Best Banjos Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings

“When we moved back to the US, folk music was all the rage. So I traded in my banjo for a guitar.”

Moved Guitar Folks Rage Folk Music Banjos

Author:Michael Storm

“My dad also plays a little banjo and guitar, my mom plays the mandolin.”

Littles Play Mom Dad Guitar My Dad My Mom Banjos

Author:Page McConnell

“Drum on your drums, batter on your banjos, sob on the long cool winding saxophones. Go to it, O jazzmen.”

Long Saxophone Banjos

Author:Carl Sandburg

“It's horrible for someone to listen to someone learning any instrument - when I was first learning the banjo, I used to have to go out and sit in the car, and even in the summertime I'd have to roll up the windows. Because you just couldn't practice a banjo or a fiddle with other people around. Unless they're being paid.”

People Firsts Used Practice Car Window Paid Instruments Horrible Summertime Fiddle Banjos

Author:Steve Martin

“Grab a guitar, put some kind of strings on it, a banjo string, then a violin string, then a guitar string, tune it any way you want, and make some noise, and see what you get. And work on it until you get something that you think is interesting. That's all there is to art for me.”

Thinking Way Want Kind Art Interesting Guitar Noise Tunes Strings Violin Banjos Guitar Strings

Author:Buffy Sainte-Marie

“I was 16 when I came to New York. I had graduated to a tenor banjo in the school jazz band, and it was kind of boring - just chords, chords, chords. Then my father took me to a mountain music and dance festival in Asheville, North Carolina, and there I saw relatively uneducated people playing great music by ear.”

People Kind School Father Saws New York Band Mountain Ears Jazz Boring Festivals Chords Great Music Carolina Uneducated North Carolina Tenors Music And Dance Banjos Jazz Band Asheville

Author:Pete Seeger

“In the United States, many people said you can't have folk music in the United States because you don't have any peasant class. But the funny thing was, there were literally thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people who loved old time fiddling, ballads, banjo tunes, blues played on the guitar, spirituals and gospel hymns. These songs and music didn't fit into any neat category of art music nor popular music nor jazz. So gradually they said well let's call it folk music.”

“I was about 16 years old years when my father took me to a square dance festival in North Carolina. For the first time in my life, I found there was music in my country that you never heard on the radio, and you didn't hear on the juke boxes, and in theaters. I fell in love with it, especially the long-necked banjos.”

Years Firsts Long Country Found Father Heard First Time Theater Radio Boxes Squares Festivals Carolina North Carolina Banjos Old Year

Author:Pete Seeger

“When I got out of school, I spent two years just hitchhiking around. Every time I met some old farmer who could play banjo, I got him to teach me a lick or two. Little by little, I put it together.”

Years Littles Two Play School Together Teach Mets Two Years Farmers Banjos Hitchhiking

Author:Pete Seeger

“He [Alan Lomax] started right off trying to find people who could introduce folk songs to city people. He found a young actor named Burl Ives and said, "Burl, you know a lot of great country songs learned from your grandmother, don't you know people would love to hear them?" He put on radio programs. He persuaded CBS to dedicate "The School of the Air" for one year to American folk music. He'd get some old sailor to sing an old sea shanty with a cracked voice. Then he'd get me to sing it with my banjo.”

“As I try to get around with a guitar, a banjo and a suitcase of high heels and dresses, I treasure that little ukulele.”

Trying Littles Dresses Guitar Treasure Heels High Heels Suitcases Banjos Ukulele

Author:Valerie June

“I did a lot of things when I first started out. In order to be in show business, I juggled, I did magic tricks, cards tricks and I played the banjo.”

Firsts Shows Order Magic Tricks Cards Show Business Banjos Magic Tricks Card Tricks

Author:Steve Martin

“I happened to take a photo, and there was my wife, my dog and my banjo, all in the same shot - and I thought, "Oh, that's like a family portrait right there."”

Wife Happened Dog Shots My Wife Portraits My Dog Banjos

Author:Steve Martin

“In a strange way, I don't have a job, so I have a lot of time on my hands. When I do work, it might be very concentrated, and it might be months where you're not really doing anything except maybe playing the banjo or writing something. You know, there's a lot of time in the day if you're not working 9 to 5.”

Ifs Knows Way Writing Hands Might Jobs Strange Months Working It Banjos

Author:Steve Martin

“When I first started doing my stand-up act, I played the banjo, did comedy, magic tricks, juggled, read poetry. I stuck it all in. I didn't know you were supposed to just stand up and tell jokes. Essentially, that's what my act became: those five elements - except I dropped the poetry.”

Knows Firsts Five Comedy Magic Elements Jokes Stuck Tricks Banjos Magic Tricks Five Elements

Author:Steve Martin

“My first stringed instrument was a cigar box banjo where I cut and turned the pegs and strung the wires myself.”

Firsts Cutting Instruments Boxes Wire Cigar Banjos Peg

Author:Carl Sandburg

“A gentleman is a man who can play the banjo, but doesn't.”

Men Play Gentleman Banjos

Author:Mark Twain

“Woodrell's storytelling is as melodic, jangly and energetic as a good banjo riff.... Sammy Barlach's story is a tragedy, but the telling of it is a pleasure.”

Stories Pleasure Tragedy Storytelling Energetic Banjos

Author:Valerie Sayers

“Some people can't physically hear things. A kid that listens to Metallica or something can't hear that, because he's filled himself up with this stuff, he physically can't hear a banjo or a harp or something.”

People Kids Stuff Filled Listen To Me Harps Metallica Banjos

Author:Elvis Costello

“Things have been invented because of alcohol. Like the taser, okay? Yeah! The morning after pill, okay? The reach-around. Judge Judy. What has pot given the world? Hackey sack? YEAH! Hilarious ring tones? OH GAH! Ultimate Frisbee Championships? It sucks to be a champion at a sport that can't get you laid. It's an unneeded skill like, I dunno, being the best banjo player. Or a squirter.”

“Nothing says 'dropping out of society' like learning the banjo.”

Dropping Banjos Dropping Out

Author:Daniel Roth

“I didn't grow up on the porch of a cabin looking out over the 90 acres that the mule was plowing with Paw-Paw playing the banjo. But I was always interested in folk music.”

Grows Growing Up Folks Acres Folk Music Porch Cabins Paws Mules Banjos Plowing

Author:Ketch Secor

“It seems like everyone's listening to fiddles and banjos.”

Seems Listening Fiddle Banjos

Author:Ketch Secor

“I'm into old-time music, I'm not very interested in modern, popular music at all. And if I'm really into some particular old-time musician, some fiddler or banjo player, I'm always dying of curiosity to see what they look like.”

Ifs Looks Player Modern Dying Particular Musician Curiosity Old Time Popular Music Banjos Fiddlers Old Time Music Banjo Players

Author:Robert Crumb

“I went to my room and packed a change of clothes, got my banjo, and started walking down the road. Soon I found myself on the open highway headed east.”

Found Rooms Walking Clothes East Easter Highways Down The Road Walking Away Banjos

Book:Wayfaring Stranger

Source: Wayfaring Stranger

“Whenever a big white man picks up a banjo, my cheeks tighten.”

Men Bigs White Picks Cheeks White Man Banjos

Author:Robin Williams

“I just naturally started to play music. My whole family played-my daddy played, my mother played. My daddy played bass, my cousin played banjo, guitar and mandolin. We played at root beer stands, like the .Drive-ins they have now, making $2.50 a night, and we had a cigar box for the kitty that we passed around, sometimes making fifty or sixty dollars a night. Of course we didn't get none of it, we kids.”

Sometimes Play Whole Kids Mother Night Courses Roots Dollars Guitar Boxes Beer Fifty Sixty Daddy Cousin Bass Cigar Whole Family My Cousin Kitties Banjos Root Beer

Author:T-Bone Walker

“Well I started out on guitar, so it is still the mainstay of my music. But I have recently been working very hard on my piano, and it is coming along to the point where it is taking more of the spotlight. It has been my plan to be able to make music well into my old age, and sitting down seems like a good idea. Also, I don't have to carry the piano on the road. I haven't been playing the banjo much of late because of the difficulties of travelling with so much gear. But maybe I'll bring it to Japan. It adds a different color to the musical palette.”

“When I was very young my mother sang to me at bedtime and my dad would often play the banjo or fiddle in the evening. I knew music was important and central to everything, most particularly it had a powerful healing value and created a sense of peace and security. This stood out to me as I always felt the world was precarious and dangerous, and music supplied those moments of real peace and safety.”

World Important Real Play Moments Young Mother Values Felt Powerful Healing Security Dangerous Dad Safety My Dad Evening Bedtime Precarious Fiddle Banjos Peace And Security

Author:Rory Block

“I also play fiddle, banjo and mandolin.”

Play Fiddle Banjos

Author:Sonny Burgess

“There are some people who do great stuff singing and playing fiddle at the same time and doing that kind of arrangement. But I think [I don't do that] partially because I'm still a loner on the guitar and banjo.”

People Thinking Kind Stills Stuff Singing Guitar Arrangements Loner Fiddle Banjos

Author:Sam Amidon

“My daughter Meredith Moon from my second wife has a band that does Appalachian music, with five-strong banjo, clawhammer style. I may have to direct her somewhere. Meredith was my middle name. I would have to direct her because I am always directing something. She's in the musician's union and she is only 21. Your kids surprise you.”

May Doe Kids Names Strong Five Wife Middle Style Moon Band Musician Daughter Direct Unions Surprise My Daughter Banjos

Author:Gordon Lightfoot

“I think I'm getting better at being verbal. I used to have a lot of problems with it. I had my own little demons that I was fighting, and I used the banjo as an escape.”

Thinking Littles Problem Used Fighting My Own Get Better Demon Banjos

Author:Bela Fleck

“I first heard the banjo on the Beverly Hillbillies, and from then on I was banjo-conscious. But I didn't actually get one until my grandfather gave me one, almost by mistake. He knew I was playing a little bit of guitar. He saw a banjo at a flea market and bought it. I took it home with me and just never put it down. I was fifteen.”

Firsts Littles Home Bits Mistake Saws Heard Little Bit Conscious Guitar Grandfather Fifteen My Grandfather Fleas Banjos Flea Markets

Author:Bela Fleck

“There are a lot of chapters to the banjo's history. Part of it are the roots in Africa, where it's a more primitive instrument. Then it comes to the United States where it morphs into the slave music that they created here, which was very African in origin.”

States United United States Roots Instruments Slave Chapters Primitive Banjos

Author:Bela Fleck

“And then Earl Scruggs comes along and transforms the banjo into a virtuosic modern instrument. For the first time, the Southern banjo style becomes the identity of the banjo, and everything from before is wiped off of people's consciousness by the power of that explosion.”

People Firsts Consciousness Modern Style Identity First Time Instruments Southern Explosions Banjos

Author:Bela Fleck

“Being from New York, I wonder why am I inspired by bluegrass and Earl Scruggs? But when I look at the whole history of the banjo, I feel really good about it, including the Earl Scruggs part.”

Feels Looks Whole Wonder New York Inspired Including Banjos Bluegrass

Author:Bela Fleck

“There's a lot of hip-hop that would be great with a banjo in it. It would just groove like crazy, and I hope I get to be one of the guys who does that, because it's coming. It's coming.”

Doe Would Be Guy Crazy Hip Hop Hips Hops Groove Banjos

Author:Bela Fleck

“Being a part of the crowd with incredible musicians onstage summoning the muse and delivering that to us - doesn't matter if it's an orchestra, two bluegrass banjo pickers, a solo singer, piano player, or Bruce Springsteen - when it all comes together, you can just feel as if you are a part of something bigger and grander than yourself.”

Ifs Feels Two Matter Together Player Musician Bigger Incredibles Crowds Singers Piano Muse Solo Orchestra Delivering Banjos Springsteen Bluegrass Summoning

Author:Patrick Fabian

“The major labels, they roll with whatever is making money. I don't know if R&B turned into making banjo music and it sounded like blue grass, they'll buy it if it's selling.”

Ifs Knows Majors Blue Selling Labels Making Money Grass Banjos

Author:Warryn Campbell

“Earl Scruggs had this thing that it wasn't just the technique or even the instrument. It was him. There was this soulful quality that came through that made you - if you're somebody like me who was, I guess, supposed to play the banjo, it made you stop in your tracks, and you couldn't do anything until you got done hearing him play, and then immediately you'd have to go try and find a banjo.”

Ifs Trying Made Done Play Quality Instruments Track Hearing Technique Like Me Soulful Banjos

Author:Earl Scruggs

“I've heard of people stopping their cars, having car wrecks, all kinds of things. But most of the banjo players I know had that moment when they heard Earl Scruggs. So, for me, it transcends the technique. It's the musician in him and his personality, his musical personality, such great taste, such great technique, very, very creative.”

People Knows Kind Moments Creative Player Heard Car Personality Taste Musician Musical Technique All Kinds That Moment Stopping Wrecks Banjos Car Wreck Banjo Players

Author:Earl Scruggs

“I mean if it wasn't for Earl Scruggs, guys like me wouldn't be doing what we're doing. I mean, he's changed so many people's lives, honestly. I was thinking about all the thousands of people that live in Nashville, like myself, that there's no reason a guy from New York would end up down there if it wasn't for the sound of Earl Scruggs' banjo coming over the airwaves and just changing my life.”

People Ifs Thinking Mean Ends Reason Guy Sound New York Changed Honestly Like Me No Reason Nashville Changing My Life Banjos

Author:Earl Scruggs

“The thing about the banjo is when you first hear it, it strikes many people as what's that? There's something very compelling about it to certain people.”

People Firsts Certain Strikes Compelling Banjos

Author:Steve Martin

“I took literally everything I knew how to do on stage with me, which was juggling, magic and banjo and my little comedy routines.”

Littles Comedy Magic Stage Juggling Banjos

Author:Steve Martin

“My first banjo? My mother's sister, my aunt, lived about a mile from where we did, and she raised some hogs. And she had - her - the hog - the mother - they called the mother a sow - of a hog. And she had some pigs. Well, the pigs were real pretty, and I was going to high school and I was taking agriculture in school. And I sort of got a notion that I'd like to do that, raise some hogs. And so my aunt had this old banjo, and my mother told me, said, which do you want, the pig or a banjo? And each one of them's $5 each. I said, I'll just take the banjo.”

Want Firsts Wells Said Real School Mother High School Raises Raised Notion Miles Pigs Agriculture Aunt Hog Banjos Going To High School

Author:Ralph Stanley

“My mother played a little bit of the old time clawhammer. She tuned the banjo up and picked one tune for me, and it just become natural to me. When she picked it, I just started and picked it, too.”

Littles Mother Bits Natural Little Bit Tunes Old Time Banjos

Author:Ralph Stanley

“I remember doing "As Cool As I Am" and Steve Miller, the producer, saying "I really hear a drum loop here. I want to play it for you." When I wrote it, I thought, "This isn't going to sound very folky. I don't think it's going to go with mandolins and banjos." Then he played the loop for me and it sounded right.”

Thinking Want Play Remember Sound Producers Loops Banjos

Author:Dar Williams

“I'm working on a script right about Civil War re-enactors who go back in time to the actual Civil War. It's kind of a big, crazy Back to the Future comedy. So, of course, it's the Civil War - I play the banjo. I was just having a conversation with one of the producers about some of the material and he was like, 'You know, we have to work in a scene where you play the banjo. And I was like I'll get behind that.”

Knows Kind War Play Bigs Courses Behinds Comedy Crazy Materials Like You Scene Conversation Scripts Producers Civil War Back In Time Banjos Go Back In Time

Author:Ed Helms

“In my banjo show with the Steep Canyon Rangers, I do do comedy during that show. It'd be absurd just to stand there mute and play 25 banjo songs.”

Play Shows Song Comedy Absurd Mute Rangers Steep Canyons Banjos

Author:Steve Martin

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