What do Shakespeare and bluegrass have in common?

This summer, Tony Trischka and Steve Martin will interpret Shakespeare's "As You Like It" as they like it: on the banjo.

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The New York Times accouncement of Tony and Steve's upcoming project of setting Shakespeare to bluegrass music may come as a surprise, but the connection between the great poet, the accomplished actor, and the legendary banjo player runs deep.

Back in 2007, Tony approached Steve, Bela Fleck, and Abigail Washburn about composing a poem for double banjo. Via email, Tony and Steve came up with lines like these:

"The notes per second number forty
Now there's eighty Mr. Smarty
Double banjo sounds excite us
Lead us onward to tinnitus 

Banjo pickers worship Earl
Next to this he's just a girl
Single banjo -- pick pick pick
Double banjo -- sick sick sick!"

"Shakespeare? Camus? They could never come up with this stuff!" Tony jokes.

Listen to Tony, Steve, and Bela perform the rest of "Double Banjos on the Run." Check out Steve's take on the link between acting and music in his guest lesson "Hide Behind a Rock," a tune from his Grammy-nominated album that Tony produced.