Member update!

[Texican65]

Greetings lads & ladies,

     My name is Dow, I joined the site a few years ago, but let life get in the way of my banjo playing, and i have not been active...that is until recently. My wife and I just had our first baby a few weeks ago, a little girl. It's strange to explain, but having this baby watching and learning from me everyday has instilled in me a new flame to play music for her, as well as myself. Hopefully I can pass on to her the interest and capability to become a player and beyond. 

     A transitioner from Bluegrass steel to classic gut, and long time Ossman fanatic, I started a quest to find an Ossman style banjo properly fit for the style. A few years ago, I was able to locate an 1890s James Morrison 5 string very similar to one that Vess played  earlier in his career. it was in very rough shape, but after 2 years of polishing and cleaning, I've got it in a respectable condition, and it is now at my luthiers being revived. I hope to have it within the next month or so, to be able to provide photos and also sound clips. I know it will be a different sound than his later material, after he upgraded to finer instruments, but with proper components and set-up, I hope to achieve somewhat of a fraction of that Vess sound...

     I joined the ABF recently, and am teaching myself to read notation through the Bradbury books vol I and II...not as easy as I was hoping, but i'm making progress slowly. Its an adventure, and very exciting again to be playing banjo. I've been working on Ossman's "Turkey in the Straw"...slowing down old 78 records to 33 1/3 RPM, and also with the help of a few standup members, listening to digital recordings at proper banjo pitch, a very helpful assist. I hope to have it down by the time the Morrison is ready. 

     I look forward again to being a part of this community, thank you to everybody for their invaluable contributions and wisdom. I do have a question though. Pouring through the tutor books...I see much instruction by some of the founding/leading players of the late 19th century...Van Eps, Bacon, Dobson, Hunter....why no Ossman tutors? Are they in existence, but not in anybody's possession, or was his method never documented and made available to the public?  And where can a guy hear a recording of Tommy Glynn....i've searched and searched? 

Dow

[Trapdoor2]

Tommy Glynn died in 1897 @ 25yrs old. AFAIK, typhoid fever got him before he could do any recording.