>> Back to Tacky Topics >> Books and Recordings

The Doc Stock Banjo Method in Ten Easy Lessons

The Doc Stock Banjo Method was a handmade booklet that Jim Rosenstock gave to me in 1986 when I told him I wanted to learn to play the banjo. The sage advice contained in this booklet has influenced my banjo playing from the beginning. It was published in The Daily Clog in 1987 and 1990.

In the early days of the Internet, I innocently posted this banjo manual by Jim Rosenstock to a bluegrass listserv. In retrospect, I should have known it would travel the world over via the Canonical List of Banjo Jokes. My main regret is that the version that has been propagated was bowdlerized by someone uncomfortable with the drug references (see Chapter 5). In my opinion, the drug references were part of its charm.

There's no way I can call back the text I submitted, but at least now I can prove that I am in possession of the original artifact, and can show the author's intent.