Yeah. That makes sense. He joked that he never wanted to make a career strictly as a banjo player because there is a sentence no one ever utters, "Oh, look. It's the banjo player's Porsche." So he needed to sneak in by being a comedian/actor/screenwriter/author/playwright. Imagine doing all that to be able to play music.
i love his look of concentration as he narrows down from his more goofy comedic persona to being a person who has legitimately spent hundreds of hours honing his abilities with this instrument.
You're completely off the world at that moment especially when you're improvising. It's the best feeling ever. Getting out a great guitar solo for example seems to be a lost skill almost.
I've played the banjo for over 45 years, and let me tell you this guy could play. What he's doing here is called frailing. Notice the banjo's open back, and the lack of finger picks. That's how you play the clawhammer or frailing style. I can't frail worth a crap. Steve also plays Scruggs (bluegrass) style very well, with finger picks and the back in place (he put the fingerpicks and back on at 2:25). That's my style. Very few banjo players can do both styles as good as Steve Martin. He could have been a professional banjo player, but as he once said nobody ever says "look at that banjo player in that Porsche". I guess he made the right vocational choice.
And then he came out with a music album and played on NPR tiny desk and late night shows with banjo legends and was AMAZING! In a banjoish sort of way. ( Seriously he was/ is amazing as a musician.)
Yes, he is good, both in the clawhammer style and 3 finger picking. One of the best in the world. I bet that if he could have made money with the banjo, he wouldn't have bothered with stand-up. He is world-class. Few are better. Never liked his acting, but I like his stand-up and his appearances on SNL, but I like his banjo picking best.
He did indeed play with Scruggs n Flats. Was badass when he did too. I play guitar and started with mountain music a million years ago and you are right when u say Steve is an awesome banjo player.
As one who has played the 5-string banjo for over 47 years, I can attest to your sentiment that the banjo is, indeed, THE most bad-ass instrument around... and the mandolin runs a VERY close second!
He really puts soul in his playing. And in 79 the cocaine wasn't too bad either. Just kidding Mr. Martin can really play and you don't need drugs for that. Talent and practice. Peace
I will tell you something,He has brought so much entertainment through the years, he's hot and cold, just like us.What a wonderful teaching person, I am so proud that he is part of my generation.
@@kadenwatt2033he may as well have been haha. Actually there are clips of him on the Smothers Brothers show from the 60s and he has brown hair. Looks kind of odd on him. Lol
Did you ever see Harpo Marx play the harp in one of the Marx Brothers' movies? He would stop being "Harpo" and would suddenly become a serious musician...same expression on Steve's face...
Sometimes serious but still mostly silly. Chico could play the hell out of a piano too. The Harpo/Chico combo was usually the best part of the Marx Bros in my opinion. Chicolini and Pinky forever!!!
I was not expecting him to be exceptionally good at that. Like, I'm a guitarist, I have some reference for how to play the banjo, and he is legitimately insanely good. Id be really impressed even if I didn't know who he was.
If someone told he, that guy is just one of the best banjo players, I would believe him. But then he will tell me what this man has achieved in other fields, I'm blown away.
I've seen Steve play banjo but never clawhammer style. Most play one style or the other. 3 finger roll, Scruggs style or clawhammer but not both. Talented guy.
Just because everyone should see Steve Martin play the Banjo at least once in their lives. He's probably the greatest entertainer of all time, if you really consider his entire body of work and it wasn't all him either. Probably why he looked 70 when he was 30 and he was probably born that way. My appreciation for him has grown just watching his stuff of late. The banjo and all of it. It's amazing how all of his acts he would always do something different as well. This is truly awe inspiring to me. With all that can seem wrong with the world all you have to do is replay it to this and you can die happy or sad or rolling laughing or whatever. This breaths so much energy into things that can seem so lacking at times even if they really are.
I saw him in the late 1970s as an opening act for Janis Ian in Los Angeles. He had just begun to zoom in popularity and it was interesting to see him do his set and then many of the audience members leaving, having seen who they really wanted to see.
I was in high school when he was on tour with this show. I went to see it with a guy I was dating. Steve was amazing. The crowd was amazing. I'm still thrilled I got to see him.
EX-CUUUUUUUSE- ME!!!!!! I can't remember any time I watched one of his stand up routines where I could still breathe normally (from laughing)....truly my favorite comedian ever.
I recall his first album from, I think, 1978. A classmate had it and we listened to it at his house. The guy was funny without being filthy. Shorty after I "discovered" him, he started making appearances on SNL. What a nut he was. And that he has evolved into this brilliant, but still occasionally funny, musician is a gift to the world. His banjo playing is probably nearly as good as anyone who has command of this five string instrument.
The first and only time we ever met was much like this moment. An arrow was going straight through your head. I sat in the audience mesmerized. What a talented, very strange young man. Oh, we were just kids then. Remember? Thank you for your life.
always thought how impressive it was that one minute he's so random and funny and then could just click into the silent concentration of playing an instrument like the banjo. pretty cool!
Amazing!! I've known for a while that he plays. This video is about the only time I've seen him with a straight face with him concentrating on playing!! It's really cool we can see him play in a bunch of youtube posts. Sure wish I had seen him at Red Rocks Amphitheater in the King Tut era - the show must have been a once in a life time show for sure! Elvis and the Beatles played at Red Rocks too but before my time. Neat!
First piece of music I ever fell in love with, on the first record my parents ever bought for me (Comedy Is Not Pretty). Wasn't until way later, after I had already developed a similar love for Simple Gifts that I realized the two were the same.
I remember the first time he brought a banjo out on stage of Carson or Merv Griffin and everyone assumed it was part of his comedy routine. Until he started playing. The man is a far better banjo player than he ever was a comedian.
While I was working on the road, I was listening to a late night radio called "Randy Bachman's Vinyl Tap." Randy recalled a time while they were on tour, they had a comedian who would go on stage before the performance and tell jokes. Randy went on to say that this guy would sit quietly behind stage before hand and practice the banjo..... "I wonder if Steve Martin remembers us?"
Steve Martin's grand plan was do be a rich and famous comedian so he could play banjo full time. And it worked.
ABSOLUTELY !!!
Yeah. That makes sense. He joked that he never wanted to make a career strictly as a banjo player because there is a sentence no one ever utters, "Oh, look. It's the banjo player's Porsche."
So he needed to sneak in by being a comedian/actor/screenwriter/author/playwright.
Imagine doing all that to be able to play music.
@@orbison "Ohhh, I'm picking out a thermos for YOUUUU..."
LOVE HIM!!!!!!!!
Yes it did!!
Not enough people realize the beauty of this instrument.
Bazouki is better. Used often in Irish musics too. And has 8 strings. Best number.
Great comment
@@goofe.washington953 Thanks
Respecting it more. It sounds joyful and this man can play from the heart.
Everyone does in NORTH CAROLINA HOME OF EARL SCRUGGS, AND DON RENO!!!!
i love his look of concentration as he narrows down from his more goofy comedic persona to being a person who has legitimately spent hundreds of hours honing his abilities with this instrument.
If you play any instrument then you know what it’s like to be in the zone, for lack of a better phrase.
You're completely off the world at that moment especially when you're improvising. It's the best feeling ever. Getting out a great guitar solo for example seems to be a lost skill almost.
You can't be more connected to music than that. And I also make electronic music. Nothing beats the real thing.
Thousands of hours.
Harpo Marx was the same way. When he played harp you saw Harpo himself, not the comedic Harpo.
Steve Martin, keeping it classy since the ‘70’s.
Looks like we've been wrong about Steve Martin all along... He is a professional banjo player that is also a world-renowned comedian.
Writer, dramatic actor, dancer, singer, etc.
I've played the banjo for over 45 years, and let me tell you this guy could play. What he's doing here is called frailing. Notice the banjo's open back, and the lack of finger picks. That's how you play the clawhammer or frailing style. I can't frail worth a crap. Steve also plays Scruggs (bluegrass) style very well, with finger picks and the back in place (he put the fingerpicks and back on at 2:25). That's my style. Very few banjo players can do both styles as good as Steve Martin. He could have been a professional banjo player, but as he once said nobody ever says "look at that banjo player in that Porsche". I guess he made the right vocational choice.
And then he came out with a music album and played on NPR tiny desk and late night shows with banjo legends and was AMAZING! In a banjoish sort of way. ( Seriously he was/ is amazing as a musician.)
Yes, he is good, both in the clawhammer style and 3 finger picking. One of the best in the world.
I bet that if he could have made money with the banjo, he wouldn't have bothered with stand-up. He is world-class. Few are better. Never liked his acting, but I like his stand-up and his appearances on SNL, but I like his banjo picking best.
He did indeed play with Scruggs n Flats. Was badass when he did too. I play guitar and started with mountain music a million years ago and you are right when u say Steve is an awesome banjo player.
Watch his new show, “murder in the building”. He is very “un-Steve” and shows off some serious acting chops in the subtle moments.
One of the best comments ever. I did start playing banjo about a year ago and practice in the back of my Tesla while my son is at his drum lesson.
He’s playing it finger-style, no pick! That’s awesome! 😎
Frailing or clawhammer style like the old timers did
Drop-thumb is another term for this technique. Grandpa Jones, String Bean, and Doc Watson played this style.
The banjo is the most badass instrument and nobody can convince me otherwise.
It has the most soul in the right hands, but it's hard to coax feelings out of it.
bass guitar
As one who has played the 5-string banjo for over 47 years, I can attest to your sentiment that the banjo is, indeed, THE most bad-ass instrument around... and the mandolin runs a VERY close second!
It's very cool. Lots of history behind it too!
Nuh uh!
Oh man I just ended your whole career with that takedown
Holy crap. He's playing a medley of Loch Lomond (Scottish traditional) and Simple Gifts (old Shaker hymn).
Thanks I recognized It's a Gift to Be Simple but never heard the other one
The banjo. Simultaneously the happiest and most melancholy of instruments. Steve, always be with us with your smile and banjo at your side.
You can see it in his eyes that music was his true passion.
Banjo music never fails to make me smile
He did this during a STADIUM stand up routine.
sixpakshaker88 I was just thinking that. He was on top of his game
I saw him in a live indoor arena with 19,000 other fans he was amazing. I will never forget the amazing dime trick, his best magic ever!
@Cindi Thomas He played stadiums at least the size of basketball arenas. So it was in front of 10s of thousands of fans.
At the height of disco, no less.
That’s the only way they’d allow it
Thank you Steve for all the great memories and music 🎶🎶🙏🇺🇸
This guy is so multi-talented! I've always loved him.
He really puts soul in his playing. And in 79 the cocaine wasn't too bad either. Just kidding Mr. Martin can really play and you don't need drugs for that. Talent and practice. Peace
I will tell you something,He has brought so much entertainment through the years, he's hot and cold, just like us.What a wonderful teaching person, I am so proud that he is part of my generation.
He’s 34 here... wow, looks the same now over 40 years later, respect
when you reach max level, you just stop leveling! haha
I for one believe Steve Martin was born with white-gray hair lol
@@kadenwatt2033he may as well have been haha. Actually there are clips of him on the Smothers Brothers show from the 60s and he has brown hair. Looks kind of odd on him. Lol
this video is super low quality, though, if you recorded him now on these cameras, with this level of compression, i'm sure look the same
Saw him live opening for Johnny Cash and others. Too young too get it then, before he was known. What a talent
Hot Japan Rock Bands Yes wow
Hot Japan Rock Bands Yes when was that?
@@RataStueyere’s him with Johnny cash in 1978 th-cam.com/video/N1obYtC52hE/w-d-xo.html
Did you ever see Harpo Marx play the harp in one of the Marx Brothers' movies? He would stop being "Harpo" and would suddenly become a serious musician...same expression on Steve's face...
I thought the exact same thing watching this. Both Steve and Harpo were self taught also.
Yes thanks for the good reminder :)
Sometimes serious but still mostly silly. Chico could play the hell out of a piano too. The Harpo/Chico combo was usually the best part of the Marx Bros in my opinion. Chicolini and Pinky forever!!!
I noticed that expression too!
@@s.willis8426 one of the best, although, I think a little Rufus T. Firefly thrown in made it so much better too
I remember Rascal Flats doing a song called Banjo and Steve Martin made a surprise appearance on the show!
He was amazing😮
You can tell this is his true passion. Brings him joy it seems. Good on ya Martin!
This concert changed my 14 year old life. My humor, a lot about what I found funny. Unreal - genius.
I don't know if I love him more being funny or playing the banjo.
You don’t have to chose!
I was not expecting him to be exceptionally good at that.
Like, I'm a guitarist, I have some reference for how to play the banjo, and he is legitimately insanely good. Id be really impressed even if I didn't know who he was.
Watch Steve play banjo on David Letterman with Earl Scruggs. They do Foggy Mountain Breakdown. Steve is a world class banjo.
If someone told he, that guy is just one of the best banjo players, I would believe him. But then he will tell me what this man has achieved in other fields, I'm blown away.
Can't believe this clip is 41 years old.
😮😮😮!
And Steve Martin looked the same age ever since.
What a wild and crazy guy... 🕺
I've seen Steve play banjo but never clawhammer style. Most play one style or the other. 3 finger roll, Scruggs style or clawhammer but not both. Talented guy.
Anyone who can play both styles knows what the hell they're doing.
Just because everyone should see Steve Martin play the Banjo at least once in their lives. He's probably the greatest entertainer of all time, if you really consider his entire body of work and it wasn't all him either. Probably why he looked 70 when he was 30 and he was probably born that way. My appreciation for him has grown just watching his stuff of late. The banjo and all of it. It's amazing how all of his acts he would always do something different as well. This is truly awe inspiring to me. With all that can seem wrong with the world all you have to do is replay it to this and you can die happy or sad or rolling laughing or whatever. This breaths so much energy into things that can seem so lacking at times even if they really are.
I saw him in the late 1970s as an opening act for Janis Ian in Los Angeles. He had just begun to zoom in popularity and it was interesting to see him do his set and then many of the audience members leaving, having seen who they really wanted to see.
The musician who was funny. One of my idols.
Man, myth, legend.
He’s not dead
@@triplerushhd4799 Correct, not dead. Who said he was dead?
One of my favorite entertainers of all time. What a guy.
His playing touches and heals the heart. He's amazing.
I was in high school when he was on tour with this show. I went to see it with a guy I was dating.
Steve was amazing. The crowd was amazing. I'm still thrilled I got to see him.
Read that as 'I was high in school' my bad lol
There are stars in the sky... and some fell to earth... you Mr. Martin are one of those beautiful souls... peace be with you.🤗😁
EX-CUUUUUUUSE- ME!!!!!! I can't remember any time I watched one of his stand up routines where I could still breathe normally (from laughing)....truly my favorite comedian ever.
Do you remember....." Grandpaaaaa bought a rubber ".....
The single most talented entertainer out there. He has honed his every craft. When someone says "I just don't 'get' him, it tells me everything.
I recall his first album from, I think, 1978. A classmate had it and we listened to it at his house. The guy was funny without being filthy. Shorty after I "discovered" him, he started making appearances on SNL. What a nut he was. And that he has evolved into this brilliant, but still occasionally funny, musician is a gift to the world. His banjo playing is probably nearly as good as anyone who has command of this five string instrument.
The first and only time we ever met was much like this moment. An arrow was going straight through your head. I sat in the audience mesmerized. What a talented, very strange young man. Oh, we were just kids then. Remember? Thank you for your life.
The guy has 5 Grammy Awards, 1 Emmy Award, and 1 Academy Award, among others.
Plus numerous awards for his music
The only one to have won both music and comedy Grammys
always thought how impressive it was that one minute he's so random and funny and then could just click into the silent concentration of playing an instrument like the banjo. pretty cool!
I saw him in 1978 at Indianapolis convention center, I’ll miss him
As far as I am aware, he's not dead .
True all around talent
Amazing!! I've known for a while that he plays. This video is about the only time I've seen him with a straight face with him concentrating on playing!! It's really cool we can see him play in a bunch of youtube posts. Sure wish I had seen him at Red Rocks Amphitheater in the King Tut era - the show must have been a once in a life time show for sure! Elvis and the Beatles played at Red Rocks too but before my time. Neat!
First piece of music I ever fell in love with, on the first record my parents ever bought for me (Comedy Is Not Pretty). Wasn't until way later, after I had already developed a similar love for Simple Gifts that I realized the two were the same.
I love the first part of this. I watch at least once a day. Love watching the fingering! Amazing!
I love the banjo! Wish I could play one!
Legend! The only celebrity I would cry to meet. I love you man 🧡
I chatted with him as we waited to cross the street in Paris in 1982..he was so nice and told me a few jokes!😊
@@MamaShmoi What a great memory to. treasure!
Steve should be declared a living National Treasure.
Steve, You ALWAYS make me smile!
That was amazing
I saw Steve play on tv with Earl Scruggs and about 3 others, and he had no problems being just as good!
Lee in Plainvillle!
He is absolutely 100% comparable to Earl Scruggs (although there never can be another Earl). Steve Martin is one of the three best banjo pickers ever.
Yeah, they even won a Grammy together for an all star version of Foggy Mountain Breakdown
i sadly missed him here in fargo damn i wanted to see him, i love his banjo playing
That’s IMPROVISATION to the MAX. Love ❤️ and ALOHA
Damn boy! Tore it up! Love the banjo and Steve Martin!
gotta adore this man, so incredibly talented
Agreed!🪕
Luv his Banjo playin❣🎶🎵🎶❤
Saw him play in westbury NY....awesome show,. He did some humor played banjo then the professionals played. great show
He really shreds on that banjo!
Improvising.. He's gifted.
I’m here from Steve’s video on twitter. Simply amazing
Amazing
It was cool that the audience did not start clapping along while he played that first tune.
The story of how Navin Johnson learned to pick the banjo was cut from The Jerk...
I remember the first time he brought a banjo out on stage of Carson or Merv Griffin and everyone assumed it was part of his comedy routine. Until he started playing.
The man is a far better banjo player than he ever was a comedian.
He looks so serious when he plays the Banjo, great instrument!
Love Steve Martin, so multi talented and all around funny.
Such a talent ! He has a magic act too !
very talented banjo player and actor indeed! One of my favorite movies is “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” with him and Michael Caine. Hilarious. “Ruprecht”
Plays with such ease!!
Im not sure Ive ever known Steve Martin could play the banjo! Im really impressed!
How could put so much talent in one human?
Asheville, nc resident. (I wonder if he still lives there) I love this man.
Good ol Steve... in my top 10 comedian list... but just multi talented.
I have to say the banjo is my favourite instrument. If I could play it, I would.
I've always felt a relation to this guy. Either from him always being in the movies or that he seems like such an honestly good person.
Saw him in 1979 at the UNI-Dome, Cedar Falls, Iowa.
that song king tut was so popular back then
He is my favorite comedian of all time
Almost as fantastic an instrument as the bagpipes 🤓
Huge react . That laddie is a master of his craft …☀️🤗👍
What an absolute legend 🤘🫡
I love how he plays.
Look up Claw hammer banjo
That’s the Democrat style. Three finger Scrugg roll is conservative 😉
@@Bluelightcheaphotel now as a liberal Scruggs style player I take offense! 😂
I had no idea he could play, so cool
Check out steep canyon rangers with steve
Could listen all day long.
"You're a wizard, Steve."
What a great video.
I never knew he could do that👍👏👏
A big thank you for posting this video!!! I've loved it since I was little.
Beautiful!😊
Obsequious purple and clairvoyant. He’s a comic genius.
Terrific Performance!
Starting around 2:30, his banjo strings keep hitting the lower microphone, creating a series of strange background squawks while he talks 🤣😂
I think he’s actually hitting the rim of banjo against the microphone ON PURPOSE. Great sing-a-long! Terrific!
That's Comedy!
I'd never seen him do that before. It must have been something he'd just come up with. It's hilarious.
Missed you back there..
So funny! We love you Steve
I can literally listen to this 100×'s over
Saw him on the Let’s Get Small tour in St. Paul & obviously, he played this number 🪕
Crazy wild guy
I had this on video and lost it. Thanks for uploading.
The talent of this man...
Steve Martin ...Cool Banjo guy ..peace.
Isn't this just amazing!
While I was working on the road, I was listening to a late night radio called "Randy Bachman's Vinyl Tap." Randy recalled a time while they were on tour, they had a comedian who would go on stage before the performance and tell jokes. Randy went on to say that this guy would sit quietly behind stage before hand and practice the banjo..... "I wonder if Steve Martin remembers us?"