Pictures from Dalton Brill’s Memorial Pickin’

For those of you who couldn't come to Dalton's service, but who wanted to, here are some pictures from the memorial pickin' we had at the shop the afternoon after the funeral. Dalton Brill's barber pole. Picking in the shop. L-R: Murphy's student Logan on banjo (you've read about him in previous blog posts), Murphy…

Watch and Listen

I recently agreed to play a charity fundraiser with some friends, Charlie and Charlotte and their Sweetwater String Band. I've have played quite mandolin on a few gigs with Charlie and Charlotte over the years, but for this show, since one or two of their regular pickers weren't available, they needed to include a couple…

On The Road: Why Winchester

[This is my Banjo Newsletter column from May 1986. It did not, in fact, make it into my book. Guess there wasn’t enough about banjo playing in it! I reprint it here to share with you my first glimpse of Dalton Brill’s Barber Shop where I’ve taught for the last 22 years.] Well, folks, greetings…

Banjo Newsletter 35th Anniversary Issue

We'd like to bring your attention to the November issue of Banjo Newsletter magazine. It is the 35th Anniversary issue, celebrating continuous publication since the first issue in November 1973. It features all sorts of history and reminiscences about the magazine, including a tab from the very first issue, and many tributes to founder Hub…

The Misfits at Dalton’s Shop

As you saw on our November 3rd Blog, my good friend and banjo-playing buddy Dalton Brill died on October 29. I've been teaching at Dalton's combination Barber Shop and Musician's Shop since we moved to Winchester in 1986. As I told the folks at Dalton's funeral, our friend David McLaughlin had been instrumental (no pun…

Scales

On Monday we received this question from a student: At least with what DVDs I have of yours I don't recall seeing or hearing anything about learning scales on the banjo. Could you maybe post about scales on your Daily Blog? Thanks!! This student is correct in that we don't teach scales on any of…

Performing in Florida

Hello, Folks---Today I just thought you'd like to see a couple of video clips from a 1989 performance by Red and Murphy & Co. We were performing on stage at the Spirit of the Suwanee festival, in north Florida, along with our friends Karen Spence, Tuck Tucker and George Custer: First, you'll see us singing…

In Memory of Dalton Brill

Dalton Brill - April 10, 1935-October 29, 2008 Read the Winchester Star article on Dalton from October 31, 2008. Brill's Barbershop is where Murphy's Misfits originated. Murphy's current group of Misfits at their jam on November 1st, 2008: Photos by Ellen Zimmerman.