King Kollins & Klifton?

I came across a youtube recording by Dorian Henry of the Twirler by King Kollins.

King Kollins and Klifton were described as 'the worlds greatest banjo players'.

I've never heard of them. I'm sure someone can enlighten me. I haven't managed to track down a score for the Twirler either....Steve.

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Permalink Reply by thereallyniceman on February 28, 2015 at 18:04

I found this in a 1909 Variety Magazine:

Permalink Reply by Steve Harrison on February 28, 2015 at 21:14

Thanks Ian, another piece in the banjo jigsaw falls into place. All we need now is to locate the scores, they must be out there somewhere...Steve.
thereallyniceman said:

I found this in a 1909 Variety Magazine:

Permalink Reply by Shawn McSweeny on March 1, 2015 at 0:04

Steve : If you really want The Twirler score and can't find it elsewhere, it is possible to step through the video, screen cap the score 9 measures at a time, and rebuild the caps into a full score.  A tedious job and no fun, yes, but it worked for me on another elusive piece whose score could not be found elsewhere.

Permalink Reply by Steve Harrison on March 1, 2015 at 7:38

Hi Shawn..thanks for the suggestion, that sounds like the best possibility..it would be of interest to have a banjo score developed considering it was originally written for banjo by a banjoist..I may well do that....Steve.

Shawn McSweeny said:

Steve : If you really want The Twirler score and can't find it elsewhere, it is possible to step through the video, screen cap the score 9 measures at a time, and rebuild the caps into a full score.  A tedious job and no fun, yes, but it worked for me on another elusive piece whose score could not be found elsewhere.

Permalink Reply by thereallyniceman on March 1, 2015 at 9:33

If the hyperbole is to be believed these people must have been playing around the time of Ossman, Farland, Brooks, Parke Hunter et.al. How come we don't know of them?  

Click picture to zoom.

Permalink Reply by Shawn McSweeny on March 1, 2015 at 13:53

Hi Ian   Classic banjoist obscurity is not a rare thing. There were many fine banjoists on the US Vaudeville circuit at that time. Several top duos that, like Ossman, Hunter and other top soloists, endorsed the new Whyte Laydie banjo are depicted below. Apart from some material published in the ABF's Five Stringer, very little is known about even these noteworthy groups.

There just aren't enough banjo historians combing through old issues of the Stewart Journal, The Cadenza, The Crescendo and other trade magazines for biographical info. Only the few most popular or most prolific recording artists endured in the public forefront and are remembered today.

Permalink Reply by Joel Hooks on March 1, 2015 at 15:12

They are mentioned on the front page of the Stewart & Bauer Journal, here...

https://archive.org/details/StewartAndBauerBulletin1902

Of note is the fact that they are using "heavy gut strings and a mandolin plectrum."

Permalink Reply by Joel Hooks on March 4, 2015 at 14:35

Okay, I wrote and asked Dorian for the score.  I received it today.  Looks like one could play right off of the score, but I'm sure Steve will banjo it up a little!

See attached...

Attachments:
Permalink Reply by Trapdoor2 on March 4, 2015 at 15:40

Well done, Joel! I was wondering if anyone would take the obvious route and ask DH for a copy... ;-)

Permalink Reply by Steve Harrison on March 4, 2015 at 16:08

Thanks Joel, I've made start by cribbing off the screen but this score will make it a lot easier. I'm sure I can banjofy this one...Steve.

Joel Hooks said:

Okay, I wrote and asked Dorian for the score.  I received it today.  Looks like one could play right off of the score, but I'm sure Steve will banjo it up a little!

See attached...

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