From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 11/29/2016:  05:30:31

Jack Hatfield is one of the foremost banjo instructors in the world. He started and  did Scruggs Corner in BNL for years. His tabbing of Earl and his backup was ground breaking. Jack has published many definitive instructional guides, and has started and run many banjo camps. Last week, the fires that have been burning in the Southeast totally burned his home and his business to the ground! Jack just underwent back surgery with in the last 2 weeks. His business, his house, his barn, all his inventory, all his musical instruments, his computers, EVERYTHING is in ashes. they were all next to each other on a hill on the northside of pigeon forge. Here is his facebook showing pictures of the devastation.

facebook.com/jnhatfield

This is just unbelievable. 2 weeks ago I was at Jacks Full Moon Jam. He had refurbished an old barn. it had a stage and several rooms for jamming, a fireplace and a kitchen. He did the restoration himself with his own two hands.

I am using this post to ask Eric to run a fundraiser for Jack on the Hangout similar to what he did for Bill Evans.

Please remember Jack in your prayers and with your pocketbook. What a terrible horrific Christmas for Jack.

ken

desert rose - Posted - 11/29/2016:  05:45:41

I just got the notice from Jack about this, its horrible

I will be sending my donation directly to him PLEASE support any efforts to help, Jack is one of the good guys

Scott

chuckv97 - Posted - 11/29/2016:  05:49:52

That's tragic. My best wishes for Jack and family - hoping he recovers some of his losses.

R Buck - Posted - 11/29/2016:  06:08:17

I just saw Jack at the North Carolina Banjo Clinic in Asheville where he was presenting and I was instructing.  He is a heck of a good fellow and really knows his stuff.  This is really tragic.

budbennett - Posted - 11/29/2016:  06:10:11

I saw those photos.  So very very sad.  Best thoughts and wishes for Jack and his family. 

Badweld Banjo - Posted - 11/29/2016:  06:18:07

Such a great loss. I met Jack and visited with him at a Full Moon jam session just a couple of months ago. Really had a great place. Best wishes and prayers. We need to support him and many others that have had destruction with these fires that are still going on this morning

jstltreat - Posted - 11/29/2016:  06:38:18

Hate to hear this. Hopefully he will come back better than ever.

P Lindsay - Posted - 11/29/2016:  06:46:43

I like the idea of a fundraiser for Jack. I would be happy to contribute

chuckv97 - Posted - 11/29/2016:  06:50:24

These are what Jack posted on his Facebook page....hard to look at,, damn

Edited by - chuckv97 on 11/29/2016 06:51:12

dpgetman - Posted - 11/29/2016:  06:54:27

I've never met Jack, but I still have a few of his books on my shelf I played out of for years starting out.  Does Jack have a Paypal account folks can link to to donate in the short term?

DPG 

Banjophobic - Posted - 11/29/2016:  07:18:58

Oh no that's horrible! My prayers go out to him and everyone in that area being faced with being burned out of their homes and businesses. 

jswkingsfield - Posted - 11/29/2016:  07:20:21

Oh, no, not something any of us wants to see!  His books are great, got me going in the right direction.  (Need to dig around, see if I saved the Paypal account info somewhere from my last purchase a while ago . . . .)

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 11/29/2016:  07:31:24

quote:

---

Originally posted by desert rose

 

I just got the notice from Jack about this, its horrible

I will be sending my donation directly to him PLEASE support any efforts to help, Jack is one of the good guys

 

Scott

 

---

Scott,

What address did you use to send money to Jack. HIs music website lists his street address which is no burned down?

thanks,

ken

Banjophobic - Posted - 11/29/2016:  07:33:55

Yes, please give us some info to help Jack out, I also started a thread in the improvements forum to maybe get Eric involved. We can have some type of BHO funding effort. Please chime in to my thread if anyone isn't interested in the idea I posted. Perhaps we can set up a fund raising effort on the BHO. 

Edited by - Banjophobic on 11/29/2016 07:45:51

trapdoor2 - Posted - 11/29/2016:  07:38:50

Devastating. I've known and worked with Jack for ages, taught at SMBA, etc. When I was initially learning the banjo, those 'Scruggs Corner' tabs were my bible. Somebody set up a donation page...I'm in.

jswkingsfield - Posted - 11/29/2016:  07:39:51

quote:

---

Originally posted by jswkingsfield

 

Oh, no, not something any of us wants to see!  His books are great, got me going in the right direction.  (Need to dig around, see if I saved the Paypal account info somewhere from my last purchase a while ago . . . .)

---

I'm not sure that Jack used Paypal -- I found a receipt from a year ago, looks like his website processed a direct credit card payment.  Once something gets going, I'll chip in.  

Clawdan - Posted - 11/29/2016:  07:46:27

I have asked his niece to let us know when a support fund is established and how to donate to it.

Dan

Clawdan - Posted - 11/29/2016:  08:53:58

From the other thread and the facebook posts:

Donations can be sent to:

Jack Hatfield Relief 

313 Lupine Dr

Knoxville, TN 37924

P Lindsay - Posted - 11/29/2016:  08:56:12

Tom Nechville posted this on Facebook:

Jack Hatfield is owner of Hatfield music, publisher of dozens of banjo instruction books and retailer of banjos, and accessories. He has been in business for many years and is known and respected by the whole Bluegrass community. I am scheduled to do workshops with him and Bela Fleck during the SPBGMA convention this February in Nashville. A wildfire wiped out his entire business and home and the location of Hatfield's smoky Mountain Banjo camp sponsored by us. All inventory gone. Generating some donations will never cover his financial loss but will certainly help ease things a bit. Until an official crowdfunding campaign or such thing is established, please send donations directly to Jack Hatfield 313 Lupine Dr., Knoxville, TN 37924

Nancy - Posted - 11/29/2016:  08:57:27

This is truly sad news. I like Jack. I have bought instruments and music from him for years. He's been very very nice to deal with. I consider him a friend.

I grieve over his loss of home, shop, and all...

Nancy

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 11/29/2016:  09:09:35

quote:

---

Originally posted by From Greylock to Bean Blossom

 

Jack Hatfield is one of the foremost banjo instructors in the world. He started and  did Scruggs Corner in BNL for years. His tabbing of Earl and his backup was ground breaking. Jack has published many definitive instructional guides, and has started and run many banjo camps. Last week, the fires that have been burning in the Southeast totally burned his home and his business to the ground! Jack just underwent back surgery with in the last 2 weeks. His business, his house, his barn, all his inventory, all his musical instruments, his computers, EVERYTHING is in ashes. they were all next to each other on a hill on the northside of pigeon forge. Here is his facebook showing pictures of the devastation.

facebook.com/jnhatfield

This is just unbelievable. 2 weeks ago I was at Jacks Full Moon Jam. He had refurbished an old barn. it had a stage and several rooms for jamming, a fireplace and a kitchen. He did the restoration himself with his own two hands.

I am using this post to ask Eric to run a fundraiser for Jack on the Hangout similar to what he did for Bill Evans.

Please remember Jack in your prayers and with your pocketbook. What a terrible horrific Christmas for Jack.

ken

---

Live linc to Jack's Facebook

facebook.com/jnhatfield

doryman - Posted - 11/29/2016:  09:22:10

Very sorry to hear about this. On the practical side, a physical address posted to a thread on a banjo forum asking that people send checks via mail mail is not likely the best way to raise money. Has anybody started a Gofundme account for Jack?

Bradskey - Posted - 11/29/2016:  09:22:51

Very sad to hear, but lives are the most important thing, hopefully everyone stays safe.  Jack has run a fine business with great products.  Terrible what is happening in the Smokeys, such a beautiful place, pray they get it under control as quickly as possible.

Banjophobic - Posted - 11/29/2016:  09:46:31

Al Price has set some kind of fund up. Hopefully he will make his own thread with the info in it?

gospelman97 - Posted - 11/29/2016:  10:11:35

Bluegrass Today just posted an article.  

bluegrasstoday.com/gatlinburg-...ld-music/

Here's an important excerpt for those wanting to donate:

"Some of his friends have suggested ways to offer financial assistance on Jack’sFacebook page, but he says that his losses are insured (other than business inventory), and that he will make a big shopping trip this week to pick up clothes and such. He asked that those willing to offer financial assistance find someone who needs help more than he does."

Edited by - gospelman97 on 11/29/2016 10:17:46

Mark Douglas - Posted - 11/29/2016:  10:22:33

I first met Jack about three decades ago. I was impressed not only with what a phenomenal musician he is, but also by what a decent and honorable

human being he is. Looking at those pictures is just heart-wrenching! I understand Jack has some amazing instruments in his collection; I wonder

if he was able to save anything before the fire took its toll?

Prayers going out immediately for Jack and his family.

I pray that Jack recovers from this devastating loss and is somehow made whole again.

I'm thinking that not only can we donate, but we can try to make purchases from Jack's website when he is up and running and able to take orders.

Edited by - Mark Douglas on 11/29/2016 10:24:20

alprice - Posted - 11/29/2016:  10:44:15

Right now, sending a check to the physical address already posted is all we have.  One could send funds directly to Jack via Paypal at his email address.  While insurance will help somewhat it will not cover all his losses.   His entire inventory is lost.

Along with Jack, there are many others who have lost their homes in this fire.  Red Cross is taking donations for them.  I will post more as I find out more.  



Jack has done a lot for the banjo world over the years.  Here's a chance to say thanks.

Edited by - alprice on 11/29/2016 10:45:27

Old Hickory - Posted - 11/29/2016:  12:35:16

quote:

---

Originally posted by gospelman97

Here's an important excerpt for those wanting to donate:

Some of his friends have suggested ways to offer financial assistance on Jack’sFacebook page, but he says that his losses are insured (other than business inventory), and that he will make a big shopping trip this week to pick up clothes and such. He asked that those willing to offer financial assistance find someone who needs help more than he does.

---

Tremendous attitude.

He also said this:

“I got my health, I got my blue hound dog, and I got my banjo. Everything else can be replaced.”

Gymbal31 - Posted - 11/29/2016:  13:13:52

There's this for those that lost everything and didn't have insurance:

secure.cfmt.org/websales/pages...7a6e&

rcwright - Posted - 11/29/2016:  13:31:50

My heart goes out to Jack, his family and the people in the area, can't imagine the emotions going through their minds. Such of an unexpected event.

alprice - Posted - 11/29/2016:  14:59:34

Alan Tompkins has set up a GiveForward donation page with all funds going to Jack. 

https://pages.giveforward.com/emergency/page-ctwlhc3/

Please visit Help Jack Hatfield Start Over

PAGES.GIVEFORWARD.COM

 

 

kmwaters - Posted - 11/29/2016:  15:41:07

I am in total favor of a BHO fundraising effort. Hopefully Eric can create some kind of mechanism here for donations. All the best to you Jack in recovery of this terrible event. You are in my prayers. You folks can see how pretty his place was. Pic Attached from Google Earth.

Edited by - kmwaters on 11/29/2016 15:51:58

Hatfield Music Pigeon Forge TN

 

 

 

Banjov1 - Posted - 11/29/2016:  22:51:18

Holy Carp... I can't believe it, but Jack actually sent me a banjo case in the midst of the impending fire. 

I hadn't met or dealt with Jack before last week, but he had a couple hard to find TKL concept cases in stock. So I purchased one last week and he sent it to me. When I received it, I decided that I'd like the other one he had in stock. So I talked to him Friday and mailed it back to him and he told me he'd ship the next banjo case out when he got the original one I sent back. 

I checked my USPS tracking number last night and discovered that it was delivered yesterday (Monday) afternoon. So before seeing all the stories and threads this morning about all the damage he suffered, I called him and sent him an email to see if he received my banjo yesterday and when he would be able to send me the new one.

As soon as I sent that out, I received an email from Tom Nechville with pictures of the devastation that happened to Jack the previous night. Then I saw Jack's facebook page and the Bluegrass Today story. So I felt terrible that I had bugged him today and sort of resigned myself to the fact that I probably wouldn't be seeing a new banjo case any time soon. And in light of all that had happened to Jack, that was fine with me. I can deal with that way down the road. 

So tonight as I'm trying to figure out how to make some donations to Jack (that he's saying he doesn't need). He replied to my email saying that he had actually sent me my new banjo case, with the impending fire looming on the horizon a few hours before the fire would destroy practically everything he owned.

Good grief, I felt small... I can't believe he had the ability to deal with a silly business transaction in light of all that was happening around him. Especially considering that I wouldn't have expected him to turn it around for another day or so if the fire hadn't happened. 

Again, I don't know Jack personally, but talking to him a couple times on the phone, having him actually turn my case around, and reading his response about his situation in the Bluegrass Today article... ""I got my health, I got my blue hound dog, and I got my banjo. Everything else can be replaced."... I'm blown away... really impressed with this guy... 



I really hope I can help him in some way recover from everything he's gone through in the past day and a half

country frank - Posted - 11/30/2016:  05:18:21

Terrible news, terrible pictures. Jack has been such a positive 'force' in the banjo world i really hope everything pans out and he makes a swift and speedy return to full production.

Pulling for you in the UK Jack and our thoughts are with you and the family right now.

copperbanjo - Posted - 11/30/2016:  06:03:52

Wow

I was just there last week.  Stopped by and bought a couple books from Jack.  Got to sit down with him for about 15 minutes and just shoot the breeze.  An amazing guy.  What a total shame this has happened.

ZEPP - Posted - 11/30/2016:  06:33:16

Jack's gofundme page: gofundme.com/jack-hatfield-recovery-fund

kmwaters - Posted - 11/30/2016:  12:07:54

Most homeowners policies cover fire including forest fires. Hopefully he had coverage. Even if not every single thing is covered.

JMalmsteen - Posted - 11/30/2016:  16:18:20

This is horrible news. Jack has worked so hard on his property over the years. At least he was able to get out safely.

fmazz - Posted - 11/30/2016:  17:01:34

God Bless Jack and his family. Just donated on Go Fund Me

bbanjoboy - Posted - 11/30/2016:  19:27:54

Hi, Kenny Bohling here. Most of you know me as the owner of Lakota Leathers strap company. A few years back a family on Pine Ridge lost everything to a house fire and hangout members stepped up to the plate to help them out.. Now, as I sit here writing this I can't believe that it has hit this close to home. I lived in Sevierville TN for 30 plus years and Jack was not only a great friend but also a business customer.. I've known Jack for a very long time and his house was just minutes from mine in Sevierville. Last January I moved from Sevier county TN to Arkansas and am struggling to comprehend what just happened in my old hometown.. I worked in Gatlinburg for years playing banjo at Westgate resorts which is now ashes... It's mind numbing. I see that Jack now has a gofundme page up, here is the link: gofundme.com/jack-hatfield-recovery-fund
I'm sure Jack needs all the help he can get and all the money he can to help rebuild his business. As usual, however, I like to think outside the box.. and here is what I have come up with.. Lakota Leathers is going to a couple dozen assorted banjo straps to Jack to help restart the business as soon as he has a place and is able to restock.. What I would like to proposes is that ANY banjo related business do something similar.. If you are a music store owner or friends with one, perhaps you can donate a couple of boxes of picks, some strings, tuners, capos, books, etc.. If you are a player perhaps you have a second or third banjo that you're not using that is collecting dust that you could donate, perhaps you have some collection of old banjo instructional books that you no longer need that Jack could resell... I'm sure anything and everything to help get his store up and running again would be appreciated.. Not everyone has extra money, but I'm sure all of us banjo junkies have something banjo related that is either new or as new.... Let's all get together and help Jack in this horrible time ..Banjo people are the best.. I'm sure we can all make a difference. Also, one last thing.. SPBGMA is coming up, and I know Jack was planning on attending as a vendor... If anyone has any ideas on how we can help in that regard, I'm sure we'll be all ears... God bless you all and God bless Jack.. Kenny

dr4dpet - Posted - 12/01/2016:  04:16:47

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banjov1

...reading his response about his situation in the Bluegrass Today article... ""I got my health, I got my blue hound dog, and I got my banjo. Everything else can be replaced."... I'm blown away... really impressed with this guy... 

I really hope I can help him in some way recover from everything he's gone through in the past day and a half

---

I met that one-eyed blue hound dog, and Jack, back in September while in the area for the NQC at the LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge. I just stopped in without calling ahead and he happened to be on site. Jack was pleasant to talk to and very accommodating in helping me.

I will be tracking  how this progresses, hoping all of the best for Jack.

Brett - Posted - 12/01/2016:  05:02:48

Thankfully Dolly Pardon has announced a $1,000 check per month, to each family who lost their fire, if I saw the new correct. Don't know how long that lasts, but, should at least help them with a rental place. Or food, clothes, etc.

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 12/01/2016:  05:17:13

quote:

---

Originally posted by Brett

 

Thankfully Dolly Pardon has announced a $1,000 check per month, to each family who lost their fire, if I saw the new correct. Don't know how long that lasts, but, should at least help them with a rental place. Or food, clothes, etc.

---

It lasts for 6 months. saw it last night. dolly is a heck of a good lady and has done a lot for her mountain folks.

ken

Edited by - From Greylock to Bean Blossom on 12/01/2016 05:18:07

kmwaters - Posted - 12/01/2016:  07:12:28

There is no universal commitment to these fires. It was reported on Wed. as a 3 acre fire. The high winds didn't come until Monday. Happens all the time. These things should be snuffed on day one. Our country has the resources and the ability. They just don't care. Very sad.

kmwaters - Posted - 12/02/2016:  06:23:44

And now Dolly is doing her part. Terrific from one of the greats.

foxnews.com/travel/2016/12/01/...tims.html

jackhatfield - Posted - 12/04/2016:  18:07:31

First, let me apologize for taking so long to respond to all you kind people. I have been really busy the last six days. I am staying at my sister's house in Knoxville at the address Dan and Al posted: 313 Lupine Dr Knoxville TN 37863. This is the first day I did not return to the ruins. They "officially" did not allow anybody back in until Wednesday morning, but those barricades aren't very effective. ha. I had to cancel utility accounts, look for anything salage-able meet the adjuster, communicate with customers who had placed orders, spent the day Wednesday combing my tenant's ashes for valuables (he is almost totally blind). On the way out of town I learned a musician buddy of mine had not been heard from, so i turned around and went to his house site to check on him...turns out he was in Nashville at the time of the fire. His partially built also burned to the ground along with his van he had been living in while building his house. $200,000 loss, NO insurance. Before going to my ruins Thursday I went to Gatlinburg to check out an elderly friend's vacation home to see if it was still standing. He lives in middle TN. Sadly it was also completely destroyed. I spent a half day Wednesday and all of Thursday evening individually thanking donors who donated from the GoFundMe site and got a start on thanking the GiveForward and Paypal donors. 

It's hard friggin' work being a wildfire victim... 

I am not going to re-hash all the details of my adventure, it's all on my Facebook page if anyone cares to check it out. I WOULD like to respond to some of the posts in this thread and correct some errors in reporting.

 First, I didn't lose EVERYTHING. My sister and I were able to get my personal instruments except for my 1955 D-18 I had owned for 35 years... to be handed down to my son :( ... my Stelling Sunflower, and my Deering Golden Era. I got the contents of my safe: some spending cash and legal papers such as my will and property deeds and copies of tax returns. I was able to save my laptop and about half a dozen inventory banjos. Got my favorite sister and my one-eyed blue hound dog and both my vehicles out.  Luckily my sister was staying with me because I was not yet cleared to drive after having had back surgery 13 days before. She was able to drive my car out or it would have been lost.

The main loss: inventory valued at $100,000 not covered by insurance. Also, heirlooms such as my grandfathers fiddle, grandmother's mantle clock, photos and documents from before the digital age, recordings of every band I was ever in, hundreds of hours of video recordings of banjo greats who appeared at  Smoky Mountain Banjo Academy (which I was planning on releasing for sale if I ever got time to edit them). Over 7,000 self-published books and about 650 tablatures that were not in digital format were lost. Many will never be reprinted I simply cannot afford it. I will explore selling my self-published books as digital downloads which does not require huge printing costs. 

Kenny, thanks for the suggestion but I do not want any products sent my way. I do not have anything to sell at SPBGMA so I will not have a booth. I WILL still hold my 20th annual SPBGMA banjo workshop on Sunday Feb 5th featuring Bela Fleck, James McKinney and Tom Nechville.

I do not plan on rebuilding in Pigeon Forge.  I hope to find an existing house in Knoxville with an outbuilding for a workshop. I put SO MUCH blood, sweat and tears into the music barn the last two years, and maintenance on my three houses the last 30 years... It would just be too much to start over from scratch. I'll be 63 in a couple of weeks. Time to start winding things down and looking towards retirement. No decision on whether to continue my Smoky Mountain Banjo Academy, but the initial feelings is, again... I am tired of "labors of love". The retreat Gatlinburg facility I held the banjo camp in before I renovated my barn had to be totally filled...every single room...just to break even, and new owners have remodeled and gone up drastically on their fee. I would love to teach at more workshops and camps, so if anybody wants to put together one at a local music store or community center, let me know. 

I am trying to organize a benefit bluegrass concert to help those thousands who had less than me to begin with and lost everything. Stay tuned to my Facebook page for updates and I will try to post here as well.

Again, THANK you all for your concern and your support of my business and my workshops over the last 40 years.

Thanks to all the dozens of friends in the tennis and bluegrass worlds and even complete  strangers from Facebook who have donated clothes, money and offers for lodging and physical assistance in cleanup. I had about THIRTY people offer me a place to stay! I have a renewed faith and appreciation for the compassion of humanity. It is very humbling, and motivates me to be nicer to others in general. 

Edited by - jackhatfield on 12/04/2016 18:30:03

bbanjoboy - Posted - 12/04/2016:  18:17:59

Wow Jack.. all I can say is wow.. in this horrible time, all you can think of is helping others with a benefit.. you are an amazing man, and I'm very proud to call you friend.. We will continue praying for you and yours...

From Greylock to Bean Blossom - Posted - 12/04/2016:  19:11:21

Jack,

It is heart breaking: the losses of meaningful heirlooms, artifacts and parts of your history, the loss of such significant and  valuable works of the heart,  the disruption of a career in its prime. Your relocating to Knoxville will leave a big hole in the Sevier County community but will be a gain for the Knoxville community. You must also be so emotionally drained. I cannot imagine sleeping well after this for a long time. We are about the same age and I can relate to the   tiredness that comes from labors of love. You owe it  to yourself to pick and chose more. But I will tell you, I was looking forward to more Full Moon Jams and will miss driving up Laurelwood Drive when we are in the smokys.

You know I have been looking over your old BNL Scruggs Corner columns and looking at your transcriptions of some of the full songs including the back up from the Mercury Session era. Gosh, I try to listen to the back up from that era using a tool like Amazing Slowdowner with its graphic equalizer and other many features and still I  cannot make out what is being played as backup behind the singing. You only had a turn table when you did that. You must have had to work so damn long and hard on that . What groundbreaking work that was and is. There are so many patterns and licks to learn from.  I don't think anyone else has done that so thoroughly and completely before or  since. the organization in your three books starting from beginner to backup is mind boggling. You were able to see the whole picture and paint it in a very complete progression without glitches. it was a continual build from start to finish. Quite a body of work to be proud of Jack. You put it out there and I am sure many will re-package it or tweak it but the body is yours. IMO you have been the most complete and definitive banjo instructor author of all time. Your body of work can't be burnt or go up in smoke because it is in so many people and so many nations.

I hope you can rest and relax a bit. I know I would be bitter and hope you can do better than me on that. you are in our thoughts and prayers for "better times a comin'."

with great respect.

Ken

 

Edited by - From Greylock to Bean Blossom on 12/04/2016 19:17:27

jackhatfield - Posted - 12/05/2016:  05:23:24

Correction: There was a bad cut and paste in my most recent post...(I hate how you only have 15 minutes to edit a BH post). I DID lose my Stelling Sunflower and my Deering Golden Era along with my 1955 D-18 and my grandfathers Stainer copy fiddle. The only personal instruments I got out with were my Gene Horner fiddle and mandolin and my Nechville 25th anniversary Phantom.

Thank you Ken...you have ben a good friend and supporter. I always get fired up by a student who REALLY wants to learn, and exponentially so when they decide to take up the banjo later in life as you have.  If all my students had been as serious as you, I would never have stopped teaching private lessons 30 years ago. \Believe it or not, that tennis lesson you gave me actually helped!

The reason i was able to transcribe some of those Scruggs backup licks that were obscured by the vocals or other instruments is, after a couple of years of transcribing his music, I had a "picture" of what he intended...if a few backup notes were obscured I was able to listen to the notes around them and make an educated guess as to what the missing notes were because I had heard the phrase clearly many times in Earl's other recordings. Earl did not improvise in two-note or three-note segments. Most of his lick-cabulary consisted phrases no smaller than four notes, the vast majority were eight- note (four beat) phrases. Like all of us, if a variation form the norm was a sequence of fewer than four notes, it was usually a missed note or the recovery of a mishap. This did not happen often...Earl's lick-cabulary was as well-rehearsed as anybody in the banjo world, as much as players like Ralph Stanley, for example, who had a much less sophisticated approach and lick-cabulary. I feel confident these obscured passages are 95% accurate. 

Edited by - jackhatfield on 12/05/2016 05:54:16