Hi all! Keep up the good boneing out there in this nefarious & glorious world. I shook ‘em at several concerts during John Denver week in Aspen CO, October 6-12 (Jim Connor in Concert on Friday, October 9th). I pick bones a time or two in each of my concerts nowadays.
I hand over my heart in memory of having Ted Goon on my paper route in Gadsden, AL when just a kid and yet had enough sense to listen and learn direct from the master! I still have a couple sets of ‘Mr Goon’ bones that he gave to me, and l would not take a million bucks for one of those sets!!!
By the way, who is making the best, or most usable, style of bones these days? And are they affordable? Years ago some one told me that the nicest sound and balance are made from the shin of an Ox. I have bone bones and wood bones and all and each provide distinctive soundings and rhythms. I have some aged bone from Midwest bison, but l have not made any bison ones as yet. I’d love to hear from other ‘bone’ folk about their variety of bone material and styles and their interpretations of sound and feel and ease of use. My rock maple ones are rich sounding, I also regularly use some persimmon ones and cowrib ones, occasionally. l leave my original ‘TED GOON‘ stamped sets at home.
By the way, my composition ‘Grandma’s Feather Bed’ (a hit by John Denver) is a good un’ to do rhythm bones with…naturally! Love. Jim Connor
[In addition to performing on banjo with John Denver in concert, Jim was also a member of the New Kingston Trio. Jim attended Bones Fest VIII. For information about Ted Goon, go to our website and search for Ted Goon.
Letter to thr Editor – 2001. I enjoyed the Vol 3, No 1 issue of the newsletter. Don’t know if I can be at Bones Fest V as I’ll be in seminary beginning in July for a 3 year Master of Divinity program. I’m looking forward to being a (perhaps unique) banjo picking, harmonica blowing, bones playing, yodeling (and all at the same time, no less!) pastor. It’ll have to be a somewhat different kind of church, ‘eh? I’m a 52 year experienced bones player, having learned from Ted Goon in Gadsden, AL when I was his paperboy in ’49-’50. I too have not heard about Frank Brower. His exploits in the front page column are impressive, but I vote for the award to be called Ted Goon Meritorious Service Award; as Ted Goon is by far the most known and noteworthy of modern bones players as well as perhaps the most well known in all history. He had top ten USA chart songs playing the bones in his inimitable style! ‘Nuff said. I played the bones in Holland and Belgium in April on John Denver’s Memorial Concerts with John Adams’ Show. They loved the bones. Maybe someday you can see me play the banjo, bones, harmonica and sing at the same time. (sic) Cheers, Jim Connor