This is great news, Sonny! I have heard Rhonda talk about that song recently. Here is a "Chief-less" live performance for folks to get a taste of what's to come:
While we certainly can't compete with Rhonda + band, here's a link to Alan Munde and me playing "Big Ben" on the Peghead Nation lesson website (and it was Benny Birchfield who played the second banjo, not Dale Sledd, as I indicated in the introduction). I hope you all enjoy our largely improvised version of this great Osborne Brothers double banjo tune.
I teach two online banjo courses at Peghead Nation as well - a beginning banjo track and a bluegrass banjo track. Each track has over fifty lessons consisting of a video of five to twenty minutes and downloadable tab. You can receive a free month using the coupon code "Bill."
If you should ask me a question and I don't answer it, ask again. I'm not at this computer very much and I might forget or just plain miss it, so please ask again and I promise to answer you. I shouldn't be so lax, but sadly I am. Father time and Mother nature rears their ugly heads again....can't outrun them.
Thanks for your understanding and patience.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CHIEF BANJO AND CHIEF FINGER PICKS, BY HOFFMEYER....TRUTHFULLY, THEY ARE THE BEST. I GUARANTEE THAT, THEY ARE THE REAL DEAL!
Chief, no need to apologize. Near as I can make it, the difference between you and the "competition" is that you do it for the love of the genre, the pickers and quality made instruments made to YOUR exacting and uncompromising standards. Thanks for that!
Sonny, I'd just like to tell you it's my dream to meet you someday. I already have your "autograph" from the package you sent to me. Maybe one of these days I can meet my inspiration for playing the 5 string. Knoxville ain't too far from Nashville.
Sonny, Those recordings you and Bobby made for CMH..The Banjo tone you had on those was some of the best I ever heard.It didnt compare to the older recordings. was anything done recording wise to make the Banjo sound so good?
When a person orders a Chief banjo, and I deliver it to them. The look on their face when they see it for the first time is priceless. I've seen grown men cry..I swear to you, that's the truth. That's worth more than money. I've hand delivered probably 50 and I don't fly. As if I didn't get enough driving, and travel during my working days..probably 2 to 3 million miles....it just means something to me to do that. GO FIGGER....I won't ever forget the feeling I had when I saw that original RB3 (The Rocky Top banjo)in a music store window in 1956...I guess that's the same feeling...
It was late April 2007 when my Chief banjo arrived in San Antonio. I was just back from my first deployment in support of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I worked with Sonny ordering that banjo while in the middle east. I threw them a curve asking for abalone under the neck binding, on the heel, and on the resonator. Anyway, I let Sonny and Ms. Chief know when I was going to be back home and we arranged for the shipment to arrive while I was taking some leave. It arrived on a Saturday. I was like a kid on Christmas morning! My cheeks hurt from smiling so much!!! The look. The sound. The whole experience. Man, what a feeling!
Sonny, Those recordings you and Bobby made for CMH..The Banjo tone you had on those was some of the best I ever heard.It didnt compare to the older recordings. was anything done recording wise to make the Banjo sound so good?
Personally, I prefer the tone of Sonny's RB3 on their "Bluegrass Instrumentals" album. My oh my what a tone that banjo can pull off.
Case and point, the attached video. With a combination of Sonny's banjo, Bobby's mandolin, and the awesome drums in the background makes it one of my favorite albums of the Osborne Bros. I wish more current groups played with drums more. Not so much as to be overbearing, but just little enough to add a smooth rhythm
Hey Sonny, regarding mic placement, where on the pot did you place them? I read the 10 and 7 thing. Are you saying near the neck and below the tailpiece or am I thinking too hard about this?
Thanks for explaining Sonny! I'll try that tonight when I set down and record some. I always loved the sound you got from the Granada on the Bluegrass Collection album and the "When the Roses Bloom in Dixie" album. Or any other time you were playing the Granada 😉.
I sat down this evening and recorded with the mic placement you described Sonny. This is just raw with no editing or reverb added. I'm using an old Rogers Calfskin Head by the way. You might recognize the tune.
A couple days. Of all the songs I've heard you play, this is my favorite. Did you ever record it? I have some live shows and you usually just play it while Bobby is announcing dates or the next song.
Sonny -- I was doing a little bit of "antiquing" with my wife in Virginia this past weekend, and I was going through some of the LPs when I came across this album. To my surprise, I saw it had been autographed on the back, so I bought it! I assume they are real, but would you mind taking a look see? Appears to be you, Bobby, Robby, Dale Sledd and Ronnie Reno -- I thought I uploaded a closeup of all of them, but apparently not...
Thanks, Sonny -- I didn't know that about Terry! Lots of other folks from around these parts, too -- must be something in the water! Too bad I didn't live here back in the Camp Springs days...
Just to jog your memory. we just finished the 1st 2 days of Bean Blossom and there was some great music. This is the 50th festival. Quite a run isn't it. After Bill died, they had plans drawn up to turn it into a housing tract.
Today was in the low 90s and a bit of humidity. A lot of musicians had red faces. i know you know too well, what it is like fighting that sun in your face while doing the afternoon show. Lot of musicians with sweaty clothes from the afternoon. Somebody did a descent job on Kentucky and you had some of your former sidemen with The Farm Hands playing. Ralph 2 there last night with the Clinch Mt Boys and I heard the bad news that hospice just got called in on Ralph.
Frank Neat was there driving around on his golf cart and had a great jam going at his mobile home.
Just last Tuesday, they had a dedication ceremony for a Indiana Historical Marker next to and commemorating the park. Pictures following.
I think how you used to be part of some electric 2nd Saturdays and think of you and Mr. Bill swapping hats and laughing while on stage.
ken
Edited by - From Greylock to Bean Blossom on 06/12/2016 20:40:44
So many memories of that place, the old barn we used to play, and the old stage. Once on a Sunday we were singing How Great Thou Art and Birch Monroe was hammering away on the steps backstage. I am so glad Dwight came in and rescued the place and made it into a landmark and Bill deserving place for folks to go. Birch Monroe was a piece of work, as were all the Monroe brothers and sister...and LORD knows I don't mean any disrespect...I loved that old man, was a Bluegrass Boy in 1952 and 1953, when I was 14 years old, Sometimes I miss him terribly. Lot of History right there. Lot of it.
If it's possible to be more disappointed in IBMA I would try to find it.
They issued a press release stating that Ralph Stanley was the last living person of the "Bluegrass originals." Which is so far from the truth that it isn't funny. I just can't see how anyone in such a high position can be so ...what? Stupid? Irresponsible? Does that fit. What about Curly Sechler, Bobby Osborne, MAC WISEMAN, for crying out loud.And Jesse McReynolds....They were all there in the 40's when this music was beginning, and helped it grow.AND WHEN I LAST CHECKED THEY WERE ALL STILL LIVING..
And they ask us to put our faith and trust in them and they know so little about out history. I couldn't be more outraged.
ralph stanley may not be the last of the bluegrass originals ,but who gives a dam at this very sad time of him passing.his singing ,incredible banjo playing skills and him being one of a kind for a very long time ongoing musical career will always be remembered as one of the truly greats in the bluegrass and gospel history ,regardless of anyones opinions.R.I.P ralph stanley
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Ralph is dead, I appreciate that. So is Earl, Lester, Bill, Cedric, Chubby, Benny, Carter, Mother Maybell, Don Reno, Rudy Lyles, and a whole slew of others...but MAC, BOBBY, JESSE, AND CURLEY ARE NOT. AND HELLO, THEY WERE THE ORIGINALS TOO. THAT IS THE FACT.
Me, I was playing the banjo in the late 40's. I'm just not sure if that qualifies...so just let it stand.
Sonny, I'm with you on the IBMA. How can they work for an organization and not know the CORRECT HISTORY of the music? I'm sorry Ralph is gone and he sure made his part of contributions to the music, but no more than the ones you mentioned. Evidently the IBMA, from what I have seen, has hired people who do not know anything about the music or why the IBMA was formed in the first place (I'm sure you and Doug Hutchens could set some folks straight on that). That's part of the reason I dropped my membership around 15 years ago. If that organization goes much further they will need to drop the name "Bluegrass" from it. Sorry for the rant, but I just think it's gotten far, far away from what it was put together for. Hope you're doing well Eric Ellis
I'm not too fond of the IBMA anymore. They LOVE focusing attention on the "Big Name" bluegrass bands that quite frankly don't sound like bluegrass anymore.
Sonny, I have a couple Chief questions. I just ran up on a maple Chief 3-06-127 and it still has the complete Hearts & Flowers inlay. My questions are, when did you go to the tomahawk inlay and is the serial number also the date.....3-06-127 meaning the banjo was built in March of 2006?
If these questions have been asked and answered before I apologize for asking you to go over it again. I did a "site search" and didn't come up with anything.....so I asked you.
Sonny, I apologize again.....I searched THIS site for info, who woulda thought to go search YOUR website! HA! So, I got my answer on the date but I'd still like to know about when you stopped the Hearts & Flowers inlay.
First of all, I'll check with Frank on when we switched to "hatchets." It was when Gibson was raising so much stink with someone for selling a banjo with Gibson name and inlay, and the banjo was NOT Gibson. I tend to agree with them, so I stopped using their inlay pattern's at that time. Gibson is no longer building banjos so I thought it to be OK on special orders to use the Hearts and Flowers, and Flying Eagle...I emphasize, SPECIAL ORDERS. If you want one, I'll do it.
That banjo, #3..6..127 went to Dale Christian and was sold to him by George Gruhn..
Now, THE BLUEGRASS MUSIC ORIGINALS.
I don't know why I didn't catch this before now, and why IBMA hasn't found the courage to make this fact known to it's followers...Perhaps the organization was too busy...TOO SOMETHING..to find out the actual history of it's namesake...SHAME SHAME!!!!
Bill Monroe...Lester Flatt...Earl Scruggs...Chubby Wise..and Cedric Rainwater (Howard Watts) were the originals. They were the first. And, if you really want to get technical, Bill had all four of those people with him, as Bluegrass Boys BEFORE his music was referred to as BLUEGRASS MUSIC. Sometime after Earl came, it became Bluegrass Music. That band however was..THE ONLY ORIGINALS. Everyone else was a spinoff of that band. EVERYONE.
So, The last man standing is a joke..a bad joke that we all accepted. Now, like George Australia said.."who gives a damn"...maybe most of you don't, but I do, and if any of you are offended by this subject, or my opinions, I apologize to you. I am what I am, and it is what it is.
First of all, I'll check with Frank on when we switched to "hatchets." It was when Gibson was raising so much stink with someone for selling a banjo with Gibson name and inlay, and the banjo was NOT Gibson. I tend to agree with them, so I stopped using their inlay pattern's at that time. Gibson is no longer building banjos so I thought it to be OK on special orders to use the Hearts and Flowers, and Flying Eagle...I emphasize, SPECIAL ORDERS. If you want one, I'll do it.
That banjo, #3..6..127 went to Dale Christian and was sold to him by George Gruhn..
s
Thanks Sonny, Dale Christian is the man I bought it from.
Hey Chief! I heard the Osborne Brothers play at the Everett Brothers' Barn several times at Thanksgiving weekend. During one of those shows, they made an announcement for the owner of such and such a car to move their car because someone had gotten sick and needed to leave. A man stood up in the middle of the congregation and started stepping over people to go move his car. You told the man to go ahead and move his car and y'all would not play another song till he got back. You said, "Just as sure as we play another song while he's gone, it would be his favorite song and he would not get to hear it." You then talked to the whole congregation until the man got back and sat down. That was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. You were great and I'll never forget it. Thanks for some great times listening to great music! Banjofrog
First of all, I'll check with Frank on when we switched to "hatchets." It was when Gibson was raising so much stink with someone for selling a banjo with Gibson name and inlay, and the banjo was NOT Gibson. I tend to agree with them, so I stopped using their inlay pattern's at that time. Gibson is no longer building banjos so I thought it to be OK on special orders to use the Hearts and Flowers, and Flying Eagle...I emphasize, SPECIAL ORDERS. If you want one, I'll do it.
That banjo, #3..6..127 went to Dale Christian and was sold to him by George Gruhn..
s
Thanks Sonny, Dale Christian is the man I bought it from.
First of all, I'll check with Frank on when we switched to "hatchets." It was when Gibson was raising so much stink with someone for selling a banjo with Gibson name and inlay, and the banjo was NOT Gibson. I tend to agree with them, so I stopped using their inlay pattern's at that time. Gibson is no longer building banjos so I thought it to be OK on special orders to use the Hearts and Flowers, and Flying Eagle...I emphasize, SPECIAL ORDERS. If you want one, I'll do it.
That banjo, #3..6..127 went to Dale Christian and was sold to him by George Gruhn..
Now, THE BLUEGRASS MUSIC ORIGINALS.
I don't know why I didn't catch this before now, and why IBMA hasn't found the courage to make this fact known to it's followers...Perhaps the organization was too busy...TOO SOMETHING..to find out the actual history of it's namesake...SHAME SHAME!!!!
Bill Monroe...Lester Flatt...Earl Scruggs...Chubby Wise..and Cedric Rainwater (Howard Watts) were the originals. They were the first. And, if you really want to get technical, Bill had all four of those people with him, as Bluegrass Boys BEFORE his music was referred to as BLUEGRASS MUSIC. Sometime after Earl came, it became Bluegrass Music. That band however was..THE ONLY ORIGINALS. Everyone else was a spinoff of that band. EVERYONE.
So, The last man standing is a joke..a bad joke that we all accepted. Now, like George Australia said.."who gives a damn"...maybe most of you don't, but I do, and if any of you are offended by this subject, or my opinions, I apologize to you. I am what I am, and it is what it is.
s
sonny, thank you for clearing that up, (in my mind) i never understood how people said that anyone after the 1st b.g. band were 1st gen. where it might get sticky is trying to fiqure out who the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc gen people were
hmmm, dont know about that. chubby and howard went on to other things, but i still consider them 1st gen lester and earl left bill, and started their own band in the style to later become bluegrass. they were a part of the original band. how about don reno? i think he also would qualify for 1st gen, as he was offered the job before earl. this could be interesting , might even need its own thread?
