a traitor or just a weirdo ? - Classic-Banjo2024-03-28T22:31:30Zhttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140380&feed=yes&xn_auth=noIt's the first letter of the…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-05:2667446:Comment:1402822019-12-05T16:41:59.626ZJody Stecherhttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/JodyStecher
<p>It's the first letter of the words that preceded my typing it. All Music That Ever Happened Before.<br></br> <br></br> <cite>nick stephens said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140401#2667446Comment140400"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Jody, you will need to explain that acronym to me,…</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p>It's the first letter of the words that preceded my typing it. All Music That Ever Happened Before.<br/> <br/> <cite>nick stephens said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140401#2667446Comment140400"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Jody, you will need to explain that acronym to me,</p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140399&xg_source=msg_com_forum#2667446Comment140399"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140396&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140581"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140396&xg_source=msg_com_forum#2667446Comment140396"></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> Your reading of the situation…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-05:2667446:Comment:1404012019-12-05T16:39:41.113ZJody Stecherhttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/JodyStecher
<p>Your reading of the situation seems very likely to me. I know a number of able musicians who began playing when young to please others and who later put it aside. </p>
<p>Thank your for the subtle invitation to attend a rally. I have not specifically been staying away from ABF gatherings. I have been staying away from everything 3000 miles away. Or sometimes even 30 miles away. After 50 years of musical touring I now love being home the best. </p>
<p><br></br> <cite>Joel Hooks…</cite></p>
<p>Your reading of the situation seems very likely to me. I know a number of able musicians who began playing when young to please others and who later put it aside. </p>
<p>Thank your for the subtle invitation to attend a rally. I have not specifically been staying away from ABF gatherings. I have been staying away from everything 3000 miles away. Or sometimes even 30 miles away. After 50 years of musical touring I now love being home the best. </p>
<p><br/> <cite>Joel Hooks said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140487&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140487"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>I think the truth was that she was compelled or felt obligated to play banjo for her brother whom she adored. </p>
<p>Perhaps after she married she felt free from that obligation. </p>
<p>Though she was a amazing banjoist, it is possible that she did not "like" playing. But I don't know about that. It would not be the first time a skilled musician did not enjoy playing music.</p>
<p>The story that I relayed above came from her Grandson. He was very open with sharing information about her. Perhaps there is "more to it". It is possible that he will make another rally in the future. If he does I'll let you know so that you can show up and ask him in person. I got the impression that he would be happy to tell you any details.</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> Jody, you will need to explai…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-05:2667446:Comment:1404002019-12-05T16:27:50.751Znick stephenshttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/nickstephens
<p>Jody, you will need to explain that acronym to me, yes indeed the band sharing a common tuner was what I had in mind, to my ears things have improved tunewise within local bands, I no longer have to leave the room when they play ! I guess my modest musicality is quite normal amongst folk who have played for years, 46 years in my case !<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Jody Stecher said:…</cite></p>
<p>Jody, you will need to explain that acronym to me, yes indeed the band sharing a common tuner was what I had in mind, to my ears things have improved tunewise within local bands, I no longer have to leave the room when they play ! I guess my modest musicality is quite normal amongst folk who have played for years, 46 years in my case !<br/> <br/> <cite>Jody Stecher said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140399&xg_source=msg_com_forum#2667446Comment140399"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Nick, your perceptive ability is what is known as "relative pitch". You are able to effortlessly discern when music is in or out of tune with itself. "Perfect Pitch", as Marc has hinted, is indeed an affliction. It's also called Absolute Pitch. It is the ability to recognize particular frequencies as the Right ones and to reject others as Wrong. This maladyusually appears early in life and usually in a classical music context. One learns to recognize A 440 as A. The problem is that this is not a universal standard. Various orchestras tune higher or lower. And the grand organs in the churches of Europe? Each has their own A, none of them 440. They will all sound out of tune to someone with Perfect Pitch. The person with Perfect Pitch thinks it is a gift and sometimes becomes self-important. In all fairness it is the fault of family members who never miss an opportunity to boast within earshot of the Perfect Pitcher about the amazing ability of their sibling, child, or cousin. </p>
<p>A few people with perfect pitch are able to get over the Right Wrong problem. They simply recognize a pitch as what it is and make no judgments about tunefulness.</p>
<p>As for electronic tuners, they have made amateur music far more out of tune than it used to be. What they indicate is In tune corresponds to the pitches of NO kind of music that has previously existed. But wait! It's worse. The different brands don't agree with each other. That's not all. The different models within a brand don't agree with each other as to what is In Tune. It can't get worse can it? It can. It does. The different specimens within a model of most brands of electronic tuners don't agree with each other. A friend of mine photographed a battery of tuners of the same brand and model, clipped to an instrument peg head at the moment a string was sounded. Each gave a different reading. Not just different degrees of how flat or sharp of "in tune" it was, but some showed the note to be sharp, some flat. </p>
<p> But I agree that if the members of a band all use the same electronic tuner they will be internally in tune with each other even if their music is out of tune to all music that ever happened before. acronym : AMTEHB.<br/> <br/> <cite>nick stephens said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140396&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140581"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>well, I dont know how perfect pitch is determined but I am often able to say what key a piece of music is in upon hearing it for the first time without reference to any instrument and, when I hear an instrument, any instrument played out of tune even slightly it actually makes me feel slightly ill, sick even ! before the advent of digital tuners I could not tolerate listening to local amateur bands as they nearly always were somewhat off with regard tuning together.<br/> <br/> <cite>Trapdoor2 said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140396&xg_source=msg_com_forum#2667446Comment140396"><div><div class="xg_user_generated">We had a friend of the family who suffered from perfect pitch. She hated my banjo (naturally) but also most music. She was a concert grade pianist. Oddly, she had a stroke, late in life, and she told me that it made her pitch sensitivity go away.</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> Nick, your perceptive ability…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-05:2667446:Comment:1403992019-12-05T16:16:41.307ZJody Stecherhttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/JodyStecher
<p>Nick, your perceptive ability is what is known as "relative pitch". You are able to effortlessly discern when music is in or out of tune with itself. "Perfect Pitch", as Marc has hinted, is indeed an affliction. It's also called Absolute Pitch. It is the ability to recognize particular frequencies as the Right ones and to reject others as Wrong. This maladyusually appears early in life and usually in a classical music context. One learns to recognize A 440 as A. The problem is that this…</p>
<p>Nick, your perceptive ability is what is known as "relative pitch". You are able to effortlessly discern when music is in or out of tune with itself. "Perfect Pitch", as Marc has hinted, is indeed an affliction. It's also called Absolute Pitch. It is the ability to recognize particular frequencies as the Right ones and to reject others as Wrong. This maladyusually appears early in life and usually in a classical music context. One learns to recognize A 440 as A. The problem is that this is not a universal standard. Various orchestras tune higher or lower. And the grand organs in the churches of Europe? Each has their own A, none of them 440. They will all sound out of tune to someone with Perfect Pitch. The person with Perfect Pitch thinks it is a gift and sometimes becomes self-important. In all fairness it is the fault of family members who never miss an opportunity to boast within earshot of the Perfect Pitcher about the amazing ability of their sibling, child, or cousin. </p>
<p>A few people with perfect pitch are able to get over the Right Wrong problem. They simply recognize a pitch as what it is and make no judgments about tunefulness.</p>
<p>As for electronic tuners, they have made amateur music far more out of tune than it used to be. What they indicate is In tune corresponds to the pitches of NO kind of music that has previously existed. But wait! It's worse. The different brands don't agree with each other. That's not all. The different models within a brand don't agree with each other as to what is In Tune. It can't get worse can it? It can. It does. The different specimens within a model of most brands of electronic tuners don't agree with each other. A friend of mine photographed a battery of tuners of the same brand and model, clipped to an instrument peg head at the moment a string was sounded. Each gave a different reading. Not just different degrees of how flat or sharp of "in tune" it was, but some showed the note to be sharp, some flat. </p>
<p> But I agree that if the members of a band all use the same electronic tuner they will be internally in tune with each other even if their music is out of tune to all music that ever happened before. acronym : AMTEHB.<br/> <br/> <cite>nick stephens said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140396&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140581"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>well, I dont know how perfect pitch is determined but I am often able to say what key a piece of music is in upon hearing it for the first time without reference to any instrument and, when I hear an instrument, any instrument played out of tune even slightly it actually makes me feel slightly ill, sick even ! before the advent of digital tuners I could not tolerate listening to local amateur bands as they nearly always were somewhat off with regard tuning together.<br/> <br/> <cite>Trapdoor2 said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140396&xg_source=msg_com_forum#2667446Comment140396"><div><div class="xg_user_generated">We had a friend of the family who suffered from perfect pitch. She hated my banjo (naturally) but also most music. She was a concert grade pianist. Oddly, she had a stroke, late in life, and she told me that it made her pitch sensitivity go away.</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> I think the truth was that sh…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-05:2667446:Comment:1404872019-12-05T16:09:36.712ZJoel Hookshttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/deuceswilde
<p>I think the truth was that she was compelled or felt obligated to play banjo for her brother whom she adored. </p>
<p>Perhaps after she married she felt free from that obligation. </p>
<p>Though she was a amazing banjoist, it is possible that she did not "like" playing. But I don't know about that. It would not be the first time a skilled musician did not enjoy playing music.</p>
<p>The story that I relayed above came from her Grandson. He was very open with sharing information about…</p>
<p>I think the truth was that she was compelled or felt obligated to play banjo for her brother whom she adored. </p>
<p>Perhaps after she married she felt free from that obligation. </p>
<p>Though she was a amazing banjoist, it is possible that she did not "like" playing. But I don't know about that. It would not be the first time a skilled musician did not enjoy playing music.</p>
<p>The story that I relayed above came from her Grandson. He was very open with sharing information about her. Perhaps there is "more to it". It is possible that he will make another rally in the future. If he does I'll let you know so that you can show up and ask him in person. I got the impression that he would be happy to tell you any details.</p> well, I dont know how perfect…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-05:2667446:Comment:1405812019-12-05T15:21:07.449Znick stephenshttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/nickstephens
<p>well, I dont know how perfect pitch is determined but I am often able to say what key a piece of music is in upon hearing it for the first time without reference to any instrument and, when I hear an instrument, any instrument played out of tune even slightly it actually makes me feel slightly ill, sick even ! before the advent of digital tuners I could not tolerate listening to local amateur bands as they nearly always were somewhat off with regard tuning together.…<br></br> <br></br></p>
<p>well, I dont know how perfect pitch is determined but I am often able to say what key a piece of music is in upon hearing it for the first time without reference to any instrument and, when I hear an instrument, any instrument played out of tune even slightly it actually makes me feel slightly ill, sick even ! before the advent of digital tuners I could not tolerate listening to local amateur bands as they nearly always were somewhat off with regard tuning together.<br/> <br/> <cite>Trapdoor2 said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140396&xg_source=msg_com_forum#2667446Comment140396"><div><div class="xg_user_generated">We had a friend of the family who suffered from perfect pitch. She hated my banjo (naturally) but also most music. She was a concert grade pianist. Oddly, she had a stroke, late in life, and she told me that it made her pitch sensitivity go away.</div>
</div>
</blockquote> We had a friend of the family…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-05:2667446:Comment:1403962019-12-05T14:49:34.308ZTrapdoor2https://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/Trapdoor2
We had a friend of the family who suffered from perfect pitch. She hated my banjo (naturally) but also most music. She was a concert grade pianist. Oddly, she had a stroke, late in life, and she told me that it made her pitch sensitivity go away.
We had a friend of the family who suffered from perfect pitch. She hated my banjo (naturally) but also most music. She was a concert grade pianist. Oddly, she had a stroke, late in life, and she told me that it made her pitch sensitivity go away. I know about her career as an…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-04:2667446:Comment:1403932019-12-04T21:42:43.759ZJody Stecherhttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/JodyStecher
<p>I know about her career as an expert and historian. There must be more to the husband story. If he was going deaf he would notice the sound of the banjo being played less and less. Maybe the developing deafness was accompanied by tinitus, which can be aggravated by external noise. This reminds me of a student of mine who came back to the states from a holiday in Scotland. This was over 30 years ago. She and her husband bought a souvenir cassette of highland bagpipe music. But when she tried…</p>
<p>I know about her career as an expert and historian. There must be more to the husband story. If he was going deaf he would notice the sound of the banjo being played less and less. Maybe the developing deafness was accompanied by tinitus, which can be aggravated by external noise. This reminds me of a student of mine who came back to the states from a holiday in Scotland. This was over 30 years ago. She and her husband bought a souvenir cassette of highland bagpipe music. But when she tried to play it her sound system delivered nothing. She pushed the Noise Reduction button changing it from On to Off. There was the bagpipe music. Her interpretation was that the entire musical content of tape was rejected by her machine as "noise". That wouldn't have actually happened, there has to be more to the story, but its a great yarn all the same and they got a lot of laughs from it.<br/> <br/> <cite>Joel Hooks said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140486&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140486"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Hi Jody,</p>
<p>She was devoted to her brother Cliff (who basically raised her) and banjo playing was his thing. She stopped playing after she got married. Her husband was going deaf and they avoided any noise in their house-- that includes banjo.</p>
<p>Her real love was early American tinware a subject that she became <em>the</em> expert in. She wrote regular articles for several newspapers and magazines on various subjects including history. No articles on banjo as far as I can tell.</p>
<p>There are people alive who were close with them (Cliff and Shirley). They attend ABF rallies and are happy to tell stories.</p>
<p><br/> <cite>Jody Stecher said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140281"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>By all accounts she was a fantastic person. Do you know why she stopped playing? I can easily understand retiring from performing and recording. No more pressure. But stopping playing banjo means no more pleasure (of a particular banjological kind).<br/> <br/> <cite>Joel Hooks said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140280&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140280"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Nope-- see what people miss by not going to ABF rallies!</p>
<p>I found ads from Vega where she claims to have used a WL to record with.</p>
<p>We also got to read letters from both Bill Nelson at Vega (who was not very nice and kinda demanding) and William Lange (who was super cool). Bill Nelson confirms that she used a Vega WL for "quite a while". The subject of one letter from Lange was about gold plating her Orpheum banjos at no charge in time for the Guild convention. </p>
<p>Her scrapbook is fantastic! She did a HUGE amount of radio work. I'm talking multiple times a week for many years-- that must have been the boring music that Ken Burns said people were tolerating until country music came along.</p>
<p>Both of her Orpheum banjos were on display during her Grandson's lecture at the rally.<br/> <br/> <cite>Jody Stecher said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140479"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>So Shirley Spaulding didn't record with that fancy Orpheum banjo with the fingerboard extension? That came later maybe?<br/> <br/> <cite>Joel Hooks said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140274&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140274"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Fairbanks, and later Vega, WL model banjos swept the professionals as a favorite banjo from the moment they were introduced.</p>
<p>Many top pros played them (including Vess Ossman). The scramble to use them was quite sudden. A. J. Weidt even had a banjo club where all the banjos were WLs.</p>
<p>Clifford Essex liked them enough to knock them off.</p>
<p>Even Shirley Spaulding recorded with hers (that is what you hear on her records).</p>
<p>The WL was designed for what we call "classic banjo" by a "classic banjoist."</p>
<p>I believe that serious players should have a "library" of banjos. Most days I feel like playing my flush fret Gariepy-Van Eps. But other days I feel like playing other banjos.</p>
<p>I've played many original WLs and found them to be fine banjos. I owned an Eastman for several years that was a daily player (until I got that flush fret-- I stopped playing it and it needed to find a new home).</p>
<p></p>
<p>It is all good.</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> Hi Jody,
She was devoted to h…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-04:2667446:Comment:1404862019-12-04T19:00:43.691ZJoel Hookshttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/deuceswilde
<p>Hi Jody,</p>
<p>She was devoted to her brother Cliff (who basically raised her) and banjo playing was his thing. She stopped playing after she got married. Her husband was going deaf and they avoided any noise in their house-- that includes banjo.</p>
<p>Her real love was early American tinware a subject that she became <em>the</em> expert in. She wrote regular articles for several newspapers and magazines on various subjects including history. No articles on banjo as far as I can…</p>
<p>Hi Jody,</p>
<p>She was devoted to her brother Cliff (who basically raised her) and banjo playing was his thing. She stopped playing after she got married. Her husband was going deaf and they avoided any noise in their house-- that includes banjo.</p>
<p>Her real love was early American tinware a subject that she became <em>the</em> expert in. She wrote regular articles for several newspapers and magazines on various subjects including history. No articles on banjo as far as I can tell.</p>
<p>There are people alive who were close with them (Cliff and Shirley). They attend ABF rallies and are happy to tell stories.</p>
<p><br/> <cite>Jody Stecher said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140281"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>By all accounts she was a fantastic person. Do you know why she stopped playing? I can easily understand retiring from performing and recording. No more pressure. But stopping playing banjo means no more pleasure (of a particular banjological kind).<br/> <br/> <cite>Joel Hooks said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140280&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140280"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Nope-- see what people miss by not going to ABF rallies!</p>
<p>I found ads from Vega where she claims to have used a WL to record with.</p>
<p>We also got to read letters from both Bill Nelson at Vega (who was not very nice and kinda demanding) and William Lange (who was super cool). Bill Nelson confirms that she used a Vega WL for "quite a while". The subject of one letter from Lange was about gold plating her Orpheum banjos at no charge in time for the Guild convention. </p>
<p>Her scrapbook is fantastic! She did a HUGE amount of radio work. I'm talking multiple times a week for many years-- that must have been the boring music that Ken Burns said people were tolerating until country music came along.</p>
<p>Both of her Orpheum banjos were on display during her Grandson's lecture at the rally.<br/> <br/> <cite>Jody Stecher said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140479"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>So Shirley Spaulding didn't record with that fancy Orpheum banjo with the fingerboard extension? That came later maybe?<br/> <br/> <cite>Joel Hooks said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140274&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140274"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Fairbanks, and later Vega, WL model banjos swept the professionals as a favorite banjo from the moment they were introduced.</p>
<p>Many top pros played them (including Vess Ossman). The scramble to use them was quite sudden. A. J. Weidt even had a banjo club where all the banjos were WLs.</p>
<p>Clifford Essex liked them enough to knock them off.</p>
<p>Even Shirley Spaulding recorded with hers (that is what you hear on her records).</p>
<p>The WL was designed for what we call "classic banjo" by a "classic banjoist."</p>
<p>I believe that serious players should have a "library" of banjos. Most days I feel like playing my flush fret Gariepy-Van Eps. But other days I feel like playing other banjos.</p>
<p>I've played many original WLs and found them to be fine banjos. I owned an Eastman for several years that was a daily player (until I got that flush fret-- I stopped playing it and it needed to find a new home).</p>
<p></p>
<p>It is all good.</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> By all accounts she was a fan…tag:classic-banjo.ning.com,2019-12-04:2667446:Comment:1402812019-12-04T16:02:18.964ZJody Stecherhttps://classic-banjo.ning.com/profile/JodyStecher
<p>By all accounts she was a fantastic person. Do you know why she stopped playing? I can easily understand retiring from performing and recording. No more pressure. But stopping playing banjo means no more pleasure (of a particular banjological kind).<br></br> <br></br> <cite>Joel Hooks said:…</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140280&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140280"></blockquote>
<p>By all accounts she was a fantastic person. Do you know why she stopped playing? I can easily understand retiring from performing and recording. No more pressure. But stopping playing banjo means no more pleasure (of a particular banjological kind).<br/> <br/> <cite>Joel Hooks said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140280&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140280"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Nope-- see what people miss by not going to ABF rallies!</p>
<p>I found ads from Vega where she claims to have used a WL to record with.</p>
<p>We also got to read letters from both Bill Nelson at Vega (who was not very nice and kinda demanding) and William Lange (who was super cool). Bill Nelson confirms that she used a Vega WL for "quite a while". The subject of one letter from Lange was about gold plating her Orpheum banjos at no charge in time for the Guild convention. </p>
<p>Her scrapbook is fantastic! She did a HUGE amount of radio work. I'm talking multiple times a week for many years-- that must have been the boring music that Ken Burns said people were tolerating until country music came along.</p>
<p>Both of her Orpheum banjos were on display during her Grandson's lecture at the rally.<br/> <br/> <cite>Jody Stecher said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140479"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>So Shirley Spaulding didn't record with that fancy Orpheum banjo with the fingerboard extension? That came later maybe?<br/> <br/> <cite>Joel Hooks said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="https://classic-banjo.ning.com/forum/topics/a-traitor-or-just-a-weirdo?commentId=2667446%3AComment%3A140274&xg_source=activity#2667446Comment140274"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Fairbanks, and later Vega, WL model banjos swept the professionals as a favorite banjo from the moment they were introduced.</p>
<p>Many top pros played them (including Vess Ossman). The scramble to use them was quite sudden. A. J. Weidt even had a banjo club where all the banjos were WLs.</p>
<p>Clifford Essex liked them enough to knock them off.</p>
<p>Even Shirley Spaulding recorded with hers (that is what you hear on her records).</p>
<p>The WL was designed for what we call "classic banjo" by a "classic banjoist."</p>
<p>I believe that serious players should have a "library" of banjos. Most days I feel like playing my flush fret Gariepy-Van Eps. But other days I feel like playing other banjos.</p>
<p>I've played many original WLs and found them to be fine banjos. I owned an Eastman for several years that was a daily player (until I got that flush fret-- I stopped playing it and it needed to find a new home).</p>
<p></p>
<p>It is all good.</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>