Bill and Bobby amazing talent and a total new way to think about the banjo i met Bill a really nice man he correctly predicted that i would go on to play pedal steel.guitar. They are sorely missed. This recording is an amazing treasure. Thank you for posting ❤
Both Bill, Keith and Bobby Thompson are tremendous musicians and banjo players. I just hated that Bobby Thompson is passed away now he was on the hee haw TV show for several years. He was very good he was from Greenville, South Carolina. He’s in the bluegrass festival in the sky.
As far as I know, Bobby's house where this was recorded is still standing. A friend who knew Bobby drove me by there a few years ago and it was still there then. Also, Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland grew up in nearby Clifton, SC, and he and Bobby used to jam together quite a bit on the same porch. Lots of history right there in few square miles of musical genius!
When i was young i saw bob and boby tompson on the wgn barn dance tv show, and they had matching western outfits on, thats when i wanted to learn to pick like that
I don't know who posted this to UA-cam, but it's a cool historical tape in banjoland. I was given a copy of this tape back in 1985 or thereabouts. Here are the handwritten notes as tune list as written on the cassette J-card as given to me: "Bill Keith meets Bobby Thompson at his home in Converse, SC, July 1964" Shuckin' the Corn -- Bobby Rickett's Hornpipe -- Bill Stoney Creek -- Bobby Bill Cheatum -- Bobby Swanee River (classical) -- Bobby Arkansas Traveller -- Bobby Old Joe Clark -- twin, Bill & Bobby Nola -- Bobby, 4 parts Little Rock Getaway (chord etude) -- Bobby Ain't Misbehavin (chord etude) -- Bobby Dixie Hoedown -- twin, Bill & Bobby Ground Speed -- Bobby & Bill Unidentified Jazz tune -- Bobby Unidentified Fiddle Tune -- Bobby Sugarfoot Rag -- twin, Bill & Bobby Alabama Jubilee, chords -- Bobby Caravan -- Bobby Bobby backup licks Unidentified Blues Tune -- Bobby Arkansas Traveller (classical) -- Bobby Yankee Doodle Dixin -- Bobby Winter Walkin' -- Bobby (more)
In the second half, not previously listed: 32:05: I Could Have Danced All Night - from My Fair Lady 35:12: Wildwood Flower 36:23: I Could Have Danced All Night (revisit) 39:16: Wildwood Flower (revisit) 40:29: Little Rock Getaway (revisit) 44:24: Sailor's Hornpipe 49:40: Dixie (fingerpicked guitar) Lots in there I don't recognize. Some repeats.
When I read the article about this exchange in Tony Trischka’s Melodic Banjo book way back in 1979 I had always wondered what this exchange would sound like. It wasn’t until around 2007 that I actually hear it.
What a post. Great music. Never heard these two icons together before. I always think of Bobby Thompson, Bill Keith, and Eric Weissberg when I think of melodic banjo and it's origin. Thank you for getting this on You Tube.
This was recorded by Bill Keith July 1964 when he drove down to Converse, SC to meet Bobby Thompson. This was recorded on Bobby's porch and in his living room.
Thanks for remembering this from the BH conversation and uploading it, John. Great candid insight and history hereby preserved for posterity. So hard to find nearly enough information on Bobby especially, despite, ironically, how prolific a studio banjoist he was.
Not sure which sure you're asking about, but Bobby Thompson was an amazing guitar player, and that was his primary living in Nashville -- as a studio musician on guitar. That was his main bread and butter. On several of these cuts, Bobby is playing guitar.
... and the "unidentified fiddle tune" preceding Sugarfoot Rag is "Busy Fingers" (a composition by sadly overlooked fiddler Tommy Jackson (who is also overlooked as the composer of "Crazy Creek" and "Cherokee Shuffle", tunes widely assumed to be traditional old-time fiddle tunes)). Hard to believe that this was recorded over 53 years ago; it's timelessly sweet banjo picking!
What were the banjos Bill & Bobby were playing, also wish the dialogue & sound were of better quality. I would guess Bill is playing his Gibson top tension. Bobby ?
Dag gone I love this kinds of goings on's.
Bill and Bobby amazing talent and a total new way to think about the banjo i met Bill a really nice man he correctly predicted that i would go on to play pedal steel.guitar. They are sorely missed. This recording is an amazing treasure. Thank you for posting ❤
Both Bill, Keith and Bobby Thompson are tremendous musicians and banjo players. I just hated that Bobby Thompson is passed away now he was on the hee haw TV show for several years. He was very good he was from Greenville, South Carolina. He’s in the bluegrass festival in the sky.
As far as I know, Bobby's house where this was recorded is still standing. A friend who knew Bobby drove me by there a few years ago and it was still there then. Also, Hank "Sugarfoot" Garland grew up in nearby Clifton, SC, and he and Bobby used to jam together quite a bit on the same porch. Lots of history right there in few square miles of musical genius!
When i was young i saw bob and boby tompson on the wgn barn dance tv show, and they had matching western outfits on, thats when i wanted to learn to pick like that
I don't know who posted this to UA-cam, but it's a cool historical tape in banjoland.
I was given a copy of this tape back in 1985 or thereabouts. Here are the handwritten notes as tune list as written on the cassette J-card as given to me:
"Bill Keith meets Bobby Thompson at his home in Converse, SC, July 1964"
Shuckin' the Corn -- Bobby
Rickett's Hornpipe -- Bill
Stoney Creek -- Bobby
Bill Cheatum -- Bobby
Swanee River (classical) -- Bobby
Arkansas Traveller -- Bobby
Old Joe Clark -- twin, Bill & Bobby
Nola -- Bobby, 4 parts
Little Rock Getaway (chord etude) -- Bobby
Ain't Misbehavin (chord etude) -- Bobby
Dixie Hoedown -- twin, Bill & Bobby
Ground Speed -- Bobby & Bill
Unidentified Jazz tune -- Bobby
Unidentified Fiddle Tune -- Bobby
Sugarfoot Rag -- twin, Bill & Bobby
Alabama Jubilee, chords -- Bobby
Caravan -- Bobby
Bobby backup licks
Unidentified Blues Tune -- Bobby
Arkansas Traveller (classical) -- Bobby
Yankee Doodle Dixin -- Bobby
Winter Walkin' -- Bobby
(more)
thanks for the info, Frank.
Thanks for the list. Pretty sure that tune after ground speed is 'C Jam Blues'
I listen to this almost everyday I can't get enough
I stayed with them in Boston in 1965 they taught me a lot of stuff I still play
In the second half, not previously listed:
32:05: I Could Have Danced All Night - from My Fair Lady
35:12: Wildwood Flower
36:23: I Could Have Danced All Night (revisit)
39:16: Wildwood Flower (revisit)
40:29: Little Rock Getaway (revisit)
44:24: Sailor's Hornpipe
49:40: Dixie (fingerpicked guitar)
Lots in there I don't recognize. Some repeats.
When I read the article about this exchange in Tony Trischka’s Melodic Banjo book way back in 1979 I had always wondered what this exchange would sound like. It wasn’t until around 2007 that I actually hear it.
What a post. Great music. Never heard these two icons together before. I always think of Bobby Thompson, Bill Keith, and Eric Weissberg when I think of melodic banjo and it's origin. Thank you for getting this on You Tube.
This was recorded by Bill Keith July 1964 when he drove down to Converse, SC to meet Bobby Thompson. This was recorded on Bobby's porch and in his living room.
Thanks for adding details Frank. What wonderful history.
Just grateful to be hearing more of Bobby T.
Thanks for remembering this from the BH conversation and uploading it, John. Great candid insight and history hereby preserved for posterity. So hard to find nearly enough information on Bobby especially, despite, ironically, how prolific a studio banjoist he was.
no problem, ron.
I believe this was recorded by Steve Arkin, who followed Bill K. in the BG Boys and went on this trip.
Awesome.. thanks
This is the good stuff. Is there any way to get a physical copy of this (cassette or CD)?
Way I heard it, Arkin heard Thompson and went back north and grabbed Keith and drove right back to Bobby's house to put these two together.
Jonathan Sachs Yes. That’s how the story goes according to Arkin’s article published in the book Melodic Banjo.
The "Unidentified Jazz Tune" that follows "Ground Speed" is actually a version of "Blues In C"....and "Flop Eared Mule" follows "Sugarfoot Rag"
who was playing guitar? not too shabby!
Actually that's Duke Ellington's "C Jam Blues".
Not sure which sure you're asking about, but Bobby Thompson was an amazing guitar player, and that was his primary living in Nashville -- as a studio musician on guitar. That was his main bread and butter. On several of these cuts, Bobby is playing guitar.
... and the "unidentified fiddle tune" preceding Sugarfoot Rag is "Busy Fingers" (a composition by sadly overlooked fiddler Tommy Jackson (who is also overlooked as the composer of "Crazy Creek" and "Cherokee Shuffle", tunes widely assumed to be traditional old-time fiddle tunes)). Hard to believe that this was recorded over 53 years ago; it's timelessly sweet banjo picking!
1:45 sounds like a recording from Cliff Waldron and the New Shades of Grass? Confirm or denied.
Bill Emerson, perhaps One more step.
Song list please and who's playing which? This is fantastic!
I didn't hear "Winter Walkin' " on there, but I did hear Chet's "My Town"
25:30
What were the banjos Bill & Bobby were playing, also wish the dialogue & sound were of better quality.
I would guess Bill is playing his Gibson top tension. Bobby ?
Bobby played a Baldwin D i think
I can‘t remember the Title of number 3, beginning at 1:40. can somebody help?
Sounds like stoney creek
Danke!! That‘s it!
Thompson is a HOSS...
8:30