History
Chris Sands Ragtime Banjo Trophy –
Finger Style Banjo Solo
A Continuing Review of the History of BMG Federation Trophies Presented to Contest
Winners at Rallies
D
onated by Chris Sands to encourage more banjoists to play ragtime pieces.
Chris has a particular liking for ragtime on banjo and applauds the banjo’s
great strength in excelling at rhythmic music. In late 1970s Chris met and studied
classic banjo with British banjo legend Tarrant Bailey Jnr and went on to become
the maestro’s most outstanding student, regularly appearing with him on concert
stage and record. On moving to the Lake District in early 1980s, Chris teamed up
with Windermere-based pianist Patrick Sykes. The duo enjoyed great popularity
playing music for after dinner concerts, weddings and dinner dances, and in
1988 toured Germany with the International Banjo Festival, appearing with Bud
Wachter, Tony Trischka, Buck Kelly, C. Sandy Riner, Lowell & Debbie Schreyer,
Peter Meyer and Keith Nichols. Chris took part in all three gatherings of Tennessee
Banjo Institute, featuring in ‘Banjo Meltdown’, billed as the greatest banjo concert
in the history of music. Chris now teaches classic banjo in the Lake District and
tutors courses at BMG Federation Summer Schools.
Pat Doyle (8 times winner: 1987-92, 94 & 98):
“The only reference I have of winning that trophy is a certificate
from the 1990 Federation Rally. I do recall somebody at a
Federation Rally in the Midlands winning that trophy playing
a guitar banjo, not a banjo, which ought to have made them
ineligible. I also remember there being no other participants
in the category, which helped of course but any ragtime
arrangement is fairly tricky to play on the banjo which would
probably account for that.
Richard Ineson (winner 1995 & 99): “They were heady days of course and we, ie
Pat Doyle, Mike Redman, young Paul Whyman,
Alf Brimble and latterly Alan Middleton, were
playing quite well at the time; we played a lot of
the advanced solos – Danse Bizarre, Maple Leaf
Rag, L’Infanta etc. The competitions were quite
enjoyable and very competit