Classic-Banjo

A Site Dedicated to all enthusiasts of Classic Style Banjo

Bill Keith

Sad ; Bill passed away ; my friend jean marie Redon , who used to make a Bj course with him announced this sad new today ; RIP

Comment by thereallyniceman on October 24, 2015 at 17:31: Sad news, what a coincidence that I posted a personal letter from Bill explaining the "Bill Keith" Melodic style only last week.

RIP

Comment by Trapdoor2 on October 25, 2015 at 19:37: One of my favorite players from when I was attempting such stuff. May his legacy and memory live forever. RIP

Comment by Dave Houle on October 26, 2015 at 2:06: I think the majority of us owe this man some debt of gratitude.

Great banjoist and more importantly, great musician who just happened to play the banjo.

Comment by Jody Stecher on October 26, 2015 at 5:32: An anecdote relevant to classic banjo: in the late 1980s or early 90s I ran into Bill Keith in the parking lot of a bluegrass festival. He was selling copies of the LP "Banjoistics" for $5 or so. He had a box of them in the trunk (boot) of his car and was operating this sell-em-for-no profit operation from this "office". He was more or less giving them away because he wanted all his musician friends to hear Fred Bacon play "Massa's In The Cold Cold Ground."

Comment by Brian Kimerer on October 27, 2015 at 1:47: I have a copy of that LP that I picked up years ago. I could not find anyone who had heard of it until I landed here on Classic Banjo.

I met Bill at the Banjo Camp North, which was held North of Boston. I sat in some of his workshops and chatted with him over lunch. His workshops had more to do with general music theory and how to apply it to the banjo than just showing us how to pick tunes.

When he showed up at the evening staff concert he surprised everyone by playing a classical piece... classical as in Bach classical... not classic banjo. He blew the doors off the place.

He was a true gentleman and an excellent musician.