irunnoft - Posted - 07/27/2009:  13:32:13

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My family just got back from Walt Disney World and when we were strolling down Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom, I heard the most beautiful sound ever - a banjo! I was thrilled! We went over and listened to the three part band pick a little and they were awesome. One picker had what looked to be a resophonic mandolin, one was playing large brass instrument (not a tuba, but I can't remember what it was at the moment), but the star was clearly the banjo picker, Larry. He was playing a Timeless Timber #12 with a sweet looking Robin Smith radiused neck. He had a Huber ring installed and a Renaissance head (to cut the volume down some) and that banjo sounded amazing! Larry was just a great picker and a super nice person. Look him up if you go to Walt Disney World. You'll meet a friend you never knew you had!

banjodoug - Posted - 07/27/2009:  14:26:33

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While in college (in southern calif) I had a couple friends that played at Disneyland (Anahiem).... they made real good money for a p/t college job....

Maybe this is an option for a "retirement" job sometime downstream ??

jazzylynne - Posted - 07/27/2009:  15:26:27

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My first banjo teacher plays at Disneyland (Anaheim), it's a great show.


OME

Forrest - Posted - 07/27/2009:  17:16:18

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The banjo player at Disney World is great. I ended up camping out watching him when we were there back in January. He was part of a group called "The Notorious Banjo Brothers and Bob." We had the chance to talk banjos for a few minutes after each set before they headed off "behind the scenes." He was playing a 1970's RB-250 with 2 pc flange when I saw them and it sounded very good in his hands. It was great to hear a banjo at Disney World and the tuba player was killer and really complimented the banjo .



"Run, Forrest, Run!"

scruggsfan - Posted - 07/27/2009:  17:46:44

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Cool! I'm going down there in August with my family and will look for them! (I'm sure my kids will be thrilled....)


Ilana

Richard Caudill - Posted - 07/27/2009:  18:26:39

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Forrest that is the same one that I saw, talked to him for a few minutes easy talking great playing gent

Rick

Gibson RB-250

ldgrmnmc - Posted - 07/27/2009:  18:44:54

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I've also met this guy briefly (we have family in Orlando and go to Disney a good bit) in frontierland. I've also seen him solo under the name Cowboy Bob (I think) playing for the nightly campfire sing along and movie in Disney's Camp Wilderness. He played guitar, 5 string and 4 string banjos.

Klondike Waldo - Posted - 07/28/2009:  05:22:04

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quote:

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Originally posted by irunnoft

My family just got back from Walt Disney World and when we were strolling down Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom, I heard the most beautiful sound ever - a banjo! I was thrilled! We went over and listened to the three part band pick a little and they were awesome. One picker had what looked to be a resophonic mandolin, one was playing large brass instrument (not a tuba, but I can't remember what it was at the moment), snip

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The instrument in question is a sousaphone- a type of tuba designed for travelling marching bands back around the 1890's.

I''ll never play like Earl Scruggs or sing like Luciano Pavarotti, but I''ll pick better than Luciano and sing tenor better than Earl
deligo ergo renideo,
Bob Cameron

Mopick - Posted - 07/28/2009:  06:53:34

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That's my friend Larry Crosby. He used to play with Doug Cloud and County Line. My banjo teacher, Al Eisenman used to have that gig at Disney also. I'll call him after while and tell him that you all enjoyed it. He'll be happy. Larry was inspired and mentored by Paul Champion.

I live in the mountains.....
The mountainous region of Central Florida.
Sugarloaf Mountain; 312 feet above sea level.

Randy

irunnoft - Posted - 07/28/2009:  07:23:17

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quote:

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Originally posted by Klondike Waldo

quote:

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Originally posted by irunnoft

My family just got back from Walt Disney World and when we were strolling down Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom, I heard the most beautiful sound ever - a banjo! I was thrilled! We went over and listened to the three part band pick a little and they were awesome. One picker had what looked to be a resophonic mandolin, one was playing large brass instrument (not a tuba, but I can't remember what it was at the moment), snip

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The instrument in question is a sousaphone- a type of tuba designed for travelling marching bands back around the 1890's.

I''ll never play like Earl Scruggs or sing like Luciano Pavarotti, but I''ll pick better than Luciano and sing tenor better than Earl
deligo ergo renideo,
Bob Cameron

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That's what I thought it was, but I didn't want to offend any closet sousaphone players out there by potentially misidentifying it! LOL!

irunnoft - Posted - 07/28/2009:  07:24:35

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quote:

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Originally posted by Mopick

That's my friend Larry Crosby. He used to play with Doug Cloud and County Line. My banjo teacher, Al Eisenman used to have that gig at Disney also. I'll call him after while and tell him that you all enjoyed it. He'll be happy. Larry was inspired and mentored by Paul Champion.

I live in the mountains.....
The mountainous region of Central Florida.
Sugarloaf Mountain; 312 feet above sea level.

Randy

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Thanks Randy, please call him up and let him know Jim from Cherokee, NC said "Howdy!"

formertd - Posted - 07/28/2009:  09:53:53

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I saw em once, very cool. If you ever get to DOllywood in Tennessee, the show there has a guy named Gary Davis who I personally believe is the best banjo player in the world. I have heard alot of famous guys with bigger names then him but I really think he is the best in the world. Gary Davis. He taught an instructional thing at Steve Kaufmans camp where I first heard him.

g3zdm - Posted - 07/28/2009:  11:21:40

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I believe Gary "Biscuit" Davis still teaches locally in Pigeon Forge.
Yes, I too was impressed.

Chris Muriel, Manchester

Chris Muriel
Manchester, UK

MiG-19 - Posted - 07/28/2009:  15:40:09

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Next week, I'm off on vacation, going to Kentucky, then Gatlinburg, then Disney World. I'm looking forward to hearing some live banjo playing, and will definately look up Gary at Dolly Wood and Larry at Disney World.

Semper fi,
MiG-19
"I don''t mind a reasonable amount of trouble." Sam Spade, the Maltese Falcon by Dachiell Hammett

1153rsmith - Posted - 08/25/2009:  06:53:31

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Cool, We are headed there next week. I will definitely have to look him up. I have been wondering how I was going to get my 5 string fix while we were down there.

great Picture Alan.

Randy
Gibson RB-250, Fender FB-59

Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?

RatLer - Posted - 08/25/2009:  18:19:03

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I'd that as a retirement job, except maybe at Dollywood

RatLer

thkidd - Posted - 10/15/2009:  10:48:16

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My family and I recently spent a week at Disney World in Orlando, and I was surprised at all the banjo music that I heard. I saw the strolling banjo picker that was mentioned above, in the Frontierland section of the Magic Kingdom. Their group was really good, but I believe that they had a different guy than the one pictured above with the clear-headed banjo. The other guy was playing what appeared to be a 4-string resophonic guitar (ukelele?) that was chrome, but he picked it like a guitar and not like a dobro. They were very funny and very entertaining, and they typically played "Cripple Creek" as they walked away.

There was also banjo music on Splash Mountain, the show with the animatronic bears (I can't remember the name of it), and on several other attractions/shows that I can't remember. I always pointed it out, much to the chagrin of my wife.

Darrell

"Measure your wealth not by the things you have but by the things for which you would not take money."

5-Picker Tim - Posted - 10/15/2009:  13:08:24

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Originally posted by Mopick

quote:

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That's my friend Larry Crosby. He used to play with Doug Cloud and County Line.

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Wondered what happened to the "Bug Man." (he did pest control)
I spent a lot of time tradin' licks with Larry at the various FL festivals when he was with Doug Cloud and I was pickin' with the South Ocean String Band.
Glad to hear he's still at it.
He a fine picker.
Tell him I said hello!





Tim Custer


Western PA

Mopick - Posted - 10/15/2009:  13:25:03

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quote:

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Originally posted by 5-Picker Tim

Originally posted by Mopick

quote:

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That's my friend Larry Crosby. He used to play with Doug Cloud and County Line.

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Wondered what happened to the "Bug Man." (he did pest control)
I spent a lot of time tradin' licks with Larry at the various FL festivals when he was with Doug Cloud and I was pickin' with the South Ocean String Band.
Glad to hear he's still at it.
He a fine picker.
Tell him I said hello!





Tim Custer


Western PA

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I will. I remember South Ocean String Band making the rounds at Withlacoochie and Sertoma Youth Ranch. I don't know what happened, but they aren't having the Withlacoochie festivals anymore.

Hey, did you ever know Dave Maynard. He played banjo with Doug Cloud back in the late 80's to early 90's. He was my banjo teacher when I lived in Tampa. He also made violins and bows. He passed away a year ago on October 1. He was from Hurricane WV.

Also, I haven't heard how he's doing, but Doug has been taking treatments for cancer. I'll talk to Larry and see if he knows. Larry is my bug man also.






I live in the mountains.....
The mountainous region of Central Florida.
Sugarloaf Mountain; 312 feet above sea level.

Randy

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Edited by - Mopick on 10/16/2009 07:50:38

5Wires - Posted - 10/15/2009:  18:53:11

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The one at Anaheim is called Rick Storey - met him myself as it happens and it seems like only a week since we talked....wait a minute, it is a week. He is in the 'California' part.

I did get talking to Farley, who plays the fiddle in Frontierland - he is a nice guy too and Bill Hill and the Hillbillies was a crack up.

"Jazz is not dead...........it just smells funny" (Frank Zappa)

"We are not anti-union, we are anti-union domination" (John Howard)

fivestring1951 - Posted - 10/16/2009:  07:48:50

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Gary "Biscuit" Davis has a small music store in Pigeon Forge. If you turn on the road to the 'Old Mill Resturant" and go to the first stop lite (less than 1/2 mile) there is a Gas Station on the right. His store is setting next door to the station to the left. He is a very friendly guy and will let you play anything he has. Worth the stop.

Steve

1153rsmith - Posted - 10/23/2009:  10:08:41

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quote:

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Originally posted by fivestring1951

Gary "Biscuit" Davis has a small music store in Pigeon Forge. If you turn on the road to the 'Old Mill Resturant" and go to the first stop lite (less than 1/2 mile) there is a Gas Station on the right. His store is setting next door to the station to the left. He is a very friendly guy and will let you play anything he has. Worth the stop.

Steve

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Unless he has reopened it, the store had closed when we were in PF about a year ago.

Randy
Gibson RB-250, Fender FB-59

Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?