George R. Gibson in London

The BIB is honoured to receive a contact from the distinguished old-time banjo-player George R. Gibson, born 1938 in Knott County, Kentucky, who is visiting London during the period of the London Old-Time & Bluegrass Week (beginning tomorrow), of which (we believe) he first learned from the BIB's post on the subject.

Mr Gibson (seen in the above photo with Mary Z. Cox) is a contributor to the Banjo Project and has a CD on June Appal Records. He has been playing old-time banjo for over fifty years, having taken it up at a time when bluegrass banjo had already become dominant in his home area. We recommend Googling 'George Gibson banjo' to find out more about him; and we quote from his notes on the album:

That past is part of a world and time in Knott County that has vanished forever. As far as I know, I am the last person left playing the old Burgeys Creek banjo music. I am the last possum up the tree.