Bela Fleck invests in his music -- Page 2

Bankrate.com: As you play with jam bands, one of their longtime traditions is acceptance of bootleg tapes. What do you think of this? Does your opinion change when it comes to mass marketing, like Napster?

Bela Fleck: It should be up to the artist what he puts out for free. My last album, I took two years to make, it was a triple album. I wouldn't want to hear it was out for free. I was in the hole, time- and money-wise making it, as most people are! Now, when I perform with the Flecktones, we allow people to tape the concerts, we encourage it. It's actually helped us to grow, I'm actually glad when people tape it. Now, I have performed with Phish and they complain about the bootlegging. I say to them, "Why complain about the record sales when you sell out Madison Square Garden?"

Bankrate.com: Your recordings are not easily categorized in radio format. So many people are complaining about Clear Channel and Infinity Radio.

Bela Fleck: I have a satellite radio in my car, I think that's nice. It puts choice into the consumer's hands. I can listen to '50s music or esoteric jazz, whatever I want. It's very unfortunate what's happened to radio, especially when some corporation in Texas can tell everyone else what to do. These people have too much power. A great DJ teaches about music, has a good ear to open you up to new things.

Bankrate.com: Did you ever have another job to support your musical career?

Bela Fleck: In high school, I worked in the library, but I was fired! I was told I wasn't serious enough, that I had to pick between the library and my music.

Bankrate.com: You've been known for diverse collaborations -- is there anything you've been wanting to discover, such as urban or hip hop, considering the banjo's African roots?

Bela Fleck: I would love to do that! I wish someone would call me to do that! I think that some people might think that the banjo would make it sound country, but a good urban or hip hop artist would have the ear and give credibility to the project.

Bankrate.com: Are you involved with any charities?

Bela Fleck: I do benefits for charities. I get lots of requests. I'm not affiliated with any particular one, though. If I were, it would probably be environmental. Or Amnesty International. Maybe Greenpeace, although some people tell me they are too aggressive. I don't know them. I like that they have passion, though.

Bankrate.com: Do you manage your own money?

Bela Fleck: I have someone who helps me; that's recent, though. It's someone I trust, who went into the money-management business, whose father is also in the money-management business. He's a former musician. You have to be careful. You can be taken advantage of. I'm pretty conservative.

Bankrate.com: Do you have investments?

Bela Fleck: My home. Also, my equipment -- I have a home studio.

Bankrate.com: Would you ever produce other groups?

Bela Fleck: No, probably not. Being me is a full-time job!

Tamar Alexia Fleishman is a lawyer and writer living in the Baltimore area.