Some people chase their dreams. Some their tail.
Ben chases smoke. Not just any smoke, mind you, when your grass is BLUE…the smoke you chase can’t be inhaled. However, it’s fair to say it’s as addicting as other smoke. This banjo player chases the ‘prewar sound’ type smoke. For all you non-banjo players, that would be the ‘sound’ that a 1933 Gibson banjo makes.
I know what you’re thinking. Oh, yeah, THAT sound. Yeah, right. I wish it were THAT easy.
The problem with sound is, it sounds different to each ear. And God gave us two. Each. Damn it. Is it any wonder T calls it smoke.
We chased this ‘smoke’ from Kansas, to Georgia, through South Carolina to Warren Yate’s banjo shop somewhere in North Carolina, (near Hickory), to Merlefest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina and back. Whew!
This is Ben Smoke, as he is called now, pick purse in hand, riding in a 37 foot RV, bound for Warren Yate’s banjo shop.
These are our good friends, T (the tour guide) and Ann (a model wife, mother, friend). Good people, who graciously invited us on this smoke chasing tour.
If you need one of them real good times, fly across country, climb in an RV with some good people and chase whatever kind of smoke is your smoke…There is no telling what will happen.
When we got to Warren’s house we discovered his driveway was 35 foot. If you ever lay awake at night wondering how a 37 foot RV would fit into a 35 foot driveway…
The answer is, pretty good. However, you may have to replace some divots, as Ben called them, and direct traffic when you pull out, but if you hold your mouth right, it fits.
Warren Yates, the maker of the Yates banjo, was quite a host. He loves to talk banjos, play banjos, smell banjos, feel banjo, croon on banjos, well, anything you can do with a banjo, this guy loves. It’s fun to watch people waller around in their passion, and Warren does it well.
Like a pusher with the goods… here he is tuning up smokey.
He had a couple of new banjos to show us, both were Ron Stewart models, and distressed (made to look like 1933 banjos look now) with differences in sound smoke. He used a bunch of adjectives describing the difference. (Banjo players love adjectives.) My eye just glossed over at this point. So, I just smiled, nodded and took a few pictures of Ben chasin’ smoke.
We chased and picked and picked and chased. After a little while we figured out how Warren gets them banjo’s to look distressed.
That’s simple. I like simple.
Warren makes other instruments too, the guitar and washtub bass were also crafted by him.
Like a hound dog on a trail…
Ben smelled smoke, and was fixing on inhaling deeply.
It gives a new meaning to HIGH lonesome sound, doesn’t it?
His other woman is even feeling the strain.
Believe it or not, we call this vacation.
Welcome to my world.
Sandhill Sis
Tags: banjo, bluegrass, Bluegrass Music, gibson banjo, Merlefest, prewar banjo, prewar sound, smoke, yates banjo
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