Playing Since: 1962
Lew H has made 6 recent additions to Banjo Hangout
Interests:
[Jamming] [Socializing] [Helping]
Occupation: Retired Sociology Prof.
Gender: Male
Age: 82
My Instruments:
1930s Vega Tubaphone conversion, 1960s Gibson RB175, 1930s Orpheum A conversion, 1970s Youngberg (a local banjo luthier) White Lady, Spear aluminum, StewMac kit, Saga kit, 1940s? Kay. Also several guitars and dobros.
Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Mike Seeger, Pete Seeger, Mark Johnson, Hedy West, Bill Keith, Alan Munde, James McKinney, Gerald Jones, Kathy Barton Para, & Earl (of course).
Classified Rating: not rated
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Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 3/10/2008
Last Visit 7/2/2026
Born in Arkansas, I bought a Kay banjo from a one-armed guy in 1962, and learned to play it over the next several years. The only instruction I found at that time was Pete Seeger's LP "How to Play the 5-string Banjo," which centered on up-picking. I didn't know there was a more comprehensive book that went with the LP. I switched to frailing style at the recommendations of a few pickers I met. I held a "banjubilee" party last year to celebrate my 50th anniversary of trying to play the banjo.
I currently play banjo in "Banjovi," mostly a contradance band, and dobro in the "Tomcats", a bluegrass band. Each does 8 or 10 gigs a year. I enjoy most jamming with other folks here in the Illinois Ozarks.
I have a few people whom I'm helping learn banjo: I call myself a helper rather than a teacher because my picking style is oddball, often I don't really know what my hands are doing, and I tend no to play tunes the same way twice.
