Article about Hank's First Banjo

[donna plasky]

I don't know whether this was posted before, but I found this article via Google. Hank discusses his first banjo and the teacher from whom he got it. I'm not familiar with the website or source, but it's a nice story.

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6434262


Cheers,
Donna

[JimN]

"TES" is The Times Educational Supplement.

It's a completely separate title from The Times itself.

[Billyboygretsch]

Thanks for posting that it was an interesting read

[Twilight Ranger]

Interesting indeed! I didn't know Hank was passionate about New Orleans jazz. I like it as well. I've been to Bourbon Street twice to listen to Dixieland jazz. I wonder if Hank has ever visited those live music bars?

[donna plasky]

Hi. I found two more videos on Youtube which may, or may not, have been posted here before. There are so many, I've had trouble keeping track. In this first video, Hank mentions that banjo that he talked about in the printed article in this thread. When Hank speaks of his original "echo box" he said that Joe Brown first introduced him to an echo box. I don't think I knew that, or else I had simply forgotten that fact. The other video is just a short, impromptu "performance" on an acoustic guitar, which I enjoyed. I did a double-take when I first saw it, because I thought the guy on the right was Hank but quickly realised that Hank is on the left.

Cheers,
Donna

[Gatwick1946]

Thanks for posting these vids Donna.

You have to remember that a lot of us who wish we could play like Hank, like to wear similar spectacles. Even Hank wore a slightly new style on his recent visit to the UK. The guy on the right, who you thought at first was Hank, looks to me as though it could be Colin Pryce-Jones, lead guitar player with that great, and current, British group The Rapiers (minus the enhancements he usually wears on stage!).

Congrats if you own that Burns shown in your photo.

Kindest regards
Christopher

[donna plasky]

Hi, Christopher. Thank you, concerning the Burns Marvin guitar. It was my birthday present in April, a gift I never thought possible because I'd never seen any Burns guitars sold here in the US. But this one we bought directly from the Burns Company in London, by mail. I need guitar lessons, but I love the guitar.

In that video, the guitarist is listed as Nick Powell. I don't know of him, only that Michael Armstrong was the singer and Nick Powell accompanied Hank on guitar. I do know of Colin Pryce-Jones, although I don't know if I would recognise him off-stage.

Oh, and I do completely understand about the specs. Believe it or not, when I had to buy my first ever pair of specs two years ago, Hank was the first person I thought of. If the optician had any Hank-style specs, I probably would have bought them. Hank's new specs are very fashionable and looked very nice on him, I thought.

Cheers,
Donna

[Gatwick1946]

Hi Donna,

I hope you will get to love your Burns - it is possible to get some very interesting sounds from the variety of pick-up combinations - just like Hank used in the later 1960's Shadows recordings. Check out "Throw Down a Line" (a Cliff Richard & Hank Marvin single) where Hank plays through a Leslie organ, revolving speaker, to get a kind of swirling sound.

I have Burns 2004 Anniversary Marvin number 0557 and would never part with it - it is so well made and also versatile. Mr Barry Gibson, CEO of Burns Guitars, is patron of my local Shadows club. If possible I will let him know you are another convert and satisfied customer.

I am completely with you on the spectacles - I had to have my first pair at school in 1962 and they had to be like Hank's.
I think Buddy Holly made that style really cool - and boosted the confidence of many geeky kids. Also Michael Caine was another icon,later in the 1960's. I even had some red spectacles, like Hank wore in the 1980', but now I have toned it down a bit and wear a more discreet pair!

Keep on playing!

Kindest regards
Christopher

[Didier]

About Hank's spectacles, I remember an interview where he says that he had been advised to remove his spectatcles to go on stage, but he said he kept them because without them he would see nothing !
Buddy Holly was one of the first famous pop-rock artist to wear spectacles on stage, but he wasn't the only one, Don't forget Bo Diddley, Roy Orbison, and some others...

Didier

[donna plasky]

Wow, I learn so much from being here. I never knew how the "Thrown Down a Line" sound was created. That's so interesting.

You're right, I should tell Mr Gibson how much I love the guitar. Part of me feels like a complete fake because I cannot play anything yet, but that shouldn't stop me. If I wait until I can play it, that might be a while, ha ha. The guitar is wonderful. I will send an email to the Burns website tonight.

I remember something said in an interview of Bruce, which I cannot find, but I can remember vividly something he said, to the effect of: When he and Hank used to go places, Hank would sometimes try not to wear his specs if other people were around, feeling self-conscious, etc. One time Hank waited to put his specs on after they'd gone inside the movie theatre to watch the film, barely able to find his seat because it was so difficult to see. Then, fast forward a few years to when they were famous, they'd arrive at a venue and a crowd of fans were waiting for them - and there were gentlemen wearing specs just like his, some didn't even have lenses in the specs. They just wanted to look like Hank. I have always admired Hank for setting such a good example, particularly for young people.

Here is the article that Didier describes, or one similar to it. It mentions someone who tried to talk Hank out of wearing his specs on stage.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/showbiz/479385/The-life-and-times-of-The-Shadows-guitarist-Hank-Marvin

Cheers,
Donna