The world’s fastest banjo player may also be one of the most generous.
Johnny Butten, credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s fastest banjo player, performed recently in Bean Blossom, Ind., at the Bill Monroe Memorial Bluegrass Festival.
Fletcher Rhoads, 15, of Washington was at the festival with his family and met Butten. Another banjo player, identified only as “Pops” by Rhoads, from Martinsville was talking to Butten. Butten asked “Pops” if he knew any aspiring banjo players who needed a good banjo. “Pops” recommended Rhoads, whom he had played with at other events.
Butten then offered a Kel Kroydon banjo, worth $3,500, to Rhoads.
“It was awesome,” Rhoads said.
“He was speechless,” said Rhoads’ mother, Deb. “That whole night he was almost scared to play it. I was like ‘Play that thing.’”
Butten, a UK native who lives in North Dakota now, told Rhoads someone had given him a banjo when he was young. Butten wanted to “pay it forward,” meaning return the favor to someone else. Butten was going to mail the banjo but saw Rhoads the next weekend in Owensboro, Ky., at the River Of Music Party festival, and he got the banjo there.
“He said I need to treat it good and he expects me to do the same thing someday,” Rhoads said, adding that when he gets older he’ll give a banjo to a beginning player.
Fletcher has been playing banjo for two years. He plays in bluegrass band with his brothers, Chandler, 14, bass, and Cooper, 12, mandolin. Named The Rocky Rhoads, they play at churches, parties and other events.
Rhoads started playing after he got a banjo for his 13th birthday. He went to a “bluegrass boot camp” at Bean Blossom and continued to learn. His grandfather, Ed Ennis, takes the Rhoads boys to many bluegrass events and buys them instruments. In addition to banjo, Rhoads plays guitar, bass, mandolin and drums. He said he listens to Earl Scruggs, JD Crowe, Lonesome River Band and country music.
Rhoads, a talented musician, brought the Kroydon banjo to the newspaper office and entertained some staffers with renditions of bluegrass classics like “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” and “Shuckin’ The Corn.”
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Fletcher Rhoads, 15, plays his new banjo---Photo by Kelly Overton.
Discussion
'Pay it forward'
World’s fastest banjo player gives Washington teenager $3,500 gift
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