jbalch - Posted - 04/11/2014:  14:07:58

Know who this is?

Edited by - jbalch on 04/11/2014 14:08:55

jazzbanjoman - Posted - 04/11/2014:  14:41:36

One of the greatest: Perry Bechtel

jbalch - Posted - 04/11/2014:  14:45:58

This is a snapshot made by my friend Jim McLellan on a visit to see Perry many years ago.  Great photo don't you think?

MikeHashem - Posted - 04/11/2014:  15:00:12

I was lucky to meet Perry. He was a great of greats!!! I also have played this banjo. Not bad , except that he played plectrum!!!! Mike Hashem


Except for Perry and I also have played the banjo in the picture. ------ Mike Hashem

turbocoupe2-3 - Posted - 04/11/2014:  16:03:18

I have to chime in too....as I was fortunate to have been a student for several months in Perry's own home in Atlanta in the early 1980's and was lucky enough to have become close friends with Perry and "Miss Ina" Perry's wife.  I first met Perry at a FIGA Banjo convention in Atlanta in 1977 or 1978 (I can't recall)....but as it turns out, my mother used to work for "Miss Ina" in the 1940's in Atlanta....small world !

Anyhow, that immediately put us in tight with the Bechtel's from then on out at every Banjo Convention we attended....and resulted in me being able to take lessons from one of the truly greatest of them all.  To this day, I still have every hour of those lessons recorded for posterity....but really need to get them transcribed from Cassette Tape to CD.

Knowing the Bechtel's was the highest point and fondest memory of my banjo life.  Thanks for the picture as it brings back that time....!

Dogface - Posted - 04/11/2014:  21:09:48

I met him too...at a small party in San Francisco. Russ Presting brought him out to SF for some banjo doin's back in the late 80's I think. What a treat...

ldieckow - Posted - 04/11/2014:  21:56:19

I have to agree with my old friend turbo, Perry was one of the greats of all time. I had the honor of meeting him once at Mr. Ward's show in Atlanta. His health was failing so I did not have the chance to play with him. I will however always cherish his kind words regarding my performance and my use of the mute on my B&D. After his passing, I had the pleasure of visiting with Miss Ina at that same show in ATL for a couple more years. Truly an honor to have known them both!

banjopa - Posted - 04/14/2014:  05:31:29

tourbocoupe, you should think about sending a copy of your recordings of Perry to the American banjo Museum in OK city. That is the kind of stuff they need to have in their archive for others to research.

Edited by - banjopa on 04/14/2014 05:32:13

turbocoupe2-3 - Posted - 04/14/2014:  14:23:59

banjopa, I agree 100% !  I know Johnny Baier the Museum Director very well (and so does ldieckow) as we all used to hang out together back in the day....lol

I also have several other audio recordings of lots of very great plectrum and tenor artist from the 1980s-1990s (as does ldieckow) that really should be digitized and sent to the Museum.  Heck, there might even be a few recordings of yours truly and ldieckow playing together as we used to team up with a very good piano player back then (I'll let ldieckow tell you that story lol)...  But both ldieckow and myself were fortunate enough to have not only heard but played with people like Epp Roller, Sandy Riner, Charlie Khederian, Tim Allen, Chris Archer, Buddy Wachter, Don Van Palthe, Frank Vignola, Pat Terry (Jr & Sr), Al Smith, John Hunstburger, Scotty Plummer, Lee Floyd, Buck Kelly...man the list just goes on and on,,,,,,

Sadly we have lost a number of those guys over the years.....but their music lives on as recordings and their inspiration lives on in players they touched.  But you are right, these recordings need to be preserved for the future...I'll get in touch with Johnny as soon as I can !

P.S. ldieckow happens to be one of those players that is has extraordinary talent and a style unique to him....he is one of those players that is at the top of the list of current plectrum players !  Don't let it go to your head Lance ! LOL