My father's side of the family were hillbillies. Seriously.
Mountain livin', gun shootin' hillbillies.
My dad was the first of his family to pack up and head west for more.
My great grandfather attended a poker game in a cabin, in the Appalachian Mountains, in the 30's.
He won himself a 1939 Gibson Kalamazoo 4 string tenor banjo, and gave it to my grandfather for his 14th birthday.
When my grandfather passed away close to 10 years ago, at his home in the farming town Springfield, Ohio, all I wanted was that banjo.
The survival of the Gibson Company was threatened with the onset of The Great Depression in the 1930's. The company turned to making wooden toys until the musical instrument market recuperated. The toy line took on the company's hometown name - Kalamazoo; when the production of instruments commenced once again, the name stuck for the line of low cost banjos and guitars. This is one of the banjos.
I've been trying to play (admittedly not well) the past few years.
Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!
