Give Me the Banjo Page #4

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BORN IN APPOMATTOX, VIRGINIA,

AROUND 1810, SWEENEY FOUND

HIS CALLING WHEN HE HEARD

THE "HALF-BARBARIC TWANG"

OF THE GOURD BANJO AS PLAYED BY

HIS NEIGHBOR SLAVES.

FROM THEM HE LEARNED

THE DOWNSTROKE STYLE

AND HOW TO BUILD

HIS OWN INSTRUMENT.

HE MADE A NAME FOR HIMSELF

AS A BLACK-FACE

SONG-AND-DANCE MAN IN THE CIRCUS

AND THEN CAME TO NEW YORK'S

BOWERY THEATERS:

WITH THE BANJO ON HIS KNEE.

IT'S THE FIRST BIG BANG

OF THE BANJO.

ALL THE GUYS WHO HAD BEEN

DOING BLACK FACE

ALL OF THE SUDDEN WANTED

TO PLAY BANJO.

NEW YORK WAS NOT ONLY

THE JUMPING-OFF PLACE,

BUT IT WAS ALSO A PLACE

THE JUMPING-OFF PLACE,

BUT IT WAS ALSO A PLACE

FOR ALL THESE ACTS

BUT IT WAS ALSO A PLACE

FOR ALL THESE ACTS

TO INTERMINGLE AND MIX

FOR ALL THESE ACTS

TO INTERMINGLE AND MIX

AND COMPETE AND STEAL MATERIAL

TO INTERMINGLE AND MIX

AND COMPETE AND STEAL MATERIAL

FROM EACH OTHER.

AND COMPETE AND STEAL MATERIAL

FROM EACH OTHER.

AND SO HE FELL RIGHT INTO THAT.

FROM EACH OTHER.

AND SO HE FELL RIGHT INTO THAT.

Martin:
NEW YORK AUDIENCES

AND SO HE FELL RIGHT INTO THAT.

Martin:
NEW YORK AUDIENCES

WERE ALREADY WELL-ACQUAINTED

Martin:
NEW YORK AUDIENCES

WERE ALREADY WELL-ACQUAINTED

WITH BLACK-FACE ENTERTAINERS.

WERE ALREADY WELL-ACQUAINTED

WITH BLACK-FACE ENTERTAINERS.

BUT THE SEEMINGLY AUTHENTIC

WITH BLACK-FACE ENTERTAINERS.

BUT THE SEEMINGLY AUTHENTIC

PLANTATION SONGS

BUT THE SEEMINGLY AUTHENTIC

PLANTATION SONGS

AND PLAYING STYLE MADE SWEENEY

PLANTATION SONGS

AND PLAYING STYLE MADE SWEENEY

INTO ONE OF THE HOTTEST TICKETS

AND PLAYING STYLE MADE SWEENEY

INTO ONE OF THE HOTTEST TICKETS

ON THE BOWERY STAGE.

INTO ONE OF THE HOTTEST TICKETS

ON THE BOWERY STAGE.

FOLLOWING IN SWEENEY'S

ON THE BOWERY STAGE.

FOLLOWING IN SWEENEY'S

FOOTSTEPS, FOUR BLACK-FACE

FOLLOWING IN SWEENEY'S

FOOTSTEPS, FOUR BLACK-FACE

PERFORMERS JOINED FORCES

FOOTSTEPS, FOUR BLACK-FACE

PERFORMERS JOINED FORCES

IN A BOWERY BOARDINGHOUSE

PERFORMERS JOINED FORCES

IN A BOWERY BOARDINGHOUSE

AND CALLED THEMSELVES

IN A BOWERY BOARDINGHOUSE

AND CALLED THEMSELVES

THE VIRGINIA MINSTRELS.

AND CALLED THEMSELVES

THE VIRGINIA MINSTRELS.

IN THE WINTER OF 1843,

THE VIRGINIA MINSTRELS.

IN THE WINTER OF 1843,

THEY DEBUTED A NEW FORM

IN THE WINTER OF 1843,

THEY DEBUTED A NEW FORM

OF POPULAR ENTERTAINMEN THEY DEBUTED A NEW FORM

OF POPULAR ENTERTAINMEN THAT WOULD DOMINATE

OF POPULAR ENTERTAINMEN THAT WOULD DOMINATE

THE AMERICAN STAGE

THAT WOULD DOMINATE

THE AMERICAN STAGE

FOR THE NEXT HALF CENTURY --

THE AMERICAN STAGE

FOR THE NEXT HALF CENTURY --

THE FIRST FULL-LENGTH

FOR THE NEXT HALF CENTURY --

THE FIRST FULL-LENGTH

BLACK-FACE MINSTREL SHOW.

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