"You can learn a lot about America through folk music. It is not the music of any one group. You don't have to be a farmer or mountaineer to play it or like it." — John Burke
In the world of clawhammer banjo instructional books, there are a few that have reached the level of collectors' item. There's the first edition of Pete Seeger's How to Play the 5-String Banjo and Art Rosenbaum's original Old-Time Mountain Banjo, but none are quite as sought after as the one written by John Burke.
First published in 1968 by Amsco Music Publishing Co., John Burke's Book of Old-Time Fiddle Tunes for Banjo has become something of a legend among old-time pickers. It was one of the first banjo instructional books to focus on the styles of specific players, in particular Wade Ward, Hobart Smith and Kyle Creed.
Burke wrote the book while still in college. Banjo tablature had not yet become standardized. The notation is handwritten and leans toward the melodic end of the clawhammer spectrum. Even still, fans of the book say the arrangements are superb.
The book features more than 70 tunes, with some presented in multiple arrangements from different sources. The discography provides information on where to find the source recordings. The book was originally sold with a flexidisc sampler record, with 13 tracks.
If you ask around for recommendations on the best clawhammer instructional resources, Burke's book is often among the top suggestions. So, why has it been out of print for something like 30 years?
Go ahead and do a search for the book online. The cheapest I've been able to find it is around $40, but I've routinely seen it listed at $100 or more, and I've even seen it for more than $250.
In 2012, a fellow blogger at Across the Plains wrote about Burke's book. At one point, he had been in touch with Burke's daughter, who claimed there was an effort to get the book back in print. Obviously, nothing ever came of that.
The book comes up almost annually as topic on the Banjo Hangout online discussion forums. Here's one from earlier this year. Everyone always seems to wonder why the book is out of print when there is clearly demand.
So who is John Burke?
It seems he was originally from somewhere in New England. According to the introduction of his book, he first learned clawhammer from a man he met on Cape Cod and says he became a "compulsive musician" around age 17 or 18. Burke claims he didn't know that there was a folk revival in progress until 1962 when he went to college in New York City.
By searching online, I found that Burke was recorded for at least four albums. He appears on a compilation from 1968 of a fiddlers' contest in Vermont. Then, in the late 1970s, he recorded two albums with The Old Hat Band, called Fancy Pickin & Plain Singing and Concert. He also appears on another compilation from 1979 called The Old-Time Banjo in America.
By all accounts Burke still seems to be alive. One commentator from a 2007 Banjo Hangout thread titled "What ever became of John Burke," said he retired from Microsoft at age 53 in about 1997. That would make him about 74 today. Another person said Burke had to give up playing the banjo and was playing fiddle in a bluegrass band.
It remains a mystery as to why Burke's book remains out of print. Perhaps some day we'll see a reissue. Meanwhile, the legend grows.
[Editor's note: Tip of the hat to Joel Specht who inspired me to write this post. And thanks to Across the Plains for the cover image of the book.]
First published in 1968 by Amsco Music Publishing Co., John Burke's Book of Old-Time Fiddle Tunes for Banjo has become something of a legend among old-time pickers. It was one of the first banjo instructional books to focus on the styles of specific players, in particular Wade Ward, Hobart Smith and Kyle Creed.
Burke wrote the book while still in college. Banjo tablature had not yet become standardized. The notation is handwritten and leans toward the melodic end of the clawhammer spectrum. Even still, fans of the book say the arrangements are superb.
The book features more than 70 tunes, with some presented in multiple arrangements from different sources. The discography provides information on where to find the source recordings. The book was originally sold with a flexidisc sampler record, with 13 tracks.
If you ask around for recommendations on the best clawhammer instructional resources, Burke's book is often among the top suggestions. So, why has it been out of print for something like 30 years?
Go ahead and do a search for the book online. The cheapest I've been able to find it is around $40, but I've routinely seen it listed at $100 or more, and I've even seen it for more than $250.
In 2012, a fellow blogger at Across the Plains wrote about Burke's book. At one point, he had been in touch with Burke's daughter, who claimed there was an effort to get the book back in print. Obviously, nothing ever came of that.
The book comes up almost annually as topic on the Banjo Hangout online discussion forums. Here's one from earlier this year. Everyone always seems to wonder why the book is out of print when there is clearly demand.
So who is John Burke?
It seems he was originally from somewhere in New England. According to the introduction of his book, he first learned clawhammer from a man he met on Cape Cod and says he became a "compulsive musician" around age 17 or 18. Burke claims he didn't know that there was a folk revival in progress until 1962 when he went to college in New York City.
By searching online, I found that Burke was recorded for at least four albums. He appears on a compilation from 1968 of a fiddlers' contest in Vermont. Then, in the late 1970s, he recorded two albums with The Old Hat Band, called Fancy Pickin & Plain Singing and Concert. He also appears on another compilation from 1979 called The Old-Time Banjo in America.
By all accounts Burke still seems to be alive. One commentator from a 2007 Banjo Hangout thread titled "What ever became of John Burke," said he retired from Microsoft at age 53 in about 1997. That would make him about 74 today. Another person said Burke had to give up playing the banjo and was playing fiddle in a bluegrass band.
It remains a mystery as to why Burke's book remains out of print. Perhaps some day we'll see a reissue. Meanwhile, the legend grows.
[Editor's note: Tip of the hat to Joel Specht who inspired me to write this post. And thanks to Across the Plains for the cover image of the book.]
The latest Banjo Hangout post about John Burke's book: https://www.banjohangout.org/topic/356336
ReplyDeleteI am in touch with John sporadically. Oddly, or perhaps not if you know the man, he currently is the mayor of a small village in Latvia, where he raises exotic show rabbits and teaches youth classes in clawhammer kokle, the national instrument.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that great update on John Burke. How interesting!
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ReplyDeleteI saw John today at my violin shop. He is looking good. He was telling me about what will happen to me when I reach the ripe old age of 80. So yep, he's alive and kicking.
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