Banjo According To John Hartford 1

The late John Hartford was one of America's most beloved and influential proponents of traditional music. A skilled, thoughtful and knowledgeable player, John had many unusual theories and a treasure-trove of songs, ideas and techniques that he enthusiastically shares here with learning banjo pickers

This is the first of two highly-packed lessons that John Hartford recorded for Homespun. Working with songs taken from his vast repertoire, he demonstrates rolls and licks along with important advice about getting good tone ("finding the sweet spot"), phrasing, accenting, using picks, playing backup and lots more. John reveals his personal tricks for playing fast (using hammers and pulls, triplets and "ghost" notes), and illustrates how he "plays the words" to a song to give his banjo solo depth and meaning.

The tunes John covers on this DVD include Cumberland Gap, Old Time River Man, Cripple Creek, and his best-known hit song, Gentle On My Mind. With Chris Sharp backing him up on fiddle and guitar, john's unique and enjoyable lesson provides invaluable insights into his trademark banjo sound.