Eastern Kentucky

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(George Gibson [L] with Clifton Hicks [R]. Photo by E. Smith.)

On today’s show I speak with Eastern Kentucky banjo player George Gibson.  I was lucky enough to catch up with George when we were both participating in The Black Banjo Gathering at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC in March.  George hails from Knott County, Kentucky where he learned to play old-time banjo from his neighbors as well as from his father back in the early 1950’s.  One of the local banjo players that George met growing up was “Banjo” Bill Cornett, one of my favorite musicians, so it was a thrill to get to hear a personal account of Banjo Bill.  George Gibson is a wonderful banjo player and singer and is also a noted banjo collector and historian of the music from his region.  He has served as a bridge between the old generation of musicians such as Banjo Bill, who’s music and culture was dying out when George Gibson was growing up and a new crop of young Southern old-time musicians who are coming up today.  George has gathered around him and served as mentor and teacher in an informal sense to a number of very talented young musicians from around the South including Clifton Hicks (Boone, NC), Brett Rattiff (Knott Co, KY), John Haywood (Knott Co. KY), Matt Kinman (Bethel, NC) and Jesse Wells (Knott Co. KY).  Check out the 2008 Interview I did with Brett Ratliff here in the Down Home Radio archives.

And  be sure to check out George’s album, “Last Possum Up the Tree” on the Appalshop label.  Below are some of George Gibson’s excellent notes to that album: