“Dueling Banjos” by The Dillards

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Tonight is a tribute to Doug Dillard, who passed away this past weekend at the age of 75.   A founding member of The Dillards, a banjo player extraordinaire, Doug was influential and oft recorded, in a variety of interesting musical iterations.  It seems far too commonplace to be having tributes and memorials so often these days.

Bluegrass specifically, and music in general, lost a good one in Doug Dillard.  Doug’s ringing banjo was in demand in recording sessions with artists such as The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Glen Campbell, Linda Ronstadt, Arlo Guthrie, Hoyt Axton, Harry Nilsson, John Hartford, and Johnny Cash.

Steve Martin, actor, comedian, and world class banjo picker, had this to say on the news of Doug Dillard passing – “He was fast, clean and a melodic player with his own style.”

“Feudin’ Banjos” was written by Art Smith in the mid 1950s, popularized, of course, in the movie Deliverance.  The tune was a hell of a lot better than the movie.  Burt Reynolds semi acted (what did Sally Field see in him?) and Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox earned their union cards, but what is most remembered, thankfully, is the song and the strange kid (not Doug Dillard- fyi)  playin’ the banjo.  Here’s Doug Dillard, on banjo, and The Dillards, with the HarryShots song of the day, “Duelin’ Banjos.”  HL