Young Banjoists: A Call to Action

Having once been a “young banjoist” myself (I started at the age of 12), I have often thought about what it takes to get kids (or even young adults) interested in the banjo. I have sadly watched the four-string banjo fade in popularity in my 40+ years of playing, so this question has taken on increasing importance—indeed, it has become a call to action for me.

I think the best answer is the same as how to get anyone interested in anything: Timing—being “in the right place at the right time, and in the right mood.” We modern humans have so much going on; we need one more hobby/interest like we need another hole in our head! But if you are in that “zone” and see/hear something that catches your fancy, there is a good chance you will become “interested”—the rest then is academic. Kids of course are more susceptible to this phenomenon, being naturally more open-minded and impressionable; we just have to beat pop music and soccer (and a million other things) to the punch, then convince the parents that the banjo is a worthwhile pursuit!

Another thought on this: School music programs are an endangered species; could we possibly offer to fill in the gap in our communities, and find educational/historical-interest grants to do so? In the case of young adults, we need to tap into the current fad for “old things made new again.” In short, there is no shortage of potential players! Kids not interested in our music? That’s because they haven’t heard/experienced it!

I recently had my banjo faith/hope restored on a visit to Saint Louis. I spent the afternoon with the St. Louis BandJos, a growing youth banjo band run by Don Dempsey and Joe Feager, long-time members of the Saint Louis Banjo Band. I had been wowed by them a month before at the All Frets convention in Branson, MO, and had the opportunity to stop in for a visit. They are doing wonderful things, and the important thing is, it’s obvious the kids love what they are doing. Another great kids program is Buddy Griffin’s Houston All-Stars—he has over 60 kids in his program! I have not yet had the opportunity to visit them, but hope to soon. If there are others, I’d love to hear about them!

Later that same evening, I was a guest artist with the Saint Louis Banjo Band, and had one more surprise coming; there are several 20-somethings currently playing with the band! At the break I inquired; it turns out they are all professional musicians and members of the St. Louis area Trad Jazz/Swing Dance community. This is a growing movement in many cities; I have wondered if the banjo might be a good fit with them; this experience has told me that it is. An important thing to me is that they seemed to genuinely enjoy playing and learning about the instrument and music from the older members of the banjo band. If you think about it, this isn’t much different than when we started as youngsters; there was a neat subculture that we became attracted to (led by older adults), and we took up the instrument because it was cool at the time.

A couple of weeks later at the Midwest Banjo Fest, I met a young couple who have been street musicians in New Orleans and various other places (playing mostly trad jazz repertoire). She plays the mandolin and is now learning the tenor banjo; he plays the five-string, but strums with bare fingers (maybe he didn’t know the difference between 4 and 5 string banjos when he started?). They seemed to really enjoy our old-fogey music, so I see the potential for another couple of young converts (and others like them).

And let’s not forget about the Pittsburgh Banjo Band’s success; by holding their rehearsals in a popular pizza/beer establishment near the University, they have become one of the important things to experience while visiting Pittsburgh! Their next logical step is to start inviting those college students to join in the fun on stage (I’m sure there are some extra instruments available among the band membership, and at least one player who can show them how). The moral of that story is that while playing at rest homes and retirement villages is a noble thought, maybe—just maybe—we should be playing for a younger audience as well?

I realize the banjo will never again enjoy the mainstream, new-fad popularity it had in the 1920s, but can we at least instigate a new, updated version of the “pizza parlor revival” of the 1960s-70s? At that time, the Roaring 20s generation was still active, as players and especially listeners; they simply rode a wave of nostalgia, and wound up introducing a whole new generation to the banjo (a generation that was also influenced by the “British Invasion,” by the way). The way I look at it then is that I am a “second-generation” banjoist, having started during and because of that revival; I take it as my very serious responsibility to introduce the banjo to the third generation and help spark the next revival.

Thanks to the St. Louis BandJos and the Houston All-Stars, the blueprint has been written and the educational framework has been created. All of us second generation players—especially if you started as a youngster—should follow their example and create/coach kids groups. Even if you are not in an area with a big enough population, you can participate and/or contribute via the internet. And if your area has a young trad jazz or swing dance society, introduce them to the banjo! We currently hold the baton (pick?)—handed to us on a silver platter by the 1920s generation; it is up to us to pass it on before we and our beloved four-string banjo are gone. Who’s with me on this?