Country Heroes

I’ve had many old-timey and country heroes over the years – here are just a few whose music has, and still continues, to delight and inspire me – in no particular order.

Tom Paley – first inspired me over 40 years ago with the New Lost City Ramblers. Check out Sporting Life Blues.

Clarence Ashley – First learned of him through the discography in Peter Seeger’s banjo tutor. Mesmerised by his tuning and haunting version of ‘The Cuckoo’.

Frank Proffitt – Amazing old time picker and banjo maker. Played on his home-made fretless banjos – The man who taught the rest of us ‘Tom Dooley’.

Derroll Adams – One of the first American pickers I heard, in the UK in the ’60s. I admit I didn’t know quite what he was doing or how he did it. I just knew I was hearing something quite special. He also seemd to affect all he met in Europe, from Alex Campbell to Donovan.

Eric Weissberg – Bluegrass banjo picker – famed for his version of Duelling Banjos on the soundtrack of ‘Deliverance’ but performed some other great, complex and innovative stuff.

Roscoe Holcomb – Great singer and performer. As well as a wonderful country musician, his blues performances are a revelation. For me, his thumb-lead banjo picking is definitive and sublime.

New Lost City Ramblers – My first country heroes – I found an album of theirs soon after I bought my first banjo. It was a revelation – before then I thought there was just bluegrass – this opened the door. Check out their version of ‘A Man of Constant Sorrow’.

Bill Keith –  The man is simply a genius. When I first started picking, in my ignorance I jumbled up two finger and three finger styles, because I was working with a lot of British material that was fiddle based, Then – Whoa! I discovered Bill Keith – his contribution to banjo picking is immeasurable.

Martin Simpson – This guy is an amazing guitarist playing in a range of genres, all rooted in the folk tradition. I have seen him perform many times – then on some of his more recent recordings I learned that he is also a terrific banjo picker in the old timey tradition (damn him!) – Just listen to this – old time picking at its best.