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Hi everyone, I was hoping for this to be a catalog of melodic banjo pickers for posterity. This is not exhaustive, of course, so feel free to add any I've missed.
Players that play/have played extensively in the melodic style (in no order):
And a few players that have used melodic licks in their songs before, but which I would not consider predominantly melodic players:
Edited by - rdeanjordan on 03/27/2025 19:25:59
Nice list, Richard. John Hickman, Pat Cloud
Now I’ll have to go listen all day to all these great players… 
Edited by - chuckv97 on 03/27/2025 06:06:33
Thanks, Chuck. I added them to the list!
Hi
Well, of course there are many, many players who've established their reputations through their use/development of the 'melodic' style. I'd add a few more to your list, including :-
Garland Shuping
Jack Hills
Ben Eldridge
Eric Weissberg
Marshall Brickman
I'm sure there are many more.
quote:
Originally posted by HSmithHi
Well, of course there are many, many players who've established their reputations through their use/development of the 'melodic' style. I'd add a few more to your list, including :-
Garland Shuping
Jack Hills
Ben Eldridge
Eric Weissberg
Marshall Brickman
I'm sure there are many more.
Thanks, Harry.
correction: it should be Jack Hicks
Thanks Rolf
You are of course correct! I should always read my postings before hitting the 'post reply' button!
Regards
Harry
Alison Brown!
Banjo Ben Clark and his sister Katy Lou Clark
I'm going to mention Peter Wernick who wrote a chapter on melodic playing in his book "Bluegrass Banjo" (Oak Publications).
I used that info to learn to play melodic and had a few great years playing fiddle tunes in that style. I still use it extensively in my playing, which is mostly chordal but melodic licks connect the chords. I love searching for the most efficient way to work out a tune and keep it smooth.
Anyway that chapter is a clear, concise description of the style and its advantages/disadvantages.
I did get to meet Mr. Wernick at one of his shows and told him how much I appreciated his chapter. He downplayed it but I think he was a great instructor if not a practitioner of the style.
I should mention when I post a video to Banjo Hangout, there's no choice for "melodic style", just a list of styles I've never heard of as well as Scruggs style.
Melodic style is also a good one for jazz playing, I've gone to jazz nights and if you work on your scales you can sit in without preparation on open jams. And it's a good style for taking a lead if you mostly play backup with a band, a melodic lead really sparkles.
Edited by - jonc on 03/27/2025 07:59:20
I don't know if your just including 3 finger "melodic" but if not Ken Pearlman plays melodic clawhammer.
every body and their brother-in the last couple of decades-a high percentage never known about--
quote:
Originally posted by Ira GitlinAlison Brown!
Oops--I see she was mentioned in the OP. (But pls. note correct spelling.)
How about B.B. Bowness, though?
Jeff Scroggins, Gabe Hirschfeld, Richard Bailey, Marty Cutler, Gerald Jones, Greg Cahill, Grace Van't Hof, Greg Davis, Gena Furtado, Steve Lutke, Ben Freed
Edited by - arnie fleischer on 03/28/2025 08:24:46
Tom Hanway, Chris Pandolfi
Steve Hanson one of my favorites.
Gene Bretecher canuck player
Denis LePage another canuck
Billy Perry
Paul Buchanan
Edited by - Sheenjack on 04/11/2025 15:52:24
Ed Brown
Fred Sullivan
of Brown, Sullivan and Company. MAGNUM BANJOS.
Edited by - Sheenjack on 04/12/2025 09:14:17
quote:
Originally posted by Sheenjack. . . Brown, Sullivan and Company. MAGNUM BANJOS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijxxuDt9QGQ&t=6s
One of the very first banjo albums I ever bought!
I had just started lessons in spring of 1972 and went to The Music Box (I think it was called) in Langley Park, Maryland, because I'd heard they had a good bluegrass records selection. THey also sold picks and strings. This phenomenal double banjo music was playing. "What's that?" I asked. Guy at the counter shows me the jacket of what's playing. Bought it on the spot.
Still have the original vinyl album. But some time ago when I discovered it was reissued in CD, I bought a copy.
Back in the late 70s-early 80s, I worked out Ed Brown's "Rhapsody in D Minor." I couldn't get it at first and wrote to him for a hint to get started. He told me the tuning. After that, I got it.
quote:
Originally posted by Old Hickoryquote:
Originally posted by Sheenjack. . . Brown, Sullivan and Company. MAGNUM BANJOS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijxxuDt9QGQ&t=6s
One of the very first banjo albums I ever bought!
I had just started lessons in spring of 1972 and went to The Music Box (I think it was called) in Langley Park, Maryland, because I'd heard they had a good bluegrass records selection. THey also sold picks and strings. This phenomenal double banjo music was playing. "What's that?" I asked. Guy at the counter shows me the jacket of what's playing. Bought it on the spot.
Still have the original vinyl album. But some time ago when I discovered it was reissued in CD, I bought a copy.
Back in the late 70s-early 80s, I worked out Ed Brown's "Rhapsody in D Minor." I couldn't get it at first and wrote to him for a hint to get started. He told me the tuning. After that, I got it.
Yes indeed. A real tour de force that one. (Rhapsody).
Another is Essence Of Sequatchie County. Would like to know the time signature of Sequatchie.
quote:
Originally posted by SheenjackYes indeed. A real tour de force that one. (Rhapsody).
Another is Essence Of Sequatchie County. Would like to know the time signature of Sequatchie.
6/8
Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 -- emphasis on 1 and 4. About half as fast as the banjo is playing. That is, you won't be counting every note.
The opening guitar intro is two counts of 6. The bass notes are on 1 and 4. You could also count it as 1 2 3 1 2 3 as if it were in 3/4. But it strikes me as too fast for that. Makes the measures too short. Six feels right.
Not many lady banjo players listed so you might care to include Casey Henry who teaches some melodic banjo and my understanding is she was once the banjo player in June Carters band. Historical fact!
Jean-Marie Redon
Luis Gomez
Jens Kruger
quote:
Originally posted by Old Hickoryquote:
Originally posted by SheenjackYes indeed. A real tour de force that one. (Rhapsody).
Another is Essence Of Sequatchie County. Would like to know the time signature of Sequatchie.
6/8
Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 -- emphasis on 1 and 4. About half as fast as the banjo is playing. That is, you won't be counting every note.
The opening guitar intro is two counts of 6. The bass notes are on 1 and 4. You could also count it as 1 2 3 1 2 3 as if it were in 3/4. But it strikes me as too fast for that. Makes the measures too short. Six feels right.
Thanks Ken, I thought it might be 6/8 but was not sure. It is not a meter you hear very often in Bluegrass. Trying to picture what a 6/8 tune would look like in tablature. Would it be tabbed with 6, eighth notes per measure?
quote:
Originally posted by Sheenjack
Thanks Ken, I thought it might be 6/8 but was not sure. It is not a meter you hear very often in Bluegrass. Trying to picture what a 6/8 tune would look like in tablature. Would it be tabbed with 6, eighth notes per measure?
Yes and no. Beats and notes are not the same thing.
6/8 does mean six beats per measure with an eighth note getting one beat. So the underlying timing is six eighth notes per measure. In Sequatchie, it's a moderate and lilting 1 2 3 4 5 6.
But the banjo is almost always playing 2 sixteenth notes per eighth note beat. Twelve notes per measure: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 5 & 6 &.
Try singing that 12-note count to the melody and you'll see it fits perfectly. Even the pause and tag at the end of a verse. (Continue counting through the pause.) You just need to get the downbeat ("1") right.
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