Banjoquest 2010

How did Banjoquest start? Several years ago I began taping short "in the field" videos of old time style Florida banjo players that I met at festivals and gatherings. There were some excellent ones and my intent was to put together a DVD of each playing a tune. The project began well, but it was too overwhelming in time and finances for me to finish, so the tapes sat and I became involved in other projects. Then Youtube came along! And I kept taping informal short videos of banjo players in other states. My husband also taped me playing my different banjos in different parts of the country. So I decided to go ahead and put up all these videos in one place and call it "Banjoquest". I'll begin with some fairly recent videos, but put up more and more of the older film as I have time to sift through it and load it to Youtube and this wesite.

David Brose/Coal Creek March

Here's an informal video of David Brose playing "Coal Creek March" for my "Be a Banjo Star" workshop at the John C. Campbell School in Brasstown, NC.

New Lame Horse banjo/ Panama City

Here's an old time tune at St. Andrew's State Park at Panama City Beach on Labor Day weekend 2009. Mary Z. Cox trying out her new Lame Horse Shooting Star banjo.

West Fork Gals

Here's Yves playing "West Fork Gals" at Thierry's home in Quimper, France.

David Brose/Banjola

Here's David Brose fingerpicking and frailing his Goldtone banjola on "I Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground. David is the folklorist at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown North Carolina. He is a fine old time banjoist, and stopped in at our "Be a Banjo Star" banjo workshop to demonstrate several old time picking styles. April 2009

Chip Arnold/Rocking the babies asleep

Here's two finger picker, Chip Arnold, of Blairsville, Georgia playing "Rocking the Babies To Sleep." Tish Arnold accompanies him on guitar. Chip and Tish recently visited Bob and I at John C. Campbell Folk School to give a two finger banjo demonstration at our "Be a Banjo Star" workshop.

Gordon Scott/Sandy Boys

Here's Gordon Scott playing Sandy Boys in his music store, Gordon Strings, on Monroe Street in Tallahassee, Florida. He teaches banjo, mandolin, guitar, and mountain dulcimer at his shop. I took my GDL (mermaid) banjo by and he gave it a much needed set up, and here he is giving it a test drive. :) Gordon is known in the region for being a founding member of a popular bluegrass band, " the Big Bend Ramblers." I played bass for them for ten years. (twenty years ago) and we always had such good fun together playing music. :)