Since 1977, Stacy Samuels has walked around A’s and 49ers games wearing his iconic green cape and propeller hat while playing banjo – even meeting Joe Montana directly!
Folk music, according to Conor, serves as a bridge between individuals with diverse stories, beliefs and passions; all united by their love for banjo music.
Todd Taylor
Todd Taylor is an American banjo player who has made waves as one of the best banjo players worldwide. With an exceptional blend of bluegrass and rock influences in his playing style, he has amassed a huge fan base worldwide and is widely considered one of the finest banjo players today. On his latest album titled “Banjo on Fire”, Todd performs a rock version of Chuck Berry classic Johnny Be Goode for which his reputation continues to soar.
The banjo is a stringed instrument best associated with Bluegrass music, though it’s used in rock, country and other styles as well. Other styles it is played include Dixieland jazz, Caribbean genres such as biguine and calypso as well as folk. Since the early 20th century it was often featured as part of minstrel shows or other popular entertainment acts – currently most modern banjos feature five strings although four string models may also exist.
Pete Seeger was an internationally renowned folk singer known for his five-string banjo skills. He inspired thousands of people to pick up this instrument and pioneered new techniques of playing it, leading him to author a 1948 method book to teach people to play the instrument.
Some modern banjos feature a shorter fifth string than the others, creating challenges for players unfamiliar with its tuning system. A shorter fifth string requires a different tuning peg to accommodate it; this can make chord changes difficult at times. There are various solutions available to alleviate this issue such as model railroad spikes or titanium capos installed beneath the fifth fret and under which all strings are hooked together.
As well as the traditional five-string banjo, many musicians have developed hybrid instruments combining banjo bodies with other stringed instruments. Examples include the banjo mandolin (first patented in 1882 and popularized by English comedian George Formby) and banjo ukulele. Many of these hybrid instruments were intended to allow other stringed instruments players to jump onto the banjo bandwagon when its popularity peaked or provide natural amplification before electric amplification became widely available.
Bela Fleck
Bela Fleck is one of the most versatile and inventive banjo players ever to take up the instrument. Born in New York City in 1958, he began studying the banjo at fifteen under the influence of Flatt & Scruggs and The Beverly Hillbillies theme song. Graduating from High School of Music and Art in New York City, Bela developed his skills further by adapting jazz music for banjo performance as well as experimenting with various sounds – while listening to various forms of classical and rock music alike.
Fleck initially moved to Boston and formed Tasty Licks as a bluegrass group, recording two albums before they split apart and moved to Lexington where he founded Spectrum alongside bassist Mark Schatz and guitarist Glen Lawson; Spectrum released several albums before disbanding, leading him to join New Grass Revival later that same year.
Fleck was known for experimenting with various musical genres during his years with the band, working with cellist Edgar Meyer and Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain among other musicians. Additionally, he released classical album Perpetual Motion featuring interpretations of works by Bach and Beethoven; moreover his work with his group progressed toward more progressive territory as they appeared at premier bluegrass festival Merlefest 2003.
Fleck, since his departure from the Flecktones, has explored new genres with help from an eclectic group of musicians. Renowned banjoist and talented composer, multi-instrumentalist Fleck has received numerous awards and accolades for his musical prowess; his contributions have revolutionized banjo playing as well as helped shape progressive music by merging different musical styles together.
My Bluegrass Heart was his latest project and double album featuring solo and ensemble performances by top musicians including Sierra Hull on mandolin and vocals, Michael Cleveland on fiddle, Bryan Sutton on acoustic guitar and dobro, and bassist Mark Schatz – as well as classic Bach pieces in their arrangements! The project features both traditional and contemporary songs as well as renditions.
Stacy Samuels
The banjo was once an integral component of African-American folk music and rural rural folk culture. A fiddle became an instrument of choice in home parlour entertainment and college music clubs during the early 20th century, and is most associated with bluegrass and old-time music styles; however, some jazz genres (such as ragtime and Dixieland) also utilize fiddles extensively. Banjos are integral elements of Caribbean genres such as biguine and calypso music. A plucked stringed instrument with a fingerboard, metal head, tuning peg and wooden or metal rim (more common on older instruments). A banjo requires both hands for playing, with one holding onto its peg while picking its strings with either plectrum or thumb pick. Traditionally animal skin was used to cover its head; modern banjos may utilize synthetic materials.
Tuning an instrument takes many different forms, and different tunings are used for specific genres of music. For instance, “double-D” tuning is often employed when accompanying fiddle tunes in key of D, while open A tuning may be preferred for tunes in key of A. Additionally, dozens of other tunings exist and musicians often employ them in order to facilitate playing specific types of tunes more easily.
Stacy Samuels has become famous for his performances at Oakland A’s games as a banjo player. An A’s fan since he was eight, Samuels wears both an Oakland A’s cap and propeller beanie cap when playing his banjo and can often be found cheering and singing along during games – often singing the national anthem before games begins!
He has performed at the Coliseum for 29 years and does not like the Giants new ballpark as it makes watching games difficult. He is a unique bay area sports fan who stands out as being legendary.
Samuels is not only a banjo player; she’s also an acclaimed Berkeley entrepreneur who owns Interstellar Propeller, a company which makes beanie caps. Samuels has created over 1.5 million beanies so far – earning enough income to put four children through college!
Neal James
Neal James was known as “Banjo Man” on Animal Planet reality show The Call of the Wildman and worked as Ernie Brown Jr’s sidekick; together they ran a nuisance animal removal business in Kentucky that caught and released animals around people’s homes. Additionally, James was active within his community by volunteering at Isaiah House in Willisburg to help recovering addicts find recovery services.
James was a skilled banjo player and bluegrass enthusiast from Kentucky who struggled with heart issues, becoming a beloved figure on the show and having a large following. A Christian, James often posted encouraging messages on his Facebook page; shortly before his passing he shared that he had seen another side and it was beautiful.
He thanked friends and family members in a video message for their love and support, while acknowledging a heart attack had disrupted his health. After being hospitalized, he told his fans about “seeing the other side and it being beautiful,” not being afraid of death, thanking everyone for all the love shown toward him from everyone in their community.
James was both an accomplished musician and avid hockey enthusiast, serving on both Edmonton Oilers and other ECHL teams during his playing days. Hockey was deeply embedded into James’ family life; Michael served as goaltender for Indy Fuel while Peter and Nicholas each held professional ice hockey player titles with Coburg Cougars and Whitby Furies respectively.
Neal James was an amazing, giving man who always made time for others in need. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Christmas Wish program events, even attending one to play banjo and sing for children at an event last summer – truly an exceptional guy that will be sorely missed by many.