Wednesday, August 05, 2026

Where No Banjo Has Gone Before!

Words fail me.

[h/t Gummo]

12 comments:

mistah charley, ph.d. said...

i like it

here in the dc area i can listen to the bluegrass country channel on broadcast public radio from american university, digital channel 2 - it is also available internet-wide at

https://bluegrasscountry.org/full-schedule/
Listener-supported radio playing American roots music 24/7

and there's an app

last week listening in bed with earbuds early one morning i heard them play Big Richard's song Millionaire - very catchy, I thought

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4huHY_YNlE

they're a ladies string quartet - no banjo, but cello, stand up bass, fiddle and what i think is a mandolin - it has eight strings, is plucked/strummed

steve simels said...

I've been feeling guilty about all the cartoon jokes about banjos I've been posting for the last several weeks. 😎

Anonymous said...

I still haven't figured out what the issue is with banjos. From the spooky intensity of Dock Boggs' late-1920s recordings to REM's wistful accents in 'Wendell Gee', it is waaaaay beyond the cheesy rep it's somehow earned.
C in California

steve simels said...

Charlie Chin’s banjo at the of the Springfield’s “Bluebird” is one of my favorite things ever.

Rob said...

The Who - Squeeze Box
Pete plays banjo 🪕

Anonymous said...

Repeat after me: "banjo is good in small doses!"

Wise Captain Al

Cleveland Jeff said...

Banjo is not as bad as bagpipes for sure. But the Star Trek banjo version isn't moving me. Don't feel guilty, it's not good for you.

edward said...

The Klingons will die laughing

Anonymous said...

Marginally tolerable i guess.....
rs

Rob said...

There are only four banjo songs that you will ever need to hear in your life -
The Ballad of Jed Clampett
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Earls Breakdown - all Flatt & Scruggs
Dueling Banjos - Eric Weissburg

ChrisE said...

Agree on Chin and "Bluebird". I also really like the banjo on Neil Young's "Old Man", played by (surprise!) James Taylor.

Alzo said...

Don't forget that before he was Mr. Byrd, Jim McGuinn learned the banjo here in Chicago at the Old Town School of Folk Music.