Bio

How does a grandmother foster musicianship among her young grandchildren? Is having Grandpa Doc, the BRC founder, build them banjos enough to sustain interest in music during their formative years?

Sending serial emails to the youngsters of toy figurines investigating the features of a 5 stringer is proving to be curious avenue of instruction.

Time will tell if this clever stratagem will produce another generation of musicians, and maybe even a banjo picker somewhere among them.

Who knows? Thanks, Grandma, for cultivating the flowers in this precious garden.

To Fete a Feat of Feet

As the BRC founder and spouse ready to travel to The Lone Star State for a Thanksgiving weekend with the grandkids, there is a long list of things big and small for which to be thankful:  Family, friends, fellow musicians, and our appreciative audiences who generously donate to the Children`s Hospital. A recent and frequent addition to our Sunday afternoon benefit gigs is a young lady who jumps up on the stage and dances her heart out for the audiences who then loosen their pursestrings to donate eagerly to the Children`s Miracle Network.

The band calls her “Dancing Girl”, and her mother tells us that the little whirlwind has no formal training in her footwork.  Check-out and enjoy the below video link (IMG 0029) and decide for yourself whether this prancing little lady is Irish step dancing or clogging- or both. Thank you, Dancing Girl!

IMG_0029            (Ed.) Kiddo`s a natural…

A Legend Remembered

Last month, a giant in the Bluegrass world passed away, and the banjo community worldwide respectfully remembers Bill Keith as an innovative genius and craftsman. A friendly and unassuming guy, Keith was a pioneer in developing the ground breaking melodic style of picking the 5-string which increased the vocabulary of the banjo manifold. He brilliantly designed the inboard D-tuner pegs which bear his name.

In this 1963 photo, a young Bill Keith is holding a classic archtop bow tie inlay Gibson Mastertone. The brother of the BRC founder purchased an identical vintage banjo in 1963 and generously gave it to the BRC founder 20 years ago, and it still delivers the volume and timbre to power-through a bluegrass band in full flight.

Keith not infrequently lectured on the harmonic mathematics of Bluegrass music and is pictured here with the BRC founder who attended one of these insightful and fascinating seminars at a banjo camp several years ago.

Farewell Bill,  and thank-you for all you taught us.

In search of an Old World cousin of the banjo, the BRC founder spent dappled days of autumn tracing the meanderings of the cobalt blue Danube River through eastern Europe. In Budapest, he briefly paused his quest to play harmonica with a friendly Gypsy fiddler.

While visiting a farm for show horses near the Austrian border, the BRC founder and fellow travelers enjoyed the up tempo music of an Hungarian folk band during the dinner hour. A masterful musician feverishly played the cimbalom– a forefather of the American hammer dulcimer. After the meal, a tiny old man (seated center far behind the quartet) shared his memories of living under the heavy bootheels of the German and then Soviet occupying forces during his youth.

In the cobblestoned medieval city of Cesky Krumlov, a Czech trio dressed in 16th century garb performed lilting Renaissance  tunes during an evening feast at the end of the tour (click to enlarge).

Alas, the trip proved to be a cavalcade of violins. But, no banjos were found-  like the one held by the unknown picker in this archival photograph of rural Americana . Can you identify the fiddler?

Answer: Bill Monroe`s fondly remembered Uncle Pen.

For 3 decades, a by-invitation-only jam session has been convening after hours on Thursday evenings in the basement of a local hardware store.  Out of town guests were recently hosted at this closed get-together,  and the BRC founder was introduced to them as a `new` member because he had been  invited to join the jam session only 20 years ago. Careful research has subsequently revealed, however, that the BRC founder actually joined the  group 25 years ago, and so he petitioned for `associate` membership. The senior musicians quietly conferred among themselves and balloted to approve his application with the proviso that he would be eligible for `full` membership in the year 2020 if still in good standing.

To rejoice in his new and exalted status upgrade, the BRC founder played his beloved Baldwin Model D banjo at the yearly Harley Davidson dealership festival  benefitting the Children`s Hospital. 

Of historical interest, the Baldwin Piano Company purchased the Ode banjo business in 1966 to explore the folk music instrument market. Profits were marginal, and in a few years the Baldwin/Ode line was a financially re-structured as a Gretsch affiliate .

To co-celebrate the BRC founder`s recently elevated rank at the Thursday night jam session, we invite our cherished readers to click-on the below link and enjoy him and musician buddies performing a sweet tempo  “Colleen Malone”  at Lucy`s burger pub. Watch Barry (black T-shirt at 1:05 mins) happily pick his vintage Baldwin Model D, a prized Bluegrass banjo collector`s item.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqfcMhkM-2c

“Country rocks, but Bluegrass rules! ” – J.D.Sumner

“Three chords and the truth”- definition of country music attributed to songwriter Harlan Howard

“Bluegrass music is an addiction, and I ain`t lookin` for a cure”- unknown picker

“Redneck-tify?” -BRC founder`s daughter

“Thanks for playing that music. That`s what God created you guys for.”  -an appreciative farmer at an outdoor gig by the BRC founder`s band.

At a jam session in Eldon, MO, the BRC founder admires Ross` restored 1937 Martin D-18 guitar. What a classic gem!

P.S. Due south of Eldon is the Willow Springs landmark  `Hillbilly Junction` roadside rest center.