"Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory"

[Canebrake Rifle Guards]

Nice online newspaper article about Bob Webb who wrote the book "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory"

http://www.timesrecord.com/website/main.nsf/news.nsf/0/C8EC4A62F97A876B0525732B00730668?Opendocument

There's a nice slide show of him & his banjos along with his banjo music, check it out.

Greg Starbuck

[Old Cremona]

Re: "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory"

Thanks for that link. I've seen Mr. Webb's book, but I've never had the chance to meet him.

One thing to keep in mind about his playing- he's an excellent "clawhammer" player, (clawhammer being the term we use for what the original stroke-style evolved into), but he doesn't change his style when he picks up his Hartel repro Boucher. He's still playing the "bum-titty bum-titty" rhythm so favored by modern players.

That's not to say that that rhythm can't be found in documented examples of mid-19th cen. banjo music; it just didn't dominate the whole style like it does today. Original minstrel-style banjo was quirkier and more syncopated and used a number of techniques and licks that the clawhammer tradition has deleted.

I guess I'm trying to say that Bob Webb is a great banjo player, and if you dig him that's great, but if you're looking for music that specifically attempts to re-create the 1840's-60's sound, go with players like Bob Winans, Joe Ayers, or Clarke Buehling. There are many others but these three are biggies.

[Danny]

Re: "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory"

Allen -

Thanks for the link. I've had the book for a while but it's interesting and informing to see the supplemental material.

Respectfully though, Carl, Mr. Webb had of course been studying early banjo for as many years as other banjo experts, and as an academic is well researched and aware of the styles extant to the period. He chooses to play in a drop-thumb style within the range of documented period styles and a style particularly plausible for the period before the Minstrel style was formalized by teachers with their published tutors later on.

I feel the 20th century term "Clawhammer" is outside the venue of the AC.

Keep in mind Bob Winans, Joe Ayers, and Clarke Buehling are not exclusive to antebellum and war-period playing, which is the focus here. Winans in addition to being a great period player has done the primary body of work on how banjo styles evolved and when the Minstrel style became the common banjo player's style.

Quite rightly then either approach is correct for our impressions. After all, there were a few professional Minstrels in the ranks (Bauer, S. Sweeney etc.). But any drop-thumb style, even if developed by raw-reckoning in imitation of stage and parlor piano perfomance back at home, would be as likely for the common soldier.

- Danny

[Amtmann]

Re: "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory"

Post removed

[Old Cremona]

Re: "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory"

I feel the 20th century term "Clawhammer" is outside the venue of the AC.

I don't understand what you mean by this. Am I not to utter the word "clawhammer" on the Authentic Campaigner Civil War Reenacting Forum? Obviously, I used the word "clawhammer" to represent modern stroke-style banjo playing. How else is one to talk of the difference between old and new styles without referring to them?

[Old Cremona]

Re: "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory"

But any drop-thumb style, even if developed by raw-reckoning in imitation of stage and parlor piano perfomance back at home, would be as likely for the common soldier.

This is where the real problem is with your argument.

"Any drop-thumb style" is NOT acceptable to authentic Civil War reenacting.

Such as...drop-thumb styles with no documentation behind them, and curiously resembling modern playing.

We've had this argument before, and the moderators shut it down, and repremanded me for insulting you. I'm trying very hard not to insult anyone here, just point out that "Danny"s posts here slyly advocate a very mainstream approach to music playing.

Rick, thanks for trying to help me out here. The Allendale Melodians banjo player knows exactly what I'm talking about here. And we feel each others pain.

[Danny]

Re: "Ring the Banjar!: The Banjo in America from Folklore to Factory"

I do not advocate a very mainstream approach to music playing. But a reasoned, sensible approach based on the whole body of available resource and analysis is ok.

Does anyone have particular information on Ward Lamon, Lincoln's bodyguard and (apparently) his personal banjo player?

- Danny