Tuesday, February 9, 2010

5 String Banjo - America`s National Instrument - 10 inch LP


Here is an unusual record. The only one of these pickers I`ve ever heard of is the great classic style player Fred Bacon. It`s odd to have a track by Fred Bacon on here (from an Edison recording from sometime in the teens) with the other artists that were current recordings when the LP was issued (early 50`s I`d say). Fred Bacon of course was one of the best classic banjoists of the early part part of the 1900`s. I`ve never even heard of the other artists.
Now, this banjo music isn`t country or bluegrass, it ain`t even old timey. This is classic style (early finger style) and some plectrum or tenor type playing (with a flat pick). Give it a listen, you may enjoy a style of banjo playing you`ve never heard before.



Track list---
Come On Down South - Ted Shawnee
Southern Coffee Klatch - Alexander Magee
Hungarian Dance #6 - Frank Bradbury
Waiting For The Robert E. Lee - Ted Shawnee
Massa`s In The Cold Cold Ground - Fred Bacon
Dance Of The Hours - Frank Bradbury
Jolly Darkies - Alexander Magee
Dill Pickles - Ted Shawnee

Click here to download 5 String Banjo - America`s National Instrument

3 comments:

  1. Yes, I also do not know these artists, but interesting though!

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  2. Frank Bradbury wrote a banjo instruction book for melbay which they still sell. http://www.melbay.com/authors.asp?author=161

    Just happened to find this page, since I've got a big binder of his handwritten arrangements for solo banjo and ensemble - many of them also classical music.

    He was a student of Bacon's.

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