#banjo — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #banjo, aggregated by home.social.
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If you're a #banjo player, or even just a fan, you'll enjoy this excellent article on the instrument's history - and its return to its roots in North African #music.
https://www.aramcoworld.com/articles/2026/ja26/banjo-on-the-atlas
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Here's the late Reed Martin's recording of "The Sylvester Poole March", a thumb-lead banjo piece he learned from Homer Spriggs. It's one of the prettiest tunes I know.
There's been some folk process worked on this one. Originally written for guitar in 1855 by Henry Worrall, it was titled "Sebastopol". Over the years it became "Sylvester Poole" and also "Vestapol", the blues guitar standard.
(recording from "Old Time Banjo", Reed Martin, 1996)
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Lotus Wight's "Cluck Old Hen" features:
a) exquisite examples of the "cluck", a much sought-after harmonic technique in clawhammer (that for every other stringed instrument would be a "hell naw");
b) bass harmonica so grotty it should be illegal.
https://soundcloud.com/lotuswight/cluck-old-hen-banjo-and-contra
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I hadn't heard of the banjo player Lou Calabrese, but a friend brought his playing to my attention. I think this fellow must have extra fingers, or maybe a robotic arm....
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One or maybe even THE oldest recording of "Single Girl" also is sung by a male: Kelly Harrell (1889–1942) recorded it in 1927. His version is much slower than those of Cousin Emmy or Roscoe.
Warning: No #banjo here!
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"Single Girl" is one of these gender-bending folk songs that is often sung by male singers, too. Sometimes the title is changed to "I Wish I Was Single Again" but quite often the titular "girl" remains. For example when Roscoe Holcomb sings it.
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Recently I became fascinated with Sarah Kate Morgan's version of "Single Girl". But as Sarah plays the dulcimer her performance would not be appropriate for a #Banjofriday.
But alas, there are many other versions of the old traditional. One that fits perfectly here was sung and played by Cousin Emmy aka Cynthia May Carver (1903-1980), a fascinating performer and one of the biggest female stars of her time. Damn, she plays a hardhitting #banjo!
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Lyrics -- Standing on the left hand side of god.
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though the space be long and wide,
I´ll be satisfied standing on the left hand side of god
I´ll be happy as can be through eternity
standing on the left hand side of godthey say they´ll be among the cue that´s standing on his right
the biggest crowd of sin I ever saw
I´d been so poor behind the saints,
I couldn´t see the light and I couldn´t hear him layin down the law,So: though the space be long and wide,
I´ll be satisfied standing on the left hand side of god
I´ll be happy as can be and I bet y´all have company
standing on the left hand side of godI know I´ve been too bad to stand among the chosen few
so when they open up the book and state the facts
I won´t be disappointed when the keeper lets me through
If he points me out a spot across the tracks`though the space be long and wide, I´ll be satisfied
standing on the left hand side of god
I´ll be happy as can be through eternity
standing on the left hand side of god
#music #god #lefthand #banjo #gospel #country #hillbilly -
Wayfaring Stranger
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I made a #Capo for the fifth string of a #Banjo.
This toothpick has some grooves that help holding the capo in place.
#BanjoFriday on a saturday.
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TIL a dude I used to work with is now a really well-known banjo player and teacher: Joff Lowson
https://jofflowson.com/ -
In what may be a kind of part 2 in the long story of "guitarists playing banjo" I'd like to use this week's #Banjofriday to recommend the new EP of Joseph Allred "The Old Gods". Allred is one of the most interesting string instrumentalists following in the footsteps of #AmericanPrimitive like John #Fahey or Robert #Basho. One of the four tracks on "The Old Gods" is played on a #banjo.
"The pieces contained here ... were opportunities for me to empty myself of myself."
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Doing my job to keep rent and housing prices lower in my neighborhood by playing my #banjo outside on the back porch.
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"Sweet City Woman" is a 1971 song by #RichDodson recorded by Canadian rock band #TheStampeders, appearing on their debut album Against the Grain (retitled Sweet City Woman in the US). It features a #banjo as a primary instrument, which is also mentioned in the lyrics: "The banjo and me, we got a feel for singing."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CPt3eSBJiQ -
With her selftitled album "Wendy Eisenberg" produced a strong candidate for the Album of the Year 2026.
If you only know the new album (and if you don't, get to know it now! That's an order!), you may be surprised that 15 years ago Wendy made an album almost exclusively played on tenor #banjo.
"On this record, I am a tenor banjo-player (and a singer, and a bassist). Specifically, I play a strange, salvaged, nameless banjo. My shadow."It's wonderful!
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I have maybe a good problem? My #banjo is an Oscar Schmidt OB-5 which is essentially identical to a Washburn Americana B10. The problem is it's not a "great" banjo but it also isn't a bad one and the price to truly upgrade in a notable way goes well beyond my affordability.
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This video is a good introduction to Dan Gellert's unique style on the #banjo:
https://youtu.be/exNGwQcusRU?si=jQDdU7HoOjYvD3G0
He also plays and teaches the fiddle, and both instruments feature equally on his audio / video album for the Old Time Tiki Parlour:
https://tikiparlourrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/dan-gellert-the-old-time-tiki-parlour-presents
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"If you haven’t heard Dan Gellert play anything—and if you haven’t heard him play the #banjo —you’re in for an awesome experience. Nobody else, living or dead, sounds like him—his playing combines badass funky authenticity, brilliant originality, astonishing virtuosity, and a distinctive sound that is his alone."
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Thanks for sharing this!
Such a charming and wonky bit of a time capsule.
So much Buster Keaton! So much #banjoAlso on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epfOOodUzHI
#trains #Rail #Canada -
Thank you for travelling with #Banjo today. And for cycling. The #BanjoFriday is on the road in #France. Attached to the saddle is a cheap chinese #minibanjo. Does it sound good? No way. Do I care? Not at all. It's nice to get some #clawhammer exercise on tour. The minibanjo is robust and cheap enough so I don't have to worry about damage.
Only its neck is too narrow for my hands. -
Hey everyone! We've begun adding our catalog to Mirlo. So if you are a user and want to hear some indie rock infused old timey banjo songs, head over to:
https://mirlo.space/negative-players/release/banjo-songs-volume-one
There are also a couple other EPs available including the #FediVision2024 runner up "New Rage"
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Heute ist mein Banjo-Geburtag: Vor einem Jahr habe ich im Sauerland dieses wertvolle Instrument für 35 Euro von einem jungen Mann mit Metal-T-Shirt im Karton übergeben bekommen mit den Worten: "Viel Spaß damit, der Karton bleibt hier."
Heute liegt ein Jahr Spaß hinter mir, inzwischen mit einem anderen #Banjo, das inkl. Karton geliefert wurde.
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@thetonearm
A friend I shared this with recommended another artist doing more traditionally rooted #banjo experiments, Joseph DecosimoInteresting to compare the directions and results
One aspect is the solo/group aspect, where trad old-time is often communal
🪕 🤔
https://josephdecosimo.bandcamp.com/album/fiery-gizzard -
Chyba już można zapowiedzieć poniedziałkowe Kefirowe poniedziałki w najbliższy poniedziałek.
Kusi zaprezentowanie utworu „Polka dziadek” w starej wersji - znanej z Lata z radiem,
ale wpisanie w przeglądarkę portalu Bandcamp, słów: „banjo” i „punk” (równocześnie), wiedzie w zupełnie inną stronę. Będzie również nowość od Alexa Donskiego.
PAWARTA Radio:
https://pawarotaradio.pl/
#banjo #Erratadoświata -
One of the Sally Ann versions included is inspired by the playing of
J. P. and Annadeene Fraley, a duo of guitar and fiddle. No #banjo? Well, just learn to play banjo and chime in with this tutorial on Neighborly Music:https://neighborlymusic.net/private-content/j-p-fraleys-sally-ann/