Banjo Hangout - Monthly 'Feature' Articles Forum Feed

Jack Baker

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:11:07 CST

It was good to see a contribution from Jack Baker with the Wildwood Flower Tab. I have utilized his tabs on many occasions with some of my students. The tabs are always accurate [to my mind, anyway] and the quantity of tabs on his site is just fantastic. I was curious about the photo on page 43 of the Sept. 2009 issue of BNL Does he really play a left handed banjo left handed or is this just a matter of "photo reversal" as sometimes happens in the current digital age? BigD

Bill Emerson

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 7 Sep 2009 12:24:49 CST

Nicely written interview of Bill Emerson by Janet Davis. It is always interesting to read about the early players, what they played, who they played with and what it was like to be part of the early days of bluegrass. I did find it interesting that Bill is on the back cover of the BNL in the ad for Stelling, on the front cover with another banjo (Gibson?) and in the article is pictured with his Osborne Chief. Ken Gerard

BNL Aug. 2009...Jody Stecher

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 3 Aug 2009 13:32:15 CST

What a great article! Lots of insight into multi-style playing, etc. Now I gotta go find some of his CDs... ===Marc "If banjos needed tone rings, S.S. Stewart would have made them that way."

Jim Mills - Hide Head Blues Tab

eric@banjohangout.org — Mon, 6 Jul 2009 15:21:16 CST

In BNL article of Jim Mills it has the tab for Hide Head Blues, at the bottom it says the soundfile is at the website and the second break. Is the tab for the second break at the website , I do not see it nor the soundfile for the second break . First break is there. Great Jam though.

Jim Mills cover

eric@banjohangout.org — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 19:05:20 CST

I loved the cover story on Jim Mills. He is such a treasure, and only lives about an hour from me. I wonder if he would be willing to transplant a little of his talent to me? [:D] Randy Gibson RB-250, Fender FB-59 Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?

blue skies and tear drops

eric@banjohangout.org — Sun, 3 May 2009 04:27:59 CST

Tom Adams , your the man thank you for all you do , i first this song by Mike Cross and always loved , when i saw your article i bought Lynns version i am happily working away on your great tab thanks "for those of you who think you hold the cards , I send to you my kind regards For those of you who love and care I''ll see you down the road somewhere " SteelDrivers www.4everBlue.net www.nucraftdental.com aloha T

Reno Style Workshop- Need your input

eric@banjohangout.org — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:35:53 CST

Hello fellow Reno fans! In my last Reno Workshop column I explained the direction that we would be taking the column from now on. In case you missed it, here’s a little snippet from my last column: “Since Ed Chernesky tabbed out the majority of Reno’s most famous tunes for BNL in the late 70’s and early 80’s, Donald Nitchie and I decided it didn’t make sense for me to re-tab all of those tunes. Ed did a tremendous job and those back issues are available through BNL’s website. So it was decided in order to keep the new Reno column going I would need to take a different approach than Ed. So my future columns will focus on “Reno style” itself rather than actual tunes that Don Reno recorded. I will be teaching you how Reno style can be applied to traditional bluegrass tunes that may or may not have even been recorded by Don. The idea is to get you to use Reno style in your everyday playing rather than copying Don Reno on just “Reno” tunes. I will still cover a classic Reno tune or break from time to time but I want to avoid what has already been tabbed as much as possible.” So my May column will kick off this new direction with a Reno style version of the old tune “Gold Rush”. It will be played in A without the capo. Oh boy! It’s a handful but I think you’ll enjoy it. Any way I would like to know what other non-Reno tunes you would like to see done in Reno style. It doesn't have to an instrumental either. It can be a break to a song that you would like to hear done in Reno style. Thanks in advance for the input! No matter what level or how bad a picker is, they will have something you can learn from them. For my Reno Style Instruction DVDs: www.renopicker.com The Don Reno Fan Club: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheDonRenoFanClub For rare Don Reno videos go here: www.youtube.com/user/renopicker

Kristin Scott Benson by Casey Henry

eric@banjohangout.org — Sun, 5 Apr 2009 07:21:10 CST

Casey did an excellent job of interviewing Kristin in the April issue. Very insightful and well written. Good job Casey. Diva _____________________________________________________ [img]http://www.banjohangout.ws/users/photos/small/16802-32942191652008.jpg[/img] RK R-80 #67 "The Black Dahlia"

Charles Wood

eric@banjohangout.org — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 13:08:08 CST

Great article on Charles Wood.

Lost Eric Weissberg Download

eric@banjohangout.org — Wed, 7 Jan 2009 12:29:28 CST

I've been reading the interview with Eric Weisberg with interest. The January issue had a very wierd ending - as in NO ENDING. It just stopped. I searched thru the rest of the pages for some more but can't find anything. I was hoping that downloading the Weissberg letter from March '06 would close the story. They say you can download it from www.banjonews.com. I can't find the download. Am I missing something?

Gena Britt vs. Ernie Ball Pickies

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 1 Jan 2009 08:27:59 CST

Greg Cahill's interview with Gena Britt in the Jan. 2009 issue of BNL included some surprising comments from both of them regarding the Ernie Ball Pickies. It seems she considers those picks' tone as inferior to Dunlops or Nationals and both of them commented that neither have even SEEN banjo players use Pickies (except Gena's banjo teacher). Britt: "The tone I was getting from those little pointy picks wasn't very good. And I've never known any other banjo players that even said they'd ever even tried to use those picks." Cahill: "I know what you mean; I've seen a few who have used the thumbpick, but not the fingerpicks." I was surprised by the comments because I know several people who use Pickies (including me just recently). I haven't experienced the poor volume or tone as described in the article. Like Gena, I also like the tone/volume of the Dunlops, but not any better than the Pickies. On the other hand, I do not like the tone of the "Pro Picks," but that's just me. I'm sure this another good example of "different strokes, etc." [:)] Bill Proud to be a "MURPHY HENRY-ITE" "If you ain''t different, you ain''t normal!"

New Reno column on the way!

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 20:41:00 CST

I am excited to say that Banjo Newsletter has asked me about doing a new Reno style column. I don't consider myself an expert on Reno style but I do know enough that I can help folks get into it. That’s what it is about for me…helping others and helping keep Reno style alive. This is why I did the Reno instructional DVDs and the online Reno workshop. Now through BNL I can help even more pickers get into Reno style. Ed Chernesky has already done an extensive amount of work for BNL in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Ed was very accurate with his tabs and his advice. There is no way I could do better than what he has already done, so my column will take a different approach than Ed Chernesky’s column. I will approach the column by teaching Reno style from the ground up. Essentially I will follow the material from my Reno DVD set and online workshop. After we work through the “workshop” section in the columns, I may start tabbing whole songs. But it will take several issues before we get to that point. It is really important to me that people learn the tools to help figure out tunes on their own first before I just put out tabs for tunes. I am always being asked for tabs of Reno tunes but, I am not really a “tab” guy. I learned mostly from records and watching others so I am not very good at writing or reading tab. Tabs can really become a crutch and hamper developing your ear. I believe using your ears and mind will make you a better musician verses always relying on tab. But I'll try my best to do accurate tabs that are necessary for the new column. I am looking forward to trying my best with the new Reno column and I hope everyone will enjoy it too. I know I can't fill Ed's shoes but if I can at least help a few people get going on Reno style, it will make me happy. Please feel free post your suggestions and the tunes you would eventually like to see in the column. Keep Pickin’ Reno, Jason Skinner No matter what level or how bad a picker is, they will have something you can learn from them. Our myspace site: www.myspace.com/theskinnerfamilyband For the Reno Style Instruction DVDs: www.skinnerfamilyband.com For The Online Reno Workshop go here: www.banjohollow.ic24.net The Don Reno Fan Club: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/donrenofanclub For rare Don Reno videos go here: www.youtube.com/user/renopicker

Adam's County Banjo - The Lucky One

eric@banjohangout.org — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:27:10 CST

This is an excellent piece of banjo arranging by Tom Adams -- wow! Totally complementary to the original feel of the piece as performed by AKUS. The recording on the Banjo News site is worth a listen EVEN if you never intend to attempt playing it. http://banjonews.com/2007MP3/Lucky_One.mp3 Tyler