Vess Ossman was born in 1868, made his first recordings in 1893, and died in 1923 at the age of 55. His given name was Sylvester Louis Ossman. He was American.
He played 5-string banjo in what is now known as the classical banjo style, fingerpicking gut strings using a technique similar to classical guitar. He was a prolific recording artist, recording instrumentals in popular forms like marches, cakewalks, and rags, as well as accompanying popular singers like Arthur Collins and Len Spencer.
