Bio

Last winter, the BRC founder and his wife were gripped along with the nation by TV coverage of the Thomas Fire that incinerated 440 square miles of central California. This month, we again traveled to the Golden State to attend the annual Ojai Music Festival in this small and friendly township that miraculously escaped the runaway conflagration. A photo from the local tourist guide depicts a malignant firestorm cloud teetering over the mid town music park, but the flames capriciously went elsewhere.

Although green springtime undergrowth has since re-carpeted the landscape, the charred skeletons of trees reaching eerily for the sky like boney fingers abound in the surrounding countryside and map the fiery path of the destructive inferno. The community has rebounded from this cataclysm with “Ojai Strong” determination to help all of its citizens impacted by the blaze. During the music festival, we visited the community museum that features a show by local artists whose  “Scorched Souls”  exhibit captures the emotionally exhausting features of the California fire with its loss of homes, life, and dreams.

Like last year, the BRC founder again attended a Bluegrass jam session in the neighboring village of Oak View which was also incredibly bypassed by the omnivorous wildfire. In the background of a group photo of the musicians, who experienced the fiery peril first-hand,  leafy trees bear witness that Oak View was spared from the Thomas flames and its rogue embers which devoured nearby areas.

At the end of the Ojai music fest, the BRC founder and his spouse attended a unique performance by a string quartet in a small theater where the house lighting was extinguished into absolute darkness for the event. Never has the wooden resonance of stringed instruments been heard with such crystal clarity than in this envelope of complete blackness. Brighter days lie ahead for the good folks of Ojai and Oak View.

Using his designer banjo peg heads as visual aids, the BRC founder regularly communicates with the parents of our young Board of Directors:

“Have a rosy day and a week filled with sunshine. With love, Grandpa Doc”

“At eventide, gaze into the heavens and enjoy each starry night this week remembering that Van Gogh rhymes with banjo.”

“Save the Planet today for tomorrow, and protect Mother Earth always.”

“Radiate Peace of mind today, and maybe the World will learn from you. Count and share your blessings this and every week. Pace, Grandpa Doc”

The BRC founder`s newly arrived eighth grandchild will join a sibling and cousins on our Board of Directors in the role of Director of Human Resources. His parents have been regular recipients of Banjograms.

The BRC founder has been a long time fan of the slightly dark and urbane humor of cartoons in `The New Yorker` magazine. Upon returning home recently from an annual trek to NYC to see some Broadway plays, he discovered a mirthful banjo joke in the June issue of the aforementioned magazine. Although 5-string humor is sometimes tiresome, this cartoon earns a laugh- and maybe your chuckle, too.

A year ago, however, when the BRC founder retired from hand surgery at the university hospital, the faculty gave him a unique banjo/hand statuette in gratitude for 37 years on the staff as an educator. He also received an even larger statuette featuring a guitar from the resident physicians in training. Both gracious gifts reside in his music room surrounded by 5-stringers and guitars.     Lucky guy.

A few days after the NYC trip, a university mathematician brought a banjo that he built to the BRC for inspection and advice.

Although a non musician, he had constructed the instrument of richly-figured Missouri walnut and designed a scooped fretboard for his brother who plays old timey style music.

The peg head and fingerboard scoop both have a burled walnut veneer, and the 5-stringer has that fat pocky intonation that clawhammer enthusiasts cherish.

It was a remarkably ambitious and successful  project which he built carefully by the numbers. Very nicely calculated job, Professor.

Lucky brother….

A few months after getting married in 1971, the BRC founder purchased a long neck 5 stringer cobbled together from parts left-over from the Ode banjo company after its purchase by Baldwin. His bride was destined to see a parade of more than 30 banjos stream through their house in the ensuing years, a cavalcade which was culminated by a banjo repair shop cropping-up in her basement 6 years ago.

With her spouse`s permanent collection of 10 prize banjos stationed around the house, his wife recently designated his vintage Ode banjo as the one instrument that their curious grandchildren could play.

Although the Ode had long ago been relegated to a dark and  remote corner of the house to collect dust, the grandkids have reawakened their grandfather`s interest in this mellow and well-seasoned 5 stringer. It has now resumed the premier role of being his daily practice instrument thanks to the grandkids who love to experiment with it.

Speaking of kids, the G&F Singers entertained again this month at the Children`s Hospital. This trio of women effortlessly accompanies the baritone BRC founder by singing four part harmonies in songs familiar to patients, siblings, and parents. The lilting soprano, alto, and tenor female voices are church-choir trained and require no rehearsal. Ladies- thank you for graciously sharing your vocal talents with the children and families.

P.S. Check-out the `5 string  “Freedom Eagle” open back BRC banjo` on eBay Feb. 25- Mar. 4 and its cousin the “Golden Eagle” banjo  Feb 26- Mar.5.