At 07:14 AM 6/28/2004 +0000, you wrote:
That's the thing, larry does a great deal of string bending. Not unusual for the best of musicians having the worst playing instruments though. I often heard that the late Jim Duffy (formerly of the Country Gentlemen and the Seldom Scene) had his mandolin setup with the strings at an unbelievable legnth above the finger board. Apparently, other Mandolinists that would try to play his mandolin made it sound like a 4 year old who just picked one up for the first time.
That anecdote is on the website. Duffy was also one of the few string-benders on the mandolin I've heard. He did some crazy stuff--and I hear was quite a fella to meet.
I live in Japan, and the bluegrass fans here are VERY avid collectors of old video and audio. I saw some amazing old stuff at a banjo picker's house a couple weeks ago.
Is there any plan for Ralph Stanley to tour outside of the US in the future? There aren't many international bluegrass tours, but sometimes the classic acts make it overseas. I doubt Japan is on the bill, as it was lo those 30 some years ago for many bluegrass greats.
Jonathan
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