Diamond Joe, in this song, is a riverboat.  Later, a different Diamond Joe was recorded by Mike Seeger and the New Lost City Ramblers in the sixties ,  and recently made  popular by Bob Dylan.  Diamond Joe was a person in that song.
This version was sung by Big Charlie Butler ( convict # 1033 ), and recorded in 1927 by Alan Lomax, at the Parchement Work Farm, Louisianna State Penitentiary.  Talk about paying your dues!
Back in the day, a man named Joe Renolds had a line of riverboats with a big diamond painted on the bow. He liked to be called Diamond Joe.

I'm playing the Bowlin  1867fretless banjo,

DiamondJoe ( Dan Gellert's version )

This is a true story, and that is a picture of Frankie.
This tune isn't normally associated with a banjo. This is played on my Bowlin fretless banjo in open C tuning, but down a couple steps to the key of ...something. I don't know much music theory, but the banjo does, and its been a' tryin to learn me.

Frankie and Albert

An original song,  kind of.  I wrote lyrics to an old instrumental tune, Spanish Fandango  .
Playing a 1927 Vega Tubaphone .

Feels Like Dancin

A Mark Knopfler song about the controversial boxer, Sonny Liston, unfortunately , remembered mainly for taking a dive in the 1964 fight against Cassuis Clay, later to become Mohammad Ali.
 I listened to that fight on the radio with my father. 
 Not a banjo type song - I'd play it on a guitar, if I had a guitar, and could play one.


Song For Sonny Liston

An old time standard, written by Stephen Foster {  1826-1864 }.
He also wrote Oh Susannah, Camptown Races, Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair, and may others.

Dennis Robinson  -  fiddle, vocals. oldtimeyness
Smilin Peter Gale  - guitar
Forrest Rand         - banjo

Angelina Baker

This is an original tune, taken from a recording of a practice session.  
  Dennis Robinson -  fiddle
  Peter Gale            -  guitar
  Forrest Rand        -  banjo, vocals
    
Timberframer's Dance written by F.Rand

 I have been designing, cutting, and raising timber frames since 1988 , with no plans to stop anytime soon. The lyrics just tumbled out.  I had to leave out several verses .



The Timberframer's Dance

Old tune played on the fretless minstrel banjo

West Virginia Girls

Another variation of Cluck Old Hen -  on a fretless banjo

Old Hen Blues

This is a collection of banjo tunes/songs.  Some friends are accompanying me on some of the tunes. I often leave my little recorder running when I play, and I play mainly for relaxing / stress relief. Its always running when I am learning new tunes.
Nearly all of these tunes are snippets taken from memory cards.
I am simply exploring my interest in old time banjos, the tunes that were played on them, and history of those tunes , which are surprisingly interesting. 
The banjos are interesting as well. The one in the profile avatar is an Acme Professional, made by a popular manufacturer, exclusively for the Sears Catalogue. This particular one was featured in the 1906 catalogue. I bought it on EBay for $200.

All but one of the banjos played on here have skin heads, two are fretless, and all have Nylgut strings.
You are welcome to share my addiction.
F. Rand






Gutstring Forrest

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