On America’s birthday, a history:
The banjo is America’s instrument – born in struggle, forged in freedom, and ringing and twanging for 250 years. 🪕🇺🇸@MrWinMarshall delivers a beautiful tribute to the banjo on America’s 250th Independence Day: pic.twitter.com/66I6kBqJxn
— Melissa Chen (@MsMelChen) July 4, 2026
An excellent tribute from Winston Marshall.
Mumford & Sons tunes seem blah compared to how they sounded when Marshall was with them. Rushmere lacks a certain quality that was evident in their previous songs.
There is a social stigma associated with the banjo.
Story goes a musician parked his car in the sketchy part of down, leaving a banjo visible through the windows. Sure enough, his car got a window smashed in so when he returned, there was a second banjo.inside.
Why do people take an instant dislike to banjo players?
Saves time in the long run.
(Actually, I like banjo music.)
It took guitar lessons and learned to read music as a boy. One of my friends played the banjo (he had a 5-string). We didn’t know enough to successfully play together. I could play his banjo as if a 4-string tenor. There’s an instrument called a guitar banjo I always wanted to have. There’s a YouTube video of someone playing “Fur Elise” on one. My hands are too stiff from arthritis to play anymore.