Ben Eldridge has to be one of the the most under rated bonjo players ever.He was on a par with all the greats,as everyone in the Viginia area already knows.
To see these guys when they first started in the D.C. area was absolutely electric. Most of us were college Deadheads and we loved The Seldom Scene especially when they'd stretch out and have fun with a tune like this.
I saw the Scene several times at The Birchmere club while stationed with the military in D.C.area back the late80's. These vids are great, but there wasnothing like watching them burn this tune live! Ben: You are the Licksmeister on the banjo. I'll always be an eternal fan!
The boys are lightin' this tune on fire. The Mike Auldridge solo is hot! Haveta agree w/ others' comments on his Jedi master Dobro skills. He has such command of the instrument. It's really inspiring!
Mike Auldridge,Jerry Douglas And Rob Ikes ALL have very different approaches to the resophonic guitar.ALL are fantastic at what they do.Each does their own thing better than the next.One is not better than the other...they are all masters of the trade !!!!!!!
@OldManAP and @dogsee1 I'd like to point out that the entirety of the Seldom Scene chose Phil without a single no vote to succeed Starling. Had there been a no vote present the search would have continued. It's nice to see your judgment exceeds that of Duffey, Auldridge, Eldridge and Gray.
i get the impression that there's no dobro player on earth that gets exactly what he wants to hear out of his instrument like Mike Auldridge. that guy playing the banjo is hot too, whoever he is.
@dogsee1: I +1'd you on the "Rosenthal sucked" comment...not b/c I think Phil "sucks" per se, but b/c I agree he never fit as neatly into the Scene's sound as any other member has...but he *did* write "Muddy Waters" which should certainly count for something!!! @ all the Douglas-lovers/Auldridge-haters: yes, Jerry is a phenomenal Dobro player, but for my dollar, Mike comes out on top. His break, along with the last 30 secs, in this performance should be good evidence of what I mean.
Stick, I think you mean a number at or below 39. The Scene's first gig was November of 71. Not like Tom Gray's son and Mike's Dobro and steel student would know or anything ;-)
Mike Auldridge is indeed fantastic. But to disparage another player for the sake of another is a strange thing to me. And anyone who knows reso guitar knows that Mr. Rob Ickes occupies another planet in terms of ability and musicianship.
Georgia, while I don't think Don Wayne is as good as either his dad or Ben, I don't think Hayseed Dixie's bad at all. But I do agree that Doodle suffers from CAIS: Cranio-Anal Impaction Syndrome.
