Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Ashley Campbell

#1

Watched this video tonight with Ashley Campbell. What an extremely talented girl, I can see she got her talent genes from her dad (don’t know that much about her mother, talent wise). Awesome banjo player and a beautiful voice. She sang this song called
“Pancho and Lefty” on this show called “Country Road” TV,
https://youtu.be/WpNrcAmmTxE

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#2

Beautiful! And what a nice looking banjo too. Couldn’t see what it was though but I love the neck.

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#3

I follow her on Instagram and she shares personal home video of her and her dad, from time to time.
She is accessible to her fans through the app. If you ask her about her banjo she will get back to you, just like Ben would.
There are fake accounts pretending to be her but the ‘official’ account has a special blue star or something that only verified people can get.

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#4

Great performance, she’s playing a deering banjo, I would suspect you could probably find the model on their website, by the neck inlay.

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#5

According to Deerings Website, Ashley plays 2 different types of banjo, along with guitar, first one is a Deering Custom Tenbrook Saratoga Star(the pics on the website look different than on the video, she might have had the fretboard custom made with some of her own ideas, the second banjo is a Custom Vega long neck, which would be very easy to distinguish. So, unless she’s added an additional banjo, which is totally possible, the Deering fretboard doesn’t match up with the designs on the video. Also, looking up the video on YouTube, the above video was made either uploaded or done a couple of weeks ago. Watch her video Called “Remembering” its a song she wrote about her dad if it doesn’t bring tears to your eyes, theres something wrong.

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#6

I really enjoyed that. Thanks for sharing.

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#7

Enjoyed this. Gotta love a Campbell :wink:

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#8

Here’s Ashley in a video by my friends Rascal Flatts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9RRBGFO1nI

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#9

What is that repeated roll pattern Ashley is playing @BanjoBen ?

#10

Interesting how the banjo laid-down a repeating ‘motif’ that really added color and feel to that song. Leave it to a Campbell :wink:

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#11

Well, I just watched this one of her playing a song that I’ve recently fallen in love with, gentle on my mind

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#12

Great classic bluegrass song written by the legendary Banjo and Fiddle player John Hartford RIP John

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#13

This popped up in my YouTube recommended viewings this morning Enjoy

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#14

Thanks @Archie. It always amazes me how effective a simple rolling banjo can be. This is a great example. Certainly nothing advanced technique-wise here, but yet very effective if one can achieve a nice even roll…

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#15

Hi Neil, This goes to the root of what I have been trying to understand about playing rolling backup. I have listened to this stuff pretty much since I took up the banjo but try as I might I can’t find anything remotely like this in any of the backup lessons I have studied. Perhaps @BanjoBen can persuade Ashley to pop by the cabin next time she visits Nashville. Boy wouldn’t that be great having Ashley make a guest appearance.

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#16

I could be wrong, but it sounds like most of it is just a series of square rolls with some specific key notes walking (mostly down) to lead the listeners ear to chord changes.

I will say, though, she may be making it look easier than it really is.

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#17

Hey Mark,

If you get some time, can you give us a vid on rolling backup? Watching her play has led me to listening to GC’s version on Pandora repeatedly these last several days.

For me, it’s quite difficult to pick out the rolling banjo, because the acoustic guitars are playing in a very similar fashion.

That was the first time I ever heard Ashley Campbell play, and she played that spectacularly. It just flowed like nobody’s business. The old guy was phenomenal too. Still has a very clean voice with little graveliness.

No offense to the bluegrass purists, but a rolling banjo in a popular type song, (though not written with that intent), is just indescribable.

Was she playing melodic style on that solo?

#18

Excellent analysis!

#19

OK, so it sounds like John is doing 8 beats per measure, with a slight accent on beats 2 and 4??? when he’s not singing, but what does he do while he’s singing? Can’t quite tell.

Man, I want to learn this one.

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#20

He’s doing the same thing only with less volume so the bajo doesn’t interfere with the vocals…dynamics

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