The following article is reprinted with permission fromDeering Banjos.
When I give tours here at the factory, I ask our visitors to think of the banjo as a “giant lollipop” because many of them are not banjo players…but we have all eaten our fair share of lollipops.
The neck of the banjo is the “stick” of a lollipop and the pot assembly is the “round, candy portion.” This is not meant to explain FUNCTION, just help with orientation. And like a lollipop, fun with a banjo will last all the way down to the last “lick.” This week’s article is meant to help orient and identify, not explain the function, of the parts of the banjo to make past and future articles more easily understood.
Paul Williams and The Victory Trio: Just A Little Closer Home
Written by Jack Dwyer
Wednesday, 25 August 2010 02:51
If you know the music of Paul Williams, you will know exactly what to expect from any Rebel release featuring Paul Williams and The Victory Trio. Indeed, Just A Little Closer Home delivers much more than just a few moments of bluegrass gospel bliss. Even if the name Paul Williams is unfamiliar, bluegrass listeners will already be well acquainted with Mr. Williams through his extensive work with Jimmy Martin. Williams performed and recorded with Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys from 1958 to 1962 and appears on many of his most well known recordings, in particular Martin’s earlier gospel recording.
The music at Bethel Woods was magnificent! Dubiously advertised as a festival, it was strange attending a festival without anybody bringing instruments and jamming.
Sort of a sophisticated venue to listen to bluegrass with a "pinky out when you sip your beer" environment, Bethel Woods is a truly beautiful venue that was worthy of the stellar bands that presented their absolute best. The performances were further enhanced and compounded with a sound and light system, and the people running it, that made everyone sparkle. The strange thing was that there was no MC at all! No MC to rattle off patter between sets, promote the bands, their venue's upcoming events, local clubs and organizations--not even a plug for the local vendors who, like the audience, braved copious amounts of rain drops during this event. Those rain drops looked innocent enough alone and singular, but they ganged up on everybody at around 3:00pm when the event was starting.
Junior Sisk is determined to be the anchor of tradition in bluegrass music. Spurning over production in his recordings, to sparse down to the instrument simplicity, his recordings are fresh as if the band were playing in your living room. His clean mountain voice rolls easily through a choice of songs you won’t get tired of. Junior is appearing at Sugar & Spice, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., sponsored by the Hudson Valley Bluegrass Association for the first time on September 4th.
D: What will the audience expect when Junior Sisk and Rambler’s Choice perform on Sept 4th?
Heartaches and Dreams: Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice
Written by Dave Angell
Tuesday, 10 August 2010 23:17
"Who is Junior Sisk?" I asked Bob Milliken, as he told me the song he just sang was by Sisk. To me, Bob comes up with the best selection of songs I've ever heard played at a bluegrass jam, and this one was great. Bob replied, "Junior has a band called Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice." So I did a little homework and found that Junior has been very successful in bluegrass as a songwriter and singer. Besides his own band he has played with Wyatt Rice and Santa Cruz, Lost and Found, and Blue Ridge. Junior is from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, as are all but one of the musicians in the current configuration of Ramblers Choice. The sound this band embodies harkens back to the sound of the Stanley Brothers, and captured today by The James King Band. Juniors voice is central to the sound of his band. It is intense, full, and strong, and carries the signature sound of the Virginia hills.
Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice Tickets on Sale NOW
Written by Administrator
Monday, 09 August 2010 13:59
Where: Sugar & Spice Café in the Poughkeepsie Plaza Mall (Rte. 9 North)
When: Saturday, September 4, 2010
Tickets: $10/Members - $15/Non-Members - Children Under 12/Free
Eric Gibson (The Gibson Brothers)
Junior Sisk is easily one of the most soulful and distinctive singers in bluegrass. His voice was built for bluegrass. You can hear the mountains in his tone and in his phrasing. He can deliver a hard-driving number or a tender Gospel song with equal ease. Our introduction to Junior was on "He Died a Rounder at 21" on a Wyatt Rice album back in the 90s. His voice hooked us then, made us believe, and never let go.
From Greg Cahill (Special Consensus), President of the IBMA:
One of our favorite bands to see and hear out on the festival circuit is Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice. Junior has the quintessential bluegrass voice, writes great songs and has a most pleasant stage presence. The other band members add stellar harmony vocals and superb picking to make for a great show. I believe this band will appeal to both the more traditional bluegrass enthusiasts and the more "modern" bluegrass followers, primarily because this is just great music. I hope everyone comes out to support Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice!
We are SO proud to announce the appearance of this excellent, authentic bluegrass band in Poughkeepsie. Save this date. This is a very limited venue, so you will want to buy your tickets now.
Junior Sisk has lived most of his life in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia where he listened to and played the music that was born there. His songwriting helped The Lonesome River Band in its ascent to bluegrass stardom in the early 1990's, but it was his lonesome, haunting singing that earned him the devotion of traditional bluegrass fans a few years later as a member of Wyatt Rice and Santa Cruz. Subsequently, he assembled Ramblers Choice, which released the acclaimed "Sounds of the Mountains" in 1998, and contributed to the IBMA award winning "The Stanley Gospel Tradition". A brief stint with The Lost and Found followed before Junior took over the lead vocal role for BlueRidge. Junior has been nominated many times for Songwriter and Male Vocalist of the year.
If you know the music of Paul Williams, you will know exactly what to expect from any Rebel release featuring Paul Williams and The Victory Trio. Indeed, Just A Little Closer Home delivers much more than just a few moments of bluegrass gospel bliss. Even if the name Paul Williams is unfamiliar, bluegrass listeners will already be well acquainted with Mr. Williams through his extensive work with Jimmy Martin. Williams performed and recorded with Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys from 1958 to 1962 and appears on many of his most well known recordings, in particular Martin’s earlier gospel recording.
The music at Bethel Woods was magnificent! Dubiously advertised as a festival, it was strange attending a festival without anybody bringing instruments and jamming.
"Who is Junior Sisk?" I asked Bob Milliken, as he told me the song he just sang was by Sisk. To me, Bob comes up with the best selection of songs I've ever heard played at a bluegrass jam, and this one was great. Bob replied, "Junior has a band called Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice." So I did a little homework and found that Junior has been very successful in bluegrass as a songwriter and singer. Besides his own band he has played with Wyatt Rice and Santa Cruz, Lost and Found, and Blue Ridge. Junior is from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, as are all but one of the musicians in the current configuration of Ramblers Choice. The sound this band embodies harkens back to the sound of the Stanley Brothers, and captured today by The James King Band. Juniors voice is central to the sound of his band. It is intense, full, and strong, and carries the signature sound of the Virginia hills.
