I played a festival with a guy in VA a few years ago who was a very serious and a very fine banjo player. He played mid-19th American music, dressed in the style of the day, and played fretless, gut stringed instruments. He had two lovely hoop reproductions and one gourd banjo. All of them were great sounding instruments.

We played a few songs together when his set ended and mine started on the same stage. Fretless or no, he played cross key with me on one song and even managed the key change gracefully when it went up one step from there! Great chops - but his obvious grasp of music theory and ability to keep up on the fly really impressed me.

I said to him after we finished the set, "No woder they call you the Banjo Doctor" (that is how he was billed). And he answered that no, they called him that because he was a medical doctor and ran a family practice nearby!

I floored. This guy was as good or better then any of the pro I've worked with - so of course, I answered, "couldn't you find a better day job!"

Anyway - that was my first exoerience with a gourd banjo.

I saw a guy in Arizona who made banjos out of old metal gallon cans ... sounded like shit!