Bio

Idyllic Times

October 7, 2019

In 1960, the BRC founder assembled a long neck 5-stringer from two damaged banjos procured at a fire sale. After visiting a Washington Square jam session in NYC and Izzy Young`s Folklore Center, he purchased his first store-bought banjo. Virtuoso musicians Eric Weissberg and Marshall Brickman, former classmates at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, released their iconic "New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass" album in 1963. This stunning compendium of 5-string classics was a brilliant and instructive symposium of 3 finger picking. As members of the Tarriers, a progressive urban folk music group, Weissberg and Brickman appeared at the `Potting Shed` near Tangelwood, MA, that summer.

The above gig photo appeared in a South American issue of LIFE magazine which was retrieved by the BRC founder`s brother while serving in the Peace Corps. Brickman is facing the camera, and Weissberg has his back to the lens. As a novel change of pace, they are playing the Luis Bonfa tune “Manha de Carnaval/One Note Samba” in a spirited guitar duet. The arrow points to a teenage BRC founder in Buddy Holly glasses and a neck tie. This youthful fan went on the next year to attend the Newport Folk Festival where Doc Watson, the Osborne Brothers, and the Kentucky Colonels performed. Nine years later, Weissberg won a Grammy Award for “Dueling Banjos.” He later autographed the above archival photo at a banjo camp. Brickman became a screenwriter and was co-recipient of an Oscar in 1977 for Best Original Screen Play for the movie “Annie Hall.” Fondly remembered, those were idyllic times.

G&F Singers

In Praise of Harmony

September 21, 2019

In the mid 1990`s, two ladies joined with the BRC founder as harmony singers to perform for the benefit of our Children`s Hospital. Tara and Pippa have entertained at the bedsides of hospitalized kids to the mutual enjoyment of visiting parents and siblings.

The musical twosome, both far right in the below photo, sang regularly at summer street parties for the Children`s Miracle Network.

At Holiday time, they dressed in red and performed seasonal favorites for in-patients on the psychiatry ward.

In the Spring, we have entertained at the “Safe Day Kids” indoor festival at the university field house. Can you pick-out Tara and Pippa in the below photo?

Tara is far left in the black hat, and Pippa is front row center with her fiddle. When performing, group vocal singing is the BRC founder`s favorite part of the music. Thank you ladies for decades of your joyful harmonious voicings.

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Art Shows

A Pilgrim on Gossamer Wings

September 7, 2019

For its autumn exhibition, the local art league challenged its membership to fashion works based on paintings and drawings crafted by youngsters in a project at a nearby elementary school.  The BRC founder selected an image from this artful collection that appeared to depict a grade school athlete nearing the finish line in a foot race.Angel (1)

The running  figure with outstretched arms reminded him of his youngest granddaughter who devotedly pursues fluttering butterflies in her quest to someday capture one of these elusive winged creatures of fragile beauty.IMG_0451

 

In retrospect, the theme of a butterfly 5-stringer was subliminally suggested to the BRC founder months earlier when he visited a zoo with grandkids and was photographed in his “banjo is best” t-shirt next to a boldly colored poster of a swallow-tailed species.IMG_1671

 

 

 

 

 

 

The incredible Monarch butterfly accomplishes a spectacular migration from North America to Central Mexico each autumn traveling 50-100 miles per day. On this yearly pilgrimage, these aerial travelers are mostly guided by the sun and internal photoreceptors. Because of environmental changes, the number of Monarchs is declining. Hopefully, these precious beauties will come under federal protection soon.

Grade-schoolers, parents, and teachers thronged the gala opening reception at the gallery to view the paintings, jewelry, stained glass and fiber works fashioned from the youngsters` inspirations. The curious kids were allowed to strum the “Chasing Butterflies” banjo while it was hand-held by the builder.

Jamming

The River Retreats Till?

August 17, 2019

The Missouri River flood of 1993 swallowed-up fertile crop fields, barns, houses, and towns. The BRC founder helped sandbag a levee around the Hitching Post saloon in Hartsburg to deflect the menacing flood waters surrounding the Sunday jam session venue. After Big Muddy later reluctantly returned to its banks, he wrote a tune “The Hitching Post Song” which became a wrap-up anthem for the jamming pickers and singers. The barkeep installed a poster behind the bar to celebrate preservation of the saloon and its weekly music session.bluegrass

A few years later, the jam session moved up river to a new locale in McBaine, as “Lucy`s” tavern was adjacent to the city water plant and perceived to be beyond the reach of potential river spill-over. The Flood of 2011, however, submerged Lucy`s under nearly 6 feet of Missouri River flood tide. When the tavern was refurbished and thereafter re-opened, the musicians were photographed near a window that bore a bath tub ring-mark at eye level documenting the previous height of the murky waters.  When cyclists from the nearby bike trail would stop-by for a soft drink and ask about the recent flood level, they were pointed to the stained window.judi,gary, guys@lucy`s

The springtime Flood of 2019 again swallowed-up large tracts of the Show-Me state. A few weeks ago, the Big Muddy finally shrunk below flood stage. Bluegrass jammers convened at a yogurt shop in our capital city located on a central thoroughfare aptly named High St. because the avenue is built on the bluffs safely above the Missouri River.IMG_2003

During the evening song fest, a listener passed-by and recognized the BRC founder from the 1990`s Hartsburg jam sessions and requested the Hitching Post Song from yesteryear. We sang:

Back in `93 the Flood came half through town/ But the sandbaggers turned the River `round/ God bless them all for this dry ground/ I’m riding home late from the Hitching Post tonight!

 

G&F Band

1995-2019=$25K

August 1, 2019

Twenty-four years ago, the BRC founder recruited a group of Bluegrass musicians to perform at an inaugural autumn Pumpkin Festival in a nearby farming village. All tips were donated to the local Children`s Hospital, and thus began what is now nearly a quarter century of jam sessions supporting the Children’s Miracle Network.

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Since then, the band has performed benefits at multiple venues in mid Missouri including saloons, street festivals, and gala dinners. On special holiday occasions, our vocal trio sings at the bedsides of hospitalized children. For the last decade, the `Gainor & Friends` pickers and singers have been graciously based at a family-friendly brewpub in our university town where we perform every Sunday for the brunch hour patrons. This last week, our total tip collections for the Children’s Hospital surpassed $25K in donations. 2

At the brewpub, curious children come up to the bandstand to study the musicians and dance to the upbeat music and song. The bandleader allows the youngsters to strum his banjo while smiling parents take photos and videos. The youngsters are then asked to raise their right hand and take the “Banjo Kid Pledge”  which is as follows: I promise to always do what my mom and dad say.UhBcORE4R8KjPt4dnuF7Sg_thumb_13846

 

Parents beam and the music goes on. Lucky us- what could be more fun on a Sunday afternoon?