In a piece broadcast today (7/18) on the BBC 4 Americana podcast, banjo player and collector Jim Mills offers British listeners some insight into the history and development of our beloved 5 string banjo.
Jim takes the producers into his sanctum sanctorum, where he houses his enviable collection of pre war Gibson banjos. There he describes how he was first attracted to the banjo, and even plays a lick or two on the legendary Mack Crow and Posey Roach RB-75s. He also attempts to answer the oft-heard question: “What is so special about these pre war banjos?”
Have a listen on the BBC site. Click on the episode entitled Manufacturing in the US. Jim’s segment is towards the end of the episode.