project featuring Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Mark O'Connor, Tony Rice and Mark Schatz
Places - a compilation featuring selections from Deviation, Snakes Alive, Double Time and Inroads ROUN11522
1989
Friday Night in America - New Grass Revival - Last NGR Album Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Pat Flynn and John Cowan - Hard-edged blend of bluegrass, rock and soul Capitol
The Telluride Sessions - Strength In Numbers with Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer and Mark O'Connor, a work of New Acoustic music MCA
1990
Béla Fleck And The Flecktones - the first Flecktones album. Howard Levy and Victor Wooten and FutureMan Warner Brothers
1991
Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo - the second Flecktones album Warner Brothers
1992
UFO TOFU - third Flecktones album (last with Howard) Warner Brothers
Solo Banjo Works - with Tony Trischka, an album of unaccompanied banjos ROUN0247
1993
Three Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest - the fourth Flecktones – first Trio album with guests Branford Marsalis and Bruce Hornsby Warner Brothers
1995
Tales From The Acoustic Planet - solo project featuring Chick Corea, Sam Bush, Bruce Hornsby, Edgar Meyer, Branford Marsalis, Jerry Douglas, Paul McCandless, Tony Rice, Victor and Future Man to name a few Warner Brothers
1996
Live Art - Béla Fleck & the Flecktones - a double live album with many guests Warner Brothers
Tabula Rasa - with Béla, Jie-Bing Chen, V.M. Bhatt, Rony Majumdar, Poovalur Srinivasan and Sangeeta Shankar Water Lily Acoustics
Curandero - by Aras with Kai Eckhardt
1997
Uncommon Ritual - with Edgar Meyer & Mike Marshall Sony
1998
Left of Cool - Béla Fleck & the Flecktones with Dave Mathews and Amy Grant Warner Brothers
1999
Tales from the Acoustic Planet Vol 2, the Bluegrass Sessions - Earl Scruggs, Vassar Clements, John Hartford, Sam Bush, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas, Mark Schatz, Stuart Duncan Warner Brothers
Greatest Hits of the 20th Century - Warner Brothers released this CD after the band moved to Columbia Records. This is a compilation from 5 previous albums. There are two new tunes on this CD that were not released on any other CD's. Warner Brothers
2000
Outbound - Béla Fleck & the Flecktones Grammy Winning CD Columbia
2001
Perpetual Motion - Classical Crossover Grammy Winning CD Sony Classical
2002
Live at the Quick - Béla Fleck & the Flecktones with many guests Columbia
2003
Little Worlds - Béla Fleck & the Flecktones with the Chieftains, Bobby McFerrin and many great guests Columbia
2004
Music for Two - Béla & Edgar Meyer Live SONY
2006
The Hidden Land - Béla Fleck & the Flecktones SONY
2007
The Enchantment - Béla Fleck & Chick Corea Concord
Béla Fleck Production Credits:
1985 - Nashville Bluegrass Band - My Native Home - Rounder CD 0212
1987 - Nashville Bluegrass Band - Nashville Bluegrass Band - Rounder CD 0232
1987 - Nashville Bluegrass Band - To Be His Child - Rounder CD 0242
1989 - Maura O'Connell - Just In Time - Rounder / Philo CD PH 1124
1989 - Maura O'Connell - Helpless Heart - Warner Brothers Records dw
1992 - Stuart Duncan - Stuart Duncan - Rounder CD 0263
2005
- The Duhks - The Duhks - Sugar Hill ( co-produced with Gary Paczosa)
- Abigail Washburn - Song of the Traveling Daughter - Nettwerk Records
- Blaine Sprouse - Brilliancy- Rounder
- Mark Schatz- Brand New Old Time Way - Rounder
ist sein Spiel aus der Band nicht mehr weg zu denken. Ich habe ja sowieso ein Faible für langlebige Bands (natürlich nur, wenn ihre Musik meine Saiten zum klingen bringt)! Bestes Beispiel ist Oregon, die ja schon seit 36 Jahre oder so aktiv sind. Das ist echte Nobbymucke, genau wie Bela und Konsorten!