John Snipes's lyrics & chords

John Snipes was an African American banjo player and farmer, born in Orange County, North Carolina (DOB unknown). Although his playing had to be worked in around his farming, John was a marathon dance musician, especially on favourite occasions like 4th of July. He would often play a single tune at a breakneck speed for as long as an hour for sets and buck dancers. By the 1970s he had quit playing, but he was such a skilled musician he had no trouble picking it up again when the opportunity arose to record for Smithsonian Folkways. Read more on...read more