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gailg64 - Posted - 01/23/2010: 16:20:53
Here's a fine example of the type of unpretentious but wonderful banjo picking once very common in the NC Piedmont. It's Margaret Martin, of Raleigh, 3-finger picking in a simple but effective melodic roll style. There were variations of this, sometimes with 2-fingers and sometimes 3 fingers, sometimes played thumb lead & out of chord shapes. ("flat chording"). Banjo historian Bob Winans came across this sort of style many times all over the South prior to the 70s, and people simply called it "old country picking" to distinguish it from bluegrass.
Wayne Martin-fiddle; Margaret Martin-banjo, Gerry Overton-guitar.
The clip is from the CD release concert of the PineCone/NC Arts Council's CD, Goin' Down to Raleigh. The CD has stringband music with several banjo styles, most of which are fingerpicking. Gerry Overton, shown playing guitar here, is the son of the late A. C. Overton, who was an old-time 2-finger player. Gerry can be heard playing his dad's version of "House Carpenter", 2-finger style, on another clip in this series. Margaret played backup guitar with A. C. for many years & has her own 3-finger banjo style, though she also plays some tunes in A.C.'s style.
youtube.com/watch?v=VIV...68&index=1
tct1w - Posted - 01/23/2010: 16:58:15
Thats pretty cool. Thanks for the history and the post . Enjoyed it
chip arnold - Posted - 01/23/2010: 18:39:11
Wow, thanks Gail. She gets lots of melody in there but keeps it simple at the same time. Really nice.
chip arnold - Posted - 01/23/2010: 18:44:17
The House Carpenter is clip #3. He's playing in a thumb lead style with the melody in the forefront. This is really nice stuff Gail, thank you :-)
chip arnold - Posted - 01/23/2010: 18:56:08
Mr Overton is playing banjo on clip #4. Gail, this sounds like index lead to me....do you know?
Marvin Gaster is on #5 playing his inex lead 2-finger style. He keeps his thumb on the 5th string.
A.C. on #6 what beautiful, flowing banjo.
majikgator - Posted - 01/23/2010: 21:34:03
very nice stuff, all of it
Jami108 - Posted - 01/24/2010: 08:43:38
Thanks Gail. This is really good stuff. I wasn't aware of A.C. Overton: another index lead, two finger banjo picker.
gailg64 - Posted - 01/24/2010: 14:08:17
Margaret is the expert on A. C.'s style, but he had a complicated style & was all over the place--index lead some of the time & thumb lead at others. He also had some unusual work-arounds to keep a flowing roll going---whatever he needed to get out that melody!
There's a video of him up on YouTube playing at his home with Margaret & Wayne. I have a bunch of home videos I shot that are on digital cassette that I need to transfer to DVD before my Handycam dies.
GG
quote:
Originally posted by Jami108
Thanks Gail. This is really good stuff. I wasn't aware of A.C. Overton: another index lead, two finger banjo picker.
mgoers - Posted - 01/26/2010: 11:43:26
Thanks Gail. The banjo nicely compliments the fiddle on this tune as well.
brokenstrings - Posted - 03/17/2010: 22:54:47
I wish they'd sing the songs.
Bill Rogers - Posted - 03/18/2010: 10:08:42
Great stuff Gail; thanks. The internet has certainly changed the means of transmission for, in particular, instrumental "folk" music.
howbah - Posted - 03/18/2010: 19:29:37
quote:
Originally posted by brokenstrings
I wish they'd sing the songs.
I wish there was such a thing as a "mute fiddle" button so I could listen to the other instruments if I wanted to.
maryzcox - Posted - 03/20/2010: 16:01:05
This is a really nice fingerpicking style.
youtube.com/watch?v=gFCUiLV5lB...e=related
My eyesight is not good enough to tell if it is two or three finger--Gail, you will probably be able to tell.
Also, Chip, is he leading with his thumb or finger? He is definitely dropping it down off the fifth string some. 
Best wishes,
Mary Z. Cox
maryzcox.com
janolov - Posted - 03/21/2010: 01:01:59
quote:
Originally posted by maryzcox
This is a really nice fingerpicking style.
youtube.com/watch?v=gFCUiLV5lB...e=related
My eyesight is not good enough to tell if it is two or three finger--Gail, you will probably be able to tell.
Also, Chip, is he leading with his thumb or finger? He is definitely dropping it down off the fifth string some.
Best wishes,
Mary Z. Cox
maryzcox.com
I think this is a typical classic banjo piece played by three fingers. It's neither thumb lead nor index lead. The lead varies with all three fingers.
majikgator - Posted - 03/21/2010: 14:57:47
i know this an old post but like Brokenstrings yes i wish they (and everybody) would sing. When i listen to music now; and it's been like this all my life' i like to listen to songs with vocals and occasional instrumentals. In the OT scene of late it seems to be the opposite.
