The Glory-Beaming Banjo

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...

The next issue of The Old-Time Herald will be on its way soon. As you may recall, I recently  started writing reviews for the magazine. My latest effort features the Paul Brown CD/DVD set released by The Old-Time Tiki Parlour earlier this year. The set features Brown on banjo and fiddle, presenting 16 songs and tunes that were culled from a wide variety of sources and influences. Brown learned at the foot of the most revered masters of old-time music and has become a master in his own right. This set is similar to the Dan Gellert set I wrote about a few years ago. The DVD provides video of the tunes that appear on the CD, allowing you to see how Brown is getting the notes. The booklet provides source and tuning information. To get my full opinion on this set, make sure you subscribe to The Old-Time Herald . You can also get updates from the magazine on Twitter by following @OldTimeHerald . Meanwhile, The Old-Time Tiki Parlour has released another album that features B...

We're lucky in Northeast Ohio to have a handful of local festivals that feature plenty of old-time performances and open sessions. However, we're unlucky to have these events stacked on top of each other. I've written in the past about how the Raccoon County Music Festival in Burton, Ohio, is my favorite of the local events. Another well-regarded festival is Music Along the River (MATR) in Harpersfield, Ohio. Usually, these two events are a week apart, but this year they occur on the same weekend — i.e., this weekend. Raccoon County is Saturday, Aug. 18, while MATR runs Friday-Sunday, Aug. 17-19. Luckily, circumstances allow for someone to attend both events, if they were so inclined. However, there will no doubt be some people will only have time for one. It's a shame that two great events will likely experience reduced attendance because of this scheduling conflict, as these festivals attract the same crowd. To make matters worse, another strong festival...

While you read this post, I'll be somewhere else in the world on a much-needed vacation. However, dear readers, I have not left you in the lurch. Although I am not on my usual continent nor will I have access to my computer for the time being, you will still receive a weekly dispatch from The Glory-Beaming Banjo. Upcoming is a preview of some local festivals, a plug for my recent freelance writing and a look at the essential films for banjo nuts like all of you. I'll also be sure to have some posts on the GBB Facebook page to keep you entertained in my absence. You see? I'm gone, but you're not forgotten. Consider this a reward for your loyal readership. I truly do appreciate it. It'll be a rough few weeks without being able to play banjo or fiddle. I was on a great roll the past few months, with a playing streak that exceeded 85 days on both instruments and starting to lock in "Forked Deer" for my latest Ward Jarvis tune . Despite the disappo...