Re: Limeliters - Landmark Theatre
Growing up in the 60's I was a big fan of the Limeliters, I thought Lou was one of the most entertaining performers of that era. Glenn had a distinct voice ( although most people felt Red was better) But I chose to play banjo because of Alex . His Vega banjo had 5 extra frets and a blonde neck. He created ( I never saw anyone else use them) a 2 headed finger pick so he could switch from three finger to frailing in the middle of a song. His banjo style was unique because he borrowed from everyone from Pete Seegar to Earl Scruggs, and was a major part of the defining sound of folk era. So I never could come to grips with Bill Zorn being the dominate banjo player in the Limeliters. No doubt he is quite talented but Alex's versatility was more in tune with the original sound. I must admit I hadn't seen them in concert, only in videos released, so he may have played more banjo in regular shows. I did see him break it out when reuniting with Yarbrough on the PBS presentaion. I also never understood why Dougherty played an electric bass. Why didn't he play guitar and hire a regular side bass like the Trio did? I only hope that this new configuration is true to the original Limeliters. I do think it's ironic that Alex replaced himself with Bill Zorn's lifelong friend.
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