Steve Martin is a real decent banjo player. And a serious art collector. Go figure.

Saw Martin guest-host for Carson once; it was the first I knew he played, and I thought he was pretty fair.  But one of his guests was his teacher (that would be ) and he kind of blew me away.  Then, while they were at the couch talking, John lays his banjo on the floor, takes off his shoes & socks (to reveal another pair of socks with the toes cut out) and proceeds to blow away most players I've heard with his feet!
 
Peter (who's starting to think he couldn't sound worse playing that way....)

Having grown up in the house of a banjo player, I can tell you firsthand - banjo players are a breed all to their own. =)  
 
I absolutely *love* Steve Martin's frailed-style of playing, but not as much the three-finger Scruggs-style. I could never figure out why one style was so immaculately in time and the other seemed... forced. But then I (somehow) never knew McEuen had been his mentor, which makes it totally make sense!
 
My favorite cut from Rare Bird Alert with the Steep Canyon Rangers backing -
 

Interestingly, the Steep Canyon Rangers are from right down the road from here in Brevard, North Carolina.

I just listened to the Bonnie Dobson version of Morning Dew. I have to admit that I had never heard of her before. MD is my favorite Dead song and I always thought they had written it. Got me thinking how many other songs of theirs that I like actually are covers. Does anyone know if there is a simple list anywhere that shows the songs the Dead have played and who the original artist was?

This probably isn't exactly what you were looking for, but it does give some of the composers and it's in list form.

Thanks Dave. Like you suggested, though, still a lot of holes. The information I'm looking for is probably unnecessary for most people who listen to the Dead.

Here's another list; still not comprehensive, but a decent start, I think.
This one has most of the same songs, but with more details.
Both leave off And We Bid You Goodnight (Sara Doudney/Ira David Sankey), among others.
 
Peter

 
 (the only one of these folks I'd heard of before tonight)
 

 

 

 
No new ground being broken here, but nuthin wrong with some good old-fashioned roadhouse music!
 
Peter

Just heard about this kid (yes, kid, all of 11 years old) and I had to buy his album. Great player, great players on the record, great sounding record. One of my new favorites. His Giant Steps is especially good. If you just heard the music, you'd have no idea he can barely see over the piano. Some of it reminds me of Ahmad Jamal.
 
http://joeyalexandermusic.com
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/arts/music/joey-alexander-an-11-year-old-jazz-sensation-who-hardly-clears-the-pianos-sightlines.html

 This is amazing! Even his comping is great, beautifully in sync with the other musicians.  The arrangement is wonderful, as is his playing; effortlessly moving through the changes of Giant Steps as if they weren't there.
 
Thanks Edwin; I thoroughly enjoyed this!

OK, I enjoyed the Steve & Edie cut (man, there's a phrase I never thought I'd type......), but the words weren't right; isn't it When you get to Asheville, look Dave up and Jam?
 
Peter

Xander played air drums to most of it this evening!

Wow!
 
One of the comments about Joey sums it up nicely:
. . . an organic understanding of rhythm and musicality . . .
 
It makes me feel good when young people truly understand what music is about.

Out-takes from Fleetwood-Mac's Rumours.
 
I especially like Keep Me There, one of three unfinished songs that became what we know as The Chain. Love how John's line is based more off what Christine played on keys, than Mick's kickdrum, especially the intro and his signature melodic fills.  
 

 
I'm pretty sure even though this is an alternate take, it's the fretless (ahem - *continuously fretted*) Alembic... you can hear it pretty well in this mix. The part of this track from 2:44 out is supposedly what made it onto the album.