Buell Kazee (1900-1976) grew up playing the five-string banjo in the traditional flailing style ("thrashing" style, as he called it). As a teenager, he began to study religion and ended up spending most of his life as a preacher. Despite his view that banjo music "did not harmonize" with the life of the church, he remained a musician and began recording in 1927 (several of his recordings appear on the Anthology of American Folk Music. Unusual for a mountain musician, Kazee had formal training in voice, and has an operatic tone at times. This style is particularly noticeable on "Dance Around My Pretty Little Miss." Liner notes include an autobiographical article by Kazee and complete song lyrics.
3 Dance Around My Pretty Little Miss/Little Mohee/On Top of Old Smoky/Prinson'er Song/Madame I Have Come
4 Wagoner's Lad
5 Yellow Pups/Fox Chase
6 John Hardy
7 John Henry
8 The Moonshiner (Moonshiner Song)
9 Darling Corey
10 Cumberland Gap
11 Cock Robin
12 Old Grey Mare
13 Amazing Grace
14 When Moses
15 My Christian Friends
16 Bread of Heaven
17 Eternity
18 The White Pilgrim
19 Bread of Heaven
20 Eternity
21 My Christian Friends
22 When Moses
23 The White Pilgrim
Buell Kazee (1900-1976) grew up playing the five-string banjo in the traditional flailing style ("thrashing" style, as he called it). As a teenager, he began to study religion and ended up spending most of his life as a preacher. Despite his view that banjo music "did not harmonize" with the life of the church, he remained a musician and began recording in 1927 (several of his recordings appear on the Anthology of American Folk Music. Unusual for a mountain musician, Kazee had formal training in voice, and has an operatic tone at times. This style is particularly noticeable on "Dance Around My Pretty Little Miss." Liner notes include an autobiographical article by Kazee and complete song lyrics.
