John Hartford's playing and singing is a breath of fresh air in a Scruggs filled banjo world. If I were to be a singing and banjo playing performer I think I would try to be like Mr Hartford. Shame is I can't sing or play banjo that well.
13 Comments |
NickC says:
2/2/2011 4:00:29 AM
Ha. I can't sing either. But there is always Foggy Mountain Landscape you know! Brought a smile to my face when i saw this group set up. I love the John Hartford's
banjo sound. Hearing Aereo-Plain only last year for the first time was a bit of a Damascus moment for me. I think John Hartford brought something unique to the banjo and i love his spirit and individualism. I think it amazing that he also played a damn fine fiddle too!
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 | Grum says:
2/2/2011 4:17:54 AM
I just love the way he seems to be having fun rather than trying to play something intricate just for the sake of it. He was obviously an extremely talented man, but he makes it sound so easy!
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 | hartfordman says:
2/2/2011 5:33:57 AM
I can't sing at all like him, but I am working on trying to be good on the banjo. His tunes like Tax Dollars at work with his fast pull off style is what gives me trouble.
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 | jimh269b says:
2/2/2011 11:21:50 AM
well i got the pleasure of getting to play banjo with john,one of nicest guys youll ever meet,we played at 15 or 16 hours in 2 days,he was a great guy
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NickC says:
2/3/2011 1:54:24 AM
Wow That's some memory to have Jim!
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 | thombanjo says:
2/3/2011 1:56:45 PM
I am a huge fan of his music. I wrote a tune lamenting John's passing called "John on the River ." It's on my home page if anyone cares to listen. I would love to study his style. He was amazing and is so greatly missed
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| hartfordman says:
2/3/2011 6:25:32 PM
Great tune Thomas! Have you ever tried playing low tuned banjo?
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| thombanjo says:
2/4/2011 5:07:28 AM
Thanks, Matt. Yes...I have a cheap old Kay without a resonator that I tuned a little down and get a fairly good old-time sound out of. I would like to know more about lower tunings. Also I would like to know how to LINK my tune to this group ? Kinda slow at this stuff !
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NickC says:
2/4/2011 5:19:26 AM
Enjoyed that tuneThomas. Thanks. It must be cool to reach the stage where you can write tunes straight from the heart like that! I'd be interested to learn about low tunings too. A friend at a pick this week told me that John Hartford tuned his banjo to E. I have a Deering John Hartford banjo and i'd love to begin experimenting with this tuning. Being a beginner i don't really know where to start though! I've been told that John explains this on his Homespun DVD Vol 2.
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| thombanjo says:
2/4/2011 8:36:38 AM
Thanks Nick...I began about 4 years ago off and on and really concentrated during my year and a half of unemployment in 2008 and 2009. I would try the tabs but always left those and just figured out my own melodies that were in my head. This tune is not in John's style but rather a lament for him. He was a hero of mine and I regret that I came to the banjo too late to have ever met him. I had his Aeroplane album many years ago and have collected most of his stuff over the years. Bugle Boy is just about my favorite. To me, John was a blend of Mark Twain, Will Rogers and JOHN HARTFORD ! So uniquely talented and innovative; the father of progressive bluegrass. I wrote John...River after discovering CC tuning . It was the first tune I wrote in that tuning.
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 | TonyS says:
2/4/2011 11:01:26 AM
Agree guys- can you explain the tuning more (you know, each string for us beginners)
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| hartfordman says:
2/4/2011 8:17:13 PM
Thomas-there should be a little green box off to the side. It will say Link To Group
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 | 5Wires says:
5/15/2014 9:22:08 PM
Been a fan of Mr Hartford since college days 30 years ago. Bought the lp - Catalogue and it blew me awa. Fave album at the moment is Aereoplain. Working on the banjo solo to Back in the Goodle Days.....not easy. Any ideas?
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