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30 Jan 16 - 01:14 AM (#3769253) Subject: Billy Faier From: GUEST,Mary Katherine Sans cookie Sorry to report that Billy Faier is spending his last days in the hospital (Big Bend Medical Center). Wishing him a gentle transition. |
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30 Jan 16 - 01:18 AM (#3769254) Subject: RE: Billy Faier From: GUEST,Mary Katherine Sans cookie Editing to add: that's Big Bend, Texas. |
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30 Jan 16 - 08:06 AM (#3769308) Subject: RE: Billy Faier - illness From: maeve What an interesting musician! Here are a couple of links for those who, like me, have the pleasure of learning about Billy. http://www.billyfaier.com/ Billy Faier playing "Prelude to Partita III" by J.S. Bach (poor sound, sorry) Billy Faier talks about Woody Guthrie and Rambling Jack Elliott Billy Faier at Joe's Cafe, June 25th 2015 accompanied by Wendy Lynn Wright https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Faier |
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30 Jan 16 - 08:44 AM (#3769319) Subject: RE: Billy Faier - illness From: maeve Quite a few Mudcat members and guests have made good music with Billy, so I hope there's time for them to send word to him and his family. |
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30 Jan 16 - 12:44 PM (#3769394) Subject: RE: Billy Faier - illness From: GUEST,Karen I have been Billy's caregiver for the past 2 months. I'm sad to say that Billy passed away Friday evening. He was not in any pain and left peacefully. I will be at a loss for a while. Godspeed Billy..we will miss you! |
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30 Jan 16 - 02:03 PM (#3769416) Subject: RE: Obit: Billy Faier - Jan 29, 2016 From: maeve Thank you for letting us know, Karen. Please accept our thanks for taking care of this special person. |
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30 Jan 16 - 09:08 PM (#3769494) Subject: RE: Obit: Billy Faier - Jan 29, 2016 From: GUEST,Karen Thank you. It was very much my honor and privilege. I promised him I would be with him to the very end..and I wouldn't have had it any other way. |
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30 Jan 16 - 09:50 PM (#3769497) Subject: RE: Obit: Billy Faier - Jan 29, 2016 From: Thomas Stern Sorry to hear of Billy Faier's passing - condolences to friends and family. I recall the controversy when the album THE BEAST OF BILLY FAIER was released (at the height of the repression of civil rights activism), with the statement that no copies would be sold to (I think) Mississippi. He recorded as primary artist or accompanist for numerous labels, including Riverside, Elektra, Folkways, ABC-Paramount, Takoma, Tradition. RIP Thomas. |
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31 Jan 16 - 11:34 AM (#3769645) Subject: RE: Obit: Billy Faier - Jan 29, 2016 From: Waddon Pete Check out Billy's website - you can get there easily from the Wikipedia entry highlighted by Maeve. What a revelation! I have added Billy to the "In Memoriam" thread. My condolences to all those who know and miss him. Peter |
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31 Jan 16 - 03:21 PM (#3769693) Subject: RE: Obit: Billy Faier - Jan 29, 2016 From: Mark Ross When last I visited Woodstock, maybe 15 years ago, I was walking down the main drag with my brother who lives in MT.Tremper nearby. And there was Billy seated, with his banjo, across the street, peacefully picking away. Sweet memory. Mark Ross |
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02 Feb 16 - 10:50 AM (#3770112) Subject: RE: Obit: Billy Faier - Jan 29, 2016 From: GUEST,Dick Weissman Billy was a complicated and interesting person. His banjo style was unique and unusual. At a time when the banjo world was divided into the bluegrass, clawhammer and Seeger-fan factions, each convinced that their way was the best way, Billy combined elements of classical banjo with traditional folk styles to go his own way. Billy put together an album called Banjos, Banjos and More Banjos, and was kind enough to include me, along with a young Eric Weissberg. Thanks to his kindness, i was able to record a long banjo piece, which Ken Goldstein, the producer had originally vetoed because he only wanted traditional tunes. Billy, in his typical way, told me to record it anyway, because Kenny would end up liking it! This basically was the start of my banjo career, such as it is. I've never forgotten his kindness, or the times listening to his music. The Art of the Five String Banjo, with Frank Hamilton on guitar, remains one of my favorite banjo albums. RIP, my friend. |
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18 Feb 16 - 01:25 PM (#3773601) Subject: Obit: Billy Faier Friday now deceased From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton Billy Faier, one of the legendary great banjo players died at 85. He was influential to many banjo players and developed the conjunct melody style of playing before Bill Keith. Billy was a creative musician and I was proud to be on his album for Riverside, The Art of the Five String Banjo. He extended the range of the banjo in diverse musical songs and styles very much in the way that Sandy Bull did. He should be remembered as one of the great exponents of the five-string and his arrangements of songs were truly unique. |