Warren Hellman, prominent financier and beloved banjo player died on Dec 18, 2011 at age 77.  His philanthropy was widely distributed in San Francisco and the totally free three-day Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival he began in 2001 has become one of the best known musical events in the world with multiple stages and 75 musical acts performing for 750,000 appreciative fans. This year, famed Hardly Strictly veterans such as Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris and Boz Scaggs paid tribute to Hellman at a public celebration of his life in San Francisco on February 19.  Elmore caught up with him after his last public performance at the Americana Music Festival in Nashville last October.