12 May 07 - 05:14 PM (#2050169) Subject: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: Johnhenry'shammer I was wondering if anybody had any more details on the interesting relationship of these two musicians. Every book of music that Pete has put out seems to have something praising Bascom Lamar Lunsford's repetoir or banjo skills but I've heard stories of Bascom calling Pete an "un-American pinko" and banning artists who were friends with Pete Seeger from performing at the Asheville Folk Festival. So is it true that Bascom hated Pete so much? And did Pete just not care or did he, privately, have just as strong of feelings about him? Thanks. |
12 May 07 - 06:48 PM (#2050214) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: Mark Ross Talk to Frank Hamilton, who appears on this forum under another name, about that. You've got the basic details right. Mark Ross |
12 May 07 - 07:43 PM (#2050247) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: GUEST,Art Thieme Frank already talked, in this forum, about his trip with Billy Faier and Jack Elliott to the festival. He went into pretty much detail. He was posting under his own name back then. Art |
12 May 07 - 08:31 PM (#2050267) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: dick greenhaus I spoke with Lunsford back in 1953; never discussed it with Seeger. The feeling I got was that Lunsford detested Pete's politics, but further felt that an area of music that had been his for a long time was being usurped by city-bred outsiders. I was at the festival with some friends, and we were certainly allowed to perform, though the introduction of "some Jewish boys from New York" upset some of us, and some of the audience. Lunsford was very much a man of his time, and that time had some pretty ugly warts. He was, however, a fine musician, collector and a dam' fine composer and banjo picker. |
13 May 07 - 12:42 AM (#2050375) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: iancarterb he hadn't mellowed much by 1964! |
13 May 07 - 04:32 AM (#2050445) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: Dave Hanson Jack Elliott always refered to him as Bastard Lampoon Lunchfart, just about sums it up. eric |
13 May 07 - 04:37 AM (#2050450) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: Big Al Whittle anybody got a reference for Frank's posting that Art talks about? |
13 May 07 - 10:52 PM (#2051081) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: GUEST,Art Thieme I'm trying to find it!! We'll see. In the meantime, check out the thread I just freshed yet again----the one called "What Was Lee Hayes Really Like"! Some of your questions can/might get answered within the info thats there. FRANK HAMILTON is all through that thread. Enjoy. Art |
13 May 07 - 11:20 PM (#2051094) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: GUEST,Art Thieme Check out the thread I've just refreshed called AMERICAN SECULARIST TRADTION It is in the BS section---below. Art Thieme |
13 May 07 - 11:22 PM (#2051095) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: GUEST,Art Thieme ...that's where Frank Hamilton tells how they responded to Lunsford's introduction. Art |
14 May 07 - 12:52 AM (#2051127) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: dick greenhaus I already posted this to the "Secularianism" thread, but it belongs here: As one of the introductees on that occasion, I can only say that either my memory of Frank's is a little off--it was, after all, over a half-century ago. I recall "three Jewish boys from New York." And while I was (and still am) a bit dense , I was no more offended than I had been a few days earlier when someone, admiringly, said "You can pick that banjo like a nigger." Attitudes about race, religion and ethnicity were largely institutional, not personal (I know, that really doesn't excuse them, but If you want to attack someone, attack the culture, not the man.) Jews were a mysterious novelty to many folks in North Carolina back then. I recall another member of my little group bristling when some folks in the next campsite asked if we were Jews--and then subsiding when we learned that they wished to offer us some home-canned vegetables, and were worried that we'd be upset by the fact that they were cooked with ham. |
14 May 07 - 03:36 AM (#2051182) Subject: RE: Pete Seeger and Bascom Lamar Lunsford From: Big Al Whittle Many thanks Art! |