TheChief - Posted - 01/27/2016:  13:41:40

Chuck, if they were in the bus, it would have been the old original banjo. If not, 'twould have been the replica Chief Rocky Top. He usually takes it on the road if they fly. They look identical.

s

chuckv97 - Posted - 01/27/2016:  13:58:27

quote:

---

Originally posted by TheChief

 

Chuck, if they were in the bus, it would have been the old original banjo. If not, 'twould have been the replica Chief Rocky Top. He usually takes it on the road if they fly. They look identical.

s

---

Thnx Sonny. I think Rhonda said she was flying- not sure about the rest of the band, maybe they were with the bus. And yes,,I'd love to see Kenny do a banjo album. I saw him with Larry Stephenson last year.

Gary Griffin - Posted - 01/27/2016:  18:20:00

Everyone wants to see Kenny do a banjo album! Let's send him a "go ahead" saying its OK for the Big K to bless us with a banjo album! Hallelujah!

HPNomad - Posted - 01/30/2016:  03:42:06

I heard somewhere that Bobby used to play banjo on some of the early MGM recordings? Any verification?

El Dobro - Posted - 01/30/2016:  16:27:46

Bobby and Sonny on banjos.youtube.com/watch?v=JW-0ko2Mdoc

TheChief - Posted - 01/31/2016:  08:30:22

My brother was an extremely talented person. He could play just about anything he set his mind to play. Piano, electric guitar, mandolin, fiddle and banjo. He did, in fact play twin banjos with me on our very first MGM record of Ruby, are you mad at your man. And several more. When I was about 12 yrs. old, I was having some trouble making the timing come out right. (Typical of a forward roll only.) Bobby had been around Earl some, and he had picked up, and showed me the backward roll and it made a world of difference. Suddenly everything made perfect sense.

He was also the best Bluegrass singer I ever heard. He "brought it" every night for the better part of 50 years. CASE CLOSED.

S

rbfour5 - Posted - 01/31/2016:  11:21:36

I agree with you Sonny- no one has pipes like Bobby; and no one has the right hand like you. I am glad to have had the chance to see you both play, and the opportunity to meet you in Berea, KY at the McLain Family Bluegrass Festival. (It may the second "...hottest place this side of where nobody wants to be....") BTW- the first bluegrass album I ever owned was "From Rocky Top to Muddy Bottom"!! Still one of my favorites; the second was "Yesterday, Today and the Osborne Brothers". Wish I still had those old vinyl LP's.

Thanks for all you and Bobby have done for bluegrass music and inspiring so many pickers and fans!

TheChief - Posted - 02/05/2016:  08:30:47

Dean, I might be able to find the vinyl LP's. Give me your address.

I do appreciate your kind words.

s

TheChief - Posted - 02/11/2016:  07:15:42

Dean, I found Yesterday, Today and the OB.

Have line on the other, waiting to hear back. Don't lose hope.

s

picknman - Posted - 02/11/2016:  08:27:10

Sonny, Have always enjoyed your music and also enjoy your very informative comments on the Hangout. I think you had one of  the

Best and smoothest techniques ever In changing a string in action on stage. I remember seeing you and Bob and the Boys at Myrtle Beach

Several years ago and going in to the  song a string broke on your banjo and you very calmly reached in your pocket, pulled out a string  

and very effortlessly replaced the string  stepped back just a little, tuned up stepped back in ready to pick.

Now to my opinion that was professionalism. That's what I call taking pride in your art. Sad to say the music biz and what it used to be.

Doug j.

gibson49classic - Posted - 02/11/2016:  08:31:17

On the "Live in Germany" DVD, Sonny breaks a string on Orange Blossom Special and has it replaced before the fiddler goes to the faster shuffle part. It was entertaining to see how quick you could change a string and how calm and humorous you could be while you changed it!

Edited by - gibson49classic on 02/11/2016 08:32:31

TheChief - Posted - 02/11/2016:  12:06:25

I always carried a full set of strings plus three extra firsts, which were most likely to break. The trick is...if you break a string, DO NOT TOUCH THE TUNERS. Have the strings placed in your pocket in an order so you know where they are. Remove the broken string, and then replace it, starting with the loop end at the bridge. Most banjo tail pieces have a cap which will hold the new string in place until you get it wound around the spool. tune it back up and the tension will replace itself, providing you haven't touched the tuners. Simple.

I've seen guys go back stage to change a string. I just thought that looked bad and there just had to be another way.

Players of today must tune after every song. That irritates me, no end. I always tuned with a Pederson strobe before the show. If the string appeared to be flat, take your finger between the nut and tuner of the aforementioned flat string, and push down and most times is will be back ion tune. If it's sharp, grasp the string between the bridge and where the neck joins the body (pot) and stretch it. Most of the time it will go back it tune. Stage appearance was really important and meant a lot to me. I never wanted to see a player turn his back to an audience. But, as stated above, now they all do...after every song, and sometimes during a song.

Things do change. Another reason why we old guys should know when to quit!  MY OPINION, of course. 

S

chuckv97 - Posted - 02/11/2016:  12:19:04

Thanks for those tips, Sonny - but not sure if I get why you don't touch the tuners after breaking a string.
You mentioned a while back that your Stelling Sonflower wouldn't stay in tune. Any idea why that was? Thnx.

rbfour5 - Posted - 02/11/2016:  12:19:13

That makes me an old guy then at 54! 😀
You and Bobby always had (still have) class and professionalism. Besides your incredible vocal harmony and instrumentation you all were true gentlemen every time I saw you live. Memories that will live on for me. Thanks is not enough. (And I will never lose hope 😃)

TheChief - Posted - 02/11/2016:  16:39:23

Chuck, the reason is quite simple. Because of the tension of each string, I can only guess that the unstable bridge, plus the slight changing tension of the head, the string tensions each depend on one another, so when one is suddenly gone it causes the other tensions to change causing the banjo to be out of tune. If you don't mess with the tuners while the string is broken when you replace it with a new string, the tension which the broken string contributed returns, causing the others to retain their original tension which makes the banjo in tune again.

This is the best I am able to explain it to you. You must realize that much of a banjo relies on tensions.Head, strings, bridge, tailpiece and neck.

As for the Stelling not staying in tune, I really don't know for sure, but I was told by someone who knew about such things that the fingerboard material (ebonite) contained a plastic of some sort which would change with the slightest temperature change. I don't know how reliable that information is but I KNOW it would change just like that and definitely would not stay in tune. Brian Blaylock reportedly has that banjo now and has not complained about that. In fact, he says it's actually a better banjo than my 1934 Granada. Questionable, to say the least. His opinion and I remind you, opinions are like a nose, in that everybody has one!  Brian is a good fellow.

s

Edited by - TheChief on 02/11/2016 16:50:13

chuckv97 - Posted - 02/11/2016:  17:14:01

OK, thanks, now I get it. It's the OTHER tuners you don't mess with - ya, I see now.

Funny about banjos, the other night my 3rd string wouldn't stay in tune - never had that problem before or since....go figure. And Brian must be "in sync" with that Stelling- maybe that ebonite has stabilized or something.

Edited by - chuckv97 on 02/11/2016 17:18:54

HPNomad - Posted - 02/12/2016:  01:52:06

I noticed something in a version of 'Ruby' the other day. I'm not sure of the exact album but if anyone wants a vague pinpoint, it's track 13 on 'The Osborne Brothers 1956-1968 Disc 4'

After Bobby does his initial intro (RuuuuuuuuuuubYYYYYYYYYYYYYY) you can hear in the background a sniff or a snort of some kind. I think it's funny.

CoolBlue80 - Posted - 02/13/2016:  20:53:14

Guess Who?

 

TheChief - Posted - 02/14/2016:  06:25:35

That picture was taken in Xenia, or Washington Court House Ohio in 1956. Guitar is Red Allen and Bass is Ray Anderson.

s

El Dobro - Posted - 02/14/2016:  08:46:20

rbfour5 - Posted - 02/14/2016:  09:22:50

Nice picture El Dobro- can't believe how much Sonny and Bobby look alike in this picture! Looks like Sonny with his old RB-3.

Hey Sonny- what arch top is Bobby playing?

El Dobro - Posted - 02/14/2016:  09:32:12

That's Sonny's 3 with cam tuners on it.

TheChief - Posted - 02/15/2016:  07:04:08

El Dobro was correct....Bobby is holding my 1929 RB3, now owned by Byron Robins. I bought that banjo in 1953 from Shorty Fincher of Hallum, PA....$125.00. I should say, my Dad bought it. David Akeman (Stringbean) saw what I was playing and told me about, and gave me the information on, that banjo. As stated earlier, Bobby could play.

I was also in error as to when this picture was shot. 'twas 1957. Ray Anderson (Bass) paid the photographer. Why, you ask? Bobby, Red, nor I had a 'pit to hiss in' at the time. As time moved along however, it did improve. Thank you Lord!

s

jlsorbit - Posted - 02/15/2016:  07:40:10

I live up the road from Hallum, PA in Lancaster, so I Googled Shorty Fincher name (aka, Luther Clark "Shorty" Fincher).  findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?...=98997090  He was an interesting character.

chuckv97 - Posted - 02/15/2016:  16:32:32

Gotta love bass players - they hold things together, drive buses, change flats and v-belts, and pay photographers! 😉

HPNomad - Posted - 02/18/2016:  03:20:56

Sonny, in your recording of Ho, Honey, Ho, what key were you in? I tried playing it and I found the right key but I can't put a name on it. Also, when you played that high, did you have spikes or some other capo?

I tried to sing along with Bobby too, I can kind of match note for note but man that high note in the chorus, I can't match the master.

Edited by - HPNomad on 02/18/2016 03:24:01

TheChief - Posted - 02/19/2016:  16:44:24

Key of D Corey. I used a capo on the 7th fret and tuned the thumb string up two steps, and put it under the 10th fret tack.

Thumb string tuned to A and placed under the C tack.

s

TheChief - Posted - 02/20/2016:  08:47:35

Bobby tuned the other banjo to D.

D

A

F#

D

F#

1st to 5th

~

s

TheChief - Posted - 02/20/2016:  09:08:28

Dean.

I haven't forgotten you. I have the Yesterday album in my possession, still waiting for the Rocky album. That one seems to be harder to find. Hang in there.

s

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 02/20/2016:  11:33:36

Sonny,

I have some questions for you about the music industry. It is upsetting to me when a record label  lets a recording go out of print. As you know, there is some great music that is not available to people because the record company has chosen not to press anymore cd’s or LPs.  Smithsonian Folkways guarantees its artists they will always have some copies available to people if the artist goes with them. So my questions are:

1. Is it that expensive for a recording company to convert a vinyl to cd format and to keep some in storage?


2. If a record company lets a recording go out of print, can an artist like you convert the old vinyls to cd and sell them on your own?


3. Can an artist like you reprint and sell cds that the record companies have allowed to go out of print.


4. I have heard that the artists make little or no money on the Bear collections. Is that true?

It seems like the artist should have this option since the recording company is not making any money off of it anymore.

Thanks,

Ken

Jim1 - Posted - 02/20/2016:  12:51:37

I agree Ken. I hate when I hear of a good recording and go looking for it only to find they don't make it anymore.  

rbfour5 - Posted - 02/20/2016:  15:12:41

Hey Sonny,
No problem; I have the patience of Job (well, most times- and waiting for this is easy!) Thank you.
Dean

HPNomad - Posted - 02/20/2016:  16:31:06

I had to go and buy a record player to hear some some of The Osborne Bros. music that wasn't available on CD or MP3.

chuckv97 - Posted - 02/20/2016:  19:01:39

quote:

---

Originally posted by Corey McAmis

 

I had to go and buy a record player to hear some some of The Osborne Bros. music that wasn't available on CD or MP3.

---

Good work,Corey, and if you really want to go old school like a lot of us did in the 1960's , you can slow down the banjo solos to 16rpm and try catch the notes growling along.  😉

Edited by - chuckv97 on 02/20/2016 19:02:10

HPNomad - Posted - 02/20/2016:  19:18:04

quote:

---

Originally posted by chuckv97

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Corey McAmis

 

I had to go and buy a record player to hear some some of The Osborne Bros. music that wasn't available on CD or MP3.

---

Good work,Corey, and if you really want to go old school like a lot of us did in the 1960's , you can slow down the banjo solos to 16rpm and try catch the notes growling along.  ��

---

Oh I'm doing the same thing, just with a modern twist. In Audacity, a free audio editing software, I've been putting mp3's of Sonny's solos and changing the tempo without affecting the pitch.

I'm still working on John Henry Blues when I get the free time to do so.

Also, since most of the early stuff Bobby and Sonny did, which is mostly rhythm in the left ear, banjo in the right, you can slide over and focus on either rhythm or the banjo.

rbfour5 - Posted - 02/20/2016:  19:23:12

Hey Chuck- I did that in the early 80's when I started playing the banjo; I can't begin to tell you how many stylus' I ruined (and vinyl LP's) by turning them by hand trying to figure what Sonny was doing; I guess that makes people like you and I some of the early "Slow Downer" pioneers...lol. But nothing beats the sound of vinyl in my opinion. Keep learning from the vinyl Corey!

splehigh - Posted - 02/22/2016:  10:46:44

Hello Sonny, My first bluegrass memory is when my Dad took to hear the Osborne Brothers play at the Dover Firemen's Carnival here in PA. I think I was about 10 years old at the time(I'm 31 now). Hearing you play the banjo really sparked my interest in learning how to play. I had never heard a live bluegrass band before that and I was all excited it. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that you were an inspiration to me.

Lately I've been hearing a lot of great things about your banjos and I'm really interested. Do you know if anyone in the York county PA area that might let me take a peek at theirs?
Thanks,
Steve

HPNomad - Posted - 02/23/2016:  19:06:32

Sonny, I'd like to give you thanks for sifting through our questions and giving straight answers. It's not every day that a musician such as yourself does that. Most wouldn't even bat an eye at their fans, and that's what I love most about bluegrass music. People are so warm and inviting to share their methods and different styles of playing. I'm still starstruck sometimes because literally my banjo idol is online willing to answer questions for fans and players.

On another note, Sonny, is there any price difference in a Rocky Top Chief than a maple Chief?

TheChief - Posted - 02/25/2016:  21:50:36

Corey...Price is the same for every Chief.

I'll get to the rest of you guys tomorrow. It's late.

s

teletodd - Posted - 02/26/2016:  10:52:02

quote:

---

Originally posted by bbanjoboy

 

Since you're kind of on the subject of "Sonny Osborne" models, what's your take on the 93 Rich & Taylor that Elderly as for $2500? To me that seems like an absolute steal. It's hard to touch any decent banjo for that kind of money and if I'm not mistaken it would have been one of the upper models of the R&T lineup.. I have no idea what you/Frank are charging for a new Chief, but surely it's got to be nearly double...How would you compare the two?

---

Elderly also had a maple Fitch Firestorm that had a Cox rim and a Blaylock 1205 tone ring. Didn't Osborne Chefs once have Blaylock rings? Don't know where Cliff Fitch got his necks, probably not from Frank Neat.

HPNomad - Posted - 02/26/2016:  15:10:43

quote:

---

Originally posted by teletodd

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by bbanjoboy

 

Since you're kind of on the subject of "Sonny Osborne" models, what's your take on the 93 Rich & Taylor that Elderly as for $2500? To me that seems like an absolute steal. It's hard to touch any decent banjo for that kind of money and if I'm not mistaken it would have been one of the upper models of the R&T lineup.. I have no idea what you/Frank are charging for a new Chief, but surely it's got to be nearly double...How would you compare the two?

---

Elderly also had a maple Fitch Firestorm that had a Cox rim and a Blaylock 1205 tone ring. Didn't Osborne Chefs once have Blaylock rings? Don't know where Cliff Fitch got his necks, probably not from Frank Neat.

---

All Chiefs come with Blaylock rings.

From the website

Features below are included on all models: 

new design Osborne Chief tone ring by Blaylock

Jim1 - Posted - 02/26/2016:  16:12:11

 Sonny I was listening to the interview you have on your website.     That story about seeing Bobby's  reflection in the back glass was hilarious.    I could just imagine that.   I love hearing stories like that of yall's adventures.  Speaking of stories is the book still a go?   Take care.  

TheChief - Posted - 02/27/2016:  06:40:57

The book is still ON. Scott Street who was writing it,was unexpectedly diagnosed with cancer, and passed away. I asked Bill Evans if he wanted to finish it, and he agreed. Consequently, Bill's wife became seriously ill and he had to put the book on hold for awhile. I'm in no hurry, Bill has other things on his mind right now. When it's finished it will be good. Thanks for asking.                                                                                                                                            

~

S

SONNY OSBORNE BANJO CO.

P.O. BOX 647

HENDERSONVILLE, TENNESSEE 37077

615 824 0096

CHIEFBANJO@COMCAST.NET

SONNYOSBORNE.COM

Edited by - TheChief on 02/27/2016 06:48:24

TheChief - Posted - 02/27/2016:  06:56:39

The Chief has had  two different tone rings.Huber through number 65, and Blaylock after that. The new design came about two years ago. It has a slightly different, I think better, tone than before. However, the difference is slight, and actually I just wanted the Tone Ring to be different from all others, and could only be had with a Chief banjo, or through me. Selfish....

~

SONNY OSBORNE BANJO CO.

P.O. BOX 647

HENDERSONVILLE, TENNESSEE 37077

615 824 0096

CHIEFBANJO@COMCAST.NET

SONNYOSBORNE.COM

TheChief - Posted - 02/27/2016:  07:05:41

Steve, I remember a couple in Philadelphia. If that's not too far, I can get you their information.

However, I have such confidence in The Chief that if you were to purchase a banjo, from me, and there is a flaw, or something that I can't fix to your satisfaction, I'll give your money back...assuming the banjo has not been abused, altered, and is still in new condition and within a week after you receive it. YEP, they are that good!!

~

SONNY OSBORNE BANJO CO.

P.O. BOX 647

HENDERSONVILLE, TENNESSEE 37077

615 824 0096

CHIEFBANJO@COMCAST.NET

SONNYOSBORNE.COM

TheChief - Posted - 02/27/2016:  07:32:38

Ken;

For small, independent record companies work and exist on such small budgets, and really, most don't have the space to store out of print stock. When an artist makes a CD and after the initial sales period, Bluegrass in particular sells so few that when a company runs out of the stock, it just isn't smart sense to keep them in print.

Yes, an artist could make copies and sell them...UNTIL THE RECORD COMPANY CATCHES YOU DOING IT.!! then you're in deep dodo.

We did right well with the Bear Family box sets..(we have two) What happens is Bear Family conglomerates several CDs, albums, singles, etc and puts them all together. It's pretty good because it promotes the sales of albums and CDs that doesn't exist any more, until the box set. REAL fans will not back off from the $100 price tag because they are getting product they would not be able to get anywhere else. I personally have The Louvin Brothers Box set and found several recordings I didn't know existed. It has material going back to 1950, which has long since been cut out. So, for this reason Bear Family is good. I was totally against the Box set idea when I heard they were doing them with us because they would kill the individual cd sales at the concession table, but found I was wrong. If anything, it helped.

Did you know that VINYL is an oil product.

~

SONNY OSBORNE BANJO CO.

P.O. BOX 647

HENDERSONVILLE, TENNESSEE 37077

615 824 0096

CHIEFBANJO@COMCAST.NET

SONNYOSBORNE.COM

TheChief - Posted - 02/27/2016:  07:43:10

I wanted to comment on the record player, and it's important part of my learning...THE RIGHT HAND IN PARTICULAR.

I had access to one which had speeds ranging from 78 rpm, to 45 rpm, to 33.3 rpm to 16. When you got down to 16 you had to have some kind of focus and concentration to pick out the strings, one at a time. 'twas fun though, I realized 30 years later.

~

SONNY OSBORNE BANJO CO.

P.O. BOX 647

HENDERSONVILLE, TENNESSEE 37077

615 824 0096

CHIEFBANJO@COMCAST.NET

SONNYOSBORNE.COM

TheChief - Posted - 02/27/2016:  07:44:22

I DO BELIEVE I'M CAUGHT UP.

HAVE A GOOD DAY.

S

HPNomad - Posted - 03/07/2016:  02:54:05

I listened to Aaron's CD, Sonny, and all I have to say is Wow! Internet is back up on the ship, thanks to our Electronics Tech's.

I've also purchased the book 'Masters of the Five String Banjo' and really enjoyed your chapter.