Tom Barriball - "The Cornish Banjo King"

[Tarry Barriball]

I appreciate Tom died some while ago but two days ago he would have celebrated his 100th Birthday - 24th March 2019. Having been born on the 24th March 1919.

In his memory I have uploaded a photo of him making one of his own Banjos.

Regards to all, Tarry Barriball

[thereallyniceman]

For those who don't know of Tom Barriball, he lived in Cornwall in the UK and he was accomplished banjoist, teacher and luthier. Tom taught classic style banjo both by face to face lessons and by recorded cassette tapes that were sent as far as to Australia (you can't get much further for the UK).

Here is a video of Tom playing and with him is one of his students, Rob Murch, and you don't get players better than Rob! I believe that this was recorded at a Bristol Classic Banjo rally in 1994, even though the recording credit says 1984.

In a few weeks time I am hoping to produce a video to feature one of Tom's Cassette lessons that he produced for Ray Jones in Australia. Along with the recording will be his personally notated lesson score to download. In the tape tape Tom works through a complete score, bar by bar, and explains chord shapes, fingering and positions of all the notes. It is a delight to hear but will be my secret until I can get the piece under my fingers :-)

[Chris Cioffi]

Thank you, Tarry!

I'm looking forward to this, Ian!

In my following of what I could find out about Tom, he must have been an amazing person and player, as well as military man in the RAF....his picture of him playing his Clifford Essex Regal in his RAF uniform is burned in my memory.

I would love to see banjos Tom made (being a banjo luthier and repairman myself), and would further love to have copies of his cassette lessons....I know Ian posted one copy of one part of one of his cassettes a few years ago that I have immensely enjoyed.

Tom is one of the banjo fellows I think of often.  I wish I could have known him.

Chris