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Jason Schwartz on Maui, interviews banjo & recorder player and singer, 86 year old CLAUDE LAMAR REEVES. Hailing from Missouri, Reeves talks of his musical roots, June 2015
Summary & Transcript Below…
The video begins with a nostalgic discussion about folk songs, specifically “Marching Through Georgia,” which prompts an explanation of Sherman’s March during the American Civil War. The speaker reminisces about learning songs from his father and being inspired by Pete Seeger in the 1950s, which sparked his lifelong interest in folk music and the banjo. He describes his first banjo, a Gibson Mastertone, which he bought early on and with which he earned money but, more importantly, enjoyed playing.
He shares his journey from being a high school saxophone player in the 1940s swing band, playing gigs at military canteens and USO shows, to later transitioning into folk music and banjo playing after hearing Pete Seeger. Marriage, children, and changing musical trends caused him to pause his playing for some time. Upon moving to Hawaii, he rekindled his music passion, teaching children songs and playing for fun, often using a banjo to engage kids in school, making learning enjoyable. The interaction with students reveals how music can positively affect even those with reputations for being difficult.- [06:56 → 14:12] Teaching Music and Folk Song Traditions
The speaker recalls teaching folk songs to Hawaiian kids and recalls an amusing anecdote about mixing up lyrics as he ages, illustrating the human side of music learning. He acknowledges Pete Seeger’s influence, mentioning having met him at a folk music camp in California alongside other notable folk musicians like Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry. He also discusses using comprehensive folk song collections like Alan Lomax’s “Songs of North America” as invaluable resources.
The conversation shifts to reflect on the Great Depression, which the speaker experienced firsthand in Los Angeles, describing the dire economic conditions, high unemployment rates, and how his family helped neighbors in need by sharing food. This contextualizes the folk songs as not just entertainment but as a form of storytelling and emotional survival. 
Several traditional folk songs telling stories of historical figures and events are performed or discussed, emphasizing their narrative quality. The song of Jesse James is highlighted, telling about the outlaw’s life, betrayal, and death at the hands of Robert Ford. The speaker explains the song’s many verses and its historical context, including James’s family and the social circumstances of the time.
Following Jesse James, the speaker introduces a humorous and popular folk song “The Fox,” recounting the fox’s night escapades with vivid imagery, showing the playful side of folk music.
The narrative continues with Bonnie and Clyde’s story, explaining how folk tunes often recycle melodies with different lyrics to tell various tales about notorious figures, thus preserving oral history. The importance of communication through these songs is stressed, particularly how music helped communities endure hard times by connecting people.- [22:46 → 31:43] Music at Charlie’s and Banjo Techniques: Clawhammer vs. Bluegrass
The setting transitions to informal music sessions at a place called Charlie’s, where the speaker plays for enjoyment and social connection rather than competition. There is a lighthearted tone about forgetting lyrics but still having fun, which the audience appreciates. The speaker occasionally switches instruments, including the recorder, demonstrating its sound and reminiscing about learning it as a child.
A detailed explanation of banjo playing styles follows: the “clawhammer” technique, involving down-stroke fingerpicking, is contrasted with the three-finger picking style typical of bluegrass music. The speaker explains how clawhammer is more suitable for older players due to its simpler, rhythmic down-stroke approach, whereas bluegrass requires complex fingerpicking with multiple picks. This section educates viewers on the technical differences and musical traditions of banjo playing. - [31:43 → 38:49] Recording Music in a Home Studio and Folk Song Performances
The video moves into a home studio setting in Pukalani, Maui, where the speaker and host discuss the process of recording folk music in a budget-friendly environment — their carport — rather than an expensive professional studio. This informal setting underlines the accessibility and grassroots nature of folk music.
Several classic folk and railroad-themed songs are performed or referenced, including “Mr. Railroad Man” and “The Wreck of the Old 97,” which narrate the life and dangers of railroad workers. These songs blend storytelling with historical anecdotes and cautionary tales, illustrating folk music’s role in preserving working-class history. - [38:49 → 44:50] Historical Ballads, Humor, and Community at Charlie’s
More folk songs with historical and humorous themes are shared, such as “The Battle of New Orleans” and “Sink the Bismarck,” which recount significant historical events with catchy tunes and engaging lyrics. These songs show how folk music captures both serious and light-hearted narratives.
The conversation also touches on the Kingston Trio, a group that brought folk music to wider audiences, and hints at the financial success some musicians achieved, contrasting with the
The video ends with reflections on memory and aging, highlighting the speaker’s impressive ability to recall songs spanning over eight decades, and the supportive community atmosphere at Charlie’s, where friends help each other perform, cheer on music sessions, and share in the joy of folk traditions. The presence of colorful characters like “Bob” adds to the lively, authentic environment of the gatherings.
Key Insights
- Folk Music as Oral History: The speaker emphasizes that folk songs are storytelling tools that preserve cultural memory, historical events, and personal experiences, often passed down orally and adapted over time.
- Personal Connection and Education: Music serves as a bridge between generations, teaching history and values while engaging even challenging students by making learning enjoyable and relevant.
- Musical Techniques and Traditions: The distinction between clawhammer and bluegrass banjo styles illustrates the diversity within American folk music and how tradition adapts to the player’s needs and capabilities.
- Community and Accessibility: Folk music thrives in informal settings — from school classrooms to home studios to local hangouts — underscoring its grassroots, communal nature.
Outline
- Introduction to Folk Music and Personal History
- Teaching Folk Songs and Influence of Pete Seeger
- Historical Context: The Great Depression and Music
- Narrative Songs: Jesse James, The Fox, Bonnie and Clyde
- Music Sessions at Charlie’s and Banjo Styles Explained
- Home Studio Recordings and Railroad Folk Songs
- Historical Ballads, Humor, and Community Reflections
Keywords
- Folk music
- Banjo
- Clawhammer technique
- Bluegrass
- Pete Seeger
- Sherman’s March to the Sea
- Jesse James
- Bonnie and Clyde
- Great Depression
- Oral history
- Teaching music
- Railroad songs
- Home studio recording
- Community music sessions
- Hawaiian music education
FAQ
Q: What inspired the speaker to start playing folk music and banjo?
A: Exposure to Pete Seeger’s performances in the 1950s inspired him to switch from playing saxophone in swing bands to the banjo and folk music.
Q: How does the speaker describe the role of folk songs in society?
Q: What is the difference between clawhammer and bluegrass banjo styles?
A: Clawhammer is a down-stroke fingerpicking style that is simpler and more rhythmic, while bluegrass uses complex three-finger picking with multiple picks for a faster, intricate sound.
Q: How did the Great Depression influence the speaker and the folk songs he sings?
A: The hardship and community support during the Great Depression deeply influenced the themes of folk music, which often reflect struggles, survival, and solidarity.
Q: What is the significance of Charlie’s in the video?
A: Charlie’s is a local venue where the speaker regularly performs informally, creating a supportive community atmosphere where music and friendship flourish.
This detailed summary encapsulates the rich content and personal anecdotes from the transcript, providing a thorough understanding of the video’s themes, musical insights, and cultural significance.
00:13
and and I find find people are very interested when I have been playing it at uh Charlie’s if I uh play a song say marching through Georgia I usually explain a little bit about the the Sherman’s March to the Sea and uh through uh in in going through Georgia and then uh ending up at the Gulf of Mexico and then turning North where eventually they uh uh took Lee into and you know and then he was he had to to uh the surrender atics yeah ematics that was and so there’s a song you know uh bring
00:58
the good old bugle boys will sing another song sing it with a spirit that will move the world along sing it as we used to sing it 50,000 strong as we were marching through Georgia Harrah harur we bring the juvilee harah hurrah the flag makes us free As we sing the chorus from Atlanta to the Sea as we were marching through Joy GE well that’s just how do you learn your songs well there a my dad uh was from Missouri and once in a while he would uh get himself worked up and sing a little bit but he wasn’t very much of
01:45
a singer but uh I got very interested by listening to Pete Seager when uh back in the uh 50s of this Century the 1950s yes see now now that’s a few years ago yeah it is I was actually born in that decade you were around for a while I’ve got a another uh banjo that is a Gibson Master tone uh and uh it goes back that’s the first instrument I bought and uh it would has done me really a good I I’ve made money with it but the main thing is that I’ve uh had a good time I just really enjoy doing this
02:27
type of singing you know have you been a a b player for many many many many years well I have but I I stopped it I was okay let me just go back real quickly I was a saxophone player in high school and uh I helped uh we had a swing band and we would play on weekends bringing a little bit of money that you could a teenager could use at that time because this was in the 1940s during the war actually right and we would play at uh different types of uh uh what do you call the uh I can’t remember right now
03:03
the uh uh the place that these soldiers would go that were canteen yeah canteen we play at cantens and it at uh and then later on after the war we play at uh the uh Usos Usos yeah and uh and Americans before Wars I mean wherever we get a gig we would go and then what happened I got married and uh my wife and I have been together for 63 years wow that by the way is amazing and uh congratulations I’ve had children and I’ve had grandchildren and so that sort of got in the way in some ways of uh first of all the the uh the
03:47
swing instruments the swing bands went U like that you know because they just were working with the vocalists took over from the swing bands and uh so I I quit I I had to find something else to do so I took I grabbed my I I had heard uh peach Seager so I went to a few Peach Seeker concerts and I thought God damn that’s a nice sounding instrument so I grabbed a uh I bought that the master tone that I’ve got at the music store right now getting worked on but that’s what I did and then I
learned uh learned how to play I played uh at a an outfit or the U University of Southern California Trojans uh to not to say just USC which is there’s another USC on the east coast in South Carolina I I know the one in La yeah yeah so anyway uh I I quit playing after a while after I had taken up the uh the instrument and I played around different places and I had other things to other fish to fry so to speak so I didn’t play for how long you think it was I don’t know it was quite a while yeah I didn’t
05:04
play at all but when he learned how to play we were living in cramped quers and went back he had to put Greg our son was a baby then so he had to put folded up diapers in between the strings and the head of the banjo so he could practice yeah so he wouldn’t wake up the baby yes that’s true so he couldn’t really hear what he was playing I mean I eventually dropped playing all together though I’m sorry I eventually stopped playing all together yeah because what kind of work were you doing
05:38
I was uh teaching school okay and I I I shouldn’t say I stopped all together because I would play for the kids you were giving lessons too yeah where here no oh no I thought you were still talking about back in La well I I yeah I did uh you’re right after I I took I started doing uh lessons on set five string B lesson because there was a time there a short time that uh it had a folk music uh and so to speak you know so I had a lot before the rock era hit there was like a window yeah of time I
06:15
remember yeah so that I got into that and then uh after a while I uh I just sort of gave it up though for a while and I had other things I wanted to do and I didn’t do any music at all for quite a while
actually um to get you know interested in it again I came to Hawaii and I just wanted to do some ex some things that I could yeah Hawaiian kids I would sing uh I married a wife on the month of June rizley rled now now now I carried her off in the light of the Moon rizley rled hey buled Nick ne ret quality will it be
06:56
W be now she combed her hair but once the year rizley rled now now now she said her comb was much too dear rizley rled hey bumb Nick na rcal quality will it be W be now now now she let’s see what’s the next Oney this is another thing I have as I’ve gotten older I sometimes just sort of flumix the Lin you know yeah there’s a word there’s a word where do you come from that word fer f yish okay when you get FL you to know that she was she was she L see she she combed her hair but once a year rizle
07:41
Ros now now she said her comb with once too dear Riz Rosy Nick quality will it be W be now no no and so on anyway the kids you know here’s the interesting I’ll be at the say at the park up here and a kid will come up to me and say hey Mr re rizy Rosy now now now and because they remember me from being a substitute teacher and I would bring my Bano along and teach them uh you know these songs they they enjoy you know just sort of make uh the school uh time interesting to them you know isn’t it
08:22
funny some of these kids that have a reputation for being difficult when you give them something that’s interesting to them and you treat them like human beings that’s right they light up yeah they do very definitely do and uh just just sing you know some of the I mean who says rizy roosy Hey bomb bosy Nicky naky eletrical quality only you only me that’s right is that an original no well I learned that one from Pete Seager oh I was in the staff at Idol wild California up in the mountains and Pete Seager was
08:57
on The Faculty along with me and and other brownie McGee Sunny Terry wow different people that were there I was on the staff and and uh I just every time he would learn to sing something I would put that in my head for the time being you know and then there was also I could go to books like there’s a a book uh U there’s a book uh with a let’s see uh LX L Alan Max right the songs of folk songs of North America and uh it has everything in there practically that you would want to use it’s just
09:42
excellent excuse me thank you yeah that’s French G uhhuh is it well I mean I’ll be I’ll believe anything oh that’s good one my favorite kind of audience you going to get the Bano oh good good now they have no idea that we were once in rig doodoo uh with the uh with our uh money on the on the Great Depression of 1929 what about the Great Depression of 2015 well that’s true but the people that are have gone through that a little bit have no idea what it was like of this was what we’ve gone through now
10:25
is just baby stuff compared to what we went through in the I’m remember people coming to my rear uh when I was in in Los Angeles area uh and uh people would come to the back of the U of the where we lived in just a lot of schol thank you and they would uh they would ask for food not money although they take money they would actually do you know I have a child here we don’t have anything to eat tonight you know and my mother would make them sandwiches and soups and things like this you know it was rough
11:06
there was it was over 20% uh unemployment and for the blacks and this and the uh foreigners uh it was actually in some ways it got up closer to 40% now if you can imagine 40% for instance okay oh Wily my Wily I’m afraid of your way Wily my Wily I’m afraid of your ways afraid you’re going to lead my poor body [Music] astray well pie pretty pie you’re thinking about right poly pretty ply you’re thinking about right I dug on Your Grave the best part of last night well he stabbed her in her heart her
12:00
heart’s blood it did flow stabed her in her heart her heart’s blood it did flow into the grave Pretty P did [Music] go he thr some dirt around her and he turned to go home to some dirt around her and he turned to go home leaving no behind but the wild birds to mourn oh ladies and gentlemen I bid you farewell ladies and gentlemen I bid you farewell for killing pretty poly I’ll sure go to [Music] hell yeah yeah more you have a little grandstand of uh this my my my what do you call him
12:57
Royal father I’m his Ro Ries I’m his that’s what they call me a Charlie his wife and his Ro do they call you yeah I’m I’m his roie you carry the banjo in help him on off the stage I’ll get up there if he if he gets a brain fought and I’ll give him a clue on the word of the next song that’s an important role how old are you now man I’m uh 8 886 okay and you’ve been to remember these words what was the name of that other song with the ruple de rizley Rosy rizley Ros can you play that one or you
13:34
want to just sing it that was I just thought that was really interesting now these kids they’re from were they in La they were finded or you were here already teaching here in Big Island oh I taught him here I taught here for 20 years see so I had a lot of kids that knew music you know including um my dad was in in Missouri born raised in Missouri and if you think uh some of the people that lived in Missouri had a favorite lineage including Jessie James and other such guys you know that’s a good song and
14:12
that’s a good song If [Music] [Music] we a lot of people this one no [Music] [Music] talking Jesse was a man I don’t even see hi how’s this start J James was a man Jessie James was a man who killed minad he robbed the Glendale train and he stole from the rich just to give to the poor he a hand and a heart and a dream Jesse had a wife to Born all her life three children they were brave but that dirty little coward that shot Mr Howard wait for Jessie in his grave now that dirty little car coward was
15:30
Robert Ford Robert Ford with his cousin and there was a $10,000 reward for Jesse James well Robert Jesse Robert Ford decided that he would really like to have that money and uh to get it though he had to either bring Jesse in or uh shoot him somehow so what he did was waited till Jesse had taken off his guns and he was uh putting a um putting his uh he had to sorry he had to uh put a uh picture on the wall that he was going to do and when he did that he took off took off his guns and he got killed Robert Ford did that and he said
16:19
Jesse James uh it was Robert Ford that dirty little coward he I wonder how he just feel for he ate of Jesse’s bread and he slept in Jesse’s bed then he laid poor Jesse in his grave and also at that time he said uh Jesse was a lad that Mr Howard was Jesse’s Alias he had a suit name so no one would know who he was that’s right exactly and he was he was he was in U in Missouri at the time and he goes uh Jess he was a man a friend to the poor he never see a man suffer pain but that dirty little coward that
18:03
shot Mr Howard has laid for Jessie in his bra there’s 100 voes verses to that and I didn’t want to go through them because I just sort of gets me you know anyway uh here’s another song though that I did I did sort nice it’s called the fox okay well the fox went out on a chilly night he prayed for the moon to give him light many a mile to go that night before he reached the town Town Town many a mile to go that night before he reached the town well the fox fox he ran to he came to a bin DS and gee were kept there in
18:47
many you greas my chin before I leave that town Town town man you going to grease my chin before I leave this town oh [Music] he grabbed a gr Loose by the neck he slung the duck across his back didn’t mind the quack quack quack Withers all dangling down down down didn’t mind the quack quack quack Withers all dangling down well old mother fler Flopper jumped out a bit out of the window she jammed your head John John goose is gone the fox is on the town Town Town John John G goose is gone and the foxes on the town
19:39
well Johnny ran to the top of the hill he Roar his horn he he blew his horn most loud and the foxy said better fre my kill they soon be on my TR the foxy said better fre my well he ran he came to his cozy d there were the little ones 8 n 10 daddy daddy better go back again it must be might fight Town Town Town daddy daddy better go back again it must be a might F Town well the fox he wife without nice drive cut up their cut up their RO with the Caron knife they never had such a supper in their life and the little
20:26
shoot on the bones boneso boneso never had such supper in their life and the little one chewed on the bone yeah I bet you’ve never heard many of these have you no I heard the one about that third little coward that shot Mr Howard that must have others have done that over time they have in fact the song the The Melody line to that was uh is Jesse James and and 18 I was born long ago in 189 1891 I’ve seen many Panic that’s the same as Jesse James I was born long ago you still in need of something to
21:15
read here’s a story of Bonnie and Clyde now Bonnie and Clyde are the barels gang I’m sure you all have read how they Ro and they steal and those that squeal are usually found dying or dead if a man is found in Old Dallas town and they haven’t got a clue for a guy just to keep the St clean they can’t find the fiend R it on Bonnie and C now Bonnie and Clyde are the barrels gang I’m sure you all have how they rob and they Ste and those that sque are usually found dying or dead and
22:07
so on it goes on so you have three songs right there uh played in the same uh the same Tunes you know the same Melody line yeah and they’ve used it so many times that I’m sure there’s a lot of other ones that you could hear too you know well you know it’s I think the most most important part is how you communicate how you what how you communicate you know it wasn’t like you said in the 30s in the 40s when times were hard a little bit went so far to help people and uh the most important thing is always the
22:46
the people and the the communicating you know I mean when you play a Charlie’s um you just play whatever comes to mind is it a talent contest or just having fun no just having fun strictly just having fun and I aside from my forgetting the words and things of this kind I I sort of blow the the words in their tune sometimes but it works all right cuz they sort of enjoy it I think so they enjoy that you’re playing and still having a good time with yeah yeah and occasionally the M will switch over to the recorder to the
23:25
flute yeah oh you play a recorder you want to hear play a few sure you got licks on it here can you hold this a second got it that’s a nice a nice instrument isn’t it yeah well listen to a story about a man named J sounds like Beverly H I bet he can play that one too huh sure well what’s funny is when he has these little brain farts and forgets things at charlies’s they all go right along with them oh they love them he you guys see know your thought too okay hi I’m Lamar’s roie they’re you know
24:03
friends great yeah see this I was telling him about the Capo you put on the fifth string Lamar what’s that telling Jason having customized it with the Capo on the fifth string cap on the fifth stre oh yeah that that’s that’s right here here yeah see the interesting thing is is that the fifth string is a drone string so you want to have it uh in relationship to all the strings up here so if you want to have uh this sounding as a drone string and you tune it up let’s say by putting a capo up here you have to make
24:50
this cap go up too does that make any sense yeah okay good now this thing here is sort of interesting too is that uh that’s not mine is it no no that’s the uh yours doesn’t have a a a you don’t have a a movable uh thing down below here which is sort of not too good because you sorry [Music] it’s just what’s going on here is is is bad notes I I need to get this with a new see what I’ve got here yeah it’s not cork I just put some some glue or glued tape or something on it you know but
25:52
this is in the key of f but this will work a little bit better I think if I put here and this the key is C let me see if I can do a little bit better [Music] now that just is like somehow close to a a like a saxophone or a flu or anything this is just an old recorder that kids learn you know I was going to say I remember learning on a recorder years ago that was the first instrument they introduced us to yeah it’s usually the last one to you kids because it’s really not a it’s hard to teach it for you know but I mean
27:06
it’s sort of pretty you know if you sing it a little bit sometimes shakes that’s so [Music] funny Shave [Music] Ice I should give you your instrument back it’s beautiful I can see clearly now the rain is gone yep is that what he’s doing yeah I can see all obstacles in my way sing it very good go ahead come on got all the dark clouds that had me blind it’s going to be a bride come down here and sing man I told him he should follow come tomorrow night to Charlie’s oh yeah tomorrow night you
28:02
guys are going to be at Charlie I think so but you know I don’t have an instrument here with but I can sing are you a guitarist I used to be and then I uh tripped over a trampoline that ended my guitar playing career but um you know I could stand up I’ve been so many places in my life and time I’ve sung a lot of songs I made some Bard Ry sounds good man I was trying to think of some songs that we know in common here I bet you know the Beverly hill bill you know that one no it’s one see what it is
28:39
there this is a good um start right here the Beverly hill biles was played in a style called Bluegrass and what I I don’t play that anymore I because what happens is uh you it takes a lot of three finger picking here with different picks on the outside and what I play I play something called uh uh the U what is it [Music] the I know I’m your Ro but I’m blanking on this one it’s not Bluegrass no it’s not bluegrass it’s it’s the uh it’s when you hit down Hammer claw hammer now this is
29:24
called claw hammer here’s the reason this is really good for old man because what happens you play down with the back of the fingernail I see in in bluegrass it plays like in the one on the on Hillbillies Hillbillies you pick up pick it up you pick up you know I can’t even do it now if you played it with the claw hammer style would sound totally different huh yeah because what first of all I’d wore three picks thumb pick and these two picks here the claw hammer style is U much U it’s you’re you’re getting your uh
30:14
sounds from your uh picking down it’s the only tune I know the only uh one that I can imagine where you’re playing down on this like this n [Music] [Music] [Music] now that’s there’s a difference this is all played down on the strings like this right right so now we know that going down is is claw hammer style as opposed to Earl Scruggs and those guys that played Bluegrass yeah so when when we put this on if you guys will share it we’re going to see what we could do about putting
31:43
this out and uh you know that word viral I used to think it was uh only for viruses but no no no in this day of Internet it’s a very big difference now going viral means it goes to all all kinds of places and people listen and watch that wouldn’t otherwise have seen this so here we are in beautiful Maui Hawaii in the private Studio of Ellen and Lamar Reeves Reeves in Pukalani Pukalani what does that mean hole in the heavens in the sky a hole in the sky but uh say now we’re going to see some more
32:26
performing by few other so just glancing no that’s okay you got to see yourself here he just played his back a little bit of you I remember a few little songs that I just glanced at here okay yeah you go go ahead come back good morning Mr Railroad Man what time your trains Roll by at 9:15 244 25 minutes to 5 it’s 915 and 244 25 minutes to F thank you m your Railroad Man going to watch your train Grove by I was standing on a platform smoking a cheap cigar just wait waiting for an old freight train that carried an empty
33:34
car it’s 9 15 and 245 25 minutes to 6 thank you Mr Railroad Man going to watch these trains Roll by well I stepped across the platform smoking my cheap cigar and I caught me the end of an old freight train and I caught me the end of that car I sat down in a gambling game could not play my hand just thinking about that one that I love ran away with another man ran away with another man poor boy ran away with another man just thinking about that one that I love ran away with another man yeah and then there’s a another as
34:41
long as I was a railroad Breakman too at one time in my life of sin you [Music] know yeah about to stop the wine car stopped the wine car they gave him his order in Monroe Virginia saying Steve you’re way behind time this is not 38 but his old 97 you must bring her into Danville on time well he gave him his he handed his orders in bonro Virginia wait wait I’ve got the wrong thing he turned and he said to his black greasy farming shovel on a little more coal for if we hit that white Old Mountain you can
35:30
watch a 97 rooll it’s a mighty rough road from lbur to vanville Road on a three M grade it was on this grade that he lost his average you can see what a jump he made he was coming down the hill doing 90 M an hour when his whistle broke into his scen they found him in the wreck with his hand on the throttle he was scaled to death by the steam Now ladies you must take war from this time now and learn never speak harsh words to your true love and husband he may leave you and never return you ever hear that one no but I
36:18
tell you they have interesting themes these songs um he used to there sort of love songs with a Twist yeah cuz this one is you know they got killed because of the it was two it just got they had steam and the steam he got going and then they lost this the uh the what they lost his average which I may imagine it was a steam steam to make it up the hill yeah coming down the hill or something I don’t know what happened the Kingston Trio you know that kind of stuff was no he was he they were they
36:57
did a they made a lot of money during this stuff you know yeah they did there’s like there’s a guy that’s from the Kingston tree lives on Maui somewhere he was yeah now what what what did he played was it a banjo I think so yeah yeah well I’m sure that he was that he really made a lot of money at that time well maybe he’ll see this show and we’ll uh they did the M huh they did a song called the MTA Charlie riding the MTA will they ever return no he never returned and his fate
37:30
is still unnown he will ride forever meet the streets of Boston he’s a man who never return Charlie’s wife goes down to the Scully Square station every day at quarter pass three and through the open window she H hands Charlie a sandwich as the train comes rumbling through how how come Charlie didn’t get off the train [ __ ] [ __ ] excuse me there oh yeah well I understand there’s a few people out there that know these words yeah but that’s okay now and there was another one too uh
38:08
uh uh if I can remember well how’s he sing a little bit of the uh the uh the when the the Battle of New Orleans in 1814 we took a live 184 trip that’s too fast in 18 we took a little trip along with colon Jackson down Mississippi we took a little bacon out we took a little beans out we met the bloody British at the Battle of New Orleans in 184 we took a little trick along with General Jackson down the might Missi took a little bacon and we took a little beans and we met the blooded of the town of New
38:49
Orleans GS and the Missippi do the go [Music] Mex well said we take by surpr we the we held our fire do we saw the faces well then we opened up a squirtel guns and really gave them Hil guns and the kept coming but there was many as was they run down Mississippi go for [Music] Mexico fire mus okay uh we Hil our fire till we saw the then we opened up our school again really good h can’t remember that I know the words we fired our muskets till the barrels melted down we grabbed an alligator we pulled another round we
40:03
filled his ass with cannonballs and pouted his behind and when we touched the powder off the gate who lost his mind mind that was it and then uh we uh walked back to town and our dirty racket pants and we danced all night with the pretty girl from France and we didn’t we didn’t understand them but we sure did like the charms and we better when we got them in our arms and part our gun kept coming wasn’t not many as it was [Music] once more and they R Mississippi mexo well they ran through the bars
40:41
andat down the Mississippi they go for Mexico Johnny hon and but he he sang it but the guy that that wrote the thing we knew him he was in Arkansas my God I wish I could remember his name he gave me a card when we went to see my friend Bob who later died he uh he I forgot what what happened on him anyway anyway let’s see what else we got here so we had that one there and this is a this is one that [Music] [Applause] it’s hard to play 68 on the band you [Music] no let’s see if I can remember what this
41:47
uh well Johnny hton did a song called not to Alaskan and syn to bismar yeah were those with banjo in May of 1941 the war just a gun the Germans had the biggest ship that had the biggest guns the bismar was the biggest ship that ever sailed the CEO the guns is big is something and something else to me yeah sync the bismart which is a real thing now you see if you were in a big Studio the Bucks would be spending big bucks but here we are why all of you why would he be sending big bucks well when you rent out
42:25
a big Studio cost money for the studio when you use your telephone and your carport and your carport it’s like budget time but I’m tired that’s okay want to do anymore I think it did great I think it did more than I thought you’d do yeah I must tell you it’s really a pleasure to come and see you play and I hope that I can uh spend more time with you well you heard my basic Shick here so yeah beyond that I mean there’s not much more I can do at my age ah 86 hey man it’s hard for me to I was
43:02
I remembered a lot of the songs although but it it they fly I you know I I say to Lamar he’s got 86 years of memory there’s no computer chip to store this like you’re having a computer so when you got to go back on 86 years of memory how are you automatically going to come up with a song you learned at the age of 11 you got to go through the pile let’s go through the pile but it’s great at Charlie’s cuz he’s a regular now and all you got to do is feed him one line and he’ll he’ll come right back yeah and
43:38
the kid and the people there they they know I they like me and so they’re genuine absolutely I cannot help him on off the stage you know I’m still as Roy but enough people know them because they know when they call Lamar number four and he needs a little bit of assistance getting on the stage with the banjo two big guys are always there to help him on and off I get through anymore so he’s uh that works out pretty good you know they help me up and now for a while it’s nice having you here too man thank you it’s
44:08
been a pleasure yeah so I hear that oh Bob is a a regular uh with you now well Bob is a very colorful man he filmed him in the old coffee shop the last summer remember there was a comedian named nor Crosby yes he take words and butcher them on purpose Bob does it but he doesn’t know he’s doing it he tells his story and by the end of you’re like what did he say no idea and he doesn’t either he doesn’t know what he said oh yeah he’s he’s Bob is truly a character unique to his
44:50
own he just is he got so much fire on are oh yeah we here at Charlie is really having a lot of fun up here thank you for inviting us you’re welcome we will see you very soon [Music] aloha what a nice tree to run into [Music] you it’s always a pleasure to see you I
