Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/08/2013:  04:24:02

Bob, That is exactly right!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/08/2013:  05:22:30

RIVER NEWS!

Folks do I have some news for you.... Due to river levels We were not able to go up the Mississippi past Alton, Illinois. The river was just too low. Several towboats grounded.

So we turned around...

So Now I'm writing this post from Louisville, Kentucky home of the Belle of Louisville and the Kentucky Derby. Tonight we depart for Cincinnati, Ohio.

We have been having a wonderful time. It is interesting  how mother nature still calls the shots!

I have so many photos that it may take me a day or so to play catch up here on the BanjoHangout.

Here is a close up of ( I think) William Clark from a statue commenting the Louis and Clark expedition in Saint Louis...

And their faithful dog (from the same statue).

A very nice 4 piece Dixieland band started the trip from Saint Louis. Notice the 4 string Deering. The cat playing the tuba was great!

Snark tuners are useful for more than one thing!

In Alton, Illinois this was the view from my window Sunday morning. It is the Argosy casino. The center boat looks as though it might have once been a real side wheel steamboat. I've been trying to research it on the internet and can yet find nothing definitive about it.

The confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers...

Another great banjo class. It is wonderful how they all get it! I always hope that some will continue and perhaps join us here on the Hangout.

Sunset on the Mississippi.

I love the neat way the lines are rolled. This has always fascinated me from my first trip years ago until today.

We spent a very nice half a day in Paducah, Kentucky. Debra and I hung out with Samuel Clements, went to Wal Mart, Kerchoff bakery (wonderful bread! we still have a small amount) looked at the cool old houses and forgot to bring my camera. This is the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers as we depart Paducah, Kentucky.

Wheel wash...

We have spent a nice amount of time with the owner of these very colorful socks. She is from Toccoa, Georgia (a town I lived in as a little boy) and remembers my folks, aunt, uncle, cousins and my brothers from that time. What a treat!

Eddie playing a Calliope duet with Jo Ann.

Yes Martha that's me a RED NECK COFFEE ROASTING in  Henderson, Kentucky.

Henderson is a town blessed with some of the most beautiful Victorian houses that I have ever seen. Debbie and I wondered the streets for two and a half hours enraptured with these homes.

 The movie A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN was filmed (partially) in this house. The locals have some not-so- good reviews of Madonna's behavior in, we were told more than one tale.

Another photo of the same home.

More from the river (hopefully) soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/09/2013:  04:02:57

TO LOUISVILLE

I love river life! There is nothing like it on this planet!

Traveling along with friends, Going from town to town picking and singing... What could be better?

Newburg lock and dam on the Ohio river...

Leaving Newburg...

Mordor... at least that;s what Eddie Coffey said that this coal fired power plant reminded him of...

My buddy Samuel Clements and I...

In Louisville, the BELLE OF LOUISVILLE docked on the river front.

My grandso Alax recieves expert driving instructions from the piolet P.T.

Debra, Alex, our son John and I went across the river to visit the HOWARD STEAMBOAT MUSEUM. We didn't know what to expect, but were greeted by the Howard mansion an amazingly beautiful place filled with steamboat memorabilia.

These stained glass wendows were on the first floor landing.

The living room built by artisans who worked at the Howard ship yards. Looks like a steamboat doesn't it!

The end of the hand rail...

We wore Alex out...

More soon...

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 08/09/2013 04:17:54

DEmery - Posted - 08/09/2013:  06:51:43

Dan it looks like a fine time and the scenery is great. My guess with these photos and updates; your thread will bump over 60K this weekend. That is a lot of folks following "A Luthier's Life." David E.

DEmery - Posted - 08/10/2013:  11:33:41

Dan we lived in Missouri for three years and I recall taking the kids up in the arch when they were small. It make me a little queasy being uneasy with high spots. It is an unusual place. Did you take in the museum under the arch on the "gateway to the west?" Very nice. Straight across is the Adams Mark Hotel. A nice place and one I attended lots of management events while working 25 years with State Farm Insurance. Union Station is close and another nice place to visit. St. Louis is a nice town and I have plenty of memories of that area. David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/10/2013:  11:44:31

David,

In a past life (6 or 7 years ago) I visited most of those spots that you mentioned. While in the arch the 3 of us did visit all of the exhibits. It is quite the place. Until I got used to it I was fairly uneasy. Then fascination took over. One of the fellers that worked there said that he is afraid of heights and NEVER looks out the windows,,,hum...

C Nyal de Kaye - Posted - 08/10/2013:  14:43:38

You sure have a hard life Dan - how do you put up with it?

I must admit that Samuel Clement still looks good and strong, despite his advancing years. Must be the river life. I haven't read much from him lately though, does he still write?

DEmery - Posted - 08/10/2013:  17:30:45

Dan your thread just broke over 60,000 views. How about that sir........... David E.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/10/2013:  19:30:32

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU GREAT PEOPLE!!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/10/2013:  20:48:33

THE SHOW

We had a big time doing a Verity Show here on the QUEEN on Thursday. We were a wide ranging a bunch. Eddie and I opened the show with a few tunes...

Here we are performing the Chicken Song.

Next out came Samuel Clements to speak about steamboats landing in Hannibal. We backed him with John Hartford's Steam Powered Areoplane.

Next came the great operatic baritone Steve Markum who performed several pieces with his pianist Jo Ann Funk. Joe Ann  who is a great Jazz singer in her own right, also performed several pieces with eddie playing bass.

We finished the night with all our cast of criminals singing the Carter Family song Will the Circle Be unbroken.

More soon....

Aradobanjo - Posted - 08/10/2013:  21:06:31

Hello Dan,

Welcome to Cincinnati. This is in the neck of  the woods for may Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Hangout members. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/11/2013:  19:12:51

OHIO RIVER

RIVER TIME / NEWPORT, KENTUCKY

Headnin' into Newport, Headnin' into Newport, Headnin' into Newport on a summers day.

What a nice day we had Friday and Saturday in Newport, Kentucky (just across the great Ohio river from Cincinnati, Ohio. Here it is our visit in photos ... sorry That I don't have a song for it!

Here are a few photos of the Ohio rive as we head into Cincinnati...

Cincinnati skyline comes into view...

The Belle of Cincinnati & the Island Queen (I think)...

Capt. P.T. as we head into the landing...

After we landed we had a wonderful visit from a great BanjoHangout member Bob Campbell. You will remember him with "Pop's Banjo" of a month or so back. We had a great time showing him around our little home away from home and yackin' about kids, grandkids & banjos. Here Bob gets my minstrel banjo to sing!

Capt. Kenny, off boat checks out the new Stephen Colbert book with 3-d glasses...

More soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/11/2013:  19:26:59

Thanks John!

Aradobanjo - Posted - 08/11/2013:  20:21:05

Hello Dan,

I was unaware of when you were coming to Cincinnati. I do apologize for missing you and your team. Looks like your stay was well other than cloudy and rain. This has been a wet summer.

tendogman - Posted - 08/12/2013:  06:56:49

Dan,

What a visit…. Thank you for having me. I just had a blast… What wonderful people you and Debbie are. I just felt like I’ve known y’all, all of my life. Your home away from home is a beautiful vessel. I’ve been on both the Belle and the Island Queen here in Cincinnati but their nothing like "The Queen of The Mississippi". How nice…. It makes me really miss seeing the old Delta Queen down here on the river, big time.



It was so much fun passing the yarn and playing banjos with you. You were the easiest person to play with for this old beginner, very relaxing. So much fun……… Thanks for playing Pop’s old banjo for me. The way it should be played. My Grandpa (Pop) would be proud and very happy. I'd even bet that he was dancing a jig as you would playing.



For me to be one of the very first to ever play the great “Mandora d'Amore” was so sweet and what a nice sound. OMG…. but another jewel of the jewels was playing that sweet jewel in the photo.



Dan, we will play together again, someday, somewhere down the road or down on the river.!!!!!



Bob

The Queen of the Mississippi

Jamming in the Stateroom

The jewel of jewles

 

Tim Sander - Posted - 08/15/2013:  08:10:17

Dan, I wish I had known you would be in Cincinnati.  Another BHO'er and banjo builder, Ron Walker, and I would love to have met you while you were here.

Looks like you are enjoying a wonderful river experience, though.  Have fun!

Tim Sander

ronwalker49 - Posted - 08/15/2013:  10:09:26

Yep, I would have dropped everything for the chance to meet you in person Dan..

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/15/2013:  15:56:56

Bob,

I was wonderful being able to spend a bit of time pickin' and introducing you to the Queen. I'm very glad that you enjoyed your time with us.

Tim & Ron,

I'd have enjoyed being able to talk Banjo with both of you. Perhaps soon I can again make a trip up in your direction. Now that I have a beautiful new Cincinnati Reds Tee shirt (Thanks Bob!) I must return!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/15/2013:  17:40:31

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MADISON, INDIANA - LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY

The weary travelers just returned home.

Paris, our home town looked very much unchanged, until we drove into our neighborhood, A abandoned house 3 blocks away had burned (not totally unexpected), the grass was some what high (not unexpected either) but our dog Sophie jumped with joy to see us (hoped for). Now she won't let us out of her sight.

Posting on the boat can be spotty for two reasons: sometimes the internet is just not there and ofttimes I am too tired to be able to concentrate and I just go off to sleep. So you see all of that big preamble is only here to explain that this and the next couple of posts will be catch up...

We cast off with the tide (I always wanted to say that! I realize there's no tide on the river) Saturday afternoon and headed south (river talk) to Madison, Indiana. This just happens to be my favorite photo of the Belle of Cincinnati.

The Majestic Show Boat. She is the last of her breed on the rivers. In older times there were many of these. Most pushed by steam powered tow boats into river towns where they might stay a few days and provide the locals much needed entertainment.

Now she struggles to survive here under the bridge in Cincinnati.

Underway, I give a RED NECK COFFEE ROASTING class.

Madison, Indiana, a small river town just a few years older than my town, is filled with beautiful Victorian buildings. We wondered in awe.

These are just a taste. I recommend visiting for the whole meal.

Franz Neumeier, a reporter and a a true river man who has ridden nearly all of the overnight riverboats,  is a lover of Banjo and John Hartford and is from Munich, Germany. We celebrated his 46th. birthday yesterday.

Louisville, Kentucky.

More real soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/15/2013:  18:23:34

8 MORE MILES FROM LOUISVILLE

We spent an evening and part of a day in Louisville on this trip. Debbie, Eddie & I went out to Azteca Mexican grill  (on Main St.) for a fine lunch. The guacamole is hand made at your table and is some of the best I've ever had. I could have made a whole meal from it. Then we walked around in the rain with our Son John and Grandson Alec and visited the Louisville Slugger Factory & Museum... good times!

Here we have just cast off from the bank and are turning to enter McCalpine lock by Louisville... 

Each day I've painted just a little... I be giving these small paintings to a few of the crew.

Meet Crackhead... he is the head of a shillelagh made from clay. He has been dropped, broken and repaired so many times that Eddie thus named him!

Prison views...

This lady fell in love with Crackhead...

This was a wild show with a soul of its very own. It took off and decided that the show list was not where it wanted to go. So we got on and had a wild wonderful ride!

Mark Twain joins us again!

More Soon...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/17/2013:  07:25:16

OH ITS GOOD TO BE HOME AGAIN

There is nothing quite like sitting at my table,  drinking a morning cup of coffee and writing a BanjoHangout post... This one should be the last of my catch up on the river posts. Today I'll be back in the shop for just a little while, so I might have to post about cleaning or something!

Back to the post at hand...

This is a view from the bow of the Queen as we are in Newburg Lock & Dam. Newburg is a few miles above Evansville, Indiana and Henderson, Kentucky.

Crackhead needed a amputation of his leg so he could fit into Mirim's purse, so I went with Robert (the first mate) down into the bowels of the Queen and sawed away. I used my old musical saw (the only saw handy) to remove the extra wood. It brought back good memories of when I first learned to saw using this particular tool. Too bad I haven't kept the teeth sharpened!

Smoothing the amputation...

Crackhead with his happy new owner.

Eddie and I playing an afternoon show outside of Henderson. Here I'm playing Over The Rainbow on the Mandora d' Amore. Folks response to this instrument has been very good.

In Henderson I led about 20 guests on a walking tour of the old part of town. I've never been a tour guide before... It was a hoot showing how little that I knew. Still I did know where a bunch of these beautiful houses were and so there we went!

Back underway we spotted these birds. At first I thought they were vultures. But no, they were bald eagles. I've never seen so many together at any times on these rivers. There were perhaps 25-30 birds in this flock. What a sight! Shooting photos into the sun was not good, this was the best of the bunch.

From our last show onboard... Steve led us in acting out rowing in Row, Row, Row.

Then the final tune, "Will the Circle be Unbroken".

More soon...

Dave1climber - Posted - 08/17/2013:  10:35:47

The paid vacation has come to an end!!  

CAPT Steve - Posted - 08/17/2013:  11:31:45

Hey Dan--All your river travels got me to thinking about the DELTA QUEEN.  I did some inspection work on her when she was in a yard period in New Orleans back in the early '80s.  Really interesting old boat with horizontal reciprocating boilers.  Took an annual act of Congress to keep her underway (mostly couldn't meet the structural fire protection standards for a passenger ship).  Found out that time had run out for her.  She's now a floating hotel in Chattanooga.  Glad to see she's still around; at least she survived in some form.  At least one of her fleetmates, the MISSISSIPPI QUEEN, a much newer and larger riverboat, was sold for scrap.

Steve

banjeaux bob - Posted - 08/17/2013:  12:23:20

Dan,if want to see even more eagles in one spot at one time,go to Southeast Alaska!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/17/2013:  18:30:41

Dave,

As my buddy Eddie Coffey says, "How can you complain about working on a riverboat?" He told me that he asked his wife about his 10 AM cookie and afternoon nap!

Bob,

I'd love to see those eagles!

Steve,

Here are some photos of the Delta Queen and the Mississippi Queen. I performed on both these boats and miss them!

The Mississippi Queen being hauled away for scrap...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/17/2013:  19:09:04

While we are thinking about steamboats... I'm wondering Does anyone know of  any recording of John Hartford reading Steamboat in a Corn Field? Even a live field recording would do.

CAPT Steve - Posted - 08/17/2013:  21:21:20

Dan--that last picture's a sad one.  Barbaric!  And I know that has been the fate of most ships (that haven't sunk).  It's just taking these noble vessels to such an ignoble finale.  I think in terms of ships, I was definitely born 100+ years too late.  As incredible as many of the modern ships are, and they are, there's just something about a riverboat, or, even more, a beautiful sailing ship that moves me powerfully.  I had the opportunity to work with the folks at the maritime museum in Erie, PA, as they began the process of bringing their brig NIAGARA into the Coast Guard inspection program.  The ship was initially built as a static display.  Then, they hired a Sailing Master who was able to prepare the ship to actually get underway.  He was definitely born 150 years too late; man, everything about him fit in the early 19th century.  Their usage was an illegal operation under U.S. laws, and their lack of evaluation by a naval architect put them at great risk and liability.  The Master, one of the very few U.S. Masters actually licensed for unlimited tonnage sailing ships, fully grasped my concerns and welcomed this process, as we were both painfully aware of the loss of the PRIDE OF BALTIMORE with 4 hands.  The PRIDE was a modern version of a Baltimore clipper, but had many similarities to NIAGARA; low freeboard, a powerful rig and a similar sailplan.  I promised him that we would do everything we could to minimize alterations to the ship's appearance, both above and below decks.  I was transferred before we were able to complete the project, but had an opportunity to visit with the Master after I retired when I was working on a port assessment for Erie.  He thanked me and said it was the best thing that happened to the ship.  They can now operate it as a sailing school, carry paying passengers and otherwise supplement what the state budgets (which had been cut about in half).  THAT was one of the most rewarding things I experienced from my Coast Guard career.  If you haven't seen any pictures of NIAGARA, please look her up.  She's a stunner.

Steve

Edited by - CAPT Steve on 08/17/2013 21:49:22

Bastertone - Posted - 08/18/2013:  05:14:49

You could ask his daughter on the JH Facebook page. They've been posting old video footage lately so someone is going through old tapes.

dbrooks - Posted - 08/18/2013:  07:36:03

Dan, while I couldn't find an audio recording of John Hartford reading from "Steamboat in a Cornfield," there is this 30-minute interview with him about the book.  I had hoped he might read an excerpt, but instead he talks about his past and plays a few banjo tunes at the end.  The interview is downloadable as an MP3 or RAM (RealAudio) file.

wiredforbooks.org/johnhartford/

I have the MP3 if you have any trouble getting to the interview.

I also looked at the many Hartford recorded concerts on Sugarmegs, thinking that someone may have recorded a reading, but I didn't find anything.

David

trapdoor2 - Posted - 08/18/2013:  11:31:42

Then there's the steamboat under a cornfield: the "Arabia". If I ever get to Kansas City, MO...I'm hitting this museum first.

1856.com/

Sure is fun following your travels, Dan. I have some great photos of the Delta Queen when she visited us back in the late 1970's. Now if I could just find 'em...

banjeaux bob - Posted - 08/18/2013:  12:05:45

As much as I love history and old things,sometimes you have to just let go.I don't think even the constructors of these vessels expected them to live as long as they did.I have looked at tugs from the Great Lakes.As much as I would have loved to own just one of them.To get the riveted steel hulls to pass inspection just wasn't worth the romance.

Steven M - Posted - 08/18/2013:  12:51:24

Better they go that way. Look what they did to the Queen Mary!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/18/2013:  19:08:00

Edmond & David,

Thank for your input and ideas. I listened to the Hartford interview and John says that (at the time of the interview) he had not created any musical setting for the book. I do know though that I have heard reports that John gave several performances (at libraries) where he read the book and played his banjo. I am searching for a recording of one of these.

Steve, Marc, Bob & Steven,

I must confess that I love these old boats... I performed on all of the Queens, Delta, Mississippi & American and I have very fond memories of each. I realize that perhaps for me they represent a lost time in my own life that I know is gone... yet it hurts me to see them go, tossed away like a yesterdays newspaper, still full of news.

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 08/18/2013 19:10:04

Steven M - Posted - 08/19/2013:  12:44:47

quote:

---

Originally posted by DanKnowles

 

Steve, Marc, Bob & Steven,

I must confess that I love these old boats... I performed on all of the Queens, Delta, Mississippi & American and I have very fond memories of each. I realize that perhaps for me they represent a lost time in my own life that I know is gone... yet it hurts me to see them go, tossed away like a yesterdays newspaper, still full of news.

---

Yes I agree but this way all the good memories are preserved and not eroded by the passing of time as she gets older and more frail!

C Nyal de Kaye - Posted - 08/19/2013:  16:59:49

Sorry Dan, no sound, just pics.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/19/2013:  17:05:24

C Nyle,

I'm workin' on the links...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/19/2013:  17:16:58

MANDORA d'AMORE SANGS...

The promised recording of the Mandora d'Amore is finally complete.

(just in case you have forgotton what the Mandora d'Amore is here is a photo from the last Queen trip)

I finally made some time with my recorder (hummm...) and got this little test of the Mandora d'Amore.  The test or sample recording is just that,  I whack and the stop the main strings to be able to hear the ringing of the sympathetic strings. There is a small sample of   3-finger style & clawhammer. The other  sample is an arrangement of Over the Rainbow that I've been playing on the Queen... sort of.

Mandora d'Amore Test

Rainbow on the Mandora d'Amore

C Nyal de Kaye - Posted - 08/19/2013:  17:26:41

It was worth waiting for. Beautiful. Thanks Dan.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/19/2013:  17:43:57

Thanks C Nyle.

jbalch - Posted - 08/19/2013:  17:50:57

I don't know which is more impressive....your playing ... or your building.  Both are magnificent. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/19/2013:  17:55:26

MONDAY

Well I learned something about posting music on the Hangout tonight. Perhaps next time I'll remember how to attach MP3's to a post... I hope so.

Friday I started this little project and finished it today, replacing Mr. Crackhead. I milled out a nice piece of maple, sawed it into a dowel stick shape and proceeded to sand it.

It seamed to need a notch so I carved it...

Sanded and stained it...

Here he is Mr. Non- Crackhead... He even has a bit o pearl and a opal on his chest!

complete...

I've this guitar that the finish is failing on. My client brought it to me for refinishing. He didn't want to send it back to the fella who built it for him, he was afraid of offending him. The finish on this thing breaks down with the usual solvents but not enough to strip. So I will have to scrape and sand it down to the bare wood. This finish is very hard and brittle. It's no wonder it checked very badly. It was also applied much too thickly and this didn't help either.

Here I'm heating the bridge to soften the glue to remove the bridge.

Off it comes...

I spent most of today scraping this stuff off...

And sanding...

Late this afternoon I finally got to shellacing and sealing the instruments surface...

More soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/19/2013:  17:56:43

Thanks John,

That means a lot to me coming from you.

Kaelri - Posted - 08/19/2013:  18:55:38

Her voice is peaceful and beautiful! So glad you took time to share her journey with us all here at the hangout. Can't wait to see what's round the corner in this "Luthier's Life" thread! 

Anticipation! 

Kaelri - Posted - 08/19/2013:  18:58:34

Mr Non-Crackhead looks quite a bit like a Lit teacher I had in high school! 

DEmery - Posted - 08/20/2013:  04:01:53

Dan I popped up BHO and listened to the Mandora this morning. How beautiful and your interpretation of OTR was impressive. Sounds as good as it looks. A great build. David E. 

Dan Knowles - Posted - 08/20/2013:  04:26:10

Ellen & David

Thank you ever so much....

I'll have to think about that high school thang!

Dave1climber - Posted - 08/20/2013:  07:22:54

Over the Rainbow on the Mandora with Dan Knowles.................... Rich, warm, lush, crisp, and emotional.  It doesn't get much better.

rubicon - Posted - 08/20/2013:  08:30:45

Dan I am totally blown away with both recordings ,hearing something so beautiful takes you to another place and that is exactly what both recordings did .  Thank you for sharing it with all of us the angel at the end was a nice touch ..

Snaps - Posted - 08/20/2013:  12:45:12

Very nice Dan, Thank you!