"'Constantly brushing shoulders with each other', is one way of putting it. There was /is an awful lot of snobbery involved in most things in the UK, the banjo world being no exception. I was discussing Len Broomfield's arrangement of…"
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Collins, Broomfield Correspondence on Cammeyer and the Zither Banjo 7 Replies
Started by Joel Hooks in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Richard William Ineson 13 hours ago.
Jaxon Rag..1908..Edward G.Byers & Lucien G.Dunn
Started by Steve Harrison in Classic Banjo yesterday.
Down On The Old Plantation..1899..Bayard Wilson
Started by Steve Harrison in Classic Banjo on Tuesday.
Banjo Pot Construction 2 Replies
Started by Byron Thomas in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Byron Thomas Jul 6.
Dark Town Coon..1914..Benoit Fidele Poirier
Started by Steve Harrison in Classic Banjo Jul 5.
Sammy On Parade, orchestral score by Bernard Shaeff...work in progress! 6 Replies
Started by Trapdoor2 in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Richard William Ineson Jul 4.
Banjo Recording Careers 10 Replies
Started by Byron Thomas in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Steven Watson Jul 3.
Canadian Fiddle Tunes for Banjo 4 Replies
Started by Shawn McSweeny in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Shawn McSweeny Jul 1.
Classic Banjo and Jazz 12 Replies
Started by Byron Thomas in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Joel Hooks Jun 26.
TUNE NOTATION WANTED. 6 Replies
Started by IAN SALTER in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Russ Chandler Jun 23.
Barnes and Mullins Troubadour Magazine 2 Replies
Started by Joel Hooks in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Joel Hooks Jun 19.
I'm not clear on what makes "Jazz" Jazz. 7 Replies
Started by Joel Hooks in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Ethan Schwartz Jun 17.
Fidgety Feet aka War Cloud..1918..James La Rocca & Larry Shields..Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Started by Steve Harrison in Classic Banjo Jun 15.
Goldby and Shepard Publications 7 Replies
Started by Joel Hooks in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Trapdoor2 Jun 11.
29 Frets? 16 Replies
Started by Trapdoor2 in Classic Banjo. Last reply by Joel Hooks Jun 3.
Blog Posts
Help please
My Nan used to play the banjo ( many many moons ago ) she was known as “Ena and her banjo”.
Unfortunately her banjo has fallen into disrepair over the years . However her musical genius (apparently a blooming brilliant singer too)has skipped the last 3 generations .We are looking for a recommendation for someone/company to do a sympathetic repair as a surprise for our mums 80th birthday next year .We live in Leicestershire (England) can any one advise us please
Many…
ContinuePosted by Deborah Powers on February 7, 2025 at 14:00 — 3 Comments
"SOMEWHERE IN DIXIE" Banjo 2
Hello, I wrote a Banjo 2 accompaniment for Somewere in Dixie, as there was none. Is it possible to put it in the music library?
Posted by Alexandre Derycke on October 20, 2024 at 20:06 — 2 Comments
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Latest Activity
Jaxon Rag..1908..Edward G.Byers & Lucien G.Dunn
The composers of this rag both came from Mississippi so I presume the title is a bit of wordplay around the state capitol Jackson. I've kept it in the original piano key of C and have made good use of the 6ths intervals which work well on the banjo.…See More
"The "academics" have long claimed or insinuated that what we call "classic banjo" did not organically develop. The narrative is that there was an industry that was, more or less, forcing classic banjo onto a public that…"
"Well, that was a great set of information to peruse through! Something that I don't understand. How did Farland remain popular if he wasn't playing what people wanted? Or was it that just enough people were interested to keep him relevant?…"
Down On The Old Plantation..1899..Bayard Wilson
This is a very tuneful early cake walk that could have been written for the banjo. I could find no info on the composer. It's one of my current favourites, it's not too challenging and is worth a try...Steve.…See More
"About three years ago I picked up a Windsor Whirle Gem Junior from across the pond. Initially I felt that I made a worse choice of the two banjos being considered. But over the years it has grown on me. I love that it's a lightweight resonator…"
Dark Town Coon..1914..Benoit Fidele Poirier
Poirier was a Canadian born composer and organist who lived most of his life in Montreal. As far as I could find out, this is his only ragtime composition which is far removed from his usual repertoire of classically inspired music. It's a very good…See More
"Great stuff, a very vigorous tremelo which goes well with all the other things happening around it. Sheaff was a knowledgeable musician and all of his compositions and arrangements show a lot of originality. I look forward to hearing more. Thank you…"
"Thanks. Not sure why that didn't come up when I searched."
"I’m not sure what I can do to make this more accessible. I post on various forms and try to use appropriate tags when I upload stuff.
Here is a post that includes the…"
"Joel, do you have a copy of the Sep. 21, 1947 Cammeyer letter you can share, or can you tell me where I might find it? I'm doing some research on Farland's appearances in England. Was just going through the relevant 1903 issues of The…"
"My answer is: Yes, I like banjo rims for classic and stroke style. Wood, wood with rings, silver rims (aka "spun"), closed back, open banjo, I particularly like all of them.
Now, I have a tendency to like silver rims a little…"
"Also worth noting that Farland was 14 years older than FVE, and became a professional banjoist before the recording industry took off. FVE's earliest work as banjoist was making wax cylinders."
" Farland was devoted to playing his own arrangements of classical music on the banjo, using lots of tremolo. His career took off in 1893 when SS Stewart decided to promote him heavily in both concerts and the pages of the Stewart Journal, as…"
"Claiming that he "lost out" presumes that Farland had aspirations to make production records. It is just as likely that he had no interest. We do not have that info.
What we do know is that Farland was heavily promoted in…"
"On one of these promotion things, or perhaps it was the back of a piece of sheet music, there was a list of recordings you could buy from Farland, but these were self recorded, likely one at a time. I know of none extant."
"So basically, he lost out because he couldn't bring himself to play music for then common person and only played European classics?"
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