RARE Folk Art Banjo: 20th-Century Fretless Tack-Head "found in Virginia"

This video showcases a handmade, fretless Kentucky mountain banjo built by Clifton Hicks. The description details the instrument's construction materials, including black walnut, red oak, red cedar, and wormy chestnut, with a natural goat skin head and hemp oil/beeswax finish. It highlights the absence of metal parts and power tools, emphasizing hand-tool craftsmanship. The video also promotes an upcoming Banjo Extravaganza event at Hagood Mill Historic Site in Pickens, SC, featuring musical presentations and live performances by various banjo artists.

This video showcases a performance of the song "Trouble on My Mind" played on a fretless gourd banjo handmade by the creator. The artist learned the tune from David Hurt and Rufus Crisp, and the instrument features a 4-string setup. The video description provides multiple links to the artist's Patreon, website, merchandise, and music platforms, encouraging viewer support and engagement. The tuning used is BBE♭F♯ at 432 Hz.

This video showcases a fine antique fretless banjo from the late 19th century (1870-1890). It provides links to the creator's Patreon, Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes, and PayPal for those interested in supporting their work or exploring their music. The content is focused on historical musical instruments.

This video features Dan Gellert playing "Eph Got a Coon" on a fretless 5-string banjo. The performance took place at Hagood Mill Historic Site on July 19, 2025. The description highlights the specific instrument and location, suggesting a focus on traditional or folk music performance.

This YouTube video features Matthew Govig performing the song "Barbara Allen" on a fretless gourd banjo. The description indicates that Govig likely learned this particular arrangement of the song from Noah Payne during a visit to Kentucky. The instrument itself is a traditional gourd banjo, handcrafted by Clifton Hicks. The video also promotes "Banjo Heritage," encouraging viewers to support it through Patreon, online courses, and merchandise.

This video showcases an antique folk art banjo featuring unique white pine construction and unusual bottom-tension hardware. It is presented as a flush-fret, fretless instrument. The video's description also includes links to the artist Clifton Hicks' various platforms, including Patreon, Bandcamp, Spotify, iTunes, Venmo, and PayPal, indicating a focus on promoting his music and artistry.

This video is a banjo performance of a song titled 'Ballad of Kyle Rittenhouse' by Clifton Hicks. The description provides links to the artist's Patreon, merch store, PayPal, Venmo, Spotify, iTunes, Bandcamp, SubscribeStar, and YouTube channel memberships. It also includes a list of hashtags related to various music genres and the subject matter of the song. The song's title and hashtags directly reference Kyle Rittenhouse and related themes.

This video features Clifton Hicks performing 'Cold Blows the Wind' on a 5-string banjo using the clawhammer technique. The performance is set against a stark, black-and-white woodland backdrop, with the artist adopting a historical frontier persona. The song's narrative unfolds through somber vocals, detailing a lover's mourning at a grave and a spectral warning from the deceased.

This video features Clifton Hicks performing 'Ballad of Bloody Bill Anderson' on a banjo, detailing the historical figure's violent exploits. The performance highlights advanced clawhammer banjo techniques and deep knowledge of American folk music and Civil War lore. The song's narrative covers Anderson's arrival, a fierce battle, his death, and the grim aftermath, including the display of his head and pistols marked with his kills.

Clifton Hicks performs the traditional folk song 'Moonshiner' on a 5-string banjo using a clawhammer technique. The song details a life dedicated to moonshining, sustained by whiskey and beer over twenty-one years. The performance features an instrumental introduction before the vocal verses begin.