Interview with Allen Shelton, August 23, 2005

Partial Transcript: Hi, I'm Eddie Stubbs.

Segment Synopsis: Allen Shelton is introduced. He describes his childhood in Reidsville, North Carolina. He talks about his father's musical abilities and about learning to play the banjo at the same time that his father was learning. He talks about their different styles of playing. He talks about the first banjo they owned and the first banjo he bought himself.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjo rolls; Banjos; Bill Monroe (Artist); Breaking; Broken; Cedric Rainwater (stage name of Howard Watts) (Artist); Clawhammer banjo style; Concerts; Don Reno (Artist); Drop thumb banjo style; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Farming; Fathers; Five-string banjos; Flatt, Lester (Artist); Gibson Mastertone banjos; Gibson RB-150 Banjo; Gigs; Grand Ole Opry (Radio program); Guitar players; Guitars; Heroes; Income; Influences; Influential; Inspiration; Jukeboxes; Learning to play; Lester Flatt (Artist); Life-changing experiences; Loud; Mandolin players; Mandolins; Monroe, Bill (Artist); Musical styles; Playing music; Rainwater, Cedric (stage name of Howard Watts) (Artist); Raised head; Records; Reidsville (N.C.); Reno, Don (Artist); Repairs; Scruggs style (banjo); Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Shows; Sound; Square dances; Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys, the (Artist); Style; Teaching; Techniques; The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Mountain Boys (Artist); Three ­finger banjo style; Three­finger banjo style

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Childhood; Families.; Music icons; Music--Instruction and study.; Music--Performance.; Musical ability in children.; Musical families; Musical instruments.; Musical performance; Practicing (Music); Radio programs.

Partial Transcript: Now you mentioned about Jim Eanes.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about how he came to work for Jim Eanes. He talks about their radio shows, performing at square dances, and other performances.

Keywords: 'Hot poker'; 1952; Arnold Terry (Artist); Band members; Concerts; Dance steps; Danville (Va.); Distance; Eanes, Jim (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; First bands; Gigs; Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jobs; Payment; Popularity; Radio shows; Roy Russell (Artist); Russell, Roy (Artist); Salary; Shows; Singing; Smilin' Jim and His Boys (Artist); Square dances; Terry, Arnold (Artist); Touring; Tours; Travel; WBTM (Radio station); Wages

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.

Partial Transcript: Then, the next job came with Mac Wiseman, am I right--

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about how he came to work for Mac Wiseman. He talks about their work on the Old Dominion Barn Dance. He tells a story about breaking his banjo head right before coming to Richmond, Virginia to work for Wiseman. He talks about the struggle in those days of keeping banjo heads from breaking. He talks about traveling and touring with Wiseman and tells humorous stories about the other band members. He talks about recording with the band.

Keywords: "Chubby Collier and the Country Boys"; Band members; Banjo heads; Banjo players; Banjos; Breaking; Breaks; Broken; Cars; Chubby Collier (Artist); Collier, Chubby (Artist); Cost; Driving; Eanes, Jim (Artist); Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Hotels; Jackson, Tommy (Artist); Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Williams (Artist); Mac Wiseman (Artist); Mandolin players; Mandolins; Music stores; Old Dominion Barn Dance (Radio program); Payment; Popularity; Precautions; Problems; Questions; Repairs; Richmond (Va.); Runs; Salary; Songs; Tommy Jackson (Artist); Touring; Tours; Travel; WRVA (Radio station); Wages; Williams, Jim (Artist); Wiseman, Mac (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: So you left Mac after six months' time.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about how he came to work for Hack Johnson. He talks about the other members of the band, their radio shows, and their performances, including shows at churches. He talks about the albums he recorded with the band, and talks specifically about the musical arrangements on those songs. He talks about the banjo he played at the time and talks more about the problems of breaking banjo heads. He talks about why Hack Johnson was fired from the band and how the radio station kept the rest of the band, which was then renamed The Farmhands.

Keywords: Albums; Alcoholism; Banjo heads; Breaking; Broken; Capps, Jimmy (Artist); Chords; Churches; Colonial Records; Concerts; Crazy Banjo Medley (Song); Curly Howard (Artist); Distance; Drinking; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Emcees; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Gibson RB-100 banjo; Gigs; Gone Home (Song); Gospel music; Guitar players; Guitarists; Guitars; Hack Johnson & His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson & the Tennesseans; Hack Johnson And His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson and the Tennesseans; Home Sweet Home (Song); Howard, Curly (Artist); Jimmy Capps (Artist); Joe Phillips (Artist); Payment; Personal appearances; Phillips, Joe (Artist); Plastic heads; Problems; Quartets; Radio shows; Raleigh (N.C.); Religion; Repairs; Roy Russell (Artist); Russell, Roy (Artist); Salary; Scruggs style (banjo); Scruggs tuners; Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Shows; Singing; Song arrangements; Swanee River (Song); The Farmhands (Artist); Touring; Tours; Travel; WPTF (Radio stations); WRVA (Radio station); Wages; You Don't Have To Be From The Country (Song)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Okay, so The Farmhands get going there.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about forming the band The Farmhands with the remaining members of Hack Johnson and the Tennesseans after Johnson was fired from the band.

Keywords: Band members; Curly Howard (Artist); Fired; Hack Johnson & His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson & the Tennesseans; Hack Johnson And His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson and the Tennesseans; Howard, Curly (Artist); Joe Phillips (Artist); Payment; Phillips, Joe (Artist); Roy Russell (Artist); Russell, Roy (Artist); Salary; Singing; The Farmhands (Artist); Wages

Subjects: Bands (Music); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.

Partial Transcript: In that period of time, that Hack Johnson period, that was a very important time in your playing...

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks more about learning to play the banjo and the artists who inspired him and who he tried to emulate. He talks specifically about Don Reno and Earl Scruggs. He talks about helping Josh Graves learn some of Scruggs' songs before Graves went to work for Scruggs. He talks about the period between Hack Johnson's band and the formation of The Farmhands. He talks about playing in a 'dance band' and playing pop tunes.

Keywords: Country bands; Curly Howard (Artist); Don Reno (Artist); Drye, Homer Briarhopper (Artist); Eanes, Jim (Artist); Earl Scruggs (Artist); Fired; Flatt & Scruggs (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Graves, Uncle Josh Burkett “Buck” (Artist); Hack Johnson & His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson & the Tennesseans; Hack Johnson (Artist); Hack Johnson And His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson and the Tennesseans; Heroes; Homer Briarhopper Drye (Artist); Howard, Curly (Artist); Influences; Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Johnson, Hack (Artist); Learning to play; Musical styles; Old Dominion Barn Dance (Radio program); Pop songs; Pop tunes; Practice; Practicing (Music); Reno & Smiley (Artist); Reno and Smiley (Artist); Reno, Don (Artist); Roy Russell (Artist); Russell, Roy (Artist); Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Song arrangements; Songs; Sound; The Farmhands (Artist); Uncle Josh Burkett “Buck” Graves (Artist); Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper (Artist); Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Well, we've talking about Jim Eanes.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about returning to work for Jim Eanes after leaving The Farmhands. He talks about their radio shows, and names the extra musicians who would play with them at square dances. He talks about how playing at those dances kept them well-rehearsed.

Keywords: Arnold Terry (Artist); Callers; Concerts; DJs; Deejays; Disc jockeys; Eanes, Jim (Artist); Gigs; Hack Johnson & His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson & the Tennesseans; Hack Johnson (Artist); Hack Johnson And His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson and the Tennesseans; Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Johnson, Hack (Artist); Lula Mabes (Artist); Mabes, Lula (Artist); Payment; Piano players; Practice; Practicing (Music); Radio shows; Rhythm; Roy Russell (Artist); Russell, Roy (Artist); Salary; Sets; Shows; Songs; Songwriting; Square dances; Terry, Arnold (Artist); Touring; Tours; Travel; VFW Halls; Venues; WHEE (Radio station); Wages

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Now you had a pedal attachment on your banjo.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about being inspired by the pedal steel guitar to create a similar device for the banjo. He talks about the difficulties he discovered in using the device.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Breaking strings; Chords; Inventors; No Need To Be Lonely ‎(Song); Pedal banjo; Pedal steel guitars; Slow songs; Sound; Steel guitars; Tuners; Tuning

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical instrument makers.; Musical instruments.; Musical inventions and patents.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: "Bending the Strings" was another tune that came out in that period.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about some of the songs he write himself. He talks about the albums he recorded with Jim Eanes while he was with the band. He talks about specific songs, their arrangements, and songwriting. He talks about the other members of the band and their talent.

Keywords: Arnold Terry (Artist); Banjo players; Banjos; Bending the Strings (Song); Blue Ridge Records; Breaks; Burrows, Frank (Artist); Cliff Ragsdale (Artist); Cub McGee (Artist); DJs; Death; Deejays; Disc jockeys; Don Owens (Artist); Eanes, Jim (Artist); Emery, Ralph; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Frank Burrows (Artist); Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Lady of Spain (Song); Leads; McGee, Cub (Artist); Mentors; Owens, Don (Artist); Popularity; Quartets; Ragsdale, Cliff (Artist); Raleigh (N.C.); Ralph Emery; Recording sessions; Roy Russell (Artist); Russell, Roy (Artist); Singing; Song arrangements; Songs; Songwriting; Starday Records; Terry, Arnold (Artist); Washington (D.C.)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: I wanted to mention, when you were working with Jim Eanes--'cause I want to talk about Jim and Jesse...

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about Don Reno covering some of his songs, but playing them in his own style. He talks about being friendly enough with Reno that Reno once gave him a haircut.

Keywords: Barbers; Cover songs; Covers; Don Reno (Artist); Eanes, Jim (Artist); Haircuts; Home Sweet Home (Song); Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Lady of Spain (Song); Musical styles; Overdubbed; Reno & Smiley (Artist); Reno and Smiley (Artist); Reno, Don (Artist); Songs; Sound; Style; Television shows; Tuners; Under the Double Eagle (Song)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: How did the job come about with Jim and Jesse?

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about how he came to work for Jim and Jesse. He talks about the other members of the band, their albums, and their song arrangements. He talks about traveling to various radio and television studios for tapings and live performances.

[This segment ends abruptly.]

Keywords: Alabama; Albany (Ga.); Bobby Thompson (Artist); Distribution; Eanes, Jim (Artist); Florida; Home Sweet Home (Song); Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Job offers; Jobs; Leaving; Log Cabin In The Lane (Song); Music stores; Payment; Record stores; Salary; Singing; Song arrangements; Starday Records; Television shows; Thompson, Bobby (Artist); Valdosta (Ga.); Wages

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: While we were changing tapes we, we thought about a couple of things we wanted to touch base on...

Segment Synopsis: Shelton describes the banjo he had at that time and how he came to own it through a trade with a friend.

Keywords: Alan Ferguson; Banjo players; Banjos; Eanes, Jim (Artist); Ferguson, Alan; Gibson Archtop banjos; Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Pedal banjo; Pedals; Scruggs tuners; Trades

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical instruments.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Another thing we want to touch base on was the fact that you played banjo on a pretty popular record...

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about a truck driver named Lonnie Irving who came to him when he was with Jim Eanes' band and asked if they would help him with his dying wish of recording an album. He talks about also playing on an Arnold Terry record. He talks about other musicians, like George Jones, who came in to play with Eanes on his radio show. He tells a humorous story about Bill Anderson.

Keywords: Anderson, Bill (Artist); Arnold Terry (Artist); Bill Anderson (Artist); Concerts; Dreams; Eanes, Jim (Artist); George Jones (Artist); Gigs; Irving, Lonnie (Artist); Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jones, George (Artist); Jukeboxes; Leukemia; Lonnie Irving (Artist); Mark of Cain (Song); Musical styles; Perfect pitch; Pinball Machine (Album); Pinball Machine (Song); Shows; Sound; Square dances; Starday Records; Style; Terry, Arnold (Artist); WHEE (Radio station)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: So coming forward, you mentioned about, uh, you had gone to work with Jim and Jesse.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks more about working with Jim & Jesse. He talks about the transition from radio shows to television shows. He talks about their song arrangements, traveling to perform, and their sponsorship by Martha White.

Keywords: 1960; Air conditioning; Alabama; Albany (Ga.); Audiences; Audio; Banjo heads; Banjo players; Banjos; Buses; Clements, Vassar (Artist); Concerts; Coupons; Crowds; DJs; David Sullivan (Artist); Deejays; Disc jockeys; Distance; Don McCann (Artist); Driving; Fiddle players; Fiddlers; Fiddles; Flour; Gigs; Jackson (Miss.); Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Live television; Martha White; McCann, Don (Artist); Microphones; Pensacola (Fla.); Plastic heads; Radio shows; Reno & Smiley (Artist); Reno and Smiley (Artist); Schools; Shows; Singing; Songs; Sponsorships; Sullivan, David (Artist); Taping; Television programs; Television shows; Transitions; Travel; Trios; Vassar Clements (Artist); WBAM (Radio station); WSM (Radio station)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: I know that, uh--I was looking through some stuff and I think the first session you did with Jim and Jesse...

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about being with Jim & Jesse when they recorded the Columbia Artists record with other famous musicians. He talks about being scared every time they played the Grand Ole Opry. He talks about playing an all-day Bluegrass event arranged by Bill Clifton, as well as the Newport Folk Festival. He talks about race relations in the sixties and how someone threw a rock at their bus, presumably because they were from Alabama and sponsored by Martha White. He talks about the differences between crowds in the North and South.

Keywords: 1960s; Alabama; All-day Bluegrass events; Audiences; Bill Clifton (Artist); Bill Monroe (Artist); Civil rights movement; Clifton, Bill (Artist); Columbia Artists; Columbia Records; Crowds; Del McCoury (Artist); Differences; Electricity; Extension cords; Grand Ole Opry (Radio program); Martha White; McCoury, Del (Artist); Monroe, Bill (Artist); Nashville (Tenn.); New York City (N.Y.); Newport Folk Festival; Northeast; Northern; Note-taking; Oak Leaf Park; Power; Race issues; Race relations; Reactions; Recorders; Scared; Sixties; Southern; Unknown

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.; Radio stations.; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: What was it like working for Jim and Jesse?

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about what it was like working for Jim and Jesse. He talks about song arrangements with Jim & Jesse and whether they rehearsed before recording. He talks about his relationships with the other band members. He talks about specific albums they recorded, including the turbulence caused when both Jim & Jesse and Flatt & Scruggs released Chuck Berry cover albums at the same time.

Keywords: Album releases; Albums; Berry Pickin' In The Country (Album); Bluegrass Classics (Album); Bobby Thompson (Artist); Breaks; Brock, Jim (Artist); Buchanan, Jimmy (Artist); Clawhammer banjo style; Clements, Vassar (Artist); Columbia Records; Epic Records; Flatt & Scruggs (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim Brock (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jimmy Buchanan (Artist); Martha White; Memphis (Song); Musical styles; Practice; Practicing (Music); Radio shows; Rehearsal; Relationships; Sing Unto Him A New Song (Album); Song arrangements; Songs; Sound; Style; The Old Country Church (Album); Thompson, Bobby (Artist); Vassar Clements (Artist); Vega banjos; Y'all Come! Bluegrass Humor With Jim & Jesse And The Virginia Boys (Album)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: Of course you were with them when they became members of the Grand Ole Opry.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about when Jim & Jesse became permanent members of the Grand Ole Opry and moved the band to Nashville to perform weekly on the show. He talks about continuing to tour once they moved to Nashville.

Keywords: 1964; Banjo picks; Banjo players; Banjos; Bluegrass festivals; Booking; Distance; Grand Ole Opry (Radio program); Guests; Members; Moving; Music lessons; Nashville (Tenn.); Radio shows; Teaching; Television programs; Television shows; Touring; Tours; Travel

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Radio programs.

Partial Transcript: Now, I know you left Jim and Jesse about, uh, 1966, am I right on that?

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about why he left the band when their television show became syndicated. He talks about the jobs he worked after retiring from music. He talks about playing dobro in a country band for fun. He talks about retiring from his non-musical career and becoming the bus driver for Jim & Jesse, eventually working his way back into playing in the band. He talks about some of the solo albums he recorded at that time, as well as the albums he recorded with Jim & Jesse.

Keywords: 1966; Banjo players; Banjos; Bus drivers; Buses; Country bands; Day jobs; Dobro players; Dobros; DuPont; Eddie Stubbs (Artist); Featured players; Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Leaving; Lebanon (Tenn.); Madison (Tenn.); New Orleans (La.); Payment; Pipe fitters; Quitting; Retirement; Retiring; Returning; Salary; Sessions; Stubbs, Eddie (Artist); Television programs; Television shows; Television syndication; Tennessee; The Dixie Revelers (Artist); Wages; Welders

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: Which brings up another point.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about some of his non-Bluegrass influences, including Les Paul and Karen Carpenter.

[This segment ends abruptly.]

Keywords: Buddy Emmons (Artist); Carpenter, Karen (Artist); Commercial country music; Emmons, Buddy (Artist); Influences; Jazz music; Jazz songs; Karen Carpenter (Artist); Les Paul (Artist); Melody; Paul, Les (Artist); Pedal steel guitars; Pop music; Pop songs; Songs

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music icons; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Musicians

Partial Transcript: Where were we before we stopped?

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about two of his songs that were featured on film soundtracks.

Keywords: Bending the Strings (Song); Films; For Richer or Poorer (Motion picture); Louisiana; Movies; Soundtracks; The Dixie Revelers (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Motion pictures

Partial Transcript: You were saying something else that was kind of neat off camera, too...

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about being offered a job by Lester Flatt after the breakup of Flatt & Scruggs, and discusses why he turned the job down. He talks about Earl Scruggs as a hero and tells a story about the closest he ever got to playing with Scruggs.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Earl Scruggs (Artist); Flatt & Scruggs (Artist); Flatt and Scruggs (Artist); Flatt, Lester (Artist); Graves, Uncle Josh Burkett “Buck” (Artist); Heroes; Influences; Jam sessions; Jamming; Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Job offers; Jobs; Lester Flatt (Artist); Payment; Playing music; Salary; Scruggs, Earl (Artist); Uncle Josh Burkett “Buck” Graves (Artist); Wages

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: I know what I wanted to ask you.

Segment Synopsis: Shelton describes his style of taking breaks on the banjo, his style of playing the melody, and his philosophy about accompanying singers.

Keywords: Accompaniment; Backup; Breaks; Breaks, musical; Complementary; Jesse McReynolds (Artist); Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); McReynolds, Jesse (Artist); Melody; Riffs; Singers; Song arrangements; Taste; Teaching

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance

Partial Transcript: I know you came back to work with Jim and Jesse and you worked for them--started out as, we mentioned on the, uh--as the bus driver...

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about mostly retiring from the music business, except for shows whenever he feels like performing. He talks about what he sees for his future in music.

Keywords: Admiration; Age; Camping; Fishing; Future; Hands; Herschel Sizemore (Artist); Instruction; Jesse McReynolds (Artist); Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jobs; Leaving; McReynolds, Jesse (Artist); Practice; Practicing (Music); Quitting; Rehearsal; Rehearsing; Retirement; Retiring; Sizemore, Herschel (Artist); Speed; Teaching; Workshops

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing

Partial Transcript: While I'm talking about banjos and kind of things about, uh, the instrument and learning...

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about his current banjo, a Gibson Granada, which he got to keep after retiring.

Keywords: Banjo players; Banjos; Breaking; Changing; Gibson RB-250 "Bow Tie" Banjo; Grand Ole Opry (Radio program); Sound; Square dances; Strings

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Music--Performance.; Musical instruments.; Musical performance; Radio programs.

Partial Transcript: Well--(Shelton laughs)--is there anything that you'd like to add or cover that we may not have done?

Segment Synopsis: Shelton talks about how he would like to be remembered. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: "Be there"; Careers; Don Reno (Artist); Eanes, Jim (Artist); Hack Johnson & His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson & the Tennesseans; Hack Johnson (Artist); Hack Johnson And His Tennesseans; Hack Johnson and the Tennesseans; History; Influences; Jim & Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes & The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim Eanes (Artist); Jim Eanes and The Shenandoah Valley Boys (Artist); Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys (Artist); Johnson, Hack (Artist); Legacies; Legacy; Mac Wiseman (Artist); Remembered; Reno, Don (Artist); Strings; Wiseman, Mac (Artist)

Subjects: Bands (Music); Banjo music (Bluegrass); Bluegrass music.; Bluegrass musicians; Country music.; Music--Performance.; Musical performance; Records.; Sound recordings.; Sound--Recording and reproducing