Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 5563
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Jimmy Arnold was a true genius at Banjo and guitar: he was renouned as possibly the greatest banjo picker ever: he made several albums which are true gems if you can find one: I was Jimmy's room mate at Ferrum College in 1970. We shared many good times and I was in awe of his talent. He loaned me a Gibson J-45 sunburst guitar for several months and I played coffee houses with it and an old Yamaha 12 string. Jimmy would occasionaly join in on banjo: he played an early 60's Mastertone and a new Fender Artist Banjo that he was given after one of his many preformances at the Galax fiddlers convention. Jimmy was a phenominal player and he taught me some great tunes and introduced me to Bluegrass music. I was there the weekend he went to Ohio to record the album with the Virginia Cut-Ups. A true classic bluegrass album, I still have the copy Jinmmy gave me. Our lives took different paths and we lost touch for many years. Jimmy decended into alcholism and narcotics. He became heaveily tatoo'd and after 1984 his music took a back seat. In 1983 I saw him perform at a marina resturant/club in Northeastern Virginia. He played a host of instruments including banjo, fiddle, and guitar. He was quite tatoo'd by then and I could sence his dark side. Still we had a good time seeing one another again. It was the last time I saw Jimmy. He died in his sleep on Christmas day in 1992 at his mothers house in Fries VA. I learned of his death several years ago upon coming back to the area where he grew up. Here are several You Tube video's of him preforming several years before his death: a tribute private concert for bluegrass legend Carlton Haney. I wish I had a video of his banjo playing: he is a legend in that genre. Rest in peace Jimmy! I am proud to have known you! In the Pines
Moonshiner |
Jimmy Arnold W/Ovation