Eddie Tobin

[John McAllister]

There was some discussion a while ago about the banjo player Eddie Tobin. I have an old recording (1973) taken during a prolonged stay in the Adelaide Hospital. I became very good friends with Eddie, who sadly passed away during my stay there. He left me with great memories and a lovely recording of about 35 minutes of him playing on his Paragon banjo. I took this while we sat on our hospital beds. If anyone would like a copy I can forward it on.

EDDIE TOBIN PLAYING CLASSIC BANJO

Download MP3

[Joel Hooks]

I'd love a copy!  How does one get it?

Thanks in advance. -Joel Hooks

[John McAllister]

I am arranging to get it uploaded to the website so will let you know when it is available.

[Frank Coyne]

Hi John, What a surprise, I was a pupil and a good friend of Eddie's and would very much appreciate a copy of the recording you mention. I have also mentioned your post to Eddie’s son Paul who no doubt will also be in touch.

Best regards.

Frank Coyne

cc Paul Tobin

[Frank Coyne]

Re: Eddie Tobin

Information, just for the record. Frank Coyne

[Frank Coyne]

Banjo Solo: Banjo Antics By Eddie Tobin

[John McAllister]

Hi Frank, Thank you for attachments. Paul has been in touch and it is great to make this connection. Eddie passed on to me in the time I got to know him, a great love for 5-string banjo which has continued to this day. I have shared a link to the recording in Dropbox with website administrator, Ian, which should be available shortly.   

[thereallyniceman]

Thank you John!

I have now received and uploaded the Eddie Tobin recording. Members can now download and/or listen to the tape at the top of the discussion post. Many thanks!

[Frank Coyne]

Many thanks John, much appreciated. Kind regards. Frank

[paul Anthony Tobin]

Hi John

Many thanks for those recordings. Did you record them in the hospital? If so, then these are probably the last recordings from him are hence are very special to me as he died in the Adelaide Hospital in Sept 1973. I have attached some files of different recording quality, so I will ask my son, Scott Tobin, to try and remaster them later. I think his rendition of von Suppe's Poet and Peasant Overture is pushing the G-banjo to its limits.

Kind regards

Paul

[thereallyniceman]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the recordings...but I think that the :beatasyougo" is actually Grimshaw's "Return of the Regiment" !

[John McAllister]

Hi Paul, Thank you so much for the further recordings of your Dad playing. I was in hospital from July to October that year and we became good friends. I think he was in and out a few times during my stay so was very sad at his passing. My recording was done sitting  on a hospital bed I would say at most a few weeks before he passed away. It has always been very special to me and for a long time I wanted to pass it on to someone but did not know how. That is when i came across the reference in the website to your Dad. As I have said the time with him gave me a great love for 5-string banjo. Thank you again for the these recordings.

Kind Regards,

John

[paul Anthony Tobin]

Hi thereallyniceman
Yes, you are quite right and I'm not sure how that happened. It is indeed Return of the Regiment. It's been a long time since I listened to Dad's recording, and indeed, a long time since I've played the banjo. The recording I attach was me at 5 yrs playing live Mr. Jollyboy on Radio Eireann (RE) in 1954. It's a very bad recording done from a vinyl but listen to the professional RE accompanist. As far as I can tell, she didn't do the repeat at the start and this caused a knock-on effect and all hell broke loose. However, my dad always said to me "keep going no matter what happens", which is what I did, but the result is hilarious. However, I stopped playing the banjo in my teens, but it was replaced by guitar and later, other instruments.
By a strange coincidence, I thought I recognized the same lady pianist three years ago at a piano recital in the NCH (Dublin's main concert hall) and introduced myself. After the concert, we talked and laughed about it. Part of the reason for not doing repeat section is that in music competitions, the repeats are not played. She became a very well- known concert pianist with a great reputation.  I can let you have more of dad's music if you would like to place them on your site.