THE BIRTH OF THE BANJO: JOEL WALKER SWEENEY AND EARLY MINSTRELSY

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THE BIRTH OF THE BANJO: JOEL WALKER SWEENEY AND EARLY MINSTRELSY by Bob Carlin: Sweeney was, in essence, the Elvis Presley of the 1840s. He introduced mainstream America to a music and an instrument - the banjo. Sweeney, an Irish-American, sampled African-American music at a young age. He then added more traditional sounds, creating a new form. The only avenue then available to a professional banjo player was the minstrel show, which Sweeney used. The book provides an overview of early banjo music, beginning with the banjo's introduction to America and Great Britain. Correcting previous fallacies (such as Sweeney's supposed development of the five-string banjo), the work discusses Sweeney's roots, music and contribution to the physical development of the instrument. Appendix with performance chronology. 193 pp.
542-154 .. $35.00

Books Department: THE BANJO ENTERTAINERS: ROOTS TO RAGTIME, A BANJO HISTORY - by Lowell H. Schreyer (Folklore & Music History)

Books Department: THE BIRTH OF THE BANJO - EXHIBIT CATALOG, KATONAH MUSEUM OF ART, NOV. 9, 2003 - FEB. 1, 2004 (Instrument History)

Recordings Department: Various artists - THE OLD TIME BANJO FESTIVAL (Old Time Music Anthologies)

Books Department: THE EARLY MINSTREL BANJO - TECHNIQUE AND REPERTOIRE - by Joe Weidlich (Frailing Banjo Methods)

Books Department: PICTURING THE BANJO - by Leo G Mazow (Instrument History)