witty banjo related username - Posted - 12/07/2008:  20:00:28

http://www.folkartsrarerecords.com/library

About halfway down the page is a Rev. Gary Davis recording called 'No More'. In it the Rev. is Quite clearly playing a 5 string, clawhammer, no less. Does anybody out there in banjoland know anything about this? Is this his only five string recording? When and where was it recorded?
Check it out and tell me what you think.

scruss - Posted - 12/07/2008:  20:25:56

There's the 1964 album "The Guitar And Banjo Of Reverend Gary Davis" with a couple of banjo tracks - and neither of them the one you link to.

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witty banjo related username - Posted - 12/07/2008:  20:28:34

I thought 'The guitar and banjo music" record was all six-string banjo?

chip arnold - Posted - 12/07/2008:  20:33:59

While you're on the page witty linked to, have a listen to our Georgia girl Hedy West sing her daddy's poem Anger in the Land. Some good stuff on that page.

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Take what is given
Give what is taken

Chip Arnold

Boyd1 - Posted - 12/08/2008:  13:25:58

What a great find! But my server won't let me access it. Argh! However, if you are interested in this I recommend that you also check out Libba Cotton's banjo playing.

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Anything you can imagine is real. - Pablo Picasso

oldwoodchuckb - Posted - 12/08/2008:  14:48:30

Never sure but it sounds like the Seger Strum to me. The "Bum" is positively an upstroke.

Download your free copy of Rocket Science Banjo - the Advanced Method For Beginning to Intermediate Clawhammer Players, at:
http://www.rsb.pricklypearmusic.net

Along with the full text in PDF you will also find the four current RSB videos and the "25 EZ Clawhammer tunes. - which are up to about 40 now.

Banjo Brad is still hosting "How To Mold A Mighty Pinky" and some other material at:
http://www.pricklypearmusic.net
A site full of interesting banjo material

mattn - Posted - 12/08/2008:  15:08:51

I'm pretty sure that Rev. Davis played a 2-finger guitar style, so a Seeger-style strum on the banjo would make sense, too.

Tom Hanway - Posted - 12/08/2008:  20:52:00

Hey, let's start with tuning. Let's ask Don Borchelt. He'll know quick.

Happy pickin,

Tom Hanway

Please check out my new digital stores at tomhanway.com.

Don Borchelt - Posted - 12/08/2008:  21:13:21

It sounds to me like he is in standard G, except tuned down a whole step, to F. The fifth string is defintiely tuned to F.



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