As a writer, dance caller, and multi-instrumentalist specializing in three-finger banjo, Isaac McCarthy realizes his modern identity through traditional media. He currently serves as the founding director of the Buckeye Stringband, Ohio State’s only Appalachian Music Ensemble; as a graduate teaching associate for the musicology area; and as a banjo teacher for Worthington Music Academy. An avid performer, he can also be found onstage with stringbands across Appalachia, and has made appearances with such artists as The Wild Shoats and The Mighty Troubadours.

In addition to his musical background, McCarthy is an award-winning educator, speaker and writer. His work has been supported by Appalshop, the West Virginia Department of Arts and Culture, Bluegrass Pride, the IBMA Foundation, and MidAtlantic Arts. His writing has been published in Appalachian Journal: As the Crow Flies (forthcoming, Dec. 2026), and he has presented at both The Banjo Gathering and The Stringband Summit.

In 2025, McCarthy earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a minor in Appalachian Music from West Virginia University, where he was appointed to the Order of Augusta. At Ohio State, he is currently pursuing a PhD in musicology, where his areas of interest include the study of tradition, queer Appalachian experience, and stringband pedagogy.

When not playing banjo, Isaac McCarthy is normally found hiking in the woods, sipping a maple latte, or square dancing. His debut recording, Everywhere You Were, is available now on all streaming platforms.