Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Anyone from the UK

#2

Yep, I’m in UK and there are a few of us on here I believe. I’m in Devon UK. Welcome to the forum. We are all a great bunch of people on here and we all encourage each other on our fun journey of learning an instrument. Nice to see another UK member. :+1:

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#3

Thanks.

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#4

Hi Roger! Welcome to the board!

I’m not from the UK, but glad to have you here. My wife and I hope to visit there some day in the not-too-distant future. Being from Texas, it’s rare for us to see something 150 years old. I can only imagine the sense of history one must feel walking in some of your buildings over there that are literally older than our country.

Look forward to seeing you around the board.

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#5

Welcome to Banjo Ben’s! I think you will love it here! I have an old flame living near Malvern, so I kinda keep up on the news from the UK.
Any chance you enjoy the Earls of Leicester?

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#6

Thanks

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#7

I’m relatively new to bluegrass and just immersing myself in the music, so all suggestions are welcome.

Thanks

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#8

Welcome Roger!!! Enjoy the ride it’s a good one and the people here are Fantastic. always ready to lend a helping hand and ( somewhat sound advice??? ) just KIddin!!! great people in the forum and Banjo Ben and crew are great!!!.. P.s. Not from UK. northern California, But don’t hold it against me. :sunglasses:

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#9

Good to have you @Roggles! I too hope to come your way before too long, would be awesome to do some workshops or camp over yonder.

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#10

OK, this is fascinating. Please pardon my clumsiness.
In my experience, people are drawn to bluegrass because they heard 'that sound." It’s generally a different song for everyone, but they typically say , " The first time I heard (insert song here) I was captivated by that sound of the (insert here.)
Bluegrass is like anything else. There is some really good stuff, and some stuff that’s just awful. And, as usual, beauty is in the ear of the listener. There is no right or wrong answer.
For me, it was “Cripple Creek” by Flatt & Scruggs. That sound! Later began to develop an appreciation for the singing that is so high & lonesome it makes some people toes curl.
But it will always be a ringing banjo for me, played Scruggs style. That sound!
Yours is probably different , but probably just as magical.

What sound got you interested in bluegrass?

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#11

Yes… Small world i’m from Wigan

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#12

If you don’t mind me asking what instrument do you play and do you know of any local jam sessions?
Pre lock-down we did have a monthly tunes session at a local pub but being a newby I’m looking for something a little more slow and steady.

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#13

I’m going to sound very boring but there isn’t really a particular song that got me into bluegrass music and there isn’t even a song that originally got me into playing guitar many years ago.

After playing electric guitar on and off for the last 40 years I have always had a yearning to play a more Rootsy instrument and although I do now play quite a bit of acoustic guitar it’s really only strumming. I have tried tenor banjo, 5 string banjo and ukulele but I never really took to any of them. Then one day this year during lock-down I ordered a cheapish mandolin from my local specialist and even said to them that it’ll be on eBay by the end of the summer. But to my amazement I really enjoyed it and within a couple of months had swapped it for a better model.

What I really like about bluegrass is learning to play the tunes, that said remembering them is a different story :grinning:. Strangely enough the first tune I started to learn was Cripple Creek, mainly because it was a free sample on TuneFox! I have always said that despite playing guitar for so long that I can’t actually play anything, if that makes sense.

So, I apologise for not being able to give you a particular song but hope this gives you a little bit of my back story.

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#14

I play Banjo and go to a weekly session in Maghull and they would love a mandolin player

It a mixed bag and very relaxed and if you play guitar even better

M6, M58 :+1:

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#15

Do you play Bum tit Bluegrass rhythm guitar as that’s what we need at the Jam as well

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#16

Thank you so much. If it’s mandolin that caught your ear, then Sam Bush is someone you should give a listen, (after paying close attention to Ben. :grin:)
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sam+bush+mandolin

Of course there are many others!

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#17

I’ve been a keyboard player since I can remember and played a little bit of rhythm acoustic in a few bands and never even looked at a banjo until I was 48 and saw a guy play one (not a great player ) but something clicked and I thought I’m gonna get one and 18 months and Huber later here I am I love it …

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#18

I do know Maghull, it’s about 50 mins from me.
I did some work at Ashworth Hospital about 30 years ago for my previous employer!
I’m guessing you’re not meeting at the moment though?

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#19

Yes it’s prob around 30miles from Bolton and not happening at the moment

Would be great to have a Mando player come down and chop away give some much needed colour and timing

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#20

Please let me know when you start back up. Also if you could give me the heads-up on some of the tunes you play I will get practising.

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#21

If you message me your number I will add you to the what’s app group they are a nice bunch :+1:

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