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Banjo Historian

Playing the banjo of early Grand Ole Opry star Uncle Dave Macon

Jim Lloyd’s Rural Retreat barber shop also serves as a banjo museum featuring a dazzling collection of open back and resonator five-string banjos. He has banjos from 1840 to present.  Some can only be seen in Rural Retreat and the Smithsonian. Ask Jim about them. He is an encyclopedia of information about the instruments.

 

 

 

 

Jim also takes his museum on the road, offering both a display and banjo history workshops that delight young and old alike.

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Published by Art Menius

About Art Menius Art Menius received both the B.A. (1977 with honors) and M.A. (1982) in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Following three and one-half years as an Interpretations Specialist for research at the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, Menius entered the music field as a writer and production assistant for the Nashville Network bluegrass and old-time music series, “Fire on the Mountain.” In September 1983 he began publishing reviews and features about roots music for publications ranging from Bluegrass Unlimited to the [Raleigh] News & Observer. Other adventures along the way have included editing and desktop publishing books for the Forest History Society, promoting a live performance bluegrass radio series on 117 commercial stations, emceeing and stage managing at dozens of music festivals in USA and Canada, and serving as a consultant on the acclaimed film, “High Lonesome.” During 1985 Menius helped create the International Bluegrass Music Association. Late that year he became the new trade association’s first executive director. Menius returned to IBMA’s Board of Directors for two terms running from 1998 through 2004. He served on the board of directors of the Old-Time Music Group, publishers of the Old-Time Herald, from 1991 thorough 1998, including six years as president. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Folk Alliance International. In 1990 the North American Folk Music & Dance Alliance elected Menius the President of its first board of directors. In April 1991 he became its first manager, serving in that capacity until June 1996. Following a period as an artistic representative, Menius became Associate Festival Coordinator for MerleFest, the enormous outdoor folk festival presented by Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, NC. Following a decade there, Menius served as Director of Appalshop, the acclaimed Appalachian media and arts center in Whitesburg, Kentucky from July 2007 until March 2010. On November 2, 2011, Menius completed his work as Director of Development for Common Ground on the Hill. From 2012 to 2014 he served as Executive Director of The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, NC before semi-retiring to freelance due to health issues.

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