Banjos, a Few More Lines

I admit to pride at catching a pileated woodpecker, but see if you don't also think his inner motor is a banjo.

Thanks to Gothpunkuncle for broadening my banjo horizons. If you look at the first video, please take the time to let Eddie Peabody move from guitar to banjo. Things get livelier and a little comic. He appears to be much more of a showman than Saturday's Eddy Davis, but both are a great change of pace from what most of us listen to these days:

Dailymotion - Eddie Peabody - Strum Fun - une vidéo Musique

(Left: Ernie Evans of the Liberty Pike bluegrass band)

And in case anyone's forgotten one of the great movie scenes, here is Dueling Banjos from Deliverance.

YouTube - Dueling Banjos Deliverance

Of course you can't say banjo without saying Earl Scruggs, here with Steve Martin:

YouTube - Earl Scruggs & Steve Martin - Foggy Mountain Breakdown (Best



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Eddy Davis & Conal Fowkes: Dated or Timeless?

There's more than one way to skin a banjo, so I hope you'll give this a try. If the upbeat stuff wears you out, or you're short on time, skip ahead to minute 4:00 for "My Foolish Heart."

YouTube - Eddy Davis & Conal Fowkes / Ory's Creole Trombone - My Foolish Heart

A few years ago, a younger friend gave me an album of Conal Fowkes alone on piano with some golden oldies. My buddy said his mother gave him the CD, and he, a serious pianist and student of music, didn't know what to think of it, but a geezer like me might have the lowdown. I loved the stuff, though it also got points for making me think of my Depression-era parents, who, to my clumsy, teenage, male mortification (and envy), actually did the Charleston on occasion.

So I'm glad Conal Fowkes has found a music mate. If you explore on YouTube, you'll see they also play with Woody Allen, though I suspect that's a status thing--I think they sound better as a duo. They look plenty skillful and sound great even if it isn't bluegrass. I hope somebody besides me buys a record. Variety, spice of life, etc.

I think the movie making here is also skillful.

YouTube - Eddy Davis & Conal Fowkes / Ory's Creole Trombone - My Foolish Heart

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