chip arnold - Posted - 11/20/2009:  06:38:32

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Hi Mandy, I'd love to know who the clawhammering lady was that you heard and later took a course from. Yesterday afternoon I went over to the Folk School to play 2-finger style for a clawhammer class and there were two others demonstrating old time finger styles there. A fun afternoon.

slabounty - Posted - 11/20/2009:  07:01:02

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quote:

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Originally posted by chip arnold

I saw Oh Brother when it was at the theater. Wasn't there a scene where one of them was playing a banjo in the back seat of the car? And another scene where a banjo was part of a group on stage?

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Chip, If it's the scene (in the car) that I'm thinking of, it was a guitar. And I don't think that any of the stage groups had a banjo (here there were two scenes that I can think of). You really should rent it and watch. It's worth seeing more than once. In fact, I may watch it tonight. I watched parts of it with my son recently for a film class he's taking.

pickinchik - Posted - 11/20/2009:  07:15:23

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Hey Chip,

It was Aubrey At water. She is a very nice lady. She told us lots of good old time banjo history and how she spent over a year just learning one tiny part of the technique. She is really knowledgeable and has delved into the history quite a bit it seemed to me. She's been a musician, songwriter, poet, and clog dancer all her life. The way she made that banjo sing really touched me and is partly the reason I am so interested in it now. Her husband Elwood Donnelly was there that week also. By the time the end of the week came and they performed the concert at the school, I was hooked! I just had to wait for my daughter to get a little older for me to really concentrate on it again. We even got to have some time with David Brose, who I'm sure you know there and he talked more about the history and went into some of the different types of old time playing. He played a couple tunes for us in several styles and showed us some footage of Bascom Lamar Lunsford.

Mandy

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Edited by - pickinchik on 11/20/2009 07:16:13

chip arnold - Posted - 11/20/2009:  07:26:06

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Umm, I've met Aubrey a couple of times there at the school. You're right, she's a great player and a fine lady. David is one of the folks we played with yesterday. By the way, all these folks are on facebook and you can stay in touch that way if you like.

pickinchik - Posted - 11/20/2009:  07:27:58

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Chip,

Wow, never thought of them being on facebook! Going there now. Thanks!

Mandy

biscuit joiner - Posted - 11/20/2009:  10:10:54

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quote:

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Originally posted by devoall

quote:

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Originally posted by sugarinthegourd

I would guess that outside the Southeast and a few other Bluegrass hotspots, a majority of 5-string banjo players may be playing old-time music these days. Do you think I'm off base with that? There's also certainly a resurgence of young people playing old-time music with something of a punk/DIY ethos. I think bands like Bad Livers and Old Crow Medicine show helped stoke this fire, but it also has something to do with the fun, unpretentious nature of the music, its weirdness, and the appeal to many of us of playing music as a social or even individual activity "for its own sake" rather than on a stage as a performance activity.

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I totally agree with this.

I get the same feelings from listening to and Trying to play OT music as I did when I first heard black flag or the minutemen. One of my favorite things about OT music is that it's acoustic and you can play ANYWHERE!! you dont need a trailer full of amps to go on tour. Its like punk but without all the amps. haha. it's totally unpretentious as you said.

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Never thought I'd see the Minutemen brought up on this site, but I'm glad to see it.

You pretty much summed up why 90% of my playing is OT these days. I still love listening to BG and playing it, but OT fits me and 'my people' better.

Feo - Posted - 11/20/2009:  10:48:17

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quote:

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Originally posted by sugarinthegourd

I would guess that outside the Southeast and a few other Bluegrass hotspots, a majority of 5-string banjo players may be playing old-time music these days. Do you think I'm off base with that?

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I hope that is true , that there are more old timey banjo players getting started now ..... but bluegrass is more organized and aggressively marketed ..... everywhere I go , I see bluegrass .... a couple years ago I stopped in the cradle of oldtime music, the town of Galax, VA. and only ran into one oldtime player...everyone else was bluegrassing, including the young folks who were obviously being influenced by their bluegrass devotee parents ..
And in my limited travels to Missouri so far , of the players Ive met, the bluegrass players
outnumber the oldtime players 100 to 1 ..... so the Scruggs-clone banjo players are still out there in huge numbers.

Hey, about the past week or so when I went to the Sugar in the Gourd page, I get no sound coming through the headphones.... either at home or on my work comp ....did something change recently ?

Feo - Posted - 11/20/2009:  10:56:06

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quote:

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Originally posted by pickinchik



Fast forward a couple of years and now my daughter is 3 and I have picked up the banjo again. Did I reach for the propiks??? Nope, good old thumb and fingernail brushes suit me fine now. I sold the loud banjo and got me an openback.


Mandy

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Hi Mandy

As an oldtime fiddler , I want to thank you for making that decision , to sell the bluegrass banjo and move on to the social instrument ( OT banjo)

I did the same thing a number of years ago and have never regretted it .

Good luck with it and please don't fall into the speed trap .... too many people, even pros tend to play the banjo too fast... the oldtime banjo styles are unique in how they can produce wonderfully artisitic spaces between the notes ..... let everyone hear them

ScottK - Posted - 11/20/2009:  12:39:49

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quote:

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There's also certainly a resurgence of young people playing old-time music with something of a punk/DIY ethos... has something to do with the fun, unpretentious nature of the music, its weirdness, and the appeal to many of us of playing music as a social or even individual activity "for its own sake" rather than on a stage as a performance activity.

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In Portland, Oregon, square dancing has gone hand-in-hand with the resurgence of interest in old time music among the young folk. Seems to be true elsewhere these days as well. Check out this fresh video of T-Claw (fiddler/banjo player/square dance caller living in Olympia, WA, until this year) calling a square dance at a house party in Nashville:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6qTL2S3deU

That's what I'm talking about! We do a lot of that around here. Can't wait for Dare to Be Square - West in Seattle next month!

Scott

Rizo - Posted - 11/20/2009:  12:52:11

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quote:

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There's also certainly a resurgence of young people playing old-time music with something of a punk/DIY ethos... has something to do with the fun, unpretentious nature of the music, its weirdness, and the appeal to many of us of playing music as a social or even individual activity "for its own sake" rather than on a stage as a performance activity.

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This describes me and a couple other people I know around here pretty well, but here in Ohio bluegrass banjos (and bluegrass pickers) are way more common than openbacks and old time players. I'll give you an example, I was asked to play a banjo tune at church... well I don't know many gospel numbers so I did a version of "Cold Frosty Morning." After the service, a woman (from Kentucky mind you, so I would have thought she'd have known better) said "that was great, that was my music! I love bluegrass!" I informed her that was old time music and she said "if it's a banjo, it's bluegrass" and which time I felt the need to point out that the banjo predates bluegrass by centuries.

I've had virtually the same conversation with a dozen or so other people. I doubt most people in the mainstream have ever seen a banjo in a context other than bluegrass music. It makes me want to get a tackhead and really mess with 'em!

twelvefret - Posted - 11/20/2009:  13:04:59

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quote:

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After the service, a woman (from Kentucky mind you, so I would have thought she'd have known better) said "that was great, that was my music! I love bluegrass!" I informed her that was old time music and she said "if it's a banjo, it's bluegrass" and which time I felt the need to point out that the banjo predates bluegrass by centuries.

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That's a real good story. I suppose for lots of folks that's true. However, even in OT there are some who think it is only music 80-100 years old. If you are playing OT, you are preserving centuries old music. I'm really glad to be part of the process.

I used CH banjo recently in a contemporary praise and worship setting with vocalists, keyboard, bass, and accoustic guitar. This was a song less than 5 years old. I was pleased at how well this style compliments so many types of music.

BrittDLD1 - Posted - 11/20/2009:  13:20:20

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quote:

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Originally posted by Rizo
I've had virtually the same conversation with a dozen or so other people. I doubt most people in the mainstream have ever seen a banjo in a context other than bluegrass music. It makes me want to get a tackhead and [i]really mess with 'em!

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Drop the middleman, and just go straight for the Akonting(Ekonting)....
That'll REALLY mess with 'em!

Best-
Ed Britt

whyteman - Posted - 11/21/2009:  08:11:05

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Sales of openback banjos can be deceptive, because Feo is correct about Bluegrass still ruling the roost. It's also what the general public THINKS a banjo should sound like, thanks to Mtn Dew comercials, Bev Hillbillies, Bonnie & Clyde, Deliverance overdubs, the Eagles etc.In our pop culture(or lack thereof)faster and louder does = BETTER.

Sales of openbacks are deceptive because I think that OT players use more banjos when they play out. I have two steel string banjos, one tuned down, that go to all performances and jams. I also will sometimes bring the nylagut string banjo and the gourd as well.

A skillful Bluegrasser armed with picks and a capo, can pull off his performance with only his gold-plated resonator banjo.

Don.

whyteman - Posted - 11/21/2009:  08:11:05

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Sales of openback banjos can be deceptive, because Feo is correct about Bluegrass still ruling the roost. It's also what the general public THINKS a banjo should sound like, thanks to Mtn Dew comercials, Bev Hillbillies, Bonnie & Clyde, Deliverance overdubs, the Eagles etc.In our pop culture(or lack thereof)faster and louder does = BETTER.

Sales of openbacks are deceptive because I think that OT players use more banjos when they play out. I have two steel string banjos, one tuned down, that go to all performances and jams. I also will sometimes bring the nylagut string banjo and the gourd as well.

A skillful Bluegrasser armed with picks and a capo, can pull off his performance with only his gold-plated resonator banjo.

Don.

beenjammin - Posted - 11/21/2009:  12:00:02

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a few assumptions haven't been addressed i don't think. for one buying a banjo might not imply any interest whatsoever in bluegrass or old time. another assumption that's sort of been touched on is this idea that many (i'd argue most) don't see any difference between old time and bluegrass.

two experiences highlight this:

I play old time, but get invited to bluegrass jams all the time and comments never pick up on the fact that i'm playing clawhammer and not scruggs (lay-persons).

I'm pretty involved in the "indie" scene and its rare these days to find a band that doesn't have at least one song or two with a banjo (usually flat-picked and to me painful to listen to)

edavidt - Posted - 11/21/2009:  12:37:59

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A lot of the discussion has been around interest on the part of players driving the relative availability of banjo types. I think there is also another component here - or at least, the cause and effect may be in teh other direction.

There is an incredible surge in the number of folks that are building instruments in their homes, in small shops, one at a time. Many of these are very high quality instruments. And it is much easier, in a small shop, to build a quality open back banjo than it is a quality resonator style banjo.

I think, to some degree, this may be driving, or at least going hand in hand, with a new interest on the part of young people in playing the banjo, and the particular style that often goes along with open back banjos.

edavidt - Posted - 11/21/2009:  18:10:43

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quote:

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[i] Can't wait for Dare to Be Square - West in Seattle next month!

Scott

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Hi Scott. Wish I could go - but I am playing a dance here in PT on that weekend. In fact, all of the caller's who do squares are going to Seattle that weekend, so the band had to come up with different tunes for the contra caller we will be working with.

Let us know how it goes. Dave T.

Booger McGee - Posted - 11/21/2009:  20:19:05

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quote:

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Originally posted by edavidt

quote:

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[i] Can't wait for Dare to Be Square - West in Seattle next month!

Scott

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Wish I could go

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Ditto--but they're all sold out. I noticed that they are having a clawhammer workshop too. Maybe next year!

Booger

chip arnold - Posted - 11/21/2009:  20:28:50

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Bob Dalsemer will be calling. Can't beat Bob.

ScottK - Posted - 11/22/2009:  15:50:52

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Hey Booger,

Don't wait 'til next year! Come on down to Oregon in January for the Portland Old Time Music Gathering! (Well, I guess January is next year, but you know what I mean. ) Same kind of party with a lot of the same crowd, just a little less emphasis on square dance calling. Still plenty of square dancing, though!

Scott

p.s. There are a couple of public dances at D2BS. If you can make it to one of those let me know. It would be fun to meet.

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Edited by - ScottK on 11/22/2009 15:52:56

Booger McGee - Posted - 11/22/2009:  16:56:47

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Thanks for the invite and link Scott! Although I've lived in this area for over eleven years, I've never been to Portland. This looks like a perfect excuse to get off my butt and visit your great city.

I checked out the Seattle D2BS website and it appears that the dances are sold out too. Perhaps we could meet up in Portland?

Booger

ScottK - Posted - 11/23/2009:  08:24:48

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Hi Booger,

Two square dances sold out three weeks in advance kind of blows my mind! I guess Seattle loves to rock it old time! But we can meet in Portland for sure.

Scott

dangibson - Posted - 11/28/2009:  14:46:15

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quote:

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Originally posted by whyteman



A skillful Bluegrasser armed with picks and a capo, can pull off his performance with only his gold-plated resonator banjo.

Don.

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That's true, perhaps. But way too many (though, not all) Bluegrassers make their banjos sound like a large tin can containing a dozen small rocks rolling down a flight of wooden stairs.

whyteman - Posted - 12/01/2009:  08:23:50

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You are correct Dan G. I guess my point is that a lot us OT players enjoy getting a variety of banjo sounds, thus we have a lot of banjos. A tune like "Dixie" has a completely different feel depending upon if my mood dictates that I use a tuned up chirpy steel string banjo or my mellow Nylagut tuned way low banjo. I politely will not give my opinion of MOST Bluegrass renditions of Dixie that I've heard.

I might add that a lot of us play a variety of right hand styles in OT, calling for more and more banjos depending whether we want to sound like Wade Ward, Kyle Creed or Will Keyes or Frank Proffit. Now there's 4 different banjos right there!!

Don.

Paul Roberts - Posted - 12/01/2009:  09:05:23

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I'm a clawhammer player who began with bluegrass in the early '60's, inspired by the ingenious playing and gorgeous tone of Earl Scruggs. It always makes me feel edgy when people need to express their love and appreciation for the style they're into, by putting others down. There's plenty of beauty to go around. I'd say, let's find it where we can and be thankful it's part of our lives.
PauL
http://www.banjocrazy.com/

whyteman - Posted - 12/01/2009:  11:03:38

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Didn't mean to paint with such a broad brush, Paul. For lots of us, Mr. Scruggs was the 1st great banjo player we heard. My first banjo teacher was a Bluegrass performer who "relaxed" in his spare time frailing his Mastertone. Upon reflecting, my preferance for a slightly brighter over the head sound in OT banjo may have stemmed from those lessons. I might also add that BG banjoist Bob Black of Iowa is one of my favorite banjo players. However...

Feo - Posted - 12/01/2009:  12:03:50

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Well, perhaps Dang-Gibson ( LOL - I bet he has muttered that before ) isn't neccessarily trying to get down on another's banjo style , but maybe like alot of us, he's had an event ruined for him by a clueless , overly-loud playing fellow banjo player .... I have had to put my banjo or fiddle away and leave an event because of a Dang-Gibson or accordian player !
I only hope I have never messed up an event for someone else by playing my
Dang non-Gibson banjo too loud .. at least I try to keep good time.

ScottK - Posted - 12/01/2009:  14:13:31

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quote:

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Booger McGee wrote: I checked out the Seattle D2BS website and it appears that the dances are sold out too.

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Hi Booger,

I just got the email copied below from Charmaine Slaven of That Tallboys and the D2BS organizing committee. Not sure what's up with the web site, but it appears that the public dances are not yet sold out in case you're interested in coming out.

Scott


---- email from Charmaine below ----

Howdy Folks!

Well, the rumors are true, our daytime workshops have sold-out! You
can still get in on the fun though! Buy your ticket now for the
evening dances at D2BS!! We've got 2 great dances open to the public,
here are the details:

DEC 12th - D2BS SAT NITE PUBLIC DANCE!! 7-11PM
Calling by Bob Dalsemer from North Carolina, plus guest callers!
Music by the Small Wonder Stringband & The Tallboys
Richard Hugo House
1634 11th Ave (Capital Hill) Seattle, WA 98122
Admission $7 Advance, $10 at the door, All-ages welcome!
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/70460

DEC 14th - D2BS MON NITE PUBLIC DANCE!! 7:30-11PM
Calling by Bob Dalsemer from North Carolina
Music by the Small Wonder Stringband & The Tallboys
Century Ballroom Main Hall
915 E Pine St (Capital Hill) Seattle, WA 98122
Admission $7 Advance, $10 at the door, 21+
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/90488

Note, if you've already registered for the full weekend, these dances
are included in your registration!

Cheers!
~Charmaine

--
Heads Up! Feet Down!
Dare to be Square is coming to town!!
Dec 12-14th, 2009
www.bubbaguitar.com/d2bs

Booger McGee - Posted - 12/01/2009:  14:53:29

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Thanks Scott!

The website's showing them as sold out, but I'll give the phone # a call--hope to see you there!

Booger

bdavidoff - Posted - 12/02/2009:  04:03:20

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When I first glanced at the topic title, I thought it said "growing poultry in open back banjos". Now I can't get the idea out of my head.

Booger McGee - Posted - 12/02/2009:  10:14:33

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As someone who helped de-rail this topic, I thought I'd try to get it back on track.

Seven years ago, with $400 burning a hole in my pocket and a late night viewing of the Muppet Movie under my belt, I thought it would be a fun and quirky thing to do to buy a banjo. Knowing absolutely nothing, I bought a Gold Tone CC-R from JDMC. The reason I bought a bluegrass banjo was I assumed that a banjo without a resonator looked "incomplete" somehow. I then bought fingerpicks, books, CDs, and DVDs galore, and spent the next six months trying to learn how to play Scruggs style banjo.

Several obstacles, however, stood in my way:
1) No previous musical experience and a distinct lack of talent--I thought I'd try to remedy this situation by hiring the closest banjo tutor around (he lived 50 miles from my house). This fellow had little-to-no experience with Scruggs style picking and kept trying to teach me clawhammer banjo. After two weeks of butting heads, we parted ways (sigh--had I only listened to him!)

2) A distinct loathing for bluegrass music--No matter how many CDs I bought and how much I listened, I simply could not bring myself to like bluegrass music. Believe me, I tried--especially since I thought that bluegrass was the only type of music that could be played on a banjo. Today, the best I can say is that I have an appreciation for bluegrass--much in the same way that I appreciate heavy metal guitar. In both cases, the sound of the music turns me off, but I admire the skill and speed that both can accomplish.

3) Those darn finger picks--When I first put finger picks on, I felt as if someone had tied spoons to my fingers. In addition, I felt as if my fingers were a million miles away from the fretboard. After six months of practice, I felt exactly the same way. I longed for the intimacy of just my fingers on the strings.

After six months, I moved my banjo to my closet (selling it to a university student a year later), packed up my bluegrass CDs, and moved on with life.

Flash-forward seven years--This past spring, I felt the urge to once again attempt to learn how to play an instrument. I dug out my bluegrass CDs with an intent to listen to the way the mandolin sounds. While I thought that the mandolin would be my next instrument, I found myself drawn back to the sound of the banjo. I then re-joined BHO, started listening to the audio clips on the jukebox, "discovered" old-time banjo / clawhammer style.

It was love-at-first-listen. Everything about the open back banjo appealed / "clicked" for me and I've been happily clawhammering for seven months now.

Any other bluegrass to old-time converts?

Booger

R.D. Lunceford - Posted - 12/02/2009:  12:02:49

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Speaking of open-backs gaining in popularity,
I saw a BGer playing three-finger on a snazzy
old Stewart open-back not too long ago.

Don't tell me we're going to have to start competing
with our BG brethren for vintage open-backs now !

Feo - Posted - 12/02/2009:  19:22:16

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You'd be surprised how many great old instruments are wasting away in some rich guy's collection somewhere ... I was once invited to a rich lawyer's house to play music , and no lie , he had a whole room full of great vintage open-back banjos .... each one was fancy, with carved heels and stuff....but these instruments were collected ... not bought for playing .... sad... sad

twelvefret - Posted - 12/03/2009:  04:34:03

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quote:

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Originally posted by Feo

You'd be surprised how many great old instruments are wasting away in some rich guy's collection somewhere ... I was once invited to a rich lawyer's house to play music , and no lie , he had a whole room full of great vintage open-back banjos .... each one was fancy, with carved heels and stuff....but these instruments were collected ... not bought for playing .... sad... sad

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Just think if all the Loar F5 mandolins had been abused by players like Bill Monroe. There would not be any around today.

Think of it another way. These collectors are meticulous in how they maintain vintage instruments. Since most of them are not musicians, they worry over every detail. Eventually these fellows will pass on and the family will make them available again to the next generation. Some will become collected again, but some might wind up with a player.

spaz - Posted - 12/03/2009:  10:29:42

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I think the first few posts nailed it:

- openbacks are generally cheaper so beginners can use them to figure out whether they are serious about the instrument (thats why I bought mine and trust me, it was an agonizing decision but im glad I went this way)
- if you dont play in a band having the resonator is less necessary (in fact, even on my openback I have some foam stuck under the strings against the bridge to dampen the sound even more--hearing issues)
- the weight is a factor, but probably not a determining one unless one has back issues. I was shocked when I first held my teacher's resonator model at how heavy it was. I can actually walk around the house playing my openback without a strap by pressing my forearm against the rim. I know I couldnt do that with a resonator, but again, thats not a reason I bought it. I can even hook one of the shoulder straps from my overalls onto a bracket hook and use that as my 'strap' :-)

I play scruggs style almost exclusively on this thing and it works great. I do want to learn clawhammer and/or 2 finger someday too, but for my learning style its more important to focus on one first. If/when I actually get any good and/or want to play with more people, i'll probably get a resonator model. Then I'll have one of each! :-)

Clawhammer Clint - Posted - 12/03/2009:  18:19:24

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They say the difference between an accordion and a banjo is that an accordion only sucks half the time. These things go in cycles. I don't know, but if it's true that open backs are coming into "vogue," I hope it's because Old Time music is growing more popular. Perhaps it's a rebellion against being passive music consumers that's causing folks to want to make thier own music again. OT and BG are both viable options, but it seems to me that the "price of admission," both monetary and in terms of time investment, is a bit lower in OT. (OT banjo players aren't expected to play solos.)

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Edited by - Clawhammer Clint on 12/03/2009 18:21:51

devoall - Posted - 12/05/2009:  14:40:01

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quote:

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Originally posted by Clawhammer Clint

They say the difference between an accordion and a banjo is that an accordion only sucks half the time. These things go in cycles. I don't know, but if it's true that open backs are coming into "vogue," I hope it's because Old Time music is growing more popular. Perhaps it's a rebellion against being passive music consumers that's causing folks to want to make thier own music again. OT and BG are both viable options, but it seems to me that the "price of admission," both monetary and in terms of time investment, is a bit lower in OT. (OT banjo players aren't expected to play solos.)

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I totally agree with your explanation. being a passive consumer is something a lot of people struggle with everyday, but have no solution. good thing we all have the banjo!

brokenstrings - Posted - 12/05/2009:  23:18:54

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Locally, I see very few banjos in the musical stores, and they're mostly resonator banjos.

But OK--there are lots of openbacks available nowadays, many of them very fine instruments. Nevertheless, let's face it, there are a lot more BGers than there are OTers. As for another big folk movement, sooner or later there will be one, but I don't see one happening. Seems to me most folks think it's folk if you play an acoustic instrument or if you're a singer/songwriter. Blecch.

arnie - Posted - 12/06/2009:  07:43:06

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Old time banjo is a happenin' thing- especially for a new generation! It wasn't a thing when I started playing, in fact it was strange and kind of uncool- I was born about 30 years too early. Don't count those resonator banjos out yet - now a lot of old time players are using them because they have more of the doc boggs, roscoe holcolm sound.

chip arnold - Posted - 12/06/2009:  07:49:53

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Arnie, it might be that you were born 30 years too late ;-)

1four5 - Posted - 12/09/2009:  10:35:38

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Has anyone noticed the increase of players asking about converting BG banjos into open backs? I've seen three in just the last two days on the BHO.

tomberghan - Posted - 12/09/2009:  11:46:00

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Maybe this is a question for our host Eric Schlange, but it would be fun to see some percentages with regard to the ages of BHO members and then break that down by BG versus OT, etcetera. So, the question would be what percentage of OT-BHO members are under 30? Between 30 and 40? Between 40 and 50? 60 and older?

My belief is that most of us are geezers (myself included) . . . very cool geezers mind you . . . but let's face it, I think many of us are among the "60s folk revival generation." And there is nothing wrong with that . . . and yes, I do realize that we have BHO members who inherited this music through their families and not from listening to recordings . . . and some of us inherited the music through old timers we met along the path of life . . . but regardless, it seems to me the majority of us are in that "older age group."

Anyway, it would be fun to see some statistics. I am ALWAYS VERY happy (genuinely pleased) when I see younger people taking up OT music . . . and from all over the globe. That is fantastic. A friend of mine reminded me of a quote from Winston Churchhill who, when asked if he thought the budgets for the arts should be cut to provide more funds for the war, replied "NO! What do you thik we are fighting for?!?" That is how I feel about this music and the banjo.

twelvefret - Posted - 12/09/2009:  12:34:54

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quote:

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Originally posted by tomberghan

Maybe this is a question for our host Eric Schlange, but it would be fun to see some percentages with regard to the ages of BHO members and then break that down by BG versus OT, etcetera. So, the question would be what percentage of OT-BHO members are under 30? Between 30 and 40? Between 40 and 50? 60 and older?

My belief is that most of us are geezers (myself included) . . . very cool geezers mind you . . . but let's face it, I think many of us are among the "60s folk revival generation." And there is nothing wrong with that . . . and yes, I do realize that we have BHO members who inherited this music through their families and not from listening to recordings . . . and some of us inherited the music through old timers we met along the path of life . . . but regardless, it seems to me the majority of us are in that "older age group."

Anyway, it would be fun to see some statistics. I am ALWAYS VERY happy (genuinely pleased) when I see younger people taking up OT music . . . and from all over the globe. That is fantastic. A friend of mine reminded me of a quote from Winston Churchhill who, when asked if he thought the budgets for the arts should be cut to provide more funds for the war, replied "NO! What do you thik we are fighting for?!?" That is how I feel about this music and the banjo.

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I think that one reason you might see people coming to OT and traditional music later in life is that they finally discovered it. Since now days there is more opportunity to discover non traditional music from YouTube et al, it makes sense that folks will discover this music sooner than later.

tomberghan - Posted - 12/09/2009:  14:34:08

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>>>I think that one reason you might see people coming to OT and traditional music later in life is that they finally discovered it. <<<

Hi Chuck, I hope more people do discover OT through Youtube, etcetera. That would be great!

But I disagree with your statement. I think that those of us from the sixties are not discovering OT music later in life as you suggest. We grew up in the time of the Folk Revival of the sixties. We discovered it early in life . . . even if a lot of us did not begin playing back then (although I did), we fell in love with the music back then. We had "hootenannys" and so forth. We had espresso cafes with endless streams of folkies who dreamed of being just like Woody Guthrie and so forth (endearing but pathetic!). I think this was well before your time. Heck it was almost before my time! I was only in on the tail end of the era.

You don't state your age on your home page, but you do indicate that you began playing guitar seriously in the mid 1980s . . . So I am guessing that I am a good 20 years older than you, and many of the OT players in the BHO are 10 to 15 older than me. And I suspect that few of us discovered OT later in life. We heard it a looong time ago.

twelvefret - Posted - 12/09/2009:  19:14:34

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quote:

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Originally posted by tomberghan

>>>I think that one reason you might see people coming to OT and traditional music later in life is that they finally discovered it. <<<

Hi Chuck, I hope more people do discover OT through Youtube, etcetera. That would be great!

But I disagree with your statement. I think that those of us from the sixties are not discovering OT music later in life as you suggest. We grew up in the time of the Folk Revival of the sixties. We discovered it early in life . . . even if a lot of us did not begin playing back then (although I did), we fell in love with the music back then. We had "hootenannys" and so forth. We had espresso cafes with endless streams of folkies who dreamed of being just like Woody Guthrie and so forth (endearing but pathetic!). I think this was well before your time. Heck it was almost before my time! I was only in on the tail end of the era.

You don't state your age on your home page, but you do indicate that you began playing guitar seriously in the mid 1980s . . . So I am guessing that I am a good 20 years older than you, and many of the OT players in the BHO are 10 to 15 older than me. And I suspect that few of us discovered OT later in life. We heard it a looong time ago.

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Hey Tom,

I am probably much much younger than you. Seriously, I understand your experiences and appreciate what you are saying.

I remember hearing the commercial versions of what I discovered later was music that was hundreds of years old composed by Western Europea and African settlers in the Southern Appalachians. I live in East Tennessee. I tend to listen to as many field recordings as possible. This is why I think that it is easier to discover this roots now since many recordings and video were made of these non professional players.

tomberghan - Posted - 12/10/2009:  10:08:09

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>>>I live in East Tennessee. I tend to listen to as many field recordings as possible. This is why I think that it is easier to discover this roots now since many recordings and video were made of these non professional players.<<<

Absolutely! I agree.
And this is a fantastic use of new technologies.

You live in great part of the U.S.A. I love Tennessee.