Andy McGhee - Posted - 11/22/2025:  06:56:45

banjohangout.org/song/45523

I recorded this at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 1975, and have always wondered who the banjo player was. Can anyone help? I'm pretty sure it was an American band.
My apologies for the poor quality of the recording!
Many thanks in advance
Andy

jwold - Posted - 11/22/2025:  09:26:22

Reminds me of Eric weissberg/Marshall Brickman “new dimensions “ album, but whoever this is is playing kind of a melodic clawhammer style?

Bill Rogers - Posted - 11/22/2025:  11:39:59

Maybe John Burke—or was he still playing banjo in ‘ 75?

Edited by - Bill Rogers on 11/22/2025 11:40:26

GrahamHawker - Posted - 11/22/2025:  12:03:26

The line up for the festival is available on line. It includes Country Gazette. Alan Munde was on the banjo for them.

This is the line up:

setlist.fm/festival/1975/cambr...0489.html

Andy McGhee - Posted - 11/22/2025:  12:14:23

quote:

---

Originally posted by jwold

Reminds me of Eric weissberg/Marshall Brickman “new dimensions “ album, but whoever this is is playing kind of a melodic clawhammer style?

---

Yes - very melodic!

Andy McGhee - Posted - 11/22/2025:  12:16:59

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bill Rogers

Maybe John Burke—or was he still playing banjo in ‘ 75?

---

Thanks for the suggestion, Bill. It's hard to remember after all this time, but I seem to recall that he'd been playing another instrument until this tune - perhaps fiddle.

Andy McGhee - Posted - 11/22/2025:  12:27:30

quote:

---

Originally posted by GrahamHawker

The line up for the festival is available on line. It includes Country Gazette. Alan Munde was on the banjo for them.



This is the line up:



setlist.fm/festival/1975/cambr...0489.html

---

Thanks, Graham

I remember the Country Gazette sets very well!

I'm not sure whether the mystery band was actually part of the official line-up (I've still got the poster somewhere....). I made the recording in the camping area - at that time there was still a lot of offstage jamming. Things were a lot more relaxed in those days - I remember turning up at the entrance with my tent and being given a lift to the camping area by Ken Woollard, the festival organiser!

Even if nobody recognises the band/banjo player, I'm still pleased that other people have heard the music.

Edited by - Andy McGhee on 11/22/2025 12:34:43

tonygo - Posted - 11/22/2025:  15:57:27

quote:

---

Originally posted by Bill Rogers

Maybe John Burke—or was he still playing banjo in ‘ 75?

---

I saw him play with The Old Hat Band in Seattle around that time. That was the first time I saw and old time band perform.

Jerry Hatrick - Posted - 11/23/2025:  00:25:33

Could it have been Ken Perlman? Somebody suggested melodic clawhammer…