Dan Knowles - Posted - 05/16/2016:  21:57:27

Dave,

I feel so very fortunate to be able to do what I do for a living. I am so very blessed.

And just to proove that this is work...

My bass playing sidekick Eddie Coffey caught me working on the cover for our new Live CD. We hope to have the recording finished when these 12 shows are complete. The difficult part will be in the choosing of songs and performances. Still we hope to have it out mid June.

Dave1climber - Posted - 05/17/2016:  06:13:40

By the way, I like the red shoes!  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 05/18/2016:  04:37:02

Dave,

Thanks!

This traveling life is nice! We played a show last night on the America and I finished up the  artwork yesterday for our new LIVE ON THE RIVER CD... hope ya like it!

As you have already guessed we are out on the inaugural voyage of the new ACL boat America... This was my first sighting of her ever...

The America (L) & the Queen of the Mississippi (R).

My room on the America. I'll have to make a photo of the hat too!

The 4th. deck Sky Lounge. This is where we'll be doing our Banjo 102 class...

I wondered around some of the back streets of Natchez, Mississippi yesterday. I love these old houses!

The care and detail is just wonderful! 

6:30 AM and we just pulled into the Yazoo river diversion canal at Vicksburg. I guess it's time to get up and get the day going...See y'all soon!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 05/19/2016:  12:31:08

TODAY

THE FIRST

BANJO 102

CLASS 

on the new ACL riverboat

AMERICA

They did great!!!!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 05/19/2016:  13:37:54

Great looking class...I can hear those banjos playing!

Dave1climber - Posted - 05/19/2016:  22:24:41

So the first class is "First Class"!  Does this make then "Plank owners"?   They have set the high standard for the next classes?

kvdkieft - Posted - 05/21/2016:  14:20:44

Make America Great Again! Play the BANJO!!!!! Yes! (Skip the politics!)

Dan Knowles - Posted - 05/23/2016:  13:43:56

Dave, Doug & Kenny,

(GRIN)!

Here we are with another great Banjo 102 class on the AMERICA! I love seeing and hearing these new banjer players!

see ya soon!

Dave1climber - Posted - 05/24/2016:  06:36:56

Dan

You are doing good work turning all of the good people into banjoists!  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 05/25/2016:  10:32:19

We sure are trying! And ya know, a few will make it!

... we hope!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 05/25/2016:  12:41:48

Well they are all grinning..doesn't get any better than that! Dan..have fun!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 05/25/2016:  14:02:31

Thanks!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 05/27/2016:  20:34:13

I'm up in the 4th. deck sky lounge tappin' on the ole' Apple thinkin' and a smilin'. The past couple of days here on the Queen of the Mississippi have been absolutely amazing! We (Eddie & Me) have been working with another Australian Pacific Tours group, made up primarily of Australian folks. These are such wonderful people to spend time with!

We had a packed house of new banjo learners in our Banjo 102 class yesterday. There is nothing quite like being able to spread the gospel of America's Instrument to our neighbors from down under.

One & Two &...

Strum & Strum Thumb...

My buddy & river historian Jim Williams shot these photos of our class...Thanks Jim!

Here is our whole class learning. This is the first photo we've ever had of a Banjo 102 class as it's happening.

Helping with fingers...

And our traditional group photo shoot!

Evening performances have been a real treat with these folks too! 

Here is some proof!

Just look at that great bass player keep the music together as I wag my hands in the air!

Had to have a shot of those shoes!

The bass master hisself! 

Singing I Still Miss Someone...

Playing Cindy on the Tennessee Bass Music box & the 6-string lap dulcimer... check out the sox!

See you again soon!

BNJOMAKR - Posted - 05/28/2016:  03:41:19

Dan, I'm gonna have ta start wearing my sun glasses when I look at them shoes!  

Dan Knowles - Posted - 05/28/2016:  04:20:53

Marvin,

(big grin!)

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/01/2016:  05:40:25

Here it is Wednesday morning and I'm home sitting in the kitchen tapping away on the ole Apple.

It's so great to be back home again here in Tennessee! But before I can begin posting about home stuff I've one last post from the last trip on the Queen of the Mississippi.

Eddie and I had another great trip and are looking forward to many more!

Sunday on our way from Memphis I put on my teaching hat (not dunce cap I hope!) and taught two classes. The first beginning at 9:15 AM was called

Dotting with Dan. 

This is where I pass along my Pointalisim technique. It is really quite simple, paint a background then go to dotting with a pointed dowel...

The paintings and colors are always so very interesting to me....

And then of course the Banjo 102 class, this was a great a counting & picking bunch as I think I've ever had!

One & Two & One & Two &...

See ya again soon!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/01/2016:  07:19:28

I am glad to hear that you had a great trip, and am looking forward to seeing more great projects of yours!!

Dave

guitarman8491 - Posted - 06/01/2016:  08:16:12

Welcome home..looks like you turned out a good class of banjo players as well as some new artists :)

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/01/2016:  20:08:22

Dave & Doug,

I am so glad to be home for a few days. I head out for another three weeks of craziness next Wednesday and after that it should settle down to the usual state of insanity!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/01/2016:  20:13:49

Dan

Sometimes it seems that your life is like a one legged person dancing on a high wire with no net.  I don't know how you keep your sanity.  Stay balanced.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/01/2016:  20:31:08

Dave,

I'm not sure how I do what I attempt to do other than doin'. Thanks! I'll try to!

For me it has come time to winnow down the ole' banjo collection a bit. I just can't have them stacked up like cord wood all around the house! We got to be able to get around! So I've decided to sell of a few of these prized banjos. 

For those of you who are interested I'll be advertising some here on the ole' BHO, but if you'd like an early heads up drop me an email.

The first banjo to vacate left tonight.. it's a Farland Artist Grand #2 that I've owned for several years. This banjo is similar to the one John Hartford was playing during his Aeroplane days. 

Who you ask is the new owner of this gem?

Nathan Blake Lynn... You might know  him as the guitar player for Bawn In The Mash and the guitar & banjo player for the Wheelhouse Rousters. He is one of my musical sons (a former student) and a great aficionado of John Hartford's music. I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather own this banjo than Nathan.

So we just had to shoot some pictures for y'all!

Sayin' good by to the Farland must a left me in a sepia state of mind... so here's another!

See ya soon!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 06/01/2016 20:34:01

dr4dpet - Posted - 06/02/2016:  02:49:36

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dave1climber

 

Dan

Sometimes it seems that your life is like a one legged person dancing on a high wire with no net.  I don't know how you keep your sanity.  Stay balanced.

---

Makes one wonder if Dan apprenticed under Jake

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/17/2016:  20:49:42

HAY EVERYBODY,

After too too many days without a post I'm back! And with a whole bunch of photos from this last few weeks...

I've been out riding the Queen of the Mississippi & the America pickin' and doin' all of the stuff that I do on these boats...

As I'm sure you have picked up by now I LOVE doing these banjo classes on the river boats and I really like it when there are some young folks on board...

Here we are on the QUEEN OF THE MISSISSIPPI!

And I love being able to spend time with good friends! Here Eddie and I are with our friends JoAnn Funk & her husband Steve Marking!

JoAnn is a great jazz piano player and singer and Steve is a amazing Opera (and many other styles) singer!

Steve and I compare socks & shoes!

Here we are with on of the early Bluegrass DJ's of the Boston aria...

It was our privilege (while in Natchez) to visit the unfinished plantation house called LONGWOOD. What a amazing place! It has been unfinished since 1860 when the Civil War intervened...

Tuesday evening was spent in downtown Vicksburg at an inexpensive motel... a DAY'S INN to be exact.  It was so inexpensive that one of the largest cockroaches I've ever seen in my life could afford to stay there too... and in our room! Still here was the view from our forth floor balcony...

A few days later on the AMERICA caught getting ready for another banjo class... when are there too many banjos? 

NEVER!

Another wonderful BANJO 102 class! And most of these folks were from Australia & New Zealand!

Last night's show was captured by our friend the great keyboard man Stevie Fingers!

Movin' to Move It On Over!

Today I lead a group over to the BELZ MUSEUM OF ASIAN & JUDAIC ART here in Memphis. 

This has to be my favorite museum here in Memphis. I never get enough of the amazing craftsmanship and artwork in this place!

Here I am with one of our Cruise Directors Diana playing the fool for the camera!

And two of our Australian guests having fun too! 

A dragon from a Chineese emperors robe!

Tonight another beautiful Memphis sunset...

More Soon!!!

I hope...

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/17/2016:  21:25:48

Dan

In the shoe and socks comparison I think that you are the winner. 

Looks like you are having a grand old time!!! 

That dragon could grace a peg head, the owner would be a happy person.  just imagine a banjo named "The Dragon".  

dr4dpet - Posted - 06/17/2016:  23:22:43

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dave1climber

 

Dan

In the shoe and socks comparison I think that you are the winner. 

 

---

But Steve does win the movie themed Shoes and Socks category with the Beetlejuice entry.

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/18/2016:  04:22:38

Dave & JW,

(Big grin)!

Oddly enough during this visit to the Belz I shot lots of photos of dragons (both cloth & ivory & wood carved) with just that thought in mind!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/19/2016:  12:43:59

Here is a Blast from the Past... The recent past that is...Our Queen of the Mississippi Banjo 102 Class from 6-12-2016. Due to camera malfunction (it got soaked with orange juice) we almost didn't get this one!

guitarman8491 - Posted - 06/19/2016:  13:02:15

Well that orange juice only brought out the sunny smiles on your class of banjo players...cheers!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/19/2016:  13:33:13

A POST FROM VICKSBURG

​We just arrived, all of our guests are out for their first tour (the Vicksburg battlefield) and I'm sitting quietly in the Forth Deck Sky Lounge busily tapping away on my Apple. It just stopped raining, but not quite soon enough to keep Eddie and me dry when we went to the parking garage to retrieve the van in preparation for tomorrows homeward travel.

This has been a great few weeks of travel on both the riverboats the Queen of the Mississippi and  the America. We have met so many wonderful folks and performed to a whole bunch of great audiences. It almost seams a bit strange to be heading home.

Yesterday morning I got up to this early morning view of a towboat & tow on the Mississippi river...

Of course the fellas of the Beale Street Strutters let me sit in on Dixieland banjo... what aview from the back row!

Just after lunch we headed out from the Beale Street Landing (good-by Jimmy Ogle!) heading south...

Here is this morning's great America Banjo 102 class. They were wonderful and a hoot to play with!

More Soon!!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/21/2016:  20:43:20

Home again

This post will be the first I've made from my new smarter than me phone... well I guess the last one was smarter than me but not just "smart". Figure that if you will! 

Yesterday morning as we were loading up the van in preparation for the homewards trip (from Vicksburg, Mississippi) this rainbow greeted me...

And the early morning sunlight along with the threatening clouds were so astoundingly beautiful...

For Eddie and I though had no rain (thank goodness) for our travels...

While I was gone we had a big wind & rainstorm that stripped loose paint and the sign from the shop.

So this is what I saw this morning.

Fortunately we are already planning to repaint the shop in July anyway!

And the poor ole' beat up sign...

More Soon!!!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 06/21/2016 20:45:06

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/22/2016:  20:47:41

This will be a quick post tonight, it's getting late and tomorrow is gonna be another big day.

So here goes!

Here I'm working on an inlay of the Julia Belle Swain. When complete this will be about 10 pieces... Here I'm gluing the main body of it together and attaching a wood backing piece to keep it together while handling...

In to the banjo fingerboard goes the black epoxy in the routing followed by the inlay...

Clamped in place. This pearl can float in the epoxy a bit...

Back on the white oak 000 after a bit of a sabbatical, here I'm sanding between coats....

In the spray booth after a couple of coats...

More Soon!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/22/2016:  20:57:25

Dan

Will David E get the cutout from the sound hole?

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/23/2016:  06:31:09

Dave,

Yes, I stuck his name on it in hopes that I wouldn't loose the thing. With the finish on it it should make a nice coaster...

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/23/2016:  18:50:06

  Today is the first full day of new contact lenses. By this time of night I've just about had enough for one day.  

I do see much better than I was with my old set of glasses. Last set 2011, not bad, huh!

Anyway here are a few shots from my smarter than me phone, I left the SD card in the computer that Debbie carried off for the day so no shots from the regular camera. 

Tomorrow should be a very full day and I'm certainly looking forward to it. I'll be heading off to the NAMM show in Nashville to visit with Bill & Sean in the Rickard Banjos booth and perhaps pick a few tunes...

Anyway back to today...

I sanded the Julia Belle Swain inlay flat in the belt sander...

Here she is sanded level...

Silver, turquoise, aniline tint and a some epoxy and now it looks like water...

well sort a...

The white oak 000 needed and received a couple more coats today after the finish was level sanded...

I like the blend of colors so much better now!

More Soon!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/23/2016:  21:05:53

It seems that the Belle Swain inlay is a great surface just waiting for the master to apply his magic engraving tools too.  The down side to that inlay is that you have to cut it for frets.

The white oak 000 is looking very good.

DEmery - Posted - 06/24/2016:  10:06:01

Dan I am with you...the color tones look great. Sides got dark enough and took on a nice look; while the top simply looks old but not too dark relative to the sides. Thanks, David.

Edited by - DEmery on 06/24/2016 10:06:42

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/25/2016:  04:45:46

Dave & David,

Thanks!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/25/2016:  05:22:04

Yesterday was a BIG day over at the NAMM show (in Nashville) for my bass playing comrade Eddie Coffey and me.

Most of the time we spent over at the RICKARD BANJOS  booth with Bill, Sean and Cameron pickin', singin' & showing off his great instruments. I think Bill & Sean may have a few photos of that, The real great part for me, was afterwards. We all gathered at the SITAR (Indian) restaurant where we talked & ate & talked some more! 

You may recognize my great Banjo/ Fiddle buddy Tyler Andel with his girlfriend too!

And here's a fella you may know too! George Gruhn (who by the way is a Rickard Banjos dealer) the owner of the famous Gruhn Guitars in Nashville. 

I didn't get photos

of them but Eric Sullivan & his wife dropped by (what  great folks, from FIRST QUALITY) and we had a great visit talking banjos!

I did discover a very cool strap company.

FRANKLIN (THE SOFT STRAP).

They make their straps here in Franklin, Tennessee and they are some of the nicest, softest and most comfortable  Banjo & Guitar straps that I've ever used. Next week I'm going to order a couple for some of my banjos. 

MORE SOON!!!

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/25/2016:  06:57:00

Dan

It looks like you and everyone are having a wide old time!!

Gruhn Guitars, a dealer for Rickard Banjos, very nice!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/25/2016:  14:32:40

TODAY 

from the  guitar building class.

We had a cancelation of a river cruise so I was lucky enough to be able to stay home hang with Chris, Jeff & Thomas and help build guitars!

Lots of great forward motion this day. It's interesting to have three instruments in fairly similar  states of construction, it helps to stand back some and let the students teach each other. Chris' is the most advanced and so I got to sit back some and let him explain how to do some of the processes in neck construction. 

Here he is working on his neck, laying out the neck tenon. 

And Thomas in the first steps of neck truing...

Jeff measuring drill bits. It'd be quicker if his teacher would organize these bits better! 

 More Soon!!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/25/2016:  23:04:08

A new video (from the Queen) for y'all...

All about a frog...

youtube.com/watch?v=32qfWAFN0O4

guitarman8491 - Posted - 06/26/2016:  05:30:16

Dan..great video..you put on a very good show! Not only a great luthier but awesome performer too boot..don't get any better than that :)

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/27/2016:  05:39:43

Doug,

THANKS! Glad you enjoyed it!

Dan Knowles - Posted - 06/27/2016:  19:45:56

Today was a busy day!

The sun came up

And the sun went down 

The hands on the clock rode round and round

When I got up, well it was time to lay back down,

Life gets tejus...  don't it.

There was sandin',  there was sweepin'

There was takin' out the trash.

I'm always walkin' in slow motion

Ain't no reason to be rash.

I hefted a tiny chisel

for the work was so very small

I carved ripples on Mississippi waters

And a flying flag on a masthead tall...

Then layin' the neck upon the glass

I moved it to, then fro

I moved it fro, then to

I moved it to, then fro

I moved it fro, then to

I moved it to, then.............

Flattened tall patches

Till they matched the valley's low...

Won't you look at the boy's new round glasses

Riding there on his face,

Then notice now, the perfected neck 

laying in its place...

Then look now to the Julia Belle Swain

​She awaits the graver's cut

While I the nervous engraver

Hope not to mess her up!

More Soon!!!

Edited by - Dan Knowles on 06/27/2016 19:50:53

Dave1climber - Posted - 06/28/2016:  06:29:31

Dan, you're a poet and know it!! 

The Julia Belle Swain awaits the masters touch to work his vision of poetry on her.

Bufo Bill - Posted - 06/28/2016:  14:32:22

Creative text, I like it! I saw those glasses too. When I tried a pair on I looked like a fat Harry Potter. Fortunately you look considerably better than I did. That pearl inlay looks gorgeous already. . . Permission to come aboard Skipper!

All the best from Bill. :D

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/04/2016:  15:39:21

Dave & Bill,

Thanks for your comments. 

I'll try to write something later today before I head out for a few more river days.... this time on the Ohio. Henderson, Kentucky to Memphis, Tennessee.

Dave1climber - Posted - 07/05/2016:  10:01:33

Dan. have a great trip on the Ohio.

There is a song:  I asked my love to take a walk, just a little walk.....................................

Dan Knowles - Posted - 07/05/2016:  10:08:52

Dave,

Yes, there is such a tune. But in this case my love took me to the Ohio river in Henderson, Kentucky and left me!