For enthusiasts of early banjo

Paul Draper's Comments

Comment Wall (16 comments)

At 3:37pm on November 23, 2011, Al Smitley said…: Hello Paul. That was a first. It was pretty impromptu. We went out to eat afterward and we talked about maybe doing it some more.

While eating, your name came up. I commented about your right hand. You make a lot of music but your right hand hardly moves. Your right hand reminds me of Kevin Burke's left hand. I listened to a lot of his recordings and then when I finally went to see him in concert, his left hand hardly moved! It was hard to know how he could get all those notes in there that way. Very efficient!

At 10:22am on June 28, 2012, Bob Winans said…: Glad to accept your friend request, Paul. And I hope you enjoy working on some of the variations from my presentation. I am thinking of posting the handout on this site so others can see it as well.

At 10:52am on June 28, 2012, Mark Weems said…: That would be great, Bob. Somehow I've misplaced my folder from the weekend!

At 11:17am on June 23, 2014, John Cohen said…: It was a great pleasure meeting you, and I look forward to playing more with you next year!

At 8:03pm on June 23, 2014, Marek Bennett said…: Great to meet you, too Paul... and to hear your fine playing on several different instruments!

At 11:03am on August 28, 2014, Ambrose Verdibello said…: Thanks Paul - I'm looking forward to playing some of these pieces with you - you're an inspiration.

At 1:10pm on March 5, 2015, Jean Louis Thiry said…: Merci Paul, glad to be there !

At 8:50pm on March 29, 2015, Nicholas A Bechtel said…: Hey Paul,,it has been a while...about last summer I started getting into the Dobro and then the Lap Steel..slowly found my self with a Pedal steel Guitar...been focusing on that, then started wanting to get back into my minstrel banjo. Its cool I spent about two and half years getting into it and all that practicing and learning songs, and its like I never left...I love the sound...been going around and checking out everyone's videos again, right now I am recouping from a hernia operation so I can't play my banjo yet just been learning Irish jigs on my Mandolin. I see you have a new Banjo.

At 12:41pm on June 6, 2015, Ian Bell said…: Will do, Paul. I'm looking forward to the weekend. (I get to be "Great Lakes Guy") I'm also playing at Havre Le Grace Maritime Museum near Baltimore on Wednesday evening.

At 2:26pm on June 6, 2015, Wes Merchant said…: Cool Ian, I let my friends in Baltimore know. Just a small point it's Havre De Grace and down here it's pronounced Haverdy Grace, now you can sound like a local.

At 8:26am on June 20, 2015, Ian Bell said…: Hey Paul,
I did get to pass on your greetings to George Ward at Mystic. We were in a "contemporary songs" workshop together. We were the "freshwater reps" at the festival. George is an interesting guy. He said you were putting together some banjo music for something he was working on. Mystic was the best folk festival I've been to in ages - possibly ever. Four days of non-stop harmony singing just makes you want more! It was well worth all the driving. Havre De Grace was fun too. The museum there actually reminded me a bit of the one I worked at in Port Dover for so long. Plus there were crab cakes on the dock!

At 10:16am on June 24, 2015, Scott Miller said…: Paul, It was great meeting you at AEBG 2015. Looking forward to the next time we can jam again.

At 11:15am on May 17, 2016, Sonny Bryan said…: Great meeting you too Paul. There's a lot of tunes I need to jump into...

At 10:59am on July 27, 2016, Jim Tribble said…: Hi Paul thanks, it is not only great looking but has its history written into its entire surface. I have uploaded a story with the pictures to explain its origin, but in brief it was bought by the grandfather of a friend who is in his 70's at least, to go India and keep him amused for the journey. So it has definitely been to India and back at least. Now all I have to do is learn how to play it. :)

At 5:20am on May 12, 2017, rachel woodruff said…: funny when i saw your name in my email it sounded familiar. my son Jens Lawaetz was in country day in the eighties. i've played banjo most of my adult years, but mostly concentrated on guitar, so i never got that good. i love the sound of clawhammer, but mostly i'm a picker, not blue grass, slower, rythmic, melodic. when the gourd i purchased from ebay comes in.. the neck is started. thanks for writing