Happy Valentine's Day, banjo lovers! Can you believe it's been 15 years since I started this blog? It's true. On Feb. 14, 2011, I made you all my banjo Valentines. More than 300 posts later, and I'm still complaining about not having enough time to practice, while looking for old-time records and trying learn more about Ohio's fiddle repertoire.
Let's revisit the Top 10 Glory-Beaming Banjo posts of all time
1. The Ultimate Banjo Joke Compendium | I love how this post keeps generating comments. Usually, it's from fellow banjo jokesters wanting to add another zinger to the list. However, my most recent favorite comment was from some anonymous person seemingly upset about all the laughs: "Some of us LIKE banjos 😡😤" You don't say? Well, guess what, I like banjos too. Why do you think I've spent the last 15 years writing about them? If you play banjo but can't take the jokes, then maybe this isn't the instrument for you. (24.4K views since June 2018)
2. Clawhammer Picks and You: A Review | Thankfully, my natural nails are still strong and healthy. However, I keep a pick attached to my banjo in case of emergency. Otherwise, I don't use a pick for clawhammer, but I'm happy that this post has been helpful to others. This post has also generated a lot comments with additional helpful hints from readers. (16.6K views since January 2018)
3. Summer Blockbusters: Top 10 Banjo Movies | Maybe I should update this post to include Killers of the Flower Moon, the 2023 Martin Scorsese film that features banjos from the American Banjo Museum and fiddler Rayna Gellert. However, my list does features some classics that all banjo fans should see. (4.75K views since August 2018)
4. Getting Blitzed with Tom Collins | Now, we come to the interview portion of our program. Collins has been a stalwart of the banjo educators community for decades. His Banjo Blitz series on YouTube was followed by his Banjo Quest program on Patreon has helped legions of new banjo fiends find their way. (4.53K views since March 2018)
5. Mark Olitsky: The Banjo Wizard of Cleveland | Still going strong from the first month of Glory-Beaming Banjo, my two-part interview with Mark Olitsky continues to find new readers. He remains among my favorite banjo players, and I always enjoy getting to see him play. I hope this post continues to inspire others. (3.13K views since February 2011)
6. Sustainable Banjos: An Interview with Pisgah Banjos Founder Patrick Sawyer | Pisgah Banjos not only builds great banjos, but they also do good deeds. This interview was a pleasure to conduct. One of these days I'll have a Pisgah Banjo of my own. (3.06K view since March 2020)
7. Getting to Knew Bob Smakula | Another post from my first year of blogging, my interview with Bob Smakula was one of my early attempts at learning more about Ohio's old-time music. The award-winning banjo player is the proprietor of Smakula Fretted Instruments, which is one of my favorite sites to visit and gawk at beautiful banjos from from the late 1800s and early 1900s, as well as from the likes of Doug Unger (still my dream banjo), Kevin Enoch and Goose Acres. (2.94K view from June 2011)
8. The Biologist's Eye: A Look at the Artistry of Buckeye Banjos | My interview with banjo builder Greg Galbreath explored the process of one of the best banjo inlay artists working today. Since my first conversation with the proprietor of Buckeye Banjos, I interviewed him again as his business model has changed over the years. He makes some of the most beautiful banjos on the market today. (2.79K views from March 2013)
9. The Looks and Sounds of Deep Creek Strings | Jeff Delfield's ingenuity in building banjos still amazes me. Here is one final post from my first year of GBB that still ranks among the most viewed posts all time. (3.67K views since March 2011)
10. The Ongoing Search for Ohio's Old-Time Fiddle Repertoire | Researching Ohio's old-time musical history and repertoire remains a major passion of mine. I'm happy this post just made the cut in this Top 10 list. I followed up this post a couple years ago with a list of 12 tunes that I consider unique to Ohio's fiddle masters. (2.24K views since May 2018)
Looking back over this list, I'm amazed that three posts from Year One of this blog continue to rank so highly. However, it appears that 2018 was a true high-water mark with half of the above posts originating from that halcyon year. I'm also happy that so many of my interviews created such high interest. Those were the most fun to do.
10 years of the Lake Erie Folk Fest
Today is also the 10th Lake Erie Folk Festival, so I guess this really is a day for old-time lovers. Affectionately referred to as LEFF around these parts, this annual festival held at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, was established in 2015 and has grown to be a worthy successor to the Kent State Folk Festival.
The event features a daytime program of free workshops and presentations and an evening concert featuring 2024 Steve Martin Banjo Prize winner Tray Wellington. Some highlights from the programing side include a presentation on Ohio's murder ballads, Cleveland's contributions to folk music, and a workshop on playing a rare version of "Sourwood Mountain" from Oklahoma by fiddler and author Paul Kirk Jr., as well as two organized old-time jams, one for beginners and another for intermediate/advanced players. There are also impromptu jams in the hallways and an open mic session.
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