Vinyl Hunter, Part 5: The Young Fogies

Today I received a new addition to my old-time vinyl collection: The Young Fogies. This double LP compilation was produced by Ray Alden and released in 1985 on Heritage Records, based in Galax, Virginia.

The album features 41 tracks by the top old-time groups performing at the time, from veterans like the New Lost City Ramblers and Highwoods String Band to up-and-comers such as the Indian Creek Delta Boys and the Horse Flies. You have household names (well, in old-time households, at least) such as Art Rosenbaum, Brad Leftwich, Pat Conte, Alan Jabbour, Mac Benford, Bruce Molsky, Doc Watson, Paul Brown, Richie Stearns and so many more.

Red Mules and Dan Gellert on one side.

Perhaps what excites me most about this compilation is the Ohio connection. Between the first three sides, there are four Ohio-based performers. They are:

The Hotmud Family playing "Take Me Back to My Old North Carolina Home," featuring Rick Good on banjo and vocals.
The Rhythm Gorillas playing "My Eyes Grow Dimmer Each Day," with Kerry Blech on banjo-mandolin, Joe LaRose (composer of "Winder Slide") on fiddle and vocals, Lynn Frederick and Beth Braden on guitar and vocals (both also played sometimes with the Red Mule String Band), and Larry Miller on bass.
The aforementioned Red Mules playing "Blind Steer in a Mudhole," with Jeff and Susie Goehring on fiddle, Rick Goehring banjo, Judy Sacks on mandolin and Howard Sacks on guitar.
Dan Gellert playing "Old Bangum" on banjo. He's listed as living in Indiana, but he's an Ohio guy now.

I've been wanting to get this album on CD for a long time, but them I found it for sale on Discogs for a dollar more than I would have paid for the CD on Amazon. Unfortunately, the album is missing the inserts, so I may try to track those down somehow. If you have any leads, let me know in the comments!

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The Ultimate Banjo Joke Compendium

This post is dedicated to my friend Joel Specht. Ever since the Olitsky & Moskovitz concert last month, my son has been obsessed with banjo jokes. During one of the MANY tuning breaks, they asked the crowd to fill the time by telling their favorite quips about the old five-string. Joel told many that night. I've been trying to remember them, along with best ones I've heard over the years for when my son asks again, so I thought I'd make this list. Question: What's the difference between a banjo and an onion? Answer: Nobody cries when you cut up a banjo. Question: How do you know if the floor is level? Answer: The banjo player is drooling out of both sides of his mouth. Question: What's the difference between a banjo and trampoline? Answer: You take your shoes off to jump on a trampoline. Question: What's the definition of perfect pitch? Answer: When you can throw a banjo into a dumpster without hitting the sides. Question: How do yo

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Clawhammer Picks and You: A Review

Clawhammer picks are a useful tool for increasing volume or to overcome fingernail challenges, such as broken, too short or weak nails. There are all sorts of commercial and homemade solutions available for banjo players, but it can be difficult to decide which options to choose. Thankfully, I've already done some of the work for you. Just to be clear, I prefer my natural fingernail for frailing. However, there was a time when I experimented with regularly using a pick, and there are instances now where I find that a pick is necessary. Today, I'll take you through the five options I've tried. These are all available online at prices ranging from about $1 to $13. Reversed/Reshaped Dunlop Pick ($0.75) This was the most common suggestion before other companies started addressing the gap in the clawhammer pick market. Take a bluegrass pick, flatten it out and wear it backwards. The problem is that it's hard to get the fit right. While Dunlop picks are cheap and r

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Summer Blockbusters: Top 10 Banjo Movies

We’re nearing the end of the summer movie season, which this year has included blockbusters like Avengers: Infinity War , Solo: A Star Wars Story , Incredibles 2 and other movies, including some that weren’t produced by Disney. However, none of these films showcases a banjo in any way. It's not like the banjo hasn't been featured on the silver screen throughout film history. The five-string has starred in numerous movies, sometimes in its proper context as a musical instrument and other times as a comedic prop. Whether making a cameo or starring in the hands of the main character, it's well past time to present my Top 10 Banjo Blockbusters: O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000) Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this movie sucked me into the realm of old-time , bluegrass and country music in general. The banjo is featured in a number of songs on the soundtrack and shows up on screen a few times throughout the movie. Top Banjo Moment: Delmar picks the banjo b

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The Glory-Beaming Banjo

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