Love it! The up the neck break was great! I was fortunate enough to take lessons with Bill in the early 2000s. He was the kindest, funniest, and warmest person. One favorite memory was the end of our first lesson. "Well, you drove two hours to get here, we talked banjo for four hours and you have two hours to drive home. How about we call it $40 even for the lesson?" He really was a good human! This brought video brought back a lot of fond memories.
From the videographer Fred Robbins He became a dear friend in the last 10 years of his life. Here is the most emotional, intimidating project I ever did. ruclips.net/p/PL2Z1DIehY0UCdl3JinvbeYjnigpN6wUEV
Not knocking Bill at all, but he and Bobby Thompson were both playing melodic style in the late 50's. But Carroll Best was playing melodic style as early as the late 30's and early 40's. And I was also told by a reliable source that both Keith and Thompson used to visit Best back in either the late 50's or early 60's.
And thousands and thousands of regular folk were playing melodies using three fingers from the 1870s to the 1910s in the highly popular 'guitar style,' now called classic style banjo. However that style was long forgotten and Bill Keith redeveloped it in the straight eighths style of bluegrass. His technique of using open strings lets him keep pace and sounds fine in bluegrass.
@@townhell You're correct. We even had banjo players here in North Carolina playing with three fingers ( besides the ones like Smith Hammett and Mack Woolbright who influenced Earl) like Dock Walsh and Charlie Poole. Dock recorded for Victor and Columbia records (some of those records with the Carolina Tar Heels).
@@townhell Just look up some of the records they are on. Melody is played on more than just fiddle tunes and boodley boop style banjo. Earl Scruggs plays melody too. A lot of so called melodic players just play what turns out to be a lot of notes that doesn't even hint at the melody of a song. You make it sound like playing for accompaniment is such a simpleton thing but it's actually more challenging than playing instrumentals.
@@EricEllis-b2m I much prefer Poole and Walsh's style of accompaniment to bluegrass. I made no comment on how challenging it is. But it is different than playing the melody line, at least as far as I've heard. On the songs I've heard the melody is carried by voice or fiddle. I haven't heard their whole catalogs though so that's why I asked for a recommendation. I would contrast that with the classic style repertoire which is mainly solo banjo arrangements or lead banjo with accompaniment.
Love it! The up the neck break was great! I was fortunate enough to take lessons with Bill in the early 2000s. He was the kindest, funniest, and warmest person. One favorite memory was the end of our first lesson. "Well, you drove two hours to get here, we talked banjo for four hours and you have two hours to drive home. How about we call it $40 even for the lesson?" He really was a good human! This brought video brought back a lot of fond memories.
Oh my this is 11 years ago, and great to watch. I followed Bill in the 1960s, though his recordings on vinyl.
RIP Bill Keith
I've learnt so much from this awesome artist and am shocked to hear this very sad news, rest in peace, Bill!
Bill was a fine banjo player and a fine man to go with it.
A true master of the instrument.
Pickin' on in heaven...
It's like he's still speaking to us from the grave. 🤩
From the videographer Fred Robbins
He became a dear friend in the last 10 years of his life.
Here is the most emotional, intimidating project I ever did.
ruclips.net/p/PL2Z1DIehY0UCdl3JinvbeYjnigpN6wUEV
I had the 1st LP of Jim Kweskins Jug Band with Bill Keith on banjo.
What a generous man! He shares so much of his techniques. Respect.
Beautiful!
this performance takes my breath away............!
This is so great
Awesome!!!❤
Saw him a few days ago at Grey fox 2012. What a pleasure. Did the same tune with two other guys. Real nice.
I love it when he nails the ending!
One of the greatest minds who just happened to invent a whole other style banjo - awestruck.
Great pickin
bill bill bill !
best imagination
He's dead, but his picking lives on.
What banjo is Bill playing?
Not knocking Bill at all, but he and Bobby Thompson were both playing melodic style in the late 50's. But Carroll Best was playing melodic style as early as the late 30's and early 40's. And I was also told by a reliable source that both Keith and Thompson used to visit Best back in either the late 50's or early 60's.
And thousands and thousands of regular folk were playing melodies using three fingers from the 1870s to the 1910s in the highly popular 'guitar style,' now called classic style banjo. However that style was long forgotten and Bill Keith redeveloped it in the straight eighths style of bluegrass. His technique of using open strings lets him keep pace and sounds fine in bluegrass.
@@townhell You're correct. We even had banjo players here in North Carolina playing with three fingers ( besides the ones like Smith Hammett and Mack Woolbright who influenced Earl) like Dock Walsh and Charlie Poole. Dock recorded for Victor and Columbia records (some of those records with the Carolina Tar Heels).
@@EricEllis-b2m Can you recommend some tunes where they play the melody? What I can recall they seem to play accompaniment only.
@@townhell Just look up some of the records they are on. Melody is played on more than just fiddle tunes and boodley boop style banjo. Earl Scruggs plays melody too. A lot of so called melodic players just play what turns out to be a lot of notes that doesn't even hint at the melody of a song. You make it sound like playing for accompaniment is such a simpleton thing but it's actually more challenging than playing instrumentals.
@@EricEllis-b2m I much prefer Poole and Walsh's style of accompaniment to bluegrass. I made no comment on how challenging it is. But it is different than playing the melody line, at least as far as I've heard. On the songs I've heard the melody is carried by voice or fiddle. I haven't heard their whole catalogs though so that's why I asked for a recommendation. I would contrast that with the classic style repertoire which is mainly solo banjo arrangements or lead banjo with accompaniment.