Gerry's Banjo

Some of you might have heard this story before. My late father was always doing something with wood it seems. In the 80s he decided to try his hand at building a banjo from scratch. More of a cross between a dulcimer and a banjo, this instrument does not have a drum head but rather a cedar top, like a guitar. It was built, as far as I know, with hand tools and the wood is all from Manitoulin.

I first saw this instrument on a wood pile in Owen Sound visiting my father and his wife Gudrun. I asked what he was going to do with it and his answer was “burn it”. That was my Dad. He wasn’t sentimental about things and as far as he could see the banjo was only worth the heat it would provide in the wood stove.

I told him I would take it off his hands and tossed in the car. Later I brought it to my friend Richard Foers and he replaced the bridge, tailpiece and tuners, also planing and finishing the neck. I added the pot leaf, not because I smoke, but because I thought it suited it somehow. Sorry Dad!

The instrument is very quiet as it has no resonating chamber. It is also fretless, like a violin, and it was a long time before I could play it properly. I eventually wrote a tune for the banjo and recorded it in 2001 for my Solar Ethic CD. I called it “Invitation 2 Sexual Touching”, a joke title that I thought would get a laugh. Now I’m uncomfortable calling it that so I’ve changed the name to “20 Bucks There, 20 Bucks Back”, which is something a drummer friend of mine used to say about travel expenses for gigs.

Thanks for the banjo Dad. I only ever wrote one tune on it but I think it’s beautiful, like you were.