Banjo: Douglas Dillard, Herb Pedersen, Earl Scruggs, Done Reno,
Alan Munde, Ralph Stanley, J. D. Crowe
Guitar: Norman Blake, Clarence White, Tony Rice, Rodney Dillard
Mandolin:
Dean Webb, Bill Monroe, Bobby Osborne
General influences: The Stanley Brothers, the
Dillards, Herb Pedersen, Gram Parsons, the Byrds, Joe Val and the New England
Bluegrass Boys, The County Gentleman, The Kentucky Colonels, Donovan, Cat
Stevens, Paul McCartney, my parents, that Indian guy who taught my Sunday School class, Winston Churchill, Tayshaun Prince, angry people in traffic, growing up on a farm, not getting selected for service in Viet Nam, caffeine, and the Santa Claus in that little hut when I was a kid who stunk of vodka and cigarettes, but still managed to swing a new bike for me that Christmas.
Sounds Like
Old school Dillard style banjo, Norman Blake/Doc Watson style melodic flatpick guitar. Wishes he could sing like Herb Pedersen.
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A child of Chicago kids who decided to buy a farm and raise their kids on it, I first experienced bluegrass music listening to the WLS Barn Dance in the early 60s. But it wasn’t until I saw a particular episode of The Andy Griffith Show that the bug bit me. In this episode, Douglas Dillard (as one of the musical hillbilly Darling family) is leaning against a door frame in some lonesome cabin playing banjo at about 220 beats per minute looking like he’s about to fall asleep. I believe it was “Shady Grove” in D tuning. The siren call of the 5 string banjo had me under its spell, and I’ve been there ever since. There was a college town not far away, and once I got old enough to buy albums, I’d haunt the folk bins at music stores (about the only place you could find bluegrass albums) looking for anything with a banjo. Low and behold, there were several albums by the Dillards. The bluegrass to be found in music stores back then (at least in northern Illinois) mostly consisted of people who’d been at the Newport Folk Festival. Consequently I was not only exposed to the music of the Dillards, but The Kentucky Colonels, Doc Watson, and of course, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. I was soon immersed in bluegrass, a passion that exists to this day. When I hear the lonesome, distant, driving whine of a cranked up banjo I get goose bumps today just as I did watching Douglas leaning in that doorway, some 40 odd years ago.
Nice meeting you on Twitter, but I have to say, I like myspace a lot better. :)
Hey, you didn't tell me your music was awesome! Great banjo, great voice! I remember back then too growing up in D.C./MD/ living in VA. and how fascinating banjos were. I think you're a rare species, but I bet people love to hear you.
James I am lovin that Bluegrass music!! Hugss, Tresa:) To view a video clip from my new TV Show that was a series recently on RFD-TV. Click the link below.I co wrote the music, wrote the show & did the editing. Hope you enjoy it! :)Huggs Tresa http://www. turnintocountry. com/video/nashville_in/Story_Inn. mov To see more video clips visit www. turnintocountry. com Graduate of Florida School of Performing Arts
