Does King Tut Wear No Clothes?
October 23, 2012 5:10 PM Subscribe
How good a banjo player is Steve Martin?
I know that he's toured, won Grammys, put his money where his pickin' fingers are, etc., but if his name was Bob Tuwilliger, would he still be highly regarded? He sounds great to me, but I don't play. Curious to hear from those in the know.
I know that he's toured, won Grammys, put his money where his pickin' fingers are, etc., but if his name was Bob Tuwilliger, would he still be highly regarded? He sounds great to me, but I don't play. Curious to hear from those in the know.
Yes, adequate, but a better showman than many professionals. Can be a very fast picker, but tends to play very straight. He's a better clawhammer player than most, but doesn't play it that often these days. Being able to pick and frail well is pretty rare, so he's decent enough.
posted by scruss at 5:36 PM on October 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by scruss at 5:36 PM on October 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
Alright, but more of a good journeyman than an expert picker. If you listen to bluegrass at all, you can tell that he's in the groove, but not anywhere near the pantheon. His album (albums?) wouldn't have happened with him as the headliner if HE were not the headliner. He is a good showman, though.
posted by OmieWise at 5:47 PM on October 23, 2012
posted by OmieWise at 5:47 PM on October 23, 2012
Response by poster: Thanks for the answers y'all. That kind of confirms my suspicions. Not to take anything away from Mr. Martin. I admire the man on pretty much every level. That said, who ARE the best bluegrass banjo players?
posted by Optamystic at 5:54 PM on October 23, 2012
posted by Optamystic at 5:54 PM on October 23, 2012
Bela Fleck is the best. Or, one of the best. Certainly one of the most well-known.
posted by dfriedman at 5:56 PM on October 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by dfriedman at 5:56 PM on October 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Earl Scruggs will cast a long shadow. Sadly, he left us this year.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 6:05 PM on October 23, 2012 [4 favorites]
posted by halfbuckaroo at 6:05 PM on October 23, 2012 [4 favorites]
Seconding Bela Fleck. Of the old timers still around, Ralph Stanley, who has a very unique style.
posted by kimdog at 6:06 PM on October 23, 2012
posted by kimdog at 6:06 PM on October 23, 2012
Tony Furtado is pretty amazing.
posted by MonsieurBon at 6:07 PM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by MonsieurBon at 6:07 PM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Jens Kruger and Bill Keith are not to be sneezed at.
posted by scruss at 6:32 PM on October 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by scruss at 6:32 PM on October 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
Shout out for Billy Faier as well.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:41 PM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:41 PM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
A lot of Billy Faier's stuff is available on his website. I am a big fan of him and Bill Keith.
posted by jessamyn at 7:22 PM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by jessamyn at 7:22 PM on October 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yeah Bela Fleck. But I must say that -- having heard Martin play live -- he certainly is no slouch, and obviously loves the music and playing the instrument.
posted by trip and a half at 7:35 PM on October 23, 2012
posted by trip and a half at 7:35 PM on October 23, 2012
But I must say that -- having heard Martin play live -- he certainly is no slouch, and obviously loves the music and playing the instrument.
And that counts for a lot. Being able to walk on a stage and do something for which he isn't traditionally known is a big leap.
He also makes no claims on virtuosity. He is just having fun, AND preserving an artform.
posted by gjc at 8:56 PM on October 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
And that counts for a lot. Being able to walk on a stage and do something for which he isn't traditionally known is a big leap.
He also makes no claims on virtuosity. He is just having fun, AND preserving an artform.
posted by gjc at 8:56 PM on October 23, 2012 [5 favorites]
The only time I've seen him perform is on Letterman, and it's always been with an ensemble. Haven't heard his albums but does he play with a group on those? If so, is it safe to assume he adopts a complementary role, similar to a straightforward rhythm guitarist in a rock band?
And are these judgments based just on performance, or on his compositions also?
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 11:12 PM on October 23, 2012
And are these judgments based just on performance, or on his compositions also?
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 11:12 PM on October 23, 2012
I consider Bela Fleck an elite musician on all levels, and the best banjo player I've ever heard.
posted by imjustsaying at 2:14 AM on October 24, 2012
posted by imjustsaying at 2:14 AM on October 24, 2012
Greg Liszt of Crooked Still plays some of the best banjo my uncultured ears have heard.
posted by vasi at 2:54 AM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by vasi at 2:54 AM on October 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
Bela Fleck is really in a category all by himself. That guy can do anything on a banjo.
I really like Tony Trischka, who at one time was a teacher to Fleck. His album Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular includes appearances by, among others, Fleck and Martin.
Bill Keith, as mentioned, is pretty great.
posted by bondcliff at 7:36 AM on October 24, 2012
I really like Tony Trischka, who at one time was a teacher to Fleck. His album Double Banjo Bluegrass Spectacular includes appearances by, among others, Fleck and Martin.
Bill Keith, as mentioned, is pretty great.
posted by bondcliff at 7:36 AM on October 24, 2012
Best answer: The only time I've seen him perform is on Letterman, and it's always been with an ensemble. Haven't heard his albums but does he play with a group on those? If so, is it safe to assume he adopts a complementary role, similar to a straightforward rhythm guitarist in a rock band?
I've seen Steve Martin live with Steep Canyon Rangers and heard his music on The Crow, his album that won the Grammy. On the album he plays both solo and with others. Live he did a bit of both, too. I heard an interview on Sirius a couple years ago where he and Graham Sharp, the banjo player for the Rangers, talked about the difficulties of playing in a band with two banjos. Judging from the interview and the live performance, it seemed to me that each took his fair share of solos, with the other filling in behind. Martin said the most difficult thing for him was learning to match the consistent rhythm and speed of his bandmates.
I'm no music expert, just a fan. But I've seen Bela Fleck and Steve Martin, and I like them both. Is Steve Martin ever going to give Bela a run for his money? No, but I still enjoy his music, and if you like Steve Martin and you like bluegrass, or even if you like one a lot and the other a little, you should check him out.
posted by Shoggoth at 11:28 AM on October 24, 2012
I've seen Steve Martin live with Steep Canyon Rangers and heard his music on The Crow, his album that won the Grammy. On the album he plays both solo and with others. Live he did a bit of both, too. I heard an interview on Sirius a couple years ago where he and Graham Sharp, the banjo player for the Rangers, talked about the difficulties of playing in a band with two banjos. Judging from the interview and the live performance, it seemed to me that each took his fair share of solos, with the other filling in behind. Martin said the most difficult thing for him was learning to match the consistent rhythm and speed of his bandmates.
I'm no music expert, just a fan. But I've seen Bela Fleck and Steve Martin, and I like them both. Is Steve Martin ever going to give Bela a run for his money? No, but I still enjoy his music, and if you like Steve Martin and you like bluegrass, or even if you like one a lot and the other a little, you should check him out.
posted by Shoggoth at 11:28 AM on October 24, 2012
I found a decent clip of Steve playing banjo on The Gong Show. (He plays from around 4mins into the clip.)
I'm 99% sure he's playing Foggy Mountain Breakdown, which is a banjo standard that almost everybody plays, which at least gives a point of reference.
My personal favorite banjo player, who hasn't been mentioned here yet, is Doug Dillard. He did his relevant work in the '60s and '70s, so he may have faded with history.
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Clinch Mountain Backstep
There is a Time (a beautiful song from the Andy Griffith Show, where his band was also called The Darlings)
posted by paperzach at 1:30 AM on October 25, 2012
I'm 99% sure he's playing Foggy Mountain Breakdown, which is a banjo standard that almost everybody plays, which at least gives a point of reference.
My personal favorite banjo player, who hasn't been mentioned here yet, is Doug Dillard. He did his relevant work in the '60s and '70s, so he may have faded with history.
Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Clinch Mountain Backstep
There is a Time (a beautiful song from the Andy Griffith Show, where his band was also called The Darlings)
posted by paperzach at 1:30 AM on October 25, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kimdog at 5:16 PM on October 23, 2012