Post a Pic from the Past

[Darryl Wolfe]

Art Stamper?

[Darryl Wolfe]

Doug and Peter

[Darryl Wolfe]

The Joker

[Darryl Wolfe]

Like a moth to the flame

[Ken Berner]

Darryl, I just don't think this gets said enough, "thank you for sharing all of this great pictorial bluegrass history with us". It is very interesting to see folks who were just a name to many of us; your efforts here, are greatly appreciated.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Doyle, looks like Paganoni's Loar 73719. Lexington KY as I recall

[Darryl Wolfe]

Tony, Denton NC I believe

[Darryl Wolfe]

Wyatt

[Darryl Wolfe]

Doyle

[Darryl Wolfe]

Doyle and Milton Harkey

[Darryl Wolfe]

Hot Rize with the late Charles Sawtelle

[Darryl Wolfe]

Jimmy G

[Darryl Wolfe]

Bass Mt, a long running NC festival near Lexington. Kenny and Josh

[Darryl Wolfe]

Timeless

[Darryl Wolfe]

I'm guessing Ralph Stanley's festival, they don't have dirt like that in NC

[Darryl Wolfe]

The late Jimmy Martin

[Darryl Wolfe]

Jim Eanes again (I think)

[Darryl Wolfe]

Herschel and gee is that Ronnie

[Darryl Wolfe]

Herschel and Del. Last one folks, that all of em from Dads CD's that are of interest. My stuff to follow, but no time real soon.

[AlanN]

yes, Norman
Gawd, check out Harrell's Ovation...

[Darryl Wolfe]

Thanks Ken, alan, yep a graphite egg

[bgmando]

Man, I'm lonesome now.

Thanks so much.

Bill Graham

[jmpullen]

The mandolin picker with Herschel, is it possible that
might be a very young Alan Bibey ?

[AlanN]

Jim,

It's a (young) Ronnie M.

[troika]

It's safe to say most cafe ers are at a loss for words. This thread is simply incredible. Thank you a thousand times!!!

[mingusb1]

Thanks so much Darryl! This is like our own bluegrass history lesson here! I'm pretty new to the state of North Carolina, and it's really exciting to see classic pictures from here.

I hope to run in to you sooner than later.

Thanks again,
Zack

[tree]

These images and words are such a treasure, especially for those of us who never got to experience such things except through reading and listening to recordings. Wow, Darryl, thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Keith Wallen]

Darryl - In the The late Jimmy Martin picture is that Audie playing mandolin? I have never seen a young picture of him.

Thanks,

[pickinNgrinnin]

Darryl-

Your picture posts have to be among the best in the history of the cafe. To see the many great players back in their younger days is a real treat. I also like the shots from the festival sites and looking at the (now) old cars in the parking lots. What a treasure trove! Thanks for sharing these pictures.

[mandopete]

You know, I was just thinking today that this thread is the visual equivalent of reading Neil Rosenburg's A History Of Bluegrass.

I wonder if we'll be posting our pictures 30 years from now?

[flatthead]

Audie playing the F4, Chris Warner playing banjo, and Earl Yaeger playing bass.

As many have said, thanks so very much for the pictures and the memories...

Jim

[mandopete]

Audie Blaylock?

[Keith Wallen]

Yes Pete, I should have put his last name on there.

Thanks flatthead I thought that kinda looked like him.

[mandopete]

Huh, I didn't know he played mandolin.

Isn't there a story about that F-4?

[Keith Wallen]

I don't know about the F4 but yeah Audie is an increadible mandolin player. Although I haven't seen him play one in a while except I think thats what he played with Harley Allen for about 1 -2 years before going with Rhonda on the guitar.

[Greg H.]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here but as I understand it, it didn't matter what kind of mandolin you owned if you wanted to play with Jimmy you used the F4 (which belonged to him)

[David M.]

Man, I love these photos. Must have been great being at some of these festivals. Thanks, Darryl.

[mandopete]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here but as I understand it, it didn't matter what kind of mandolin you owned if you wanted to play with Jimmy you used the F4 (which belonged to him)
That's what I heard as well.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Here are two more that have been posted elsewhere. #This is the first SPBGMA event in Nashville, the guitar show portion in 1987 or 88. #A few of us refer to it as the first "Loarfest. #Dad and I at a portion of our booth. #The Loar Display w/ two Loars for sale that weekend.

[mandopete]

The Loar Display w/ two Loars for sale that weekend.
Cool picture, how much did they go for?

[Darryl Wolfe]

And the gathering of F5 owners on hand

[Darryl Wolfe]

The Loar Display w/ two Loars for sale that weekend.
Cool picture, how much did they go for?
Asking price was $14K. I sold both to one individual for $26K a few weeks later. Good point, I can now say it was 1988 based on other factors in play at the time.

[mandopete]

Wow! Are they the two that you're holding?

They all look like they're in excellent condition!

[Darryl Wolfe]

No, the two at the the top left and right in the other pic. #Both '24's with Virziectomy

[flatthead]

For the most part, you played either the F4 or the F12 that Jimmy had. Jimmy got the F4 when they were in Detroit, probably 1957. Paul played it on most all of the stuff he recorded with Jimmy. Listen to "I'd Like to Hear Him Preach It" for the F4 sound.

The F12 came along in the ealy 60's and made it's first appearence with Vernon "The Little Arab" Derrick. It was the mandolin that was used on among other things, the original cuts of Sunny Side, 20-20 Vision, and Big Country.

Jimmy liked the sound of the F4 the best I think, although it was pretty hard to play and was tough to keep in tune.

Gibson went through both the F4 and the F12 in the 80's (maybe early 90's) and put them both back into tip top shape. Ray, Jimmy's son played the F4 almost exclusively.

Incidently, the asking price for the F4 was $50.00 when he bought it in a Pawn Shop in Detroit. Jimmy spent *all day* talking the guy down to $35.00...!

Also one more thing...there are a few pictures of Paul playing what looks like the F12. It may be an F12, but it's not the same one that Vernon used. Also I've seen some pictures where the mandolin player is playing niether the F4 or the F12, (Hershel or Bill Torbert for example) but I don't think that was really the norm.

[mandopete]

Anyone else here think that the F-4 thing with Jimmy Martin was his way of distancing himself from Bill Monroe?

[MandoSquirrel]

Anyone else here think that the F-4 thing with Jimmy Martin was his way of distancing himself from Bill Monroe?
Could be. He was a real <krej>.
No respect for an audience that didn't believe he was GOD.

[Christopher Howard-Williams]

Wow. I enjoyed all of that. It's hard to imagine, from over here in Europe, someone actually living through all those times and all those events. Thanks a lot for sharing...

[french guy]

An amazing treasure you post here Darryl , we never thanks you enough.

[f5loar]

Okay Darryl, you've had a nice break so it's time to get off your A && and put up some more photos. And for the record Monroe recorded with an F4 in the late 50's.

[cooper4205]

do you know which tracks?

[flatthead]

I'm sure others know better, but I seem to remember "Big Mon" and "I'll Never Love No One Else, But My Darlin"

[Darryl Wolfe]

OK, I give in. I'll fetch those Kodak Carousels out from under the eaves tonight. There are 6-8 as I remember with 80 slides in each. These go from 1972 (my first camera) to 1995 and were all taken by me. The others are all from Dad's "carousels"

Maybe these were not posted earlier. Here is F5LOAR's hero Dewey Farmer

[Darryl Wolfe]

and here is Norman Blake with the Duck. That might be a repeat

[Darryl Wolfe]

And here is Wayne Stewart checking out Roland White's "Bozo?" guitar. #Me in the background and I don't recall who the other guy is. #Berryville 67

[MikeVB]

I swear I saw Freddy Mercury standing behind Ricky Skaggs in the first pic you posted of him!

[Peter Hackman]

I'm sure others know better, but I seem to remember "Big Mon" and "I'll Never Love No One Else, But My Darlin"
The songs recorded on Dec. 1 1958 were these two
plus "Gotta Travel On" and "Monroe's Hornpipe".

[Peter Hackman]

And here is Wayne Stewart checking out Roland White's "Bozo?" guitar. #Me in the background and I don't recall who the other guy is. #Berryville 67
Bozo Podunavac, Serbian-American luthier, built at least one 12-string
for Leo Kottke. I understand his guitars were very heavily built.

[f5loar]

Thanks for the rare photo of Dewey Farmer, legendly known as the man to which Monroe got most of his licks from in probably his prime days, playing what looks like a custom deluxe F5 Gibson copy made by Charlotte luthier legend CE Ward which is my guess. CE and Dewey were pretty tight in those days. In those 70's days it was "in" to be non-traditional as can be seen in that mandolin and the "Duck" by Duffey. Even Bobby Osborne was doing some "fad" things to his 20's Fern to be "in" with the "in" crowd. These are they days the A5 Loar copies surfaced as dozen's of A50's were re-necked to resemble the famous one off A body Loar with F holes. Keep them coming!

[Darryl Wolfe]

walph

[hanknc]

Was that Camp Springs?

[mandomick]

Many thanks again Darryl. While you probably weren't aware of it at the time, you documented a whole era of pure American music.

[GVD]

f5loar Posted

...playing what looks like a custom deluxe F5 Gibson copy made by Charlotte luthier legend CE Ward which is my guess. CE and Dewey were pretty tight in those days. #In those 70's days it was "in" to be non-traditional as can be seen in that mandolin...

I can't quite make out the inlays do you know what they are?

GVD

P.S. Thanks again Darryl these are great.

[mingusb1]

Thanks for the great photos!

Who made the "Duck", and did anyone record with it?

Thanks,
Z

[mandopete]

And here is Wayne Stewart checking out Roland White's "Bozo?" guitar. #
Didn't Leo Kottke play a bozo? #I recall reading the liner notes to one of his recordings and he made a comment to someone about the guitar and the reply was "we're all bozo's on this bus".

P.S. - Here's the link

http://guitars.net/Bozo.htm

[cooper4205]

Thanks for the great photos!

Who made the "Duck", and did anyone record with it?

Thanks,
Z
i think Duffey built it himself (he built 2 didn't he?). a mandolin player from Bluegrass 45 (from Japan) had one as well, his first name was akira (i think)

[AlanN]

a mandolin player from Bluegrass 45 (from Japan) had one as well, his first name was akira (i think)
Oh yes, Akira is still his name http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Wonderful, deft, inventive picker. I have this record called Grazz Matazz, from maybe 1985 or so. He absolutely rocks on it, does this great triple mandolin opus called Delinquent Minor, shades of Dawg (at the time).

I have most of the BG 45 records, if anyone has the one with Take 5 on it, please let me know.

[bluegrassrulz]

haha kim gardner.........that was a day or two ago won't it

[RichieK]

Alan,
Do you remember another band from Japan, a couple of years after Blugrass 45, called 'It's a Crying Time'?
Richie

[GTG]

Man, they don't make beards like they used to!

[AlanN]

Alan,
Do you remember another band from Japan, a couple of years after Blugrass 45, called 'It's a Crying Time'?
Richie
Richie,

Never heard of them, who was in it?

The 45 was good!

[ridailey]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[Soupy1957]

Might be interesting to see 89725 in a "then" and "now" side by side shot.
-Soupy1957

[Darryl Wolfe]

Might be interesting to see 89725 in a "then" and "now" side by side shot.
# -Soupy1957
Actually I ran into it years later at Indian Springs, maybe 1979. A guy name Harley Robertson owned it and had a son that played some.

[soccerdr]

These are great photos. One of the earlier pictures is Del with John Glik on fiddle (Baltimore Johnny) and young Mike Garris on upright bass(now fronting Area 51 in the Baltimore area). Probably son Ronnie on mando

[soccerdr]

Just to confirm, Akira Otsuka owns one of the two "Ducks" built by John Duffey. He lives in the Washington DC area and is a killer mando player!

[mandolooter]

John Duffy and Marty (http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=156728657&albumID=0&imageID=1953197)
Found this today and thought it fit here...

[JimRichter]

I used to have a bunch from festivals in the 80's, but these two are all I have left.

New Grass Revival, Kentucky Fried Chicken Bluegrass Festival, 1987 (I think)

And, I was primarily a banjo picker back then so the focus is on Fleck (as you can tell)

Jim

[JimRichter]

Bela

[AlanN]

Oh, Oh, In My Younger Days

[ManjoMan]

Oh, Oh, In My Younger Days
I get it... The Country Gentlemen - Joe's Last Train!

[AlanN]

Oh, Oh, In My Younger Days
I get it... The Country Gentlemen - Joe's Last Train!
You win, Joe's Last Train it is. And a great record, with Bill Yates singing the lead on Pamela Brown.

[Peter Hackman]

John Duffy and Marty (http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=156728657&albumID=0&imageID=1953197)
Found this today and thought it fit here...
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif???

[AlanN]

Yeah, first off, it's Duffey, with an e in there, and that link is a myspace.

[RichieK]

I remember playing that KFC band competition in 1986...we made it to the finals and got smoked by some little girl who sang and played the fiddle...Alison Krauss! I always wondered whatever happened to her..is she still playing?<g>

[mandolooter]

pardon the spelling...I didnt know it mattered which direction my link pointed, it was just intended to show the picture. I found it to be in the "corny" catagory...what you found was something different it seems.

[mandopete]

No, the link just goes to the myspace website, no picture.

Not for nothing, but I noticed a few others spelled it "Duffy" early on in this thread too.

Am I the only one who thinks those early pictures of John (with the ciggy hanging out of his mouth) look a bit like Titus Pullo from the HBO series Rome?

[mandopete]

How far in the past do these pictures need to be? I have just about turned my house upside down trying to find some pictures I took of Bill Monroe from his appearance at the church stage from Wintergrass #2.

I'm still looking, but found this one for a pretty good guitar man...

[JimRichter]

I remember playing that KFC band competition in 1986...we made it to the finals and got smoked by some little girl who sang and played the fiddle...Alison Krauss! I always wondered whatever happened to her..is she still playing?<g>
I remember seeing Alison Krauss at the KFC fest a couple times in the mid to late 80's--can't remember if one of them was the band competition. Think I saw her that next year with Union Station. Me, being a late teen, developed a crush on here then and there (and probably still have it).

Jim

[mandolooter]

[QUOTE]No, the link just goes to the myspace website, no picture.

Yea...on my computer it goes directly to the pic...but Im signed in as me on there...on my roommates we did have a problem. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif Oh well, Im a carpenter not a computer guy!

[Peter Hackman]

Found a couple of slides from 1969 lying around. Parking lot picking,
either Berryville or Bean Blossom. Roger Sprung, banjo, Benjamin Franklin Logan
on fiddle (I believe) and Ms. Sprung on bass. Anyone identify
the fourth cat?

[Peter Hackman]

Roger Sprung with some items for sale.

[Peter Hackman]

Fred Geiger with his D35. Banjo player. In those days a reporter for the Washington Star. Played some difficult stuff on banjo (I believe you can watch
a video of his on YouTube right now). BU contributor.
Played a few shows with the
Country Gentlemen, recorded some of his far-out stuff with, i.a., Akira Otsuka.

[Peter Hackman]

Bean Blossom, I believe, 1969. Waller, Adcock (or is it Donald Duck?).
Their bass player was a chubby feller from Rhode Island, like Gaudreau.
Played only a few months with the Gents, between Ferris and Yates.
Who is the guy with the hat?

[cooper4205]

that looks like Tex in that first one. good stuff pete

[earthsave]

I used to have a bunch from festivals in the 80's, but these two are all I have left.

New Grass Revival, Kentucky Fried Chicken Bluegrass Festival, 1987 (I think)

And, I was primarily a banjo picker back then so the focus is on Fleck (as you can tell)

Jim
My dad used to take me to the KFC festivals on the Belvedere. I was unfortunately too young and hyper to sit still and watch much of the bands playing. I literally have only a couple vague memories, like Colonel Sanders on stage and the location of the stage and running around everywhere possible.

[budtrain45]

Stanley Brothers, at Eedinburg Virginia in 1954 .

[don richards]

...and on the big bass....,Chick Stripling(sp.).. I believe. Any takers on the fiddler..?? - Moose.

[Scott Tichenor]

What a real treasure this image is. I'd give anything, anything, to go back in time and sit to hear these boys. Took the image and did a bit of correction. Wish I was a little better at this but think this shows a small bit of extra detail.

[budtrain45]

Wow Scott that is a great job you did with the picture wish I new how to do that, I took the pictures with my mothers polaroid camera and they fade out after a long time I have more pictures of the Stanleys at that show but they are in bad shape.

[ourgang]

The fiddle player sure looks like Curly Ray Cline. Same posture and holds the fiddle the same way.

[Timbofood]

I would agree,definitely Curly Ray! I saw him at Charlotte(MI) years ago and many times since but that night he kept looking out the side door of the stage... like the pizza was about to be delivered! I will have to see if I can find those pictures/

[RichieK]

Anyone else still have their very cool Curly Ray Cline key chain?
Best dollar I ever spent!

[GTison]

I was gonna say the fiddler was Chubby Anthony.

[Bill Van Liere]

Anyone else still have their very cool Curly Ray Cline key chain?
Best dollar I ever spent!
Yup, I got one. It is round with a picture of Curly Ray's head on it. Definetly my best piece since I cannot locate my Red Knuckles fly-swater these days.

[mandopete]

Dang, guess I shoulda kept my Bill Monroe model fireplace poker!

[budtrain45]

The fiddler playing with the Stanley Brothers is Chubby Anthony The mandolin player was Curly Lambert and the bass player was eather Tennessee Mort or Doug Morris.

[Bob Sayers]

Here's one of my most prized possessions. I snuck my dad's folding camera, connected to a giant flash attachment, into the University of Chicago Folk Festival in 1965. I snapped off a couple of roles of 120 film in Ida Noyes Hall, capturing some of my favorite performers, before someone told me to cease and desist. But not before I got this shot of Ralph and Carter (with fiddler Red Stanley and a young Larry Sparks) playing for an impromptu square dance.

Bob

[AlanN]

Cool photo. The 4 R's - Reading, Riting, Rithmetic, and gRass.

Note Sparks' capo on da 7th fret, playing out of D position.

[mandopete]

That's a great photo!

[JEStanek]

Great photo. The frosting on the cae for me is the math on the chalkboard behind them! Not like sneaking a cameraphone to a show today. That was some heavy equipment to lug around.

Jamie

[Bob Sayers]

Jamie, you're so right. I think it was an old Voightlander camera that my dad bought in the 40s and the flash was one of those big old reflector things with giant pop-out bulbs. Of course, I also had to bring a light meter and manually set the shutter speed. It's amazing that the photos came out as well as they did. I'm going to fish around in my closet and see if I can find more of them.

Bob

[Peter Hackman]

Great photo. #The frosting on the cae for me is the math on the chalkboard behind them! Not like sneaking a cameraphone to a show today. #That was some heavy equipment to lug around.

Jamie
That's the lead sheet, of course. Standard notation doesn't do justice
to the complexities of bluegrass music.

[Philip Halcomb]

Here, I took a shot at correcting the Stanley's photo a little, here goes...

[budtrain45]

Buzz Busby- John Hall- Don Stover- Pet Pike, around 1954 or 1955. Washington D.C.

[f5loar]

Buzz was proof you didn't need a fancy F-5 to pick bluegrass mandolin. His 50's standard A-50 got the job done!

[mandolooter]

Buzz sure looks happy, great picture!

[jim simpson]

Buzz actually has a strap on his mandolin!

[budtrain45]

Indian Springs 1974 L-R Charlie Smith Pete Kuykendall Red Rector Bill Clifton.

[budtrain45]

The Log Cabin Boys, L-R: #Buddy Davis,Pete Kuykendall,
Jim Selman, Tom Morgan, Paul Champion. 1957 Arlington Va.

[budtrain45]

Here is the number one man " Monroe " Indian Springs May 1975.

Buddy Davis

[evanreilly]

Must be a Sunday show; no hats!

[Scotti Adams]

..heres a blast from the past...Steve "Boom Boom" Bryant, Myself, Harley Allen and JD Crowe during a recording session.

[woodwizard]

Once you start looking at these pictures you just can't stop until you've looked at each and everyone of them. This is my 3rd or 4th time and when I start looking at them it just makes me feel so good that I got to look at them all again. It happens everytime. This time I just gotta say thanks Darryl for sharing. They are so great. You are so lucky to have experienced all of this. Thanks

[jim simpson]

Here's a pic of Big Mon at Sunset Park in West Grove, PA. Both are sadly gone. Gene Lowinger (former Bluegrass Boy fiddler) was taking photos that day and was asked to sit in for a few.

[jim simpson]

Here's one of Jim & Jesse also at Sunset Park:

[jim simpson]

Here's a shot of the sign for Sunset Park. I loved going to Sunset Park plus it was only a 90 minute drive for me.

[jim simpson]

I'm sorry but I couldn't help slipping in this pic of Mon and me. It looks like Bill's sitting on my leg.

[AlanN]

..heres a blast from the past...Steve "Boom Boom" Bryant, Myself, Harley Allen and JD Crowe during a recording session.
Now Scotti,

That ain't you, it's Adam Sandler http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Scotti Adams]

..heres a blast from the past...Steve "Boom Boom" Bryant, Myself, Harley Allen and JD Crowe during a recording session.
Now Scotti,

That ain't you, it's Adam Sandler #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
..now...them there is fightin words http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif sexy bunch huh? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sleepy.gif

[JeffD]

I sure hope Scott has this thread double backed up.

[delsbrother]

It's not often you see a picture of Bill Monroe with a Suicidal Tendencies sticker.

[f5loar]

That looks like the old man looking like an old man.

[Bradley]

[QUOTThat ain't you, it's Adam Sandler

..now...them there is fightin words sexy bunch huh?



I thought that was the dude from the 70's show http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Rroyd]

Here's one from the spring of 1969, with Dr. Ralph, before he became a Dr.

[tree]

Check out the jackets, the skinny ties (my own personal weakness) and Larry's pickguard. Who's on bass?

[Rroyd]

You don't recognize me?!?? Their regular bass player had been hospitalized just before they went out on a west coast tour, so they just borrowed a bass player at each stop along the way. So I was a Clinch Mtn. Boy for a night. Anyway, I don't think a bass and another musician would have fit in the station wagon they were travelling in, so maybe they did that out of necessity.

[mandopete]

Duane - no fair! #You never told me that was you plucking the bass! #That must have been a great gig.

P.S. - I'm kinda thinkin that Larry looks a little bit like Eddie Munster http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[mandolooter]

Nice coat Ralph....

[skinnerfamilyband]

I love these old pics! Anyone got any pics of Don Reno? If so please post them or email them to me directly. I am a big fan and would love to see them. Thanks!!

[jim simpson]

Here is a photo I took of Eddie Stubbs with my son about 15 years ago. This was taken after Eddie's performance with the Johnson Mountain Boys at Gettysburg. Eddie handed his fiddle to my son to hold. Eddie was (and is) quite a gentleman.
Jim

[David M.]

Man, I love these old photos. I love the way the colors and contrast are so rich. the darks are REAL dark... And the colors are just kinda soaked and bleed into the pic. Don't know if it's just the nature of film or something happens in the scanning, but it's very cool. A style all its own.

[Timbofood]

Nothing better than film! Even scanned and 'shopped. There is just something about it. I am not going to say anything disparaging about digital, another fine medium. Just different.

[Peter Hackman]

JD Crowe and the Kentucky Mt Boys..Reidsville NC #1969 or 69

Doyle is playing my Randy Wood F-12 conversion..Red Allen on guitar and Bobby on bass
When I watched this group at a Holiday Inn in
Lexington, in 1969, Red Allen had left the group.
I can't for the life of me remember who replaced him,
anyone know?

But I certainly remember Lawson's mandolin
(not this one)
because of its horrible action. He let me try it and
I could hardly
make the strings touch the frets.

My friend Peter Winblad, himself a banjo player,
drooled over Crowe's backup,
of course, hadn't heard any better. Crowe and Emerson
were the two best banjo players I heard that
summer.
I finally asked an expert, Doyle Lawson, who wrote a very friendly answer.

The guitarist who succeeded Red Allen was Bob Morris - this was around the 3rd or 4th week of June, 69. Doyle played a mando built by the late Homer Ledford
of Winchester, Kentucky. Ledford starred in the promo video for You Gotta Dig A
Little Deeper.

[Peter Hackman]

Lexington, Kentucky, June 1969 (photo: P Winblad)

[Soupy1957]

Looks like "Bluegrass" was alive and well in the fifties and sixties....I was alive, but didn't know these gatherings existed.

Thanks for taking the time to post all the great pics of those years.

Two questions:

A) If you were actively involved in these gatherings in the sixties and seventies, what's
the "same" and what's changed?

B) Just outa curiosity, what did a new Gibson mandolin go for, in 65 or so? ($)

-Soupy1957

[Peter Hackman]

Looks like "Bluegrass" was alive and well in the fifties and sixties....I was alive, but didn't know these gatherings existed.

A) If you were actively involved in these gatherings in the sixties and seventies, what's
the "same" and what's changed?

B) Just outa curiosity, what did a new Gibson mandolin go for, in 65 or so? ($)

-Soupy1957
As for the last question, I remember an article, or a series of articles, by Benny Cain (?) on mandolins in Bluegrass Unlimited, in the late 60's. IIRC it stated that Gibson had recently taken up the F5 again. However, as it was difficult to make, it was quite expensive, $1000. By way of comparison, a Martin D28 cost a couple of hundred dollars.

Alive and well? ALive, I suppose. These were pretty difficult times for many of the groups,
for instance, Jim and Jesse carried a BG group only in the summer months.
Monroe had very few gigs. Flatt and Scruggs had just broken up and John Duffey had just left the Country Gentlemen - it was too much of a loss to him to close down his shop and go on the road with the Gentlemen.

J D Crowe's group was stationed in Lexington; they had a regular gig at one
of the three Holiday Inn's where this picture was taken, and they played to a crowd of maybe 20-30 people the night we heard them. In 1969 there were maybe 10 festivals. Haney's festival started in '65, Monroe's in '67
(we were on our way to that festival), Culpeper was new, I believe, and there were a few new ones in Pennsylvania. I heard groups like Frank Buchanan
in Detroit and Walter Hensley in Baltimore in places I wouldn't enter today -
even walking #back to the hotel in Baltimore was a frightening
experience.

Musically:
In clubs the practice was still one single microphone, which meant that the mandolin player had to raise his instrument when soloing. #The players had to really listen closely to one another to balance their parts and they did so beautifully. The most "progressive" thing you could do in those days was adopt material from other genres. Emerson & Waldron did that, but when I jammed with Emerson at a party in Maryland he played only Scruggs tunes.


My best memory from those 2 months in the US was a party in Detroit. Someone had suggested that I go see a DJ in Windsor; I did, and I invited him to that party - he brought his mandolin and his family,
hadn't been outside Canada for years. Andy Stein was living in the area (seems that was about the time that Commander Cody got started) - he was at that party, too. A tremendous musician. He helped me out on a blues in C (me on guitar) on bass - his 3rd instrument, I guess, after the sax and violin. All I could say afterwards was "thanks".

[Rroyd]

Here's one from about 35 years ago, featuring most, if not all, the F5s and copies that were in the campground at the National Oldtime Fiddling Contest in Weiser, Idaho. Most of the copies were made by builders still well known today.
So today's puzzle is to identify the heritage of each of the mandolins, left to right.

[mandomick]

It'd sure be nice if f5journl would post another batch one of these days. How 'bout it Tom?

[Rroyd]

I think his dad calls him Darryl.

[mandomick]

I think his profile called him Tom when I posted (probably one of those half and half profiles). Darryl it is.

[Rroyd]

F5loar is Tom Isenhour, while F5journal is Darryl. I thought maybe you'd picked the wrong F5 guy. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[cooper4205]

is the blonde a Tom Morgan F5?

[Rroyd]

There are three copies, by different builders, but none by Tom Morgan.

[Peter Hackman]

Another one from Lexington. Looks like Doyle is playing bass here!

[mandopete]

Is that J.D. on banjo? Who is this group?

[Peter Hackman]

Is that J.D. on banjo? #Who is this group?
J.D. Crowe's group, June #1969. Bobby Sloane on fiddle, which is the reason Doyle Lawson plays the bass here; Bob Morris on guitar.

Check earlier post for picture of Doyle on mandolin.

Photo: P Winblad

[mandopete]

Sounds like a similar lineup to the old Red Allen group from about the same period.

[Peter Hackman]

Sounds like a similar lineup to the old Red Allen group from about the same period.
It was J.D.'s group. According to Doyle (email) Bob Morris both preceded and succeeded Allen in that group. The LP they cut, that same year, for a local label, had Allen on guitar and lead.

[Tom Mullen]

Cooper 4205 asked: is the blonde a Tom Morgan F5?
That blonde mandolin in that old Weiser pic is mine(Tom Mullen), made for me by Hal Poindexter in 1967. I think Hal made only 4 or 5.

[Rroyd]

Well, the hard one has just been ID'd. #One of the other customs is ID'd on the peghead, while the other was a copy, ID'd only on the label inside.

[fgodbey]

Sounds like a similar lineup to the old Red Allen group from about the same period.
It was J.D.'s group. According to Doyle (email) Bob Morris both preceded and succeeded Allen in that group. The #LP they cut, that same year, for a local label, had Allen on guitar and lead.
There was a lot of shfting around in "J.D. Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys" in 1969/70 -- Red Allen left, Bob Morris came back to fill in, Bob Morris left, Doyle left to play BANJO with Jimmy Martin, Jim Hatton filled in on guitar, Larry Rice came in on mandolin, Doyle came back to play guitar. Just about the only constants were J.D. on banjo and Bobby Slone on bass and occasionally the fiddle.

The LP "Bluegrass Holiday," originally on Lemco Records, has been reissued on CD by Rebel Records. It has the all the songs from the LP plus 4 bonus tracks from 2 singles released in 1969 on the King-Bluegrass label. The band for all these tracks was J.D., Red, Doyle & Bobby. Much, but not all, of the excessive reverb on the LP has been reduced, making it easier to listen to than before.

Good stuff... if you don't have one, you probably ought to treat yourself.
--Cheers, Frank

[Zed]

Frank... Have you ever considered writing a book? The kind of inside and back-story info you have is the kind of stuff i could read about all day long. If you ever do write a book, i'll buy one!

[fgodbey]

Frank... Have you ever considered writing a book? The kind of inside and back-story info you have is the kind of stuff i could read about all day long. If you ever do write a book, i'll buy one!
Book? Book?? My wife, Marty, writes all the books in this family... so far. Actually, she's been working on a biography of J.D. for a while now; still in the research stage, but she's accumulated quite a lot of information via interviews with J.D. and many of his sidemen... which is where I crib a lot of stuff. Along the way she's also written a number of articles about Crowe that have appeared in non-bluegrass as well as bluegrass publications.

If I were going to write a book I'd have had a better chance getting it done before I took early retirement... after retirement there is NO spare time! But who knows... stay tuned!
--Cheers, Frank

[Peter Hackman]

If I were going to write a book I'd have had a better chance getting it done before I took early retirement... after retirement there is NO spare time! #But who knows... stay tuned!
--Cheers, Frank
I retired last year and you're absolutely right! Here's yet another picture
from Lexington. Note that there's only one microphone so the mandolin player
had to lift it like this to play. Doyle's mando was set up horribly high and that may have been the standard in those days. However, later that summer I sat in with Smiley Hobbs' band in Arlington, Virginia, playing his mandolin (mine was in Duffey's hands) and I had no trouble with it.

[ManjoMan]

There was a lot of shfting around in "J.D. Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys" in 1969/70 -- Red Allen left, Bob Morris came back to fill in, Bob Morris left, Doyle left to play BANJO with Jimmy Martin

If you take a look at Doyle's website, it states that he went back with Jimmy to play mandolin not banjo. He started his professional career with Jimmy playing banjo.

No big deal - just like to have facts as correct as can be. Don't recall Doyle talking about a second stint on banjo with Jimmy. The only other time I remember Doyle playing banjo was with the Country Gentlemen for a short time and Ricky Skaggs played mandolin. That was sometime after Bill Emerson left. There were the few occassions when DL played banjo while Terry Beaucom played fiddle on a couple of numbers back in the beginning of DL&Q. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

[mandopete]

Hey, we might even correct you if you're right!

[stratman62]

Darryl, Thanks for the pix. Got to meet your dad at this years Reso gathering, what a truly nice man.

[morristownmando]

Heres a vintage photo of my favorite band.The del mcoury band with a young ronnie on mandolin.

[Bobbie Dier]

Is that Ronnie??

[wannabethile]

haha theres no way that thats ronnie!! are you serious? is it really him?

[morristownmando]

haha #theres no way that thats ronnie!! #are you serious? #is it really him?
Thats ronnie for sure back in 1980

[Steve Ostrander]

Awesome pics..so much history. Thanks for sharing!

[f5loar]

Okay I'll go with that's Ronnie too but who are the other guys with Del?

[morristownmando]

Okay I'll go with that's Ronnie too but who are the other guys with Del?
No idea f5loar

[pocketbones]

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc93/pocketbones/Monroe1961DannyBoySession-1.jpg

Bill Monroe Danny Boy session 1961 (or so I've been told)

[tnbluegrasser]

From Bean Blossom...many "Blue Moons" ago.

[tnbluegrasser]

And another from Bean Blossom some time ago.

[tnbluegrasser]

Just one more...

[mandopete]

From Bean Blossom...many "Blue Moons" ago.
Is that Marty Stuart on mandolin?

[tnbluegrasser]

Is that Marty Stuart on mandolin?[/QUOTE]
I belive it is. I obtained a set of pictures from an older VP in our company from Chicago. He went to Bean Blossom in the 70's while in college. He wasn't able to provide details of who was in the pictures. BTW, it is obvious he reversed the "Marty Stuart" pic as they are represented as being all "lefties".

Here's just one more from the collection.

[D C Blood]

Mike Garris on bass...that's on the Del McCoury pic...

[D C Blood]

Cumberland Mountain Boys SE Pa circa 1966

[David M.]

From Bean Blossom...many "Blue Moons" ago

Photo mirrored or reversed, right? Man, I love these photos.

[tnbluegrasser]

Photo mirrored or reversed, right? #Man, I love these photos.
That original photo (Marty Stuart) was reversed during the developing process in the 70's. Again, I received these photos from digital scans by the original photographer. He did a great job. I'm thankful he shared them with me as he is not "into" this style of music and I'm sure no one else has seen these images until now.

[Harrmob]

I wasn't there, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

[Scotti Adams]

Marty, Blake Williams, Curly Sechler ? Lester Flatt.

[f5loar]

Here is one of the King of Bluegrass around 1968 when he found out I was recording his show with my reel tape recorder. He made me turn it off. Next show I kept it running with a cover over it so he couldn't see it running.

[f5loar]

Here is now Father of Bluegrass with the '68 line up of Roland White,guitar, Kenny Baker back on fiddle,Vic Jordan on banjo and James Monroe on bass. Great band that year.

[f5loar]

Here is a rare photo of Monroe playing one of his Monroe model mandolins on stage.

[f5loar]

A rare shot of Monroe playing Loar No. 73005 during the time his were in for firepoker repairs at Gibson.

[mandopete]

Here is one of the King of Bluegrass around 1968 when he found out I was recording his show with my reel tape recorder.
That's priceless!

[Rroyd]

Tom,
You're lucky; the King of Bluegrass dealt with another offending tape recorder by just kicking it off the edge of the stage. The owner found the remains lying on the ground in front of the stage when he returned from a visit to the nearest porti-san.

[dshipp]

At Indian Springs in '76 (I think), I found Bill Monroe, Kenny Baker and some other folks sitting around a picnic table playing fiddle tunes. Took some Ektachrome shots by the light of the Coleman lantern.

[dshipp]

Here's another one ...

[mandopete]

Great shot of Kenny with the ciggy hanging out!

[dshipp]

Mr. Baker

[dshipp]

Buck White and the girls at the same festival. They were called the "Down Home Folks" then - not "The Whites."

[dshipp]

Anybody know the name of the guy with Mr. Monroe? He was a fixture at the festivals I attended, and seemed to know a lot of folks.

[dshipp]

At Callaway (Take-It-Easy Ranch) he was playing a Boone's Farm F5th.

[dshipp]

Here's the Seldom Scene from that same Callaway festival. Duffy in his Super F*rt t-shirt.

[mandopete]

At Callaway (Take-It-Easy Ranch) he was playing a Boone's Farm F5th.
...and toting a PBR to boot!

Dan - these are outstanding pictures, really captures what a festival is like!

[dshipp]

One last shot for now. #I've posted more shots here http://picasaweb.google.com/dkshipp/Bluegrass and I'll add more as I scan the old slides. #
This is the Newgrass Revival from a festival at Timberlake Park in Northern Virginia in 1972. #The organizer had some problems with getting a permit, as I recall, but went on with the festival anyway. #As you approached the park, there were people holding "The festival is ON" signs. #Anyone else remember this one?

[Steve Cantrell]

That picture of Monroe and Baker playing by the light of the lantern is really something.

[tree]

Man, what incredible photos. Priceless.

[Scotti Adams]

Anybody know the name of the guy with Mr. Monroe? #He was a fixture at the festivals I attended, and seemed to know a lot of folks.
I believe they called him "T" Tommy Taylor..he certainly made the rounds...seen him at quite a few fetivals here in Ohio. He would pull into a fetival with a couple of cases of 40 ouncers and BBQ chips...thats all he lived on while at the festival. One day I had been in and out of conversation with him at a festival and I noticed that he always left a swallow in each 40oz he finished..I asked him why....he said "one never knows what might be floatin around in thar" He would also wear a bow tie that had oscilating lights on it....you had no problem finding him in the dark. Certainly a very happy "drunk".

[minnedolin]

Is that a young John Hartford in a bowler's cap on page 2 of this gigantic thread?

[dshipp]

I believe they called him "T" Tommy Taylor..he certainly made the rounds...seen him at quite a few fetivals here in Ohio. He would pull into a fetival with a couple of cases of 40 ouncers and BBQ chips...thats all he lived on while at the festival. One day I had been in and out of conversation with him at a festival and I noticed that he always left a swallow in each 40oz he finished..I asked him why....he said "one never knows what might be floatin around in thar" He would also wear a bow tie that had oscilating lights on it....you had no problem finding him in the dark. Certainly a very happy "drunk".
Here he is again. Gettysburg, 1974. On stage are Eddy Adcock, John Duffy, John Starling, Tony Rice, Mike Auldrige, Curtis Burch, Tom Gray. I think Johnny Castle's behind Mike. Looks like a Carlton Haney production.

[Scotti Adams]

I believe they called him "T" Tommy Taylor..he certainly made the rounds...seen him at quite a few fetivals here in Ohio. He would pull into a fetival with a couple of cases of 40 ouncers and BBQ chips...thats all he lived on while at the festival. One day I had been in and out of conversation with him at a festival and I noticed that he always left a swallow in each 40oz he finished..I asked him why....he said "one never knows what might be floatin around in thar" He would also wear a bow tie that had oscilating lights on it....you had no problem finding him in the dark. Certainly a very happy "drunk".
Here he is again. #Gettysburg, 1974. #On stage are Eddy Adcock, John Duffy, John Starling, Tony Rice, Mike Auldrige, Curtis Burch, Tom Gray. #I think Johnny Castle's behind Mike. #Looks like a Carlton Haney production.
Yep..that would be him. Great pics by the way!!

[Tim Pike]

This has been one of the best threads..thanks to all for sharing! Wish I could have been a part of these moments, bet they were some good times!

[Leevon DeCourley]

Looking at the last two pictures of John Duffey just raises one question. How many pairs of red pants did he own?

[dshipp]

Looking at the last two pictures of John Duffey just raises one question. How many pairs of red pants did he own?
Lot of red pants in the 70s. #Here's another one of John with Bill Rawlings of Country Store and Katy Daley) at Potomac Speedway, MD, 1975. #I've added some more to my festivals page at http://picasaweb.google.com/dkshipp/Bluegrass/

[Stephanie Reiser]

Is that a young John Hartford in a bowler's cap on page 2 of this gigantic thread?
I would say yes.

[mandogreg2]

David McLaughlin when he played with the Johnson Mountain Boys. Gettysburg Bluegrass festival sometime in the 80's.

[f5loar]

Even without the glasses you can sure tell this guy knows how to hold a Loar F5. Note where the strap is placed.

[MikeEdgerton]

I love this thread.

[mandopete]

Yeah me too!

I was at the Bluegrass From The Forest festival over the weekend and I was talking to some banjo picker when I noticed a 1970 copy of Bluegrass Unlimited in his banjo case. Man it was great to look at some of those old photos.

Anyone got any more?

[Mike Bromley]

Oh, to have been a child of Appalachia in the 60's...:disbelief:

I'm amazed I can even slightly hold my own given the heritage illustrated in this thread.

[Raymond E.]

Evenin'....
Hey dshipp...the feller playing the Fth bottle....I seem to remember his name being Tommy ??...
Saw him for years at lots of different fests...I think he acted drunker than he actually was...not to say he didn't down a horn or two...would absolutely worry the whiskers off of Santy Claus.........

RE

[dshipp]

Evenin'....
Hey dshipp...the feller playing the Fth bottle....I seem to remember his name being Tommy ??...
Saw him for years at lots of different fests...I think he acted drunker than he actually was...not to say he didn't down a horn or two...would absolutely worry the whiskers off of Santy Claus.........

RE

Yep. Scroll back up to message #456 on this page for some details.

[Mark Walker]

Scott - thanks for the annual 'bump' and resurrection of this thread! Great stuff.
Just spent last Thursday - Sunday at the West Michigan Bluegrass Music Association's (WMBMA) (http://wmbma.org/home.html) 'MayFest.' Saw a lot of great pickers, good bands, and had a lot of fun. Only the third BG festival I've been to, and I'm half a century old. Got a lot of catching up to do and I'll never catch Darryl! :mandosmiley: (And my wife only took a few photos of me. Which is fine; didn't want to break her camera...)

[Mandolinut2]

I have lots of pictures from bluegrass festivals 70's 80's Am I allowed to post them on here? I know how to upload them to my Cafe album, But how do I post them to this thread. When I try to post it says that I have to belong to a group or join a group, Don't mind joining any group, but can I post them after that? Or am I going about it the wrong way?. I'm up in the 70's myself,and the old feeable mind don't work like it once did, And I'm certainly no computer guru. Bill Monroe was very fond of my sister, and I have some nice pictures from lots of festivals they attended. I would like to share, If possable. Thanks for any and all help you can give me.

[mandozilla]

Hey mandolinut2!

1.) Click on the "Post Reply" button at the top of the thread as if you're going to make a reply.

2.) If you look below the "Reply to Thread" box you'll see the "Additional Options" box.

3.) In that box click on "Manage Attachments" in the little "Attach Files" box and you'll get a pop up window where you can upload photos which will then be attached to your reply.

4.) Hurry! Hurry! Can't wait to see them pictures! :grin:

~o):mandosmiley:

[Mandolinut2]

Bill Monroe with my sister, August ky, in the mid 80's
My first try at posting a picture, hope it works.

[Mandolinut2]

Hey mark, I'll Be danged!! Looks like it worked first try. Its this old Mandolin Nuts bedtime, But I will get this project back in gear tomorrow. Thanks so much for your help. I hope all the other Mandolin nuts enjoy. Because I will enjoy reliving the past while posting the pictures for all to see.

[Mandolinut2]

Bill monroe boys

[Mandolinut2]

Picture title,Should have read my sister some where with Bill

[Mandolinut2]

Bill at Bean Blossom 80's

[Mandolinut2]

Don't remember where this was.

[Mandolinut2]

Bills Birthday Cake, Don't remember the year or location.

[Mandolinut2]

Bill Loving it up with my Sister, and friend. Bill Loved stuff like this. early 80's In N.C. I think

[Mandolinut2]

Bills Boys, Think he took the picture Boiling Spring I believe

[Mandolinut2]

Sister & Earl Scruggs 80's

[Mandolinut2]

Throughbreds Band In Maryland

[Mandolinut2]

Bobby Osborne

[Mandolinut2]

Boys from Indiana Florida Park 80's

[Mandolinut2]

Original Briar hoppers, was told they started playing together when they were 20 years old,and played together until some started passing away

[Mandolinut2]

Ooops, forgot to up load the picture, Heard the mind goes first, the Mandolin playing next, "So thats what wrong with my playing"

[Mandolinut2]

Browning Band Leslie County Ky.

[Mandolinut2]

Carters Fold In Va. Don't remember the group, Maybe some of you fellows can identify the ones I have forgotten.

[Scotti Adams]

Thanks for posting those pics Mandolinut

[Mandolinut2]

Jeanett & Joe Carter Sister & Bro. A.P. & Saraha's Kids

[Mandolinut2]

June Carters Sisters Helen On Guitar , Anita On Rght.

[Mandolinut2]

Sis & Ballard (pappy) Taylor 80's

[Mandolinut2]

Notice the resembles of my Sis and pappy.:))

[Mandolinut2]

Don't remember This Group.

[Mandolinut2]

Sis with Darwin Spears Comedian, From Somerset Ky

[Mandolinut2]

Dry Branch Fire Squad Brookville Ind 1988

[Scotti Adams]

Ah..the Old Carter Fold..I love that place..have played there many times.

[Mandolinut2]

J.D. Crowe, Don't remember time or place.