Frank Proffitt banjos

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 18 - 12:54 AM

I stopped to visit DADGBE today. He has rebuilt his Frank Proffitt banjo again (see above). He replaced the strings with fluorocarbon fishing line, and found he no longer needed the fine tuners he had added. The banjo has a crisp, bright sound - the brightest sound I've ever heard on a fretless banjo. The banjo is now just as Frank built it, except that the strings are different and the head is goatskin instead of the original opossum. What a delight to hear Ray play it!
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Mar 12 - 09:52 PM

Hi David-

Thanks for the info! I would love to see that photo. My email address is [e-mail]

Paul

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,david
Date: 18 Mar 12 - 07:07 PM

Hello: Back a few years ago I told you much about what I did yet did not say that althogh Frank was not at the first worlds fare in the late 1930's but was at the second one along with Frank Warner. I have a picture which I took with the both of them their. I also know that if you are interested in that area's music I would suggest that it would be a good idea if you were to check on the work the Dr. Chuck Purdue did with his wife. Chuck was for many years the head of the folklore department at the University of Virginia. We lost him a few years back yet what he left us was to say the least worderful and will be remember for many years to come and as long as people want to understand foklore and music. Best to you all.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,peanutjake
Date: 10 Jan 12 - 11:47 PM

My Friend Eric Loeb passed away recently.
Eric had a Fretless Wooden Banjo he got from Frank Proffitt when Frank was performing at the Pinewoods Country Dance camp in the early 60's.
I have not spoken to her yet, but his widow might be interested in selling the instrument. If anyone is interested email me at [e-mail] and I will pass it on to her.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 08 Dec 11 - 04:25 AM

"posted this on the banjohangout thread as well)

I have a really amazing reel-to-reel tape my father Howie Mitchell recorded at Frank, Sr.'s place around 1962 or 1963.

It features Frank and several guests (Golden Ring members: Howie, Ed Trickett, not sure who else). It's a fake radio show called "Station WOP" where Frank jokes around about groundhogs and opening a groundhog steak house, and talking about "corrections" to the liner notes for the Folk Legacy record and such in between singing various songs, and some nice tunes by the guests.

Its about 45 minutes long. I recently had it digitized but will be sending it off to have remastered and likely donated to the Folklife Center or other appropriate archive at some point. He sent his copy of it to Caroline Paton not too long ago but she says she misplaced it, mine is the copy he made for the Dildines.

I also have a number of letters he wrote my father, his sense of humor was very sharp and witty.. I should scan them in sometime to share.. My dad really respected him a lot and still likes to cut up and rearrange advertisements to say something ridiculous, something he says he learned from Frank.

Speaking of Earl Scruggs.. I have a 45 of the Earl Scruggs method that Frank sent my dad with something written on it about learning from it :)

Now that I wrote about it I guess I'll get motivated to scan and post some of it. Not sure the best thing to do with the tape though since I don't have any rights to have it published.

-David"

I would LOVE to hear this.

There are so few actual recordings of Frank Proffitt (comparitively speaking)

This sounds like Frank's equivalent of the Basement Tapes or the Beatles Christmas Specials or something.

Please let me/Mudcat know about what happens to the re-master.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Paul_Dolce
Date: 07 Dec 11 - 05:06 PM

Mrs. Wright-

I am compiling a database of known Watauga County instruments and would love to document yours for the database.

Feel free to email me at [e-mail] to discuss.

Thanks a lot!

Paul

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Mimi Wright
Date: 14 Oct 11 - 06:27 PM

In about 1964 I bought a banjo from Frank Proffitt after reading an article in SingOut. Then just before he died I bought myself a dulcimer- the banjo was for my husband. I still have the letters from Frank and one from his wife. I have figured that the dulcimer she sent me was probably made by Leonard Glenn. We met Jeff Davis at Pinewoods camp in about 1965. Mr. Proffitt was supposed to come there but got a building job. We never got to see him play but I loved and still sing songs learned from the recordings of him. And we still have the banjo and dulcimer plus ones made by either Leonard or Clifford Glenn. Frank Proffitt Jr. stayed with us when he came out to perform for the San Diego Folk Festival several years back. I just found this thread because we want to give the Glenn banjo to a very nice LA man who played Satan
Your Kingdom Must Come Down in a contest. The information here is very interesting.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Paul_Dolce
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 02:13 PM

Hi Hoot-

Could you give them my contact info please? 440-488-3213 or [e-mail].

Or you could send me theirs, either way.

Thanks a lot!

Paul

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 05 May 11 - 05:14 AM

It is my understanding that it could be depending on the amount offered.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Paul Dolce
Date: 04 May 11 - 11:27 PM

Is the Stanley Hicks banjo for sale in the UK?

I'd love to see those scans, Vic. You could email them to [e-mail] when you have the time. Thanks so much,

Paul

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: Vic Smith
Date: 19 Mar 11 - 03:37 PM

Perusing, my huge collection of old folk music magazines recently, I came across a long article by Frank Warner on Frank Proffitt in Sing Out! Vol. 13, No. 4 October-November 1963. It includes all the information about the early collecting that Frank & Anne did with the Hicks/Proffitt families, making of banjos and how Tom Dooley came to a wider audience and the impact on Frank Proffitt etc. etc.

It is too long to include here but I made .jpgs and a text scan of the pages to send to Gerret and Jeff and would send it to anyone with a particular interest in this if they send me a PM with their email addresses.

Jeff D? Art?

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 18 Mar 11 - 06:06 PM

I know the whereabouts of one of Stanley Hicks's banjos in London U.K
Stanley was a relative of Frank's, his brother-in-law I believe, he can be seen in one of Alan Lomax's patchwork films along with other Hicks family members and Frank Profitt Jr.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Mar 11 - 01:38 PM

(posted this on the banjohangout thread as well)

I have a really amazing reel-to-reel tape my father Howie Mitchell recorded at Frank, Sr.'s place around 1962 or 1963.

It features Frank and several guests (Golden Ring members: Howie, Ed Trickett, not sure who else). It's a fake radio show called "Station WOP" where Frank jokes around about groundhogs and opening a groundhog steak house, and talking about "corrections" to the liner notes for the Folk Legacy record and such in between singing various songs, and some nice tunes by the guests.

Its about 45 minutes long. I recently had it digitized but will be sending it off to have remastered and likely donated to the Folklife Center or other appropriate archive at some point. He sent his copy of it to Caroline Paton not too long ago but she says she misplaced it, mine is the copy he made for the Dildines.

I also have a number of letters he wrote my father, his sense of humor was very sharp and witty.. I should scan them in sometime to share.. My dad really respected him a lot and still likes to cut up and rearrange advertisements to say something ridiculous, something he says he learned from Frank.

Speaking of Earl Scruggs.. I have a 45 of the Earl Scruggs method that Frank sent my dad with something written on it about learning from it :)

Now that I wrote about it I guess I'll get motivated to scan and post some of it. Not sure the best thing to do with the tape though since I don't have any rights to have it published.

-David

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Paul_Dolce
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 12:25 AM

Thanks, fretless.

I have perused that site for many hours in the past, but it had slipped my memory. That format is the basic idea I will be going for.

I hope to have it categorized by maker and then various sub groups from there.

Several famous musicians and noted collectors have taken an interest and have participated in this project. I appreciate any and all contributions.

Thanks,

Paul Dolce 440-488-3213

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: fretless
Date: 07 Jan 11 - 02:07 PM

Paul, for your database of NC makers, you may want to look at the Banjo Sightings database created by Greg Adams and George Wunderlich. Not that your date will overlap, but with the idea that it might be useful to adopt a standard organizational scheme for these things.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Mairead
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 02:04 PM

'Wasn't it Frank Profitt who remarked, "I'd like to be able to play the banjo like Earl Skruggs, and then not."'

Yes, it was, and I almost fell off my chair laughing when I first read it.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Paul_Dolce
Date: 06 Jan 11 - 12:41 PM

I am currently developing a database of images/information for Watauga Co., NC makers and I eventually would like to share my findings with the public. This is an entirely non-commercial venture. My goal is to compile a listing of as many known instruments with images as is possible. Any information/images that you care to share would be greatly appreciated. Many people have taken an interest in participating in this project already. If you know others who would like to share images/information, please feel free to have them contact me.

Thanks!

Paul Dolce
440-488-3213

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: kendall
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 01:08 PM

Wasn't it Frank Profitt who remarked, "I'd like to be able to play the banjo like Earl Skruggs, and then not."


Student "Can you read music"?
Old timer, "Not enough to hurt my playing."
"Hell, there aint no notes on a banjo, you just play the damn thing."

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Paul_Dolce
Date: 18 Dec 10 - 12:03 PM

What are great thread. Thanks for sharing all of the great stories.

I have a 1950s/60s Leonard Glenn, it is just wonderful. If anybody is planning on selling their Proffitt, Glenn, or Hicks Banjos or Dulcimers, I would love to add to my collection.

I can be reached by 440-488-3213.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Billy Faier
Date: 28 Oct 10 - 11:46 AM

There is a picture of one if Frank Proffitt's early banjos on my website BILLYFAIER.COM under the MEMORABILIA tab. It is now owned by my good friend Gene Henriksen to whom I gave it a few years back for his invaluable help on my website.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,david e. kahn
Date: 12 Jul 10 - 08:30 PM

hello: Starting in 1957, I started field recording traditional american folk music for a radio
program and friends in Phildephia, PA. I also did the same program for WGH in Newport, News, Virgina a little later and then while doing this I worked out a program for many other college stations throughout the country. During this time and up until 1968 when I went back to the westcoast of the USA I traveled with Tom Ashley, the banjo player and went to the British Isles where I recorded music in the total area again for my programs back in the USA. I also wrote for Hoot Magazine out of Canada and other publications during this time. I was given by Frank Profit a banjo which I still have and a Lenard Glen delcimer which I also still have. I have other instruments given to me during this time. One is a Farland Artist. It is I believe from about 1902. During this time I met many of the people who were to become welll known folk singers. Besides during this I was involved with Jazz music and worked with MarshaL Stearns on his jazz book. I should say here that I also worked for different record
companies doing field recordings and tried to help all types of singers and musicians to get their foot into the door with many record companies. I could say more about that time yet this has been enough. In 1968 I started doing mural painting on the west coast in the LA area and did that also for 10 years working with street gangs in the East Los Angeles area.I did not give up my music recording yet from 1970 until 1990 I worked in the EasternArctic with the Inuit doing video's with t;hem. During this time I taught at different colleges here in the uSA along with working with Abroginal People in Australia which I still do to this day. As you can gather I HAVE been busy doing what I like all these years.
I am now 78 and will continue to do these same things and other things that I have not told you about. Best David Kahn

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,PeterA
Date: 09 Jan 10 - 03:55 PM

I have a Proffitt banjo, which I bought in 1964 or so.   Frank P. wrote me (I still have the letters) that the head is housecat skin.   Frank Warner also told me that he heard the Proffitt banjos were made of catskin (stretched over a piece of stovepipe.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Dick Gilman
Date: 15 Dec 09 - 10:24 PM

What a treat to find all these comments about Frank and his banjos !! I didn't know all this existed. Let me tell you about mine. In 1961 I was a gred student at the U of I when the folk group had Frank as a guest performer..I believe it was a tour for Sandy. Anyway,my wife and I, along with another grad couple hosted Frank for supper that evening..I will never forget that night. Frank set my 18 mo old daughter up on the couch and got out his banjo and played tunes for her !!

I had just started to play the banjo, but was so taken by his music and his style, that he changed my life that night. Before he left he agreed to make me a banjo when he got back home. Several weeks later it arrived with a letter( I still have it) in which he explained that since he returned home he had been so busy that he hadn't had time to make the banjo he had promised, so he was sending his own !! the one he played on his tour !!!!! It is signed on the inside of the groundhog skin head.."personal banjo of Frank Proffitt, Reese NC". No need to tell you that it one of my prized posessions !

Over the years I have made many mountain dulcimers and Proffitt-style fretless banjos. I love playing my proffitt banjo and have told lots of people about how I came to have it. If you want to take a look at the ones I make, go to TRINITY GUITARS.COM and click on GILMAN FOLK INSTRUMRNTS.

Thanks for a fun read of all you comments,

Dick

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Greg Gunner
Date: 20 Mar 09 - 08:25 PM

John Huron of Noteworthy Instruments puts groundhog heads on his handmade banjos. John's banjos are based on the Stanley Hicks pattern. Stanley Hicks was a first cousin of Frank Proffitt's father-in-law, Nathan Hicks. You may be able to get John to replace the head on your Proffitt banjo with a groundhog head. Also, Clifford Glenn is still living. Clifford's father, Leonard Glenn, actually made many of the instruments sold by Frank Proffitt in the 1960's. When orders exceeded Frank Proffitt's ability to fulfill them, he approached neighbors, Leonard and Clifford Glenn, and they worked out an arrangement to make both dulcimers and banjos for Frank Proffitt to sell under his own name. The arrangement worked well until Frank Proffitt's untimely death in 1965. After that the Glenns had to re-establish a market under their own names. At this point in time, it is very difficult to determine who actually made a Frank Proffitt banjo or dulcimer.

Greg

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: Art Thieme
Date: 18 Dec 08 - 12:08 AM

Kat,
Please, feel free to put a link here to the nice old woodcut I e-mailed you of Frank Proffitt---the one made by George Armstrong in the 1960s.

Art

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Iris
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 10:21 PM

It is me again. I hope Doug Davis won't mind. He sent me an email on myspace that I thought you guys might be interested in.

"Doug Davis here. I live in Lenoir and I play old timey mountain music. My mother is from Shulls Mills in Watauga. Frank Proffitt wrote a song about that area."

"The girls at Shulls Mills
Got loving on their minds
But the girls way over on Beaver Dam
Wants money all the time"

"I set up this myspace for Frank because he is one of my favorites and I would love to see that banjo sometime."
Thanks!"

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Iris
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 10:12 PM

http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=106510


Check this out. Another link talking about Frank's banjos!!!

Good Day!!

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Iris
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 10:05 PM

To Jeff Davis: Yes I did see the New York Times obituary, but I didn't know about him being in the Time Magazine. That is cool you have a picture on your wall.

To katlaughing: I know who the person is that made a profile for Frank Proffitt on myspace. His name is Doug Davis from Lenoir, NC.


Wait a minute, is he related to Jeff Davis that said he had Frank's and Lee's picture on the wall? Well isn't that something?

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: bald headed step child
Date: 17 Dec 08 - 12:02 AM

If you get an old issue of the foxfire 3 book it will show you the proper way to do the head on this style banjo. Very good section on banjo building. Also instead of nylon strings you might search for Nyl-gut strings. they are supposed to be synthetic gut. I've heard some good about them on some of the banjo sites but don't have any first hand experience as there is not a dealer near my home but they can be ordered from the web. I believe the maker is a company called Aquilar? Hope this is helpful.

BHSC

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: Mark Ross
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 09:45 PM

The hardest thing about the Proffitt banjo is putting a new head on it and getting it tight enough. Pat Sky did the job for me, cutting down an old skin head that had been taken off a five string.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: Steve in Idaho
Date: 16 Dec 08 - 09:36 PM

Neat old thread - I loved teh fishing leader strings! I just gaver my daughter my old 1896 SS Stewart Banjolin. I never cared for the steel strings on it so this fishing leader might be the alternative -

Thanks
Steve

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 11:35 PM

Sure, Chip. I'll bet Sandy does. Also, Art Thieme must know. You could send him a PM (personal message,) Sandy, too, for that matter though I don't think he is on here much, and ask, IF you join us as a member. It doesn't cost anything and you won't get a bunch of spam nor even email form Mudcat. Hope this helps.

kat

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Chip
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 10:16 PM

Thanks Kat, This is a very helpful group. I'd seen the Seeger video and visited the myspace site yesterday. What I'm after is knowing how Frank Sr. played. Sombody has to know or there has to be some old footage of him playing. I think Sandy Paton would know.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 07:50 PM

I may have already posted a couple of these, or someone else might've. My apologies if so. They bear repeating, imo:

Frank Warner & Pete Seeger playing Tom Dooley. All I see Frank using is his thumb! At least of the close-ups.

Also, it seems Frank Proffitt has his own myspace HERE with three songs available. There are also photos of him and his son. Pretty neat stuff.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Chip Arnold
Date: 15 Dec 08 - 07:09 PM

Refresh :-)

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: bald headed step child
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 06:13 PM

If you are looking for alternate to the calfskin head, you might try goatskin. A little cheaper but still good. I found some for sale here,http://www.ukuleleworld.com/Banjo-Ukes/. They are a site for banjo-ukes but they have skins up to 14" which could work on rims up to 10", maybe 11"? Hope this is helpful.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Chip Arnold
Date: 14 Dec 08 - 12:23 PM

FWIW, I think Elderly Instruments ( elderly.com ) sells calfskin heads. At any rate, they're easy to find. Possom, groundhog, cat, etc. may be "authentic" and romantic but they're awful hard to live with on a banjo with no means of adjusting the head tension. The tanned calfskin isn't perfect but it's MUCH more stable than any raw skin. And it's way less greasy.

I have a question.........does anyone know what Frank Sr's picking style was? I thought he was a 2-finger picker. Someone said he was a clawhammer picker but I don't think so. Maybe an up-picker as in the so called "Seeger Style"? It doesn't sound to me as though he's downpicking (clawhammer).

Mr Patton, are you on here?

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 01 Dec 08 - 02:44 PM

Just out of curiousity-
On of the best-known of Frank Proffitt's banjos was the one played by Frank Warner--who only used four strings. Does anyone know how he tuned it?

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: DADGBE
Date: 01 Dec 08 - 01:55 PM

Well Art, those Beech Mountain possums must be lots bigger than the ones around here. It would be impossumble to get that many strings from just one critter.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Jeff Davis
Date: 01 Dec 08 - 01:00 PM

I have a Frank Proffitt banjo and dulcimer. The banjo is signed and dated November1, 1963; the dulcimer is, I think, a year younger. I actually got the banjo by mail the day before American Thanksgiving almost exactly two years before Frank's death. With each of the instruments Frank included a cassette of his playing and included a few songs not recorded elsewhere. The cassette accompanying the dulcimer migrated into Anne and Frank Warner's collection and now resides, as far as I can tell, at the Library of Congress. The banjo tape went up in a fire in early 2001. It included a version Frank's composition "Ain't a Thing for a Poor Man" on the banjo (usually sung with a dulcimer).

I've included several of Frank's songs on a few of my own CDs, most recently his version of "Wild Bill Jones." I owe a tremendous debt to his singing. It was with Frank's music that I first tried to delve deeply into the old music. When I was seventeen years old, I spent two hot summer evenings with him on the Warner's front patio. He sang and talked and I listened. He agreed to make me a banjo and when it arrived I played it until it should have been worn out. But it is still going strong. There may be somebody else who spent as much time listening to and playing Frank's music--but I doubt it!

If you haven't heard Frank Proffitt, the time has come. There are several Folk-Legacy Recordings and one on Folkways. Frank can also be heard on both volumes of the Warner Collection CDs on Appleseed, but the second is subtitled "The Music of Frank Proffitt and North Carolina,' and has a great number of Frank's songs and a bit of talk, too.

It is great that grand-daughter, Iris wrote in. She may not remember the mention of his name in Time magazine or have ever seen the big obituary in the New York Times. He is well remembered by a great number of people. His picture is on my wall, Iris, along with a photo of Lee Monroe Presnell, another singer the Warner's met on their first trip to the North Carolina mountains, and another relative you should look up

I've often thought it would be interesting to try to track down all of Frank's banjos. Such a thing is not likely to happen and might not even be possible. As to the value of the banjos--they are, ...well, priceless. Hold on to yours.

Jeff Davis

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: Art Thieme
Date: 29 Nov 08 - 01:11 AM

Keep in mind that in the earlier times, when possum hide banjo heads were the thing, the strings were made of possum guts. One possum was only good enough for 4 and a half banjo strings. So that is why the fifth string only goes half way up the neck.

Live an' learn, huh?!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: DADGBE
Date: 28 Nov 08 - 03:59 PM

Perhaps this is a bit of thread creep but I've recently done some work on my Proffitt banjo and other players may be interested. I removed the retrofitted fine tuners which I spoke about in my last post to this thread, widened the nut and bridge slots a bit and changed the strings.

No more steel strings - now they're fluorocarbon fiber invisible fishing leader. They sound more like gut or nylon bud are far more stable. They work over a wide range of tensions so you can tune them low or high as you like. They tune well with friction pegs and don't need fine tuners.

I used: 30 pound test (0.020 inch dia,) for the 1st and 5th strings, 40 pound test (0.024 inch dia.) for the 2nd string, 60 pound test (0.029 inch dia.) for the 3rd string and 80 pound test (0.036 inch dia.) for the 4th string - all made by Seaguar.

They're easy to play, easy to tune and sound FAR better than anything else on the Proffitt.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 28 Nov 08 - 09:47 AM

Shouldn't that be a groundhog hide. That's what my Ray Hicks banjo has. From memory I believe Ray was Frank's brother-in-law. Certainly related anyway.


Hoot

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Nov 08 - 11:22 AM

Thanks, that's an excellent suggestion. I have been to the House of Musical Traditions, but it has been many, many years. I'll check them out. I have some friends in DC I'd like to visit anyhow.

Becky, thanks for the link to Banjo Hangout and for bumping the thread.

Yup, the cat thing wouldn't work in my household.

Gregg

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: fretless
Date: 25 Nov 08 - 12:39 PM

Greg, you're probably looking for a calfskin head. That's not the most traditional (possum?), but it is close enough and easier to find than other skins. If you get up to the DC area, you could call the House of Musical Traditions in Takoma, where they are used to dealing with folk instruments. I bought a calfskin banjo head from them a while ago, which means they at least used to have them in stock.

Somewhere in my back memory is a comment from someone that cat gut makes good strings, that the neighbors felines are always up for grabs for this purpose, but that it is unneighborly to take your neighbor's last cat.

Having shared houses with many cats over the years, I do not endorse the above.

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: astro
Date: 25 Nov 08 - 11:10 AM

Refresh - any help for Gregg?

(Gregg - also, check Banjo Hangout.)

~ Becky in L.A. this week

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST, Gitfiddlegregg
Date: 24 Nov 08 - 10:56 PM

Great to see this thread. I just happened to stumble across it after doing some searching regarding these banjos. I had an old banjo stored away in New Hampshire that recently came back south with me, and it sure looks like a Frank Proffitt. The skin is dated (1960)and signed on the back, but the years have obscured all but the last letters in the signature. A friend who was originally from the Chicago area gave it to me as a wall hanger many years ago. Maybe this thread is a sign that I should get this thing in playing shape. Anybody have any thoughts on someone to put a good authentic head on this instrument? I live in the Richmond, VA, area. Do I also recall a picture of Hobart Smith playing one of these?

Gregg

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: Art Thieme
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 12:52 PM

Besides the 3 CDs of Frank Sr. on his Folk Legacy Records, Sandy Paton also recorded Frank Proffitt's LP album on Folkways Records. It is still available as a CD, on Smithsonian-Folkways Records.)

Sandy Paton was also on the bill at that first University Of Chicago Folk Festival in '61. So were Fleming Brown, cowboy singer Bob Atcher from the WLS Barn Dance, and later, the mayor of Shaumburg, Illinois for 20 years.-- Plus the Stanley Brothers, Chicago bluesman-streetsinger Arvella Gray, and George and Gerry Armstrong.

Art

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: topical tom
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 11:14 AM

I first heard Frank Profitt's song "Going across the Mountains" played by Pete Seeger on a fretless banjo. A great song and sound.I think that it was on Pete's lp, "Dangerous Songs".

Subject: RE: Frank Proffitt banjos
From: GUEST,dulcimerjohn
Date: 22 Nov 08 - 08:21 AM

I always wanted one of Frank's dulcimers..me having 20 or so..