Red Henry
We have sad news about a musical friend to report today. Chuck Lamb, lifelong banjo-playing stalwart of the northeast Florida bluegrass and old-time music scene, died yesterday. I believe he was over 90 years old. Chuck was at many of the earliest picking parties I ever attended, and was always friendly and enthusiastic about playing music.
Chuck and his banjo-playing wife, Jeanie, came every year to the Gamble Rogers Music Festival in St. Augustine, and had a fine time listening to all the music. It was always great to see them.
Here's a photo taken at the very first picking party I ever attended, at Wyndell Merritt's house near Gainesville in December, 1967. Chuck's at the far left with his banjo. I remember that sometime during that weekend, he played and sang Boiling Cabbage: "Coon's got a big ol' bushy tail, the possum's tail is bare..."
Thanks for many years of good music and good friendship, Chuck. We'll miss you.
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Here's a photo of the same friends at White Springs, a few months later (1968): Myself, John Hedgecoth, Wyndell Merritt, Chuck Lamb, and Mike Johnson. Thanks, Chuck, for lots of good times!
Murphy Henry
I didn’t meet Chuck till much later (after 1974, when he had grown a lovely white beard) but Red is right–Chuck was one of the good ‘uns. He ate supper with us a couple of times in our Hawthorne, Fla., house (on a school-book selling trip?) and he was the first person I ever saw who put mayonnaise on tomatoes! (The things one remembers….) He and his wife Jeannie also came to Bluegrass Week at Augusta Heritage in Elkins, WVA at least once. He was probably well into his seventies then. I loved it that he was still interested in learning more about banjo! “Now he’s up in heaven, he’s with the angel band…” And the Florida Music Section up there includes our dear friends Gamble Rogers, Will McLean, and Paul Champion. I’m sure they are pulling up a chair for Chuck….Pick away, my friend!