It’s time for a Daily Dose of Old Time banjo music. Today, let’s listen to John Brown’s Dream. I’d like to start with a video featuring Guy Wolff. Listen to him take off…fantastic! Here’s a version with a bit of a different flavour featuring Riley… Read More
I find the hardest thing about learning an instrument is keeping the songs I learn in my head. On button accordion, I’ve found I can keep the ones I play all the time in my little brain no problem, but if I stop playing one… Read More
Regular visitors to this joint know I’ve been trying to learn clawhammer banjo on my home-made oilcan banjos. Well, in a moment of madness I recently purchased an honest to god store-bought banjo. I bought it at the 12th Fret here in Toronto. I was… Read More
I’ve got the old time tune Coo Coo on my brain so let’s listen to a couple versions. I think Clarence Ashley is the performer most closely associated with this tune, but today I’d like to hear how some other players approach it. To start… Read More
My next door neighbour Bart sent me an email today containing this remarkable video. It made my day. I think it might make your day too.
Let’s take a little trip off the beaten path this morning with some pipe music. The first video is called 100 Каба гайди, Сос ма караш, майчинко, 100 Kaba Gaidi For those of you interested in a little more information, Орк. 100 Каба гайди, Сюита:… Read More
I just finished the “Heavy Duty” Brake Fluid banjo. This is another A-scale oil can banjo using an “ebay neck”. I replaced the plastic nut on the neck with bone, and I made a cedar bridge. The tail-piece is once again a kitchen fork. I… Read More
Breaktime at the Saturday evening square dance at Merlefest 2013 meant waltzing to the music of the South Carolina Broadcasters.
Merlefest offered us quite a variety of music, with something like 90 acts and a dozen stages but we found ourselves spending lots of time at the Traditional Stage. For me, it was a great opportunity to enjoy performances by Riley Baugus and Kirk Sutphin,… Read More
As I grew up I somehow or other absorbed the lyrics to many Stompin Tom tunes. I don’t know where I heard them. They never played his music on the radio. The songs were just always there. You just had to reach out and grab… Read More
27th Street 