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| Ban-Joey, or... How an old rock and roller from Philly came to love the five-string banjo
Edited from the book, An American Journey: Thirty Years on the Road with The Oak Ridge Boys, by Joseph S. Bonsall.
Used by permission (New Leaf Press www.newleafpress.net)
However, I must also admit that I never developed a real love for Bluegrass until the last several years. I have referred to the “Great Bluegrass Scare of 84” on more than one occasion. That is the year Ricky Skaggs and Bluegrass music came to the forefront for a while, just as it has done recently with the success of the Oh, Brother soundtrack album.
I guess I was afraid it might take over. It didn’t. It might take over now, and I would be comfortable with that. The Earth revolves. Attitudes and tastes morph and change. A good thing.
That ever-swinging pendulum of Country music continues to swing between a “roots” sound and more of a Pop sound, as it has done for decades. And if the truth be known, it is this constant swing of creativity that keeps the music fresh and interesting.
As long as there is energy behind the music, I like it! Throughout my career as a Gospel singer and Country hit maker with the Oaks, I have given my stage career every ounce of energy that I possess, and to me that is what the Rock and Roll attitude is all about.
So, I guess I am a rocker at heart, but that moniker doesn’t always describe the music I like. Instead, as I said, Rock and Roll reflects an attitude. An energy level, if you will, that takes any genre of music to more of an exciting level—whether it’s Gospel, Country, or Polka.
Have you ever seen the Jimmy Sturr Polka Band live? The music might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I guarantee you those guys are good. They Rock and, yes… the Boys have even recorded with Sturr. Won a Grammy too. A POLKA GRAMMY!
My musical tastes have always varied. My CD player contains a wide range of stuff. I love the garage band, back beat, sax-driven sounds of Springsteen and Seger, as well as the fresh Country sounds of Emmy Lou Harris or the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. I love Andre Bocelli, as well as the Dixie Chicks. I listen to Josh Groban, as well as Merle Haggard. As of late, I have been listening to a ton of Bluegrass.
Which brings me back to ........... The Banjo.
The first banjo music that I ever heard was as a kid. That strange Philadelphia phenomenon called the String Band, as in MUMMERS. (See my essay, A Trip Back Home at josephsbonsall.com.) One hundred guys wearing feathers and strumming banjos is quite an assault and, although I got a kick out of the pomp and fun of these groups as a child, I never aspired to put on a pair of purple tights and a headdress and march down Market Street strumming my brains out.
I also grew up in the Folk era, and I loved the Kingston Trio. I even had the 45 RPM singles of songs like Take A Message To Mary, Tom Dooley and MTA. And I did enjoy the banjo energy possessed by the little bald guy. But again, I never wanted to strap on a banjo and sing Kumbaya or 500 Miles Away From Home as my life's work either.
I have gone for decades without ever once thinking about playing the banjo. To me, the banjo just floated around out there somewhere in musical space, occupying some of the same air as a mandolin or perhaps a dulcimer — appreciated for its occasional flavor, but not loved.
Last summer I occupied a First Class seat on a flight across the USA from Los Angeles to Nashville, sitting next to a real, live banjo player. First came the obligatory banjo jokes. “You never see a banjo player in a Porsche,” etc. etc.
Actually, “Banjo Boy” had the best one: “Hear the one about the banjo player who won the lottery? He just kept pickin' till the money ran out!” BA-Boom!
We had a real good time. (Update: It was actually Ned Lubericki. jsb)
We started talking serious banjo on that flight. I admitted that I had always appreciated the energy of the banjo. The rolls and licks that come off a well played five-string can really be very exciting. I told him how I had always appreciated players like Bela Fleck and John McEuen, and I told him that one of my favorite albums of the last several years was the Steve Earle Bluegrass album with the Del McCoury Band.
He told me that I should look into trying to play someday. He assured me that I would love it. He grabbed his banjo gig case from the compartment above and said, ‘goodbye and good luck.’ As he disappeared into Foggy Mountain Breakdown land, my creative wheels started to turn. Always dangerous.
“Could I play a banjo?”
“Could I pick?”
“Could I????”
“Maybe....... could be fun.”
The only pick and roll I had been accustomed to was in the game of basketball and, I must admit, I was apprehensive about stepping on out there and actually buying an instrument. Then a few more events took place that pushed me on over the banjo-playing precipice.
The Oaks were backstage at the Grand Ol Opry, and the Ricky Skaggs band were off in a side room, standing in a semi-circle working on a few tunes. I approached them, and Ricky invited me to stand right there amongst them and listen. They even started to play just for me.
So there I was, smack in the middle of the greatest players in the universe, and I heard the banjo up close (Update: Jim Mills, is now my hero! jsb) and felt the seamless relation of the instrument as it blended its sound into those of the guitars and mandolin and such. In that moment of space and time, I knew that I wanted to learn to play the banjo. Over I went.
I had actually bought a few Bluegrass-flavored albums in the weeks preceding that night at the Opry, so I guess I knew this was coming. I was listening to the new Chicks’ Home album and loving it, as well as some Allison Krauss and a new Del McCoury Band album (without Steve Earle), and as a few others. Truth be known, I was searching for Ricky that night, and I found what I was looking for….
Hey now, this was fun stuff. I really liked the energetic sound. It moved me on to the next level of banjo being.
In September of 2002, I popped the question.
“Mary?........ Honey? Can I have a banjo for an anniversary present?”
It was a funny moment that resulted in my first ever banjo: a reasonably priced Gibson Epiphone that retailed for $900.00. Through Gibson’s artist package, I bought it for half price.
I have found out since that a really good banjo, like a Gibson Master series or a Deering or a Huber, could run anywhere from $3500.00 to $7000.00. More than a Powerbook Apple G-4! (Update: I now have a Gibson Rb4, a Granada, and my favorite, a Deering Tenbrooks Saratoga. jsb)
I
I have run into many guys who play and who have helped me along the way. There are Banjo players EVERYWHERE!!! I find myself surfing the ‘net for banjo web sites and forums and lessons and, yes, there are a lot of them out there. My favorites being… http://www.banjohangout.com and http://www.banjoteacher.com (as well as angiesbanjo.com).
I
Steve Martin once said that he practiced in his car with the door closed so no one would be bothered by the sound of learning, which can be pretty hair raising. Just ask my cats. The first time I sat in my den and started to play, my wife said, “Oh, now I know why all the cats are in the upstairs closet all wide-eyed and shaking.”
I have been playing now for over five months, and I
Ban-Joey is a work in progress, and I am diligently learning how to PICK and ROLL. I will never be an Earl Scruggs or a John McEuen or Rob McCoury or Jimmy Mills. But I assure you of this: I am giving my banjo every ounce of energy that I possess, and you know what that means. You’ve got it...
Rock and Roll!
Someday....... Ban-Joey will RULE!!!!!!! LAST UPDATE: I have been playing now for a bit over two and a half years, and I am really starting to play pretty good. Although I am STILL a work in progress. Aren’t we all?
I found some DVD’s very helpful. First, Murphy Henry. She teaches in a no tab style that is easy to learn. After a while you can ease into Tony Tricshka or Jimmy Mills. The key, though, is to have no fear! I turned 57 years old on this day of writing, and I work at playing the old banjer every single day. Sometimes just an hour sometimes three or four!
I really want to learn to play well, so I put in the time! If The Oak Ridge Boys are ever in your town, grab your banjo and head for the backstage about two hours before the show and ask for Ban-Joey.......... we can pick a little!
God Bless! JSB May 18, 2005
Feature photos by Marlene Ruppert and Jon Mir | |||||||
In all honesty, I want to thank Chris and Ronnie and Guitar for taking time to play a little bluegrass with me. I have learned more by sitting in a circle with these incredible musicians then anywhere. They pick and I try to lay in a good roll!
?
LOVE MY BANJO. I now live in a world of instructional CD’s and videos, as well as some really good banjo books. (I, of course, have the required Earl Scruggs book! All banjo playing comes from the womb of Earl.)
spend many hours on my farm or in hotel rooms or in the back lounge of the bus practicing my banjo. Forward rolls, backward rolls, alternate thumb rolls, reverse rolls. Chords up and down the neck. Songs, techniques, lick after lick. It is not always pretty. Sometimes I sound like KA KA, but I keep on pickin’.
wish I could tell you that Ban-Joey is in the process of playing great and taking that banjo to new level of being, as is my quest. However, ummmmmm, not yet, gang.
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