We have posted previously about the blogging efforts of noted banjo player and author, Butch Robins. His descriptions of his travels in Australia were the focus of most of the blog entries of late, but Butch also recorded impressions of his time at the recent IBMA convention in Nashville on his main news page, though told second hand through his webmaster.
Butch has just posted some exclusive video on the site, in which he discusses, describes and then plays his versions of two noted fiddle tunes, Sally Goodin and Grey Eagle. He uses this opportunity to discuss how Bill Monroe approached playing traditional fiddle music, and how much Butch learned from him during his tenure as a Bluegrass Boy. Butch also recalls the impact that Bill Keith had on the bluegrass and banjo scene when he introduced the melodic, or fiddle tune style, to a larger audience with Bill Monroe in the 1960s.
Both of these tunes are ones that Butch recorded 30 years ago on the recently re-released Forty Years late on Rounder Records, and are performed largely in that melodic style, influenced by the aforementioned approach that Bill Monroe would take. The video is in the QuickTime format and runs approximately 8 minutes.
There are other video clips and a number of photo archives available on the site as well.
