Posted by Brooklynbanjoboy on Thursday, April 9, 2015
My name is Lew Stern. “Brooklynbanjoboy” on BHO. I’d like to ask for your assistance on a project of mine. I am writing a biography of Dwight Hamilton Diller, who as you certainly know is a 68 year-old musician from West Virginia devoted to local traditions of fiddle and banjo music. After 9 months of work on this, I’m confronted with several realities.
The first is that Dwight has kept no real systematic records of his teaching work, concerts that he’s played, workshops that he has run.
The second is that here, ON BANJO HANGOUT, we have a virtually ready made reservoir of banjo-focused people who might be able to help me.
I’m looking for information on several kinds of activities:
First, Contests: Dwight participated in several of these especially in the 1970s. If you saw him compete I’d like to learn the venue, the dates, what tunes he played, and whether he placed in the contest. Any tape recordings would be very useful, too.
Second, Concerts: Either house concerts or concerts in public venues. Location, dates, who he might have shared the stage with.
Third, Workshops: Banjo (or fiddle) instruction Dwight organized, for from one to four days -- the “customary” length of workshops. Who attended, or hosted, where and when?
Fourth, Retreats: Banjo (or fiddle) instruction Dwight organized, for from four to seven or so days. I’d be interested in information from people who attended, or hosted, and can recall where and when.
If you’d be so kind to reply with your name and email, as a second step I’d be interested in reaching out to see whether you’d be prepared to fill out a “questionnaire” exploring things in greater detail.
My email is: brooklynbanjoboy@yahoo.com
I’d be grateful for your assistance. I’d value your contribution.
Lew Stern
120-A Overlook Road
Staunton, VA 24401
540-717-2985
brooklynbanjoboy@yahoo.com
2 comments on “REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE: BOOK PROJECT ON DWIGHT DILLER”
rinemb Says:
Thursday, April 9, 2015 @8:39:33 AM
A worthy project. You are including his acting career, eh. Brad
Brooklynbanjoboy Says:
Thursday, April 9, 2015 @8:51:52 AM
We've talked about that, and I have mentioned his video -- and beyond that, the acting class he took while he was at Morgantown. He did regard his banjo retreats as his stage, so to speak, and he did call upon the skills he learned in acting class as he worked to shape his thinking about how to project himself, how to communicate, in a classroom setting.
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