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JohnTheWhite |
Playing Since: 1960
Experience Level: Purty Good
Interests:
[Jamming] [Socializing] [Helping]
Occupation: Banjo Player
Gender: Male
Age: 76
My Instruments:
Yates Banjos Ron Stewart Signature model - (mahogany neck and resonator; 1933 Matertone RB-3 replica with no-hole flat head tone ring and fat rim; distressed metal and finish.)
ODE Model 42 Grade IV - ( #1820 - carved Rosewood neck and resonator with floral inlay and Aluminum rim.)
Winsor Model 40 - (Zither banjo, 5th string in the neck).
1964 Guild D40, Hoboken USA.
Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Ron Stewart, JD Crowe, Jack Elliot, New Lost City Ramblers, Old Reliable String Band, Mike Seeger, Tom Paley, Clarence Ashley, Clarence White, Doug Dillard, Dillards, Cowboy Nation, Dixie Chicks, Carolina Cotton, Bob Wills, Jon Eric.
Classified Rating: not rated
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Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 7/27/2007
Last Visit 11/26/2020
Idaho native. Started playing 5 string on a Silvertone, then graduated to a Vega (Folklore) Long-neck. Ordered my Colorado ODE from Charles Ogsbury while visiting the factory in Boulder. Played Foggy Mtn. Breakdown on stage at the 1965 Weiser ID National Old-Time Fiddlers' contest at age 17 and was invited to play with the Old-Time Fiddlers at the National Girl Scout Jamboree - Mom said, "NO" - life was over for a time. I started a Jug band in college and first heard Bill Keith on a Kweskin album; I truly abandoned all hope at that point of ever being a professional musician. I became a geophysicist and moved to NSW, Australia, for a year in 1972. My address was Woodlawn via Tarago, so it was pretty desolate. There I purchased a Windsor Zither banjo, which helped my pass the lonely hours playing clawhammer, while living in a sheep shearing shed. After returning to the US I went to graduate school and started a family. My banjos found there way under the bed for 20 years or so until my son decided he wanted to start playing guitar. I got out my old 1964 Guild D-40 and learned bluegrass flat picking. I also got a Telecaster with a Bigsby and learned to play some nose-in-your-drink country. One day in July of 2007 I got out my 1965 Colorado ODE and played it. I put on a skin head and made it into an open back, (when I quit I was playing only clawhammer style). Then I started going through Bill Keith's Masters of Bluegrass book and started getting into 3-finger and 2-finger stuff. I decided I didn't want to re-convert my ODE, so I started looking for a prewar Mastertone clone, similar to Wade Mainer's. That quest was satisfied when I discovered Yates Banjos, and I had a Ron Stewart mahaogny model built. It is a beautiful relic finished copy of a 1933 no hole flat head. I haven't touched any of my other instruments since I got it.
