We just received a note from our friend Richard Hawkins, who operates The Bluegrass Ireland Blog, and also contributes to The European Bluegrass Blog. He wanted to let us know of the upcoming attempt to set the Guinness Book banjo speed record by Johnny Butten, a young British banjo picker. His record attempt is scheduled to occur on September 15 at the Cornish Bluegrass Association festival in Newquay, Cornwall.
That record is currently held by American banjoist Todd Taylor, and was set in January of 2007.
With just a tad of presumption, Richard lays down an intercontinental challenge.
“US pickers should prepare to defend the title (while bearing in mind the warnings in Brance’s Wednesday post on tendonitis).”
Could this be a threat to the vaunted special relationship between the US and the UK?