Skip to main content

Untimely promotion of a banjo podcast

Look, I'm well aware that I haven't been posting much. I feel like I've been stuck in a rut ... a month's long rut. Awhile back I saw a link to a banjo podcast with an interview with Cleveland-base banjo player Mark Olitsky, and I finally got around to listening to it today. And now, I want to make sure you all have a chance to hear it. The interview was posted in September 2024, so this isn't exactly breaking news. But with all the news that's been breaking lately, I think some old news would do us some good. 

I've recommended the podcast Get Up in the Cool before. Host Cameron DeWitt always seems to find some great guests to interview. And last September, he interviewed Olitsky on the subject of "Changing as a Musician." 

If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you would know of my appreciation for Olitsky's banjo prowess. I did my own interview with the man I called "The Banjo Wizard of Cleveland" back in 2011. It remains one of my favorite and most read posts on this site. And if I may be so bold, I think DeWitt's interview serves as a nice bookend to my own. 

So, here is DeWhitt's interview: 

You can also go straight to the Get Up in the Cool website to listen at https://getupinthecool.fireside.fm/420. In addition to the wonderful interview, Olitsky and DeWhitt also play the following tunes: 
  • John Brown’s Dream (1:05)
  • Georgia Railroad (19:52)
  • Elk River Blues (38:46)
  • Darling Nellie Gray (59:20)
  • Possum On a Rail (1:16:49)
  • Bonus Track: Garfield’s Blackberry Blossom
While you're at it, check out all the other episodes. DeWhitt has been absolutely prolific and has a ton of interviews posted.

It's funny. This interview was posted on Sept. 11, 2024. Just five days beforehand, I had gone up to art show at the Artists Archives of the Western Reserve, where Olitsky was performing with fiddler Joe Thrift at an event where banjos built by Kevin Enoch were being displayed. Amusing coincidence aside, I hope you enjoy the interview. 

A little self-promotion

While I'm at it, I wanted to mention that banjo builder Patrick Sawyer reached out to me a couple months ago, asking if he could republish some of my blog posts on the Pisgah Banjos website. He's started a Banjo FAQ blog, and my post about Killers of the Flower Moon is now posted there. The blog features tons of how-to information and other banjo related news. His most recent post discusses how recent tariffs impact his business ... or not. I encourage you to check that out too. 

Buy me a coffee?

If you like what you see at The Glory-Beaming Banjo and want to see more, please consider showing your support by buying me a cup of coffee through my Ko-Fi account. Your donation will provide encouragement and help fund future blog posts. I appreciate your readership!

Labels:

Comments

  1. GeoffLBApril 29, 2025 at 8:45 AM

    Not sure why I've never found your blog until today. I've dipped in randomly and found good things already, interviews with the excellent Tom Collins and with my friends Craig frailin Evans and Greg Galbreath of Buckeye to name a couple.
    But it's come at a good time - I'm just about to go away for a three week holiday when I can't take a banjo. I shall start reading this at 2011 and keep going - I think I'll be well inspired to play by the time I get home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. B. KramerApril 29, 2025 at 12:57 PM

      Thank you for the kind words. Hopefully by the time you catch up, I'll have written another post. I hope you enjoy all those old posts.

      Delete
    2. AnonymousMay 26, 2025 at 12:22 PM

      3 weeks banjo less now over! But I did have a guitar with me.
      I didn't read everything, but certainly read and enjoyed a lot. One comment - you mention, sometimes rather wistfully, having a lot of periods without playing music. Don't be discouraged, with a young family and work pressures it's bound to happen. Just take heart from the fact that it gets better. I retired 13 years ago and have barely missed a day playing either banjo or guitar. Easily 4000 hours at a guess, without breaking sweat! Stick with it meanwhile, enjoy the time you can spend with music and don't beat yourself up about missed targets.
      Keep the blog going!
      I'm heading back to Tom Collins Banjo Quest now - got to get my clawhammer chops back in shape!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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...
16 comments
Click to continue »

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...
8 comments
Click to continue »

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...
5 comments
Click to continue »