Durwood Edwards - Posted - 09/18/2012:  08:16:06

I recently ran across this ancient photo. Members pictured, from left to right::

Frank "Eleven-Toes" Greathouse, Mandolin; Jim Watson, Guitar; Mike "The Sensuous Boykin" Boykin, Bass; Durwood "Joel W. Sweeney" Edwards, Banjo and Harmonica; Leroy Savage, Human Voice.

Edited by - Durwood Edwards on 09/28/2012 16:29:23

New Deal String Band ca. 1971

TLG - Posted - 09/18/2012:  09:16:11

I have one of their albums

2many5s - Posted - 09/18/2012:  09:44:36

Cool. 

 

I saw one taken at a gig in a church, I believe. Lookin' good, Durwood.

carlb - Posted - 09/20/2012:  06:49:40

I always thought that the New Deal String Band was the one Tom Paley put together in England.

wildernessroad.net/tompaley/

"In England, he worked together, from about 1966, with Joe Locker and a series of fiddlers as the NEW DEAL STRING BAND. The NDSB was temporarily laid on the shelf in the late ?70s but has been revived in recent years with Tom's son, Ben, joining Tom and Joe as principal fiddler (though, in 1975, after many years on guitar and banjo, Tom took up fiddle, as well, so the NDSB now has two fiddlers)."

pickNgrin - Posted - 09/21/2012:  09:10:48

quote:

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Originally posted by carlb

I always thought that the New Deal String Band was the one Tom Paley put together in England.

 

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I guess there must have been two bands with that name. The original post is about a band out of Raleigh, NC that was popular in the late 60's and early 70's. They are featured in the movie Bluegrass Country Soul, which is a documentary about the Camp Spring bluegrass festival in 1971. Here are some of the members jamming in the field:

Edited by - pickNgrin on 09/21/2012 09:12:15

granada40 - Posted - 09/21/2012:  13:52:39

That clip of them playing is INCREDIBLE!

DannyB4 - Posted - 09/21/2012:  18:33:36

...it is, there were several compilations of that group with Leroy Savage being the anchor.......

arby3 - Posted - 09/21/2012:  19:31:26

Great photo, Durwood.  That would be the "mighty fine" Jim Watson on guitar.  About that same time, we did put together a very short-lived group with Jim Watson, Jim Wann, Jerry Stuart, and myself.

Gene

rupickin5 - Posted - 09/22/2012:  05:57:44

Cool photo Durwood...you guys look like the Allman Bros. How soon after this pic did you relocate to the Bay Area?

Brian

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 09/28/2012:  16:28:46

quote:

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Originally posted by rupickin5

Cool photo Durwood...you guys look like the Allman Bros. How soon after this pic did you relocate to the Bay Area?

Brian

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This was after I left SF.

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 09/28/2012:  16:34:07

quote:

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Originally posted by carlb

I always thought that the New Deal String Band was the one Tom Paley put together in England.

wildernessroad.net/tompaley/

"In England, he worked together, from about 1966, with Joe Locker and a series of fiddlers as the NEW DEAL STRING BAND. The NDSB was temporarily laid on the shelf in the late ?70s but has been revived in recent years with Tom's son, Ben, joining Tom and Joe as principal fiddler (though, in 1975, after many years on guitar and banjo, Tom took up fiddle, as well, so the NDSB now has two fiddlers)."

Here's the real story about 

 I had also been a member of the first iteration of the New Deal String Band in 1966. I was playing at mandolin in a pick-up bluegrass band of NC State students on the front porch of 106 Ashe Avenue (a well-established party house that had been my home for my last two years at school) when an un-indicted co-conspirator came by and told us about a new fiddler's convention down the road in Level Cross, the home of Richard Petty Racing. We decided to drive over and enter the band competition just for something to do, somewhere else to play and someone else to play for. We walked into the high school “gym-torium”, found the registration table, and declared our intentions.

“OK, boys, what's the name of your band?”

This unexpected query stopped us completely. You would have thought we had been asked to find the square root of Pi. A name? We had not given any thought to that idea, at all. But a name was required to make the forms look nice for the judges, so we withdrew a few paces and caucused. Our lead singer, Jim Field, who had just moved to Raleigh from Boston, said that Tom Paley (of the New Lost City Ramblers) had told him that he had come up with a great name for a band, but it was not in use at that time, so surely it was public domain: The New Deal String Band!

“Yeah, let's be that,” we all agreed.

Turning once again to the registration table, “Put that down.”

So, with Fiddlin' Al McCanless, William “Buck” Peacock on lead guitar, Rodney Hutchins on banjo, Bob “Quail” White on upright bass, Jim on guitar and lead vocals, and me, holding the mandolin, took the stage, suitably identified as The New Deal String Band and played our two allotted tunes: Bill Monroe's “Hard to Travel”, and for an instrumental, “Ol' Joe Clark”. In spite of our long-haired avant-garde appearance and the slightly muffled derisive and threatening remarks from the audience, we managed to escape unshorn, with the red ribbon of the Second Place Band, while Rodney carried home the Grand Champion Banjo trophy! After an undistinguished appearance in one more contest, the name fell back into disuse, until resurrected a few years later. Buck, Quail and Fiddlin’ Al added my first banjo student, Gene Knight to the band, then inserted, Frank Greathouse on mandolin and Leroy Savage on the human voice. This group went on to sign a recording contract and placed the term, “New Grass” in the musical vernacular.

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rupickin5 - Posted - 09/29/2012:  06:11:24

Thanks for the great read Durwood...nice bit of writing. What ever happened to Rocky...? I filled in w/ Rosebud, for a Portland Brewing Co. October Fest, several years ago, as they couldn't locate Rocky for their "reunion" gig...but I knew the Kornhauser's...fun gig...Buck played it.

Brian

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 09/29/2012:  11:49:32

I played with Rosebud in Underground Atlanta for a couple of weeks about 1972 or so. I wish I could remember the name of the player I replaced, but right now all I recall is that he had hanged himself (accidentally).

Rodney ... hmmm... I hate to say either dead or in jail, but I think one of those is right. I bet Gene Knight knows.

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 10/01/2012:  13:21:02

I guess there must have been two bands with that name. The original post is about a band out of Raleigh, NC that was popular in the late 60's and early 70's. They are featured in the movie Bluegrass Country Soul, which is a documentary about the Camp Spring bluegrass festival in 1971. Here are some of the members jamming in the field:

 

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The video shows two of the finest fiddlers ever: Fiddlin' Al McCanles on the left with Kenny Kosek (sunglasses) Bob "Quail" White on bass, Frank Greathouse on mandolin and Gene Knight, banjo. I think I saw Leroy Savage running for cover in one shot. I do not know the guitar player (anybody?).

arby3 - Posted - 10/01/2012:  17:09:39

Durwood,  I think the banjo player you replaced was Mike Nikolai (sp?).  Nobody seems to know what happened to Rodney (Rocky).  He left Atlanta for Nashville under questionable circumstances.  At one time there was a Rodney Hutchens listed as the owner of an ice cream shop in Nashville named Eskimo Joe's.  Rodney drove an ice cream truck in Atlanta, so maybe a connection?  Buck Peacock knows a lot of this stuff.

Gene

arby3 - Posted - 10/01/2012:  17:27:27

I've heard Buck identify the guitar player in the Camp Springs video, but can't recall the name.  Jack Lawrence can be seen briefly in the video, sitting on the ground leaning against a car.  Leroy wasn't playing but can be heard saying, "Alright" at the end of the tune.

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 10/01/2012:  19:16:02

quote:

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Originally posted by arby3

Durwood,  I think the banjo player you replaced was Mike Nikolai (sp?).  Nobody seems to know what happened to Rodney (Rocky).  He left Atlanta for Nashville under questionable circumstances.  At one time there was a Rodney Hutchens listed as the owner of an ice cream shop in Nashville named Eskimo Joe's.  Rodney drove an ice cream truck in Atlanta, so maybe a connection?  Buck Peacock knows a lot of this stuff.

Gene

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yeah, that was Rodney with an ice cream truck in Nashville too. But I totally lost track of him. 

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Durwood Edwards - Posted - 10/01/2012:  19:18:20

quote:

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Originally posted by arby3

Durwood,  I think the banjo player you replaced was Mike Nikolai (sp?).  Nobody seems to know what happened to Rodney (Rocky).  He left Atlanta for Nashville under questionable circumstances.  At one time there was a Rodney Hutchens listed as the owner of an ice cream shop in Nashville named Eskimo Joe's.  Rodney drove an ice cream truck in Atlanta, so maybe a connection?  Buck Peacock knows a lot of this stuff.

Gene

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Mike Nicolai (sp?) that was the guy. He made really nice inlaid rosewood belt buckles.

Yeah, that was Rodney with an ice cream truck in Nashville too. But I totally lost track of him. 

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jfb - Posted - 10/01/2012:  19:47:00

Here is a link to our banjo buddy Gene that features some of the former members..great singing and picking by Gene and the band..

ourstate.com/sidetrack/

35TB1 - Posted - 10/02/2012:  10:36:12

that ol wreath is one of the greatest 5's ever,and the neck is better than perfect....the man behind that 5 in the camp springs video can blow your mind to while playing that thing!!!

rupickin5 - Posted - 10/02/2012:  10:52:51

John (jfb), thanks for the link to the cool story (by Gene's talented daughter) & the release of their "old friend's" album. Gene sounds great as do the rest of the group! Gene your banjo's dangerously good!

Durwood & Gene, also in that Camp Springs video clip are the following: standing to the right of the guitar player is blond-haired Barrington Rhode Island's own John Kornhauser...currently in the Bay Area. And, sitting on the ground (first in a lawn-chair) smoking a cig & drinking something is one of Tulsa OK's finest banjer & guitar pickers John Lanford. 

Ah, those were the days!

Brian

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 10/02/2012:  14:29:51

John and Alan Kornhauser! What fine guys they are (or used to be anyway) ;)
John and I had an idea for a comic strip called "Adventures in Maintenance" starring a character named Delco Remy. Last I knew of Alan was when he was working for Anchor Steam Brewery.

Gene Knight was my first ever banjo student. For his third lesson, he taught me how to play Bill Keith's lead on "Turkey in the Straw". He was a pretty quick study!

I wann go back (but just for a couple of weeks!)

pickNgrin - Posted - 10/02/2012:  14:40:48

I bet you dudes never thought people would be watching that video in the year 2012! Durwood... if you get that time machine perfected, I want to go back too! I was too young the first time around.  Those old festivals are the stuff of legend to me.

-matt

Edited by - pickNgrin on 10/02/2012 14:47:19

2many5s - Posted - 10/02/2012:  16:33:35

quote:

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Originally posted by Durwood Edwards

John and Alan Kornhauser! What fine guys they are (or used to be anyway) ;)

John and I had an idea for a comic strip called "Adventures in Maintenance" starring a character named Delco Remy. Last I knew of Alan was when he was working for Anchor Steam Brewery.



Gene Knight was my first ever banjo student. For his third lesson, he taught me how to play Bill Keith's lead on "Turkey in the Straw". He was a pretty quick study!



I wann go back (but just for a couple of weeks!)

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Wow, Al Kornhauser.



As I recall, when you and I saw them at Underground Atlanta, Al had a Gibson solid body electric mandolin (Gibson F-5 replica. I think he built it, or had it built).



It was unfinished (as in no stain or lacquer) and, at the end of their last set, he turned up his Fender Twin and played All Along The Watchtower on it, feedback and all.



Did we stay in a house with them while we were there? Think I remember that. I learned of the existence of Dr Bronners Peppermint Soap, which, BTW, I still use to this day.

dmiller - Posted - 10/02/2012:  16:52:16

This is a great read!  Love hearing History like this.  

One question - - Why the nickname "Eleven - Toes"??    

rupickin5 - Posted - 10/02/2012:  17:07:48

why the eleven toes you ask?...cuz Frank has 11-toes. I ran into Frank almost two years ago...at a weekly/monthly(?) evening bluegrass(ish) jam in an alley off  the square in the old downtown area in Ft. Myers FL. Apparently Frank has a music store near there(?). He was called up onto the stage to join some ad hoc local band. I told my wife..."I played some gigs w/ him & Jack Lawrence around Raleigh NC almost 30 years ago!" I thought "I'll reminisce w/ him". That didn't turn out like I thought it would...he was fairly inebriated & decidedly "rude"...must have something to do w/ having 11 toes...or being "in the tank"! So much for "the old days" lol

Brian

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 10/02/2012:  20:31:14

I remember a festival in about 1972  at George Jones and Tammy Wynettes's plantation near Lakeland Florida. This was one of Carlton Haney's last festivals. Frank and Leroy got into one of their patented confrontations. We had slept beside my grey Ford Econoline van (The infamous "Awesome Possum to Beanblossom") in the ditch outside the property the night before the grounds opened and Leroy woke up yelling for Tammy to "Come here, Tammy, baby!"  Well, this upset Frank Greathouse, greatly and set the stage for further conflict later that evening. Frank was upset because Leroy never took anything seriously enough for his tastes and tended to party to excess. They really got into it and almost came to blows, but fisticuffs were averted. 

Next morning, Del McCoury came strolling through our campsite and observed, "You boys sure know how to have a good time!"

As soon as all the statute of limitations run out I am going to write it all down.



Frank can be a little surly when inebriated. I noticed in the video that Frank was demonstrating his penchant for avoiding a tune's melody whenever possible. I learned a lot from him!

Capt. Spence: We did indeed stay at John's in Atlanta. I remember waking up one morning at his place in NYC to the sound and effect of their pet rabbit pissing against the wall. Anyone who has never see a rabbit piss, take fifteen steps back!

Edited by - Durwood Edwards on 10/02/2012 20:45:29

dmiller - Posted - 10/02/2012:  21:00:40

arby3 - Posted - 10/03/2012:  09:15:51

I'm glad I'd left the band when Love Potion became part of the repertoire.  Some things fit, some don't IMHO.  Yeah, Frank can get pretty surly when things don't go to suit him, bless his heart, though I certainly can't claim to always be a happy camper.  Band dynamics....what a joy!

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 10/03/2012:  09:30:56

quote:

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Originally posted by arby3

I'm glad I'd left the band when Love Potion became part of the repertoire.  Some things fit, some don't IMHO. 

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My Daddy always taught me:

"Most of the time pushing the envelope is preferable to dragging it behind you, but not always."

arby3 - Posted - 10/03/2012:  09:38:43

Another Frank story:  Ben Helms had just pulled his Jaguar XKE up the driveway at Ashe Ave. (during one of the infamous weekend parties) as Frank was walking down.  Without breaking stride, Frank walked up the car's hood, stepped over the windshield and seats, and proceeded down the trunk and on down the driveway.   I guess it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Sorry...had to tell it.

GK

Ebanjo - Posted - 10/03/2012:  19:28:20

I'm sure enjoying reading all these adventures of the New Deal Boys.
Eric Ellis

Durwood Edwards - Posted - 10/04/2012:  06:29:30

Here's  a pic a few years after NDSB. ​1927 GIbson RB-3 with Baby Humbucker inside!

Burning Banjos

35TB1 - Posted - 10/04/2012:  07:47:12

Gene you sound great on everything ive ever heard, so you would dang sure sound great on love potion #9...i just dont think people know what Leroy can actually do with his voice, WHEN he's one his game,its mind blowing!

arby3 - Posted - 10/04/2012:  16:02:35

Thanks for the kind words, Brian.  I always enjoy pickin' with you and all of your incredibly talented family. 

Yep, Leroy's mellowed just a little, but he can still belt 'em out with the best of them.

Gene