#earl scruggs my beloved

[thatbanjobusiness]

[kingofthewilderwest]

I've been on tumblr a decade and never made a pinned post so let's do the overdue yeeeet.

Me: Haddock (she/her) 30s Perpetually garrulous and out-of-the-loop for what's cool ˖.✦*｡

I don't watch / play a lot, but when I do, I have Everything to say

I work in linguistics as my dayjob, but you shouldn't trust my old linguistics posts from when I was a cocky grad student. Washed up classical music composition major from Back In Ye Daye. Woo.

What I post: Primarily fandom content including but not limited to: DreamWorks, Fullmetal Alchemist, Gravity Falls, How to Train Your Dragon, Voltron, other animation, yada yada. Most known for being in the HTTYD community. Historically a fandom analysis blog... life keeps me busy so I don't answer much anymore. BUT I LOVE and read all asks, and there's a chance I'll respond and analyze away. ;)

Traditionally I've kept my video game interests to my sideblog and my record-collecting / bluegrass interests to my other sideblog (Earl Scruggs my beloved). All blogs are active, but I'm tempted to post on main and everything goes everywhere. May chaos reign!

I'm currently in a classical music kick so if you want to entertain me, let me scream about violas, Mozart, counterpoint, flute trill fingerings, ridiculous classical music history stories, and everything else you didn't know you didn't want to know.

I do not post politics, world news, etc. posts. This isn't because I don't care (I do), but because tumblr is a personal space of diversion. Everyone is welcome on my blog and I hope to make it a place of joy and entertainment. I am Christian, so there may be the occasional faith-based reblog.

Everything (everything) is tagged carefully, including spoilers, in case there's something you want to blacklist. <3

I love making friends and keeping tumblr as a community-community, so feel free to say hi! ^^

[jazzworldquest-blog]

USA/MALI: BÉLA FLECK AND TOUMANI DIABATÉ RELEASE NEW SONG "KAUONDING SISSOKO” OFF UPCOMING DUO ALBUM, THE RIPPLE EFFECT

BÉLA FLECK AND TOUMANI DIABATÉ RELEASE NEW SONG

"KAUONDING SISSOKO”

OFF UPCOMING DUO ALBUM, THE RIPPLE EFFECT

SINGLE AVAILABLE NOW ON ALL STREAMING SERVICES 

THE RIPPLE EFFECT TO BE RELEASED AS 2-LP, IN TANDEM WITH AN EXPANSIVE

3-CD/1-DVD COLLECTION,

THROW DOWN YOUR HEART: THE COMPLETE AFRICA SESSIONS

(ALSO INCLUDING THE RIPPLE EFFECT IN ITS ENTIRETY)

BOTH TITLES AVAILABLE MARCH 27th

Click here to stream/download the advance single “Kauonding Sissoko” and pre-save the album

Click here to pre-order The Ripple Effect (2-LP)

Click here to pre-order Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions (3-CD/1-DVD)

Click here for online media kit and click here to download cover art/product shots

Los Angeles, CA (February 21, 2020)—World-renowned banjoist Béla Fleck and accomplished Malian kora master Toumani Diabaté debut a new song today (2/21), titled "Kauonding Sissoko,” off their upcoming new duo album The Ripple Effect. Available March 27th from Craft Recordings, The Ripple Effect will be available as a 180-gram 2-LP gatefold vinyl and also as part of a 3-CD/1-DVD collection, titled Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions, which documents Béla’s remarkable journey across Africa to explore the banjo’s roots.

Click here to stream/download the instant grat. single “Kauonding Sissoko” by Béla and Toumani and pre-save the Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions deluxe digital album.

Available for the first time as a complete film and music set, Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions includes a DVD of the acclaimed documentary film Throw Down Your Heart, with commentary from Fleck and his brother, director Sascha Paladino, along with 14 bonus performances and the 3x GRAMMY®-winning albums Tales from the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3—Africa Sessions and Africa Sessions Part 2: Unreleased Tracks.

Simply put, the project was a sensation when it was released in 2009. There were, of course, raves from the press — “traditional African music turns out to suit him beautifully” pronounced The New York Times— but fellow musicians were equally awed. “Béla Fleck's amazing film Throw Down Your Heart makes me want to go to Africa,” said acclaimed jazz pianist Chick Corea. “The genuine warmth, affinity, respect and love between Béla and the amazing African musicians he met are beautifully captured.” Banjo player and actor Steve Martin added, “With Throw Down Your Heart, Béla Fleck has contributed significantly to the history of the banjo, as well as inventing a style of music never before played on this great instrument.”

A virtuoso on his instrument, he has over the last four decades taken the banjo far afield from its traditional roles in bluegrass and old-timey music, embracing an extraordinarily broad range of musical styles. Not only has he won 15 GRAMMY®s, but he did so across nine different categories, earning honors in the Country, Pop, Jazz, Instrumental, Classical, and World Music fields through his work with the fusion group Béla Fleck and the Flecktones; double bassist and composer Edgar Meyer; his wife, Abigail Washburn, and others. 

The original “Dueling Banjos,” recorded by Eric Weissberg and popularized by the film Deliverance, was one of the things that first attracted Fleck to the banjo, so there’s a sense of coming full circle with that performance. But then, the whole Throw Down Your Heart project was, in a sense, about scratching an itch Fleck had long felt regarding the African roots of his instrument. “I knew that my beloved instrument had originally come from West Africa,” he writes. “And from time to time I found tantalizing tidbits of African acoustic music that gave me the confidence to know that there was a phenomenal amount of incredible stuff going on under the radar.”

What brought that general interest into focus was when Flecktone saxophonist Jeff Coffin played Fleck a recording by the great Malian singer Oumou Sangare. “I was literally stunned,” Fleck recalled. “I’d had this reaction only a few times — when music was so compelling that everything had to stop while I listened. Earl Scruggs’ banjo did it to me. Chick Corea’s music did it to me. And so did this.”

In a bit of kismet, it turned out that Sangare was managed by an old friend from Fleck’s early bluegrass days. A meeting was arranged, some jamming was done, and Sangare invited Fleck to visit Bamako, Mali, and play with her and some of her friends. The seed was planted. Within months, Fleck and Paladino had worked out a three-nation itinerary, one that would rely on friendship and happenstance to experience the music and culture of Africa. It was, Fleck writes, “a nonstop set of intense, powerful and joyful musical interactions. Every day for five weeks, I was meeting musicians, and filming pieces with them in their homes, other unconventional locations, and even on rare occasions — recording studios. We recorded/filmed over 30 pieces so it came out to something like a tune per day while we were there.”

Originally issued as individual titles, beginning with Rounder Records’ 2009 release of Tales From the Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3—Africa Sessions, Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions will be one of several special reissues commemorating the legendary roots label’s 50th anniversary. Throughout 2020 Rounder will be celebrated with box sets, live events, an original podcast series, curated playlists, exclusive merchandise and much more. Stay tuned for forthcoming announcements regarding Rounder’s 50th anniversary.

Both titles are available to pre-order now. Click here for The Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions, or here for The Ripple Effect. Special bundles are also available through the official Béla Fleck store.

Tracklist - Throw Down Your Heart: The Complete Africa Sessions

Disc One: Throw Down Your Heart, Part One

1. Tulinesangala – Nakisenyi Women’s Group (Uganda)

2. Kinetsa – D’Gary (Madagascar)

3. Ah Ndiya – Oumou Sangare (Mali)

4. Kabibi – Anania Ngoliga (Tanzania)

5. Angelina – Luo Cultural Association (Uganda)

6. D'Gary Jam – D'Gary, Béla Fleck, Oumou Sangare, Richard Bona, Baba Maal, Vusi Mahlasela, Afel Bocoum, Anania Ngoliga, Toumani Diabaté, and friends (Madagascar, Uganda, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Cameroon)

7. Throw Down Your Heart – Harouna Samake Trio and Bassekou Kouate (Mali)

8. Thula Mama – Vusi Mahlasela (South Africa)

9. Wairenziante – Muwewesu Xylophone Group (Uganda)

10. Buribalal – Afel Bocoum (Mali)

11. Zawose – Chibite – The Zawose Family (Tanzania)

12. Ajula/Mbamba – The Jatta Family (The Gambia)

13. Pakugyenda Balebauo – Warema Masiaga Cha Cha (Tanzania)

14. Jesus Is the Only Answer – Ateso Jazz Band (Uganda)

15. Matitu – Khalifan Matitu (Tanzania)

16. Mariam – Djelimady Tounkara (Mali)

17. Djorolen – Oumou Sangare (Mali)

18. Dunia Haina Wema/Thumb Fun – Anania Ngoliga (Tanzania)

Disc Two: Throw Down Your Heart, Part Two

1. Spirit Song – Haruna Walisimbe, Okiror, and Ronald Mabandha (Uganda)

2. Salam Aleikum – Afel Bocoum, Hama Sankare, Yoro Cisse, Barou Diallo, and Zoumana Tereta (Mali) 

3. Chant – Masai Warriors (Tanzania)

4. The Rights of Man / Ya Fama – Harouna Samake, Madou Sanogo, and Habib Sangare (Mali)

5. Kamungoro – Albert Bisaso Ssempeke Jr. (Uganda)

6. Kandjo – Bassekou Kouyate, Ami Sacko, and Alou Coulibazy (Mali) 

7. Obughangwa - Muwewesu Xylophone Group (Uganda)

8. Soumauro – Djelimady Tounkara and Alou Coulibazy (Mali)

9. Furaha –Tanzania (Anania Ngoliga)

10. Mar Rano – D’Gary, Xavier-Martial François, and Roy “FutureMan” Wooten (Madagascar) 

11. Jesus of Banjul – Jesus Jah Jarju (The Gambia)

12. Mali Jam – Free Jam: Djelimady Tounkara, Harouna Samake, Bassekou Kouate, Lassana Diabaté, and Alou Coulibazy (Mali)

13. Kayi Ni Wura – Oumou Sangare, Souleymane Sidibe, Zoumana Tereta, Benogo Diakite, Sékou Bah, Sékou Diabaté, and Nabintou Diakate (Mali)

14. Old Joe Jatta – Remi Jatta, Naser Sambou, Phgusiteh Sambou, Frederick Jatta, Sega Jatta, Joseph Sambou, Abdoulie Saine, and Samba Bah (The Gambia)

Disc Three: Toumani Diabaté and Béla Fleck — The Ripple Effect, Throw Down Your Heart Part 3

1.     Bamako

2.     Nashville

3.     Snug Harbor

4.     Elyne Road

5.     Matitu/Buribalal

6.     Manchester

7.     Throw Down Your Heart

8.     Kauonding Sissoko

9.     Katmandu

10.  Dueling Banjos

Disc Four

Throw Down Your Heart DVD

Tracklist - The Ripple Effect LP

Side A

1. Bamako

2. Nashville

3. Snug Harbor

Side B

1. Elyne Road

2. Matitu/Buribalal

Side C

1. Manchester

2. Throw Down Your Heart

3. Kauonding Sissoko

Side D

1. Katmandu

2. Dueling Banjos

About Rounder Records:

Rounder Records is one of the world's most historic Americana and bluegrass record labels. Rounder’s rich catalog includes critically-acclaimed offerings by iconic artists like Gregg Allman, Alison Krauss, and Steve Martin as well as rising stars Samantha Fish, Sierra Hull, I’m With Her, Sarah Jarosz, Ruston Kelly, the SteelDrivers, Billy Strings, and The War And Treaty.

Rounder has consistently demonstrated a commitment to nurture and develop careers over the long haul—a number of artists who got their start at Rounder are still recording with the label today, including Jerry Douglas, Béla Fleck, and George Thorogood. A leader in the preservation of precious historic recordings, Rounder has brought the music of the Carter Family, Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, and Jelly Roll Morton back to vibrant life and released epic anthologies from the Library of Congress and the Alan Lomax Collection that have been universally acclaimed.

About Craft Recordings:

Craft Recordings is home to one of the largest and most prestigious collections of master recordings and compositions in the world. Its rich and storied repertoire includes legendary artists such as Joan Baez, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Miles Davis, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, Nine Inch Nails, Thelonious Monk, Otis Redding, R.E.M. and Traveling Wilburys, to name just a few. Renowned imprints with catalogs issued under the Craft banner include Concord, Fania, Fantasy, Milestone, Musart, Nitro, Prestige, Riverside, Rounder, Specialty, Stax, Sugar Hill, Vanguard and Vee-Jay Records, among many others. Craft creates thoughtfully curated packages, with a meticulous devotion to quality and a commitment to preservation-ensuring that these recordings endure for new generations to discover. Craft Recordings is the catalog label team for Concord Recorded Music. For more info, visit CraftRecordings.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify.

###

Contact for Béla Fleck:

Carla Parisi

Kid Logic

kidlogicmedia@gmail.com

973-563-8204

Contact for Craft Recordings:

Aaron Feterl

Chummy PR

aaron@chummypress.com

 ‌  ‌  ‌

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[thatbanjobusiness]

THIS HAS BEEN ONLINE FOR BIDS FOR LESS THAN TWO HOURS.

(the starting bid was $150)

[thatbanjobusiness]

Foggy Mountain Breakdowns to Earl Scruggs’s birthday

[thatbanjobusiness]

Thought you might like to know that I'm taking a general American music course to fulfill a degree requirement, and they briefly skimmed bluegrass. Even surface-level as it was, I just saw the name Earl Scruggs and my brain was all "HEY I KNOW THAT GUY, THAT'S THE BOY! THAT'S HIM! THOSE ARE HADDOCK'S FAVORITE BOYS"

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EYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY~ <33

[thatbanjobusiness]

Reading some newspaper articles from the 1970s about bluegrass artists. As one does during her free time. A reporter recounted an instance where one fan walked into the Scruggs’s backstage and just stood and stared at Earl Scruggs. Earl, confused, asked the bloke whether he had anything to say, and the dude declares, “I’m speechless” and keeps staring for several more minutes.

Hey look! Someone who met Scruggs worse than I would!

[thatbanjobusiness]

All those shirts saying, “Sex & Drugs & Flatt & Scruggs” or “Women Whisky Flatt & Scruggs.” Where’s my G-rated t? My “Friends & Hugs & Flatt & Scruggs” shirt option?

[thatbanjobusiness]

The last time I was on general anesthesia as a kid, before I zonked out, I chattered excitedly, endlessly about my current childhood crush.

Today, on the eve before I go in for surgery, the most horrible thought dawned upon me. what if that hasn’t changed and I start like fucking sobbing about Earl Scruggs to the med techs

[thatbanjobusiness]

I’ve never edited articles on Wikipedia, but in one of the opening paragraphs of Earl Scruggs’s page there are several enormous date errors and I’m twitching so fucking bad.

[thatbanjobusiness]

My father literally just fucking introduced me to one of his musician friends by calling me a “Scruggs groupie.”

I’m trying to process this.

[thatbanjobusiness]

HGNGHGNRRRRRRGHGHG AURGH WHY DOES FLATT & SCRUGGS STUFF SELL SO FAST AND FOR SUCH HIGH PRICES??? THE BAND DISBANDED IN EARLY 1969!

I say, also chucking my money at Flatt & Scruggs stuff.

[thatbanjobusiness]

I love music comedy. Music’s so easy to turn into a parody or comedy skit. Ever watched Igudesman & Joo? A delight.

In the first half of the twentieth century, country music acts used just as much comedy as music. It was an essential part of the show. Separate comedians might be hired and travel with the show. Bandmates (like the bassist or banjo picker) would take on comedian roles, and do both skits on their own, and incorporate their jokes with the music the band was playing. By the 60s, this practice was starting to fade out, though listening to live shows, you can still hear elements of the comedy they did.

Episodes of the Flatt & Scruggs television show have survived from the 1950s and 60s, allowing people today to see how the band performed. There are be brief segments where their comedy duo, Jake and Josh, inserted a joke. Still, that wasn’t the same as their live performances. It wasn’t until I listened to live performance recordings (often done by amateurs) that I became familiar with a routine they’d do during Foggy Mountain Special.

Foggy Mountain Special is a unique instrumental piece for Flatt & Scruggs in that every member of the band takes a solo, even instrumentalists like the mandolinist and guitarist who usually stuck to backup. When they play it seriously, it’s a lot of fun, and I’ve seen videos of the serious presentation.

But they also screwed with it. The gag involves one poor band member trying and failing to take his solo. Every time he tried to hop in, another bandmate stole the microphone and played his solo instead. See, the band performed with just two or so microphones. This allowed them to mix themselves, but it also required coordinated movement, soloists and singers sweeping in and out to be close to the mic. This is why the poor left-out band member could get repeatedly passed over as other musicians took initiative to reach the mic.

I wish I could’ve seen this. I’m sure watching would’ve added an extra level of humor. Still, it’s amusing to hear. This particular performance is taken from a 1966 Houston, TX performance.

It might be hard to follow if you don’t know who’s saying what, so I transcribed the dialogue below and indicated which speaker plays which instrument. I didn’t spend a hoard of time on this, so don’t expect every word to be right, but it should get the humorous exchange across. ;)

LESTER (guitar): Uncle Josh, let’s pick a little tune here. What do you say?

JOSH (dobro): Pick a little tune?

LESTER (guitar): Yeah.

JOSH (dobro): Let me check with ole Earl and see if it’s all right. Earl, is it all right if I stand out and... Yeah, it’s all right, Lester. Go ahead. He don’t mind.

LESTER (guitar): Did he ask you if it was all right if you push me around like that?

(On a previous song from the same concert, there was a point several musicians exclaimed “WHOA!” Then mysteriously, half the instruments dropped out of the ensemble. Josh must have collided with them as he went for the mic.)

JOSH (dobro): Carefully!

LESTER (guitar): I tell you what, Josh, everybody gets a break on this one. And we’re going to give you the first break. Earl will take it off. Of course, it won’t be your first break. I believe you had two before you ever started to work with us. But I tell you what...

[audience laughter as they figure out Lester’s insult]

LESTER (guitar): You stand right here and be ready to move in and get your break, and then you’ll have to rush back out of the way, because Sky King may be coming in from this side, you see.

[audience laughter]

JOSH (dobro): Other words, Lester, when it comes my time, just come in and get it? And then get out.

LESTER (guitar): Right over that side, yeah.

[Earl Scruggs on banjo begins Foggy Mountain Special with the first solo/break. The rest of the band falls in behind him playing accompaniment.]

SEVERAL BAND MEMBERS: Oh yeah!

JOSH (dobro): Oh yeah! I’ll have you know that I’m feeling great.

EARL (banjo): Ready?

[Josh doesn’t immediately answer. Jake takes initiative]

JAKE (bass): READY!

JOSH (dobro): Thank you so much ladies and gent--

JAKE (bass): WHOA!

[In the confusion between Jake and Josh, Paul on fiddle saves the day and takes over the second break]

JOSH (dobro): Hey Paul? [muffled complaints while Paul fiddles unashamedly away] Get-- Hey Paul? Don’t get excited now! Get scared every time I--

PAUL (fiddle): Get ’em, Josh.

JAKE (bass): OW!!

[Audience laughs. In the middle of the commotion between dobro, fiddle, and bass, Lester Flatt takes over the third break on guitar]

PAUL (fiddle): If you’re too slow, you’re going to have to get on the ball. Foller Lester. I’ll get your cue. Ready?

JOSH (dobro): YEAH! Paul, I--

[Bandmate whistles. Josh is subverted again. Jake Tullock pounds away the next break on upright bass]

PAUL (fiddle): [at the end of Jake’s break, to Josh] Get ’er, boy!

[After literally every other member of the band plays, Josh finally gets his dobro break. The audience applauds both the previous solo and the victory.]

[Earl Scruggs finishes the tune up and the audience claps]

[thatbanjobusiness]

One of the reasons I love watching Flatt & Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys perform (instead of just listening) is because you see how much they enjoy the music and the company they’re in. 

This group of musicians (Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs, Jake Tullock, Josh Graves, Curly Seckler, and Paul Warren) played with one another for double-digit numbers of years. Even though there was some turnover and coming in-and-out, these guys played with one another tons.

Below Read More cut: pictures labeling who’s who.

Lester Flatt | guitar and lead vocals Played in this band 1948-1969 (21 years*☆)

Lester was the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and emcee for the group. As his name indicates, he’s one half of the Flatt & Scruggs duo. He was always welcoming and homely when he talked to audiences. It’s hard to get some of the humor from him in gifs because lots of his jokes were verbal.

Some reasons I love watching Lester are: 

He usually looks so relaxed and makes me feel relaxed.

When he gives introductions for the other bandmates, it’s usually a bunch of clever insults. For instance, “He represents Knoxville, Tennessee. If you’re not acquainted with the area, he goes to show that you can raise just about whatever they want to down there.”

When the announcer of the show, T. Tommy, introduces Lester, it’s usually some sort of joke or insult, too. The pure delight that pops on Lester’s face at a good joke is beautiful.

He straight out says into the microphone when someone makes a mistake. So much for “musical performance professionalism means pretending you did it right.” XD

Earl Scruggs | banjo (default), lead guitar (often enough), and baritone vocals Played in this band 1948-1969 (21 years☆)

Earl tends to keep a solemn poker face when performing. Hilariously, while he was known for being a very shy man of few words, and while Earl let Lester do ALL the talking in their performances... in these TV Shows, Earl is the number one most likely person to toss comments at bandmates in the middle of a performance.

Some reasons I love watching Earl are:

His comments mid-song are genuinely hilarious. I swear he’s sometimes trying to troll his bandmates to lose their composure in the middle of the song. It’s things like a bandmate singing a line complaining about their romantic interest, and Earl piping up, “Who? Me?” I don’t think he was trying to make it sound gay, but does it sometimes sound gay? Yes.

There’s a quiet charisma in how he plays, straitlaced, staring straight at the camera. He was a very humble guy, but you can feel the indisputable authority of his banjo mastery in his posture and notes.

Every single time they switch up the show (musicians playing alternate instruments, guests coming in), you can tell Earl loves it.

I may or may not have developed a celebrity crush on him. Shut up.

Burkett “Josh” Graves | dobro (usually), bass, rarely guitar, lead vocals (on duets with Jake) Played in this band 1955-1969 (14 years*)

Josh is one of the comedians for the band. When Jake was in the band, the two of them would work together as a duo, both to sing fun novelty songs together, and as a comedian act. Josh would play the straight man to Jake.

Some reasons I love watching Josh are:

He is an open book of emotions. I’d say he’s the easiest to smile and laugh of the group. I saw one song where, the entire performance, he was on the verge of breaking down laughing. Earl was off-screen making stupid jokes after every line Josh sung. Every time Josh started to regain composure, Earl said something new and broke the guy down again.

He is an extremely, extremely talented dobro player with great technical skill. Josh pioneered a new style of playing the instrument that hadn’t been done before. He combined multiple different ideas of musicianship together, including a lot of three-fingered banjo technique.

He’s very handsome, especially when he sings. 

English “Jake” Pierce | bass and high baritone vocals Played in this band 1954-1955, 1958-1969 (12 years*)

For those of you who are like, “What the fuck are high baritone vocals?” this means that Jake is singing the baritone part but up an octave. So, Jake is singing the highest part, higher even than the tenor. Jake’s voice is a distinct, shrill, piercing sound and I love it. Jake is one half of the comedy duo and always plays the rascal. From the stories I’ve heard, Jake and Josh and their shenanigans were not that different offstage.

Some reasons I love watching Jake are:

Usually when he’s not doing a comedy routine or a novelty song, Jake has a serious expression on his face. However, he’s got a specific invested drive to him when he plays the music. And then other times, he’ll decide to be silly, such as the wild running across the screen you see in my last gif.

Jake and Josh have this perfect chemistry to them. They know one another so well and you can feel it in their body language.

Jake has a really good cadence and sense of timing when it comes to his comedy delivery.

It’s always exciting when a bass player gets a solo. That’s just a rule of bluegrass. And Jake has an aggressive sound I find unique.

John “Curly” Seckler | mandolin (usually), guitar, tenor vocals Played in this band 1949-1951, 1952-1958, 1958-1962 (12 years*)

Sorry I didn’t have any gifs with Curly in the forefront this round (though around the time I took this screenshot, Curly stuck his tongue out at Earl, responding to something Earl said). Curly tends to chill in the background a lot for these shows, playing rhythm mandolin and singing harmony. He’s one of the main vocalists for the group, doing duos, trios, and quartets. He’ll also pop in as a featured soloist, which is always a treat.

Some reasons I love watching Curly are:

I already mentioned the featured soloist, but I mean... those are a treat. He has a unique, simultaneously soft and piercing voice. Whether he’s singing harmony or a solo, his voice is something I pay attention to a lot. I remember reading in his biography that at one early point in his career, he was called “Radio’s Gift to Women.” AMAZING.

His mandolin solos are rare, and the group tended to tease Curly off-screen about his mandolin playing. But it’s legitimately fun when the mandolin FINALLYYYYYY gets featured in this band.

Paul Warren | fiddle, guitar (almost never), and bass vocals Played in this band 1954-1969 (15 years*)

Paul is the fiddler that made me want to fiddle. His style of playing is the old-time hoedown style, filled with double-stops and finger flurries.

Some reasons I love watching Paul are:

HE IS SO FREAKING BOINGY!!!! BOINGY BOI!!!! Paul’s a chronic foot tapper. In live performance recordings, you can sometimes hear him thumping away. I heard that during rehearsals, Earl tried to get Paul to stop by standing on Paul’s foot... but that would only result in Paul’s other foot tapping. Eventually Earl had to give up. Paul also throws himself up and down, bouncing energetically in the direction his bow is going.

You can tell how much he likes going fast.

I think Paul is one of the first people to laugh and gawk when another bandmate makes a mistake. Maybe I have selective memory on this, though.

* Anyone with an asterisk (aka everyone except Earl) played in Lester Flatt’s follow-up band, too, Lester Flatt and the Nashville Grass.

☆ Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs played with one another in the band that came before this. They met as fellow musicians playing for Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys. They were in the band together for over two years.

[thatbanjobusiness]

It would be a hazard for me to listen to banjo music in public with my headphones. Because about once every three songs (if not more often) I am overwhelmed with the urge to scream “WHY IS IT SO SEXYYYY” and often do so in the comforts of my private home. But for some reason, screaming “WHY IS IT SO SEXYYYYY” might not come off well in the middle of like... I dunno the bus stop... and for some reason, I don’t think people would relate to me if I followed up explaining: “banjos.”