Boatman’s Dance (Minstrel Banjo)

[@lucianotrono1381]

I like that your voice is fresh, raw, and casual yet you hit every tune and sing consistently.

[@williamhenderson9434]

This is so great. I live in SoCal, in a city with a disturbing lack of both nature and banjo players. This warmed my heart and made me think of summers I spent on vacation as a child out in a state where nature and banjo players are much more plentiful than they are here. You've blessed me today by bringing a piece of nature and of my childhood back to me. Reminded me of my dad, surrounded by trees and with a guitar on his knees, singing songs to me and the rest of my family. Warming my heart while I'm at work, and making me dream and make plans to go back out into nature and keep learning guitar

[@knoxmassey6822]

Glad I could brighten your day today!

[@23jordan]

You may be right about banjo players, but California has incredible natural beauty.

[@boredwarlock5216]

YURP

[@namo8082]

@@23jordanshame about the ppl here tho

[@gabberpietor]

This is the best solo boatmans dance on youtube

[@dnbjedi]

feels like my blood can hear it

[@MrHolidayz]

This is a man who has spent years honing a craft. He has shared it scarcely. He has now (recently) chosen to share with the world. I just get the feels. Thanks once again bud.

[@bryancase7541]

This literally made me cry. I dont know why. It's so human, its so alive. Truly a great song my friend. Thank you, thank you, you're amazing!!

[@knoxmassey6822]

Thanks Bryan!

[@blainechappell5383]

Great rendition!

[@knoxmassey6822]

Thank you!

[@dnbjedi]

When my best friend and I get together for drinks now, we always impromptu break out in this song in your style!! :D

[@knoxmassey6822]

Love to hear it! Would certainly be fun to play with some drinks

[@catk9007]

One of my favorite songs

[@landonthomass]

One of my favorite songs ever, very good and very nice scenery. Thank you for this sir, you're amazing! This is one of my favorite versions, it sounds very genuine almost as what it was indented to sound like. Great work again!

[@knoxmassey6822]

Thank you very much Landon!

[@Hulloder]

I've been enjoying your channel so much lately, thanks for all the tunes!

[@nvg3971]

Even the camera couldn't help swaying in time lol, awesome playing dude.

[@dnbjedi]

*dancing on my contemporary porch in the midst of a townhome development"

[@rafalprzewlocki]

Lone house in the woods seems the most natural place to find master banjo player. Pure joy to listen!

[@woodybrison]

Arthur Fieldler said there were only two kinds of music - good and bad. This is good music

[@celesteheathers9309]

Oooooh I forgot about this one!

[@knoxmassey6822]

Thanks!

[@matthewtop]

I like that your singing in kind of an Irish maritime accent. Almost like how some Newfoundlanders sing

[@knoxmassey6822]

I'm sort of basing it off of how the 2nd SC sings it, but it sounds very "old-timey". I will agree that the NF accent is pretty neat

[@librandy77]

Mad cool tune lyrics and vibes…mad cool…🪕🪕🪕

[@knoxmassey6822]

Thank you!

[@francescofulghieri9608]

I love your channel and your mustache, sir!

[@janfideplat752]

Une bien belle chanson et un grand plaisir à vous découvrir l'interpréte der fort belle manière 😊

[@The_IRL_Bard]

This is why I wanna learn to play banjo, such a vibe, amazing

[@mckinley1924]

Fantastic playing

[@gogotrololo]

dang i love this one! you play great stuff :)

[@cwhritvt9765]

I want to like this twice. Fabulous job

[@TimewalkingApe]

Love this. Well done!

[@knoxmassey6822]

Thank you!

[@noahsmith7779]

Incredible dude.

[@lolloislollo]

Lovely performance. Cheers from Italy

[@timmullen8951]

Well played & sung, Knox. Thanks. From your playing technique, how old that song is & your surroundings, I'm taken back in time, over 100 years, to when that song was new. Where & how did you learn such old songs? Be Well.

[@louislamonte334]

Very fine performance, Sir!

[@knoxmassey6822]

Thank you Louis!

[@omaralladeen6317]

Great Great Great!

[@HistoryBoy]

Beautiful

[@kayleetodd9276]

Lyrics: (Intro-Chorus) High-ho the boatmen row Floating down the river in a big flatboat The boatmen dance, the boatmen sing The boatmen do most anything And when the boatmen come to shore They spend their money and they work for more (Chorus) Dance boatmen dance, dance boatmen dance Dance all night til the broad daylight and go home with the gals in the morning High-ho the boatmen row Floating down the river in a big flatboat I went with the boatmen to the ball Dance with the wife or not at all Sky blue jacket and tarpaulin hat Look out me boys for the nine-tailed cat (Chorus) The boatman he’s a thrifty man None can do as the boatman can Never a seen a pretty gal in my life That she was a boatman’s wife (Chorus) I went on board the other day Just to see what the boatmen had to say There I let my passions loose And they clapped me in the calaboose (Chorus)

[@alexmartens]

absolutely rips

[@juniperfern2]

Bliss to my ears. How long have you been playing banjo? How frequent do you play?

[@J35h13]

Great job!

[@Daddynapalm]

Your voice fits amazingly in with the song. Also, I love the way you played this. Did you arrange this version yourself or find it somewhere? I would love to learn it this way if I could.

[@knoxmassey6822]

You could say I ‘arranged’ it for banjo, but in reality my version is based on the 2nd SC String Band’s version which I believe is based on Dan Emmet’s original. I could certainly do a quick lesson video, stay tuned

[@Daddynapalm]

@@knoxmassey6822 I love 2nd SC so that may be why I love this so much

[@HistoryBoy]

@@knoxmassey6822 please do. I may just send this to my good friend… he is the 2nd SC lead banjo player. 😉

[@knoxmassey6822]

@@HistoryBoy I did a tutorial on it, albeit with my fretted banjo. It's on my channel if you are interested. Please send it to him if you'd like! I'd be happy to see what he thinks!

[@lachlanjoy6192]

Sounds great! Are those nylon strings?

[@knoxmassey6822]

Yes. Minstrel Nylon strings with a wound 4th

[@BoldTool20]

beautiful playing & singing!

[@goticopostrauma]

i get emotional and don't know why

[@DylanKDowd]

Your property looks like a damn dream.

[@JamesTirone-bd7rz]

Yeeee yip yuee

[@Popcorn_Kernel]

Who made your Boucher?

[@knoxmassey6822]

Gardner’s Dulcimers, based out of Grafton Ohio. I got their Minstrel Banjo and I’ve enjoyed playing it a lot.

[@Popcorn_Kernel]

@@knoxmassey6822 I have one of the last Terry Bell Boucher's! That believe it or not belonged to Leroy Troy

[@dcdc139]

​@@knoxmassey6822great job! I love my Gardner Minstrel

[@shigella63]

Now this is real dance music! Wonderful!

[@Lawdl3]

Bit of a strange question, but do you put anything in your hair when it’s at this length? What’s your secret 😂

[@knoxmassey6822]

Nah nothing, it gets quite annoying so I gotta cut it eventually

[@takeonedaily]

This guy looks like Sam Hyde if he grew up in the woods of the Carolinas and had pleasant experiences with Jews.

[@dannielward4207]

Try Rhiannon Giddens's version.

[@knoxmassey6822]

If only I had her voice! I could try it, doesn't seem too hard aside from actually being an amazing singer

[@nicdelmundo5687]

awesome song? out of curiosity are you a professional banjo player or do you have another job besides?

[@knoxmassey6822]

I am just an amateur banjo player who likes to post here sometimes! Banjo is just a hobby of mine outside of work, but I appreciate the compliment 😅

[@quigpig455]

What is your banjo tuned to?

[@knoxmassey6822]

Standard tuning here, probably in a low tuning however, maybe 2 to 3 half steps down

[@gabberpietor]

HI HO THE BOATMAN ROWS FLOATING DOWN THE RIVER IN A BIG BATTEAUX