Banjos Are Now Playing in Bricktown
Buddy Griffin leads the Houston-based All Star Youth Banjo Band in a performance of "Carolina in the Morning" as legendary banjo musicians and visitors join in.
And what a great sound it is – really, this is a great match for Bricktown when you consider its heyday as a wholesale district was from statehood to the 1920s, the same era as when banjo music was at its height. There was a who’s-who of performers who made the opening: Earl Scruggs; John McEuen, founding member of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band; Buddy Wachter, considered to be the most influential four-string banjoist of this generation; the Byron Berline Band, playing traditional bluegrass and swing; the Young Family Bluegrass Band; Georgette Twain the Queen of Banjo; jazz banjo entertainer Debbie Schreyer; and Doug Back classical/jazz banjo player.
A couple of big names didn’t make it. Roy Clark was a definite “yes” to attending the opening, but got sidelined by illness at the last minute. And there was hope that Steve Martin might make his way by – maybe he will another time.
Here’s a great video shot by Grayson Cook of the opening:
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Comments
Was at the grand opening yesterday, and it is exciting to see Bricktown add something of this flavor and uniqueness to the city. Before this opening, you could almost see Bricktown as a place where you went to enjoy a nice meal, or even an occasional ballgame, but with venues such as the museum, Bricktown becomes more than that, it manages to transforms itself into a reflection of our Oklahoma heritage and culture. And, I would say, investing culture in Bricktown guarantees the longevity of such a city center by equipping it with local nuances not found anywhere else in the country. An exciting day indeed.
And those kids were great 
All the way from Houston, Tx, the All Stars Youth Banjo Band.
Two of my kids are in the band. I did not make the trip but they did. They had a great time. My wife said that Oklahoma is beautiful and she is talking about taking vacation there.
I agree, also having the music school down there helps. It’s good to get bricktown into something more than resturants and clubs. Having more people living down there, adding some culture and arts is a must if bricktown wants to grow to the next level. I hope to see more arts and music, fountains and things that are fun and nice to look at.
I love it; this is definitely my kind of museum! Glad it’s here.