Don't know where my cookie has disappeared...
I was wondering whether to comment, but seeing as Richard has brought it up here goes the story...

As Leadfingers almost said, wandering around with a banjo, you get aske the two "Do you play...?" questions.

Leaning on a lamp - I never was that much into George Formby, and try to explain that he played a totally different instrument that looks similar, but is much smaller and works in a different way.

Duelling Banjos. Same instrument, but needs a second one - guitar, which also needs a second person - There's just one of me. SILLY QUESTION!

- unless, of course, the person asking the question is some young lad holding a guitar, who expects you to play something extremely flash on your banjo while he strums a few chords in the background, then goes off claiming half the credit.

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Start of story...

I don't actually object to Duelling banjos as a tune, but I play Clawhammer style banjo and not Bluegrass. One friend who does play bluegrass used to occasionally rope me in to do the backup.

As said above, there is always some freeloader with a guitar wanting to profit from the banjo player's hard work and expertise.

It isn't the fact of the two questions, but the constant repetition of them that starts to get on the nerves.

One day I cracked...

I'd heard them one time too many...

I thought "Sod 'em"

There had to be a solution.





I sat in my room and thought...

An answer came into my head...

I was quite capable of playing a backup accompaniment to the duet, but that didn't cover all the bluegrass "leaping fingers" bits. How could I produce an identical effect of notes flying out from apparently random direction?

Inspiration hit! - Kazoo...

In my earlier life I had achieved Grade 7 in Kazoo Studies, so was well placed for musical acrobatics.

I found a note, and tuned up my Kazoo. As mentioned in earlier postings, it isn't necessary to tune a banjo, so a good cup of tea was all that I needed to complete the operation.

A couple of hours later, the bud of an idea was blossoming into the delicate petals of a musical masterpiece.....

I took it out, played it.....






people laughed....







Quack!
GtD.