I have just been reading a truly fabulous book, Pops Foster's autobiography. He played with all the greats in New Orleans from 1880 on. And more interestingly, with the not so greats. all the pickup groups, mandoline picnic bands.
   But the best bit so far is his claim that the first snare drums seen in New Orleans bands were made by breaking the necks off banjos and playing the vellum bit sat on your knee, with drumsticks. Now, wasn't a clever way to deal with the banjo problem.