Arnie's all things Banjo

The 21st Annual Banjo Special Online.

Yes we did it. It's on youtube. check this link https://youtu.be/91pdQRGhr88

Arnie's Big Banjo Blog on Merriweather Records

Some years ago I started the banjo blog on the record label website. It includes lots of interesting banjo videos, tabulatures and info. I will be transferring some of those posts here and adding new ones , but in the meantime GO HERE to check it all out!

2017 Clifftop Traditional Banjo Winner 2nd place senior, 3rd place overall

Playing with Uncle Henry's Favorites in the finals band contest in 2015

Clifftop WV 2017 Traditional Banjo competition 

Somehow I got enough courage to enter the contest. This is my story: So here is what it's like entering the traditional banjo competition at Clifftop: sometime on Thursday morning I needed to make the decision- to put myself on the entry list or not. I am not a contest or competitive person. I am an introvert and things like this make me too nervous, but I decided to talk my friend Pete Vigour to go with me and we would both enter the contest. I pick a number - 51 and Pete picks 60. Now I figure I have some time to work on the tune I am going to play and I decide on Camp Chase. I worked it out on the banjo with Uncle Henry's Favorites a few years ago and we placed in The Stringband competition that year. Later in the afternoon I arrived and got my banjo out while my number finally arrived I went up and tried to relax and play. Somehow I got through it without a mistake- very rare for me, and walked off the stage. Pete played shortly after and ended the contest. We walked back to our campground satisfied we played a tune and that was that. I found out about an hour later from someone they were calling my name to get signed up for the finals- I was shocked that I made it. Now I had to decide on 2 more tunes that were good ones that I could play properly and impress the judges and the nighttime audience. I asked Bobby Taylor if I could play one of my own tunes, but he basically said that would pretty much do me in as far as the judges were concerned. It turned out that the fiddle contest lasted until about 10:00 p.m. and it wasn't until 10:30 that I got to go up there , the first out of 5 players and play again. I decided on Birdie- a c tune, fairly complex and then tune to g and play Billy In The Lowland which I know quite well. Up I went and started ( a bit nervous and when this happens my mind wanders somewhere different than my fingers ) and I played some phrases differently than I meant to- not as good as I could have. Next tune- same thing. The fingers went one way and my mind went another, but I did it. I figured I at least would get 5th place. Of course the other banjo players were stellar and I admired what they played. They gave me #3 in the overall contest and 2 in the senior. I am still shocked and honoured to be part of all of this. Afterwards I was quite happy to get back to what I really love - playing music with friends and good people.

"My Lucky Stars" notation transcription

I am a banjo player, and I don't normally pay attention to the technical details of what I play too much, but Keenan Reimer-Watts has taken a keen interest in my music, and being so inclined he transcribed the tune…

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One Day In Bill Rickard's Banjo Shop

The Rickard banjo shop is in the same town & live in , Aurora, Ontario Canada. I occasionally pop in there to see what's up & they plopped this new invention in my lap and took this video. For more…

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Arnie's Big Banjo Blog on Merriweather Records

Some years ago I started the banjo blog on the record label website. It includes lots of interesting banjo videos, tabulatures and info. I will be transferring some of those posts here and adding new ones , but in the…

Read more