Recognize this mandolin from the tv show 'Justified'?

[Cary Fagan]

My wife and I were watching season two of 'Justified' last night and she snapped this shot of the mandolin headstock from a party scene. (I think the 'musician' actors were faking it in this one.

I know it's blurry. A sort-of cloud shaped outline around the maker's name above a flower pot. Looked handbuilt to me. Anyway, thought I'd post it for fun and see if anyone could identify the maker.112758

[lenf12]

It looks a bit like Randy Wood's logo. Probably not though...

112759

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Cheryl Watson]

I don't know for certain, but it looks like "Davis"--Ted Davis? At first I thought it read "Lewis."

[Cary Fagan]

I don't think it could have been Randy Wood's work, not quite good enough. The mandolin's body was a reddish-orangy colour, I think.

[MikeEdgerton]

It was made by Michael Lewis.

http://www.michaellewisinstruments.com/image.php?file=mandolins/f5/f5model152_2.jpg&title=F5+Series+Mandolins

[Cary Fagan]

Looks like you're right, Mike. Nice catch. His work looks great on the website. Either the image was too blurry and fleeting for me to see well or it's an early one of his and not quite as refined.

[lenf12]

112761

Mike E. comes through again. Nice detective work Mike!!

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[MikeEdgerton]

Actually it didn't take too much work, Michael Lewis is a long time member of the Cafe.

[JeffD]

I wish that show would have a plot line or two that involved the rich musical history of the region. That one scene is the only reference I can recall, and some singing later on, but they were both pretty lame and perfunctory, I thought.

I thought it was cool that each season ended with a reference to the song "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive", but I understand even that is not consistently done.

[FLATROCK HILL]

I wish that show would have a plot line or two that involved the rich musical history of the region. That one scene is the only reference I can recall, and some singing later on, but they were both pretty lame and perfunctory, I thought.

I thought it was cool that each season ended with a reference to the song "You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive", but I understand even that is not consistently done.

That would be great...at least a casual remark about some 'outsider city slicker' playing an 'A' model at a Harlan Jam. (Just kidding Jeff)
I think you're right though; they've showcased just about every 'Appalachian' cliche possible...moonshiners, spousal abuse while wearing white tank-top t-shirts, black market narcotic distribution/pot cultivation, the evil coal companies, the arian power movement and a multitude of dysfunctional back-woods families. You'd think they could throw in a little bluegrass more than just once in a while.:)

[JeffD]

Or a reference to some old time musicians, Burnett and Rutherford, or Fiddlin Doc Roberts Trio with Ted Chesnut on the mandolin (a bowlback).

Bluegrass would be good too. :)

[SternART]

They do have good music for the theme & sound track!

[JeffD]

I am not a fan of that "country rap" type of song. Just me.

[Scott Tichenor]

Allow me if I may to temporarily derail this thread. Some of you may not know that OP Cary Fagan is a brilliant Canadian novelist and author of one of the finest book ever written about a mandolin player entitled Valentine's Fall. Back in 2009 we ran a news feature on the book (http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_001125.shtml) when it was just published. If you like to read, this is a hard one to beat. If you like books packed with suspense, comedy and drama (great hook) and feature a bluegrass mandolin player, it's totally over the top. Available in the U.S. on amazon (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1897151454/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=mandcafe-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1897151454).

One of the those rare books so good I read it in a single day.

Below, a feature trailer on YouTube about the book. Recognize the music?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dI4UHZctCzY

[jasona]

Sure do, its off Andrew Collin's Little Widgets if I am not mistaken. Will have to check this book out. I was a little shocked to hear bluegrass on the taxi's radio when I first arrived in Prague myself

Cary, getting my playing chops back to speed and ready to jam when you are next out Cow Town way :)

[dubblestop]

The Kindle Store shows "Valentines Fall" is "currently unavailable"! Thanks for getting me all worked up Scott ("one of the finest books ever writtne about a mandolin player") . Geesh! Now what I gonna' do?:confused::mad::crying:

[FLATROCK HILL]

Well one thing is for sure. Between the original poster of this thread ( author, Cary Fagan) and the subject of this thread (builder, Micheal Lewis), there is some true and diverse talent on this site.
Maybe if I hand around long enough, some of it will rub off.

[Cary Fagan]

Very kind of Scott to write a post about my book. For anyone interested, it can be ordered from amazon.ca, the Canadian amazon site. Unfortunately the book hasn't been published in the U.S. (The only difference would be a slightly higher shipping charge.) Hell, I'll sell you one myself!

Jason, that's not from 'Little Widgets,' it's from one of the Foggy Hogtown Boys albums. Andrew wouldn't even take the fee offered him for the tune. I was in Calgary this fall but only for one night, but definitely the next time I get out there I'll give you a shout.

Speaking of writing reminds me that "Justified" is based on a story by Elmore Leonard. I was at an event years ago where Leonard was the star writer. Some 200 of us lined up to get books signed. Everyone before me told him what fans they were and spent about 30 seconds with him. I got up there and said, "Things sure have changed, Mr. Leonard, since you began writing for the pulp magazines." Thirty minutes later we were still talking. Finally I had to say apologetically that there were so many people waiting behind him that we better break it off. He was a fascinating man.

Which reminds me of something else. The show was created by Graham Yost. He's from Toronto and I met him on the day of my college graduation, when he was also graduating. It turned out that his father (a well known Canadian television personality, now passed away) had graduated with my father from the same college.

I like the show, unrealistic though it might be.

[jasona]

Ah right, the orange instrumental album correct? Andrew is like that, I never paid for a CD until once, after he gave me three Foggyhog Town Boys during a show at the Silver Dollar, I caught Chris Coole and paid for them.

I heard you were giving a workshop yourself on the CBC, expected you would have been busy enough so I didn't contact you. Off to Amazon!

[AW Meyer]

I've been real lucky to have met Cary a few years ago when he was in Vancouver at a writers' festival. He came to my home for dinner and we had a fine evening of picking afterward. Subsequently, the next time I was in Toronto I hooked up with Cary at his place where he made a fine dinner and we had another enjoyable picking session. I'll tell you that Cary is no slouch on that wonderful Passernig mandolin of his. I hope we can get together again sometime. Last time I was in Toronto Cary was on the road.

[Cary Fagan]

Hi Al!
I'm sorry not to have seen you in some time. My trips to Vancouver have been very busy the last couple of times. But next time, I hope. The Passernig is still wonderful, though you flatter my playing unduly.

I really have made friends on the cafe!

[Anglocelt]

Hi Cary,
I just looked for your book on Amazon UK. The paperback version is available from $40 equivalent and some kind people from Texas will ship it for $80. There is no Kindle version offered. Just in case you were wondering why sales were slow this side of the pond!
Kevin

[Cary Fagan]

Hey Kevin,
I wish these things were up to me. All of my kids' books are available in the US and UK, some of my books are in translation, but that novel has only been published here so far. But as I said, you can order from amazon.ca from anywhere.

I appreciate all this interest. Quite unexpected.

[Phil Goodson]

I read 'Valentine's Fall' recently and enjoyed it so much I'm in the middle of another of Cary's books and loving it also.

Those of you who take a break from practicing mando and do some reading, I'd highly recommend some of Cary's stuff. You'll like it.

[Michael Lewis]

Looks like I'm late to the party again! Hard to tell which mandolin it is but if it didn't look too nice it has probably been "used" over the years. Scott Gates has one like that if that one isn't his.

[BBarton]

Cary, Do you know if your book is available through Chapters (or other book shops in Ottawa area)? Sounds like a fun read! (PS - I'm also a Passernig owner)

[Cary Fagan]

Hi Bruce,
Yes, certainly it's available through Chapters/Indigo and any other book shop. Because it's a backlist title, it's quite possibly not in stock and would need to be ordered. It can also be ordered online, of course.

[Cary Fagan]

Oh, and Bruce, nice to hear you have a Passernig! I thought I might be the only one in Canada. Mine's #36. Yours?

[Denny Gies]

One opinion of "Justified"..........the best show on TV.

[BBarton]

Cary, Mine is #62 - an A-5. Great sounding instrument! Does that make two of us? I'll check out Chapters next time in Ottawa (I'm 1 hour west). Thanks!