An Interview with Charlie Cushman
Charlie Cushman
By, Warren McGuffin
November 2006
I had the distinct pleasure to meet and interview Charlie Cushman while he was on tour with Vince Gill. For those who aren’t familiar with Charlie, he is a much sought after banjoist who has had an outstanding career as a road and studio musician, and has accompanied many recording artists throughout his playing history. We spent the day together, prior to the concert, discussing banjos. His website is
http://www.charliecushman.com.
Charlie’s good friends include Earl Scruggs, Sonny Osborne, J.D. Crowe, Bill Evans, Eddie Stubbs, and many more pickers too numerous to mention. He has played with all the greats, and has played banjo, guitar, and upright bass on many recordings. He recently restored an RB-3 banjo that was owned and played by Earl Scruggs and Don Reno and used on many of the recordings that are so famous today. Check out the pages on his web site at
CBA: Charlie…you are now well into this 26-city tour with Vince Gill. Other than the tour itself, what other activities occupy your time?
Charlie Cushman: Well, I play banjo and guitar and sing back-up on the show. But I have friends in a lot of the cities we are visiting and I like to be able to perhaps visit with them if possible. I also visit music stores with other band members and look for vintage instruments. Several members of this touring group are collectors. Vince is a collector, as I am, and other guys in the group collect as well. We, as a group, are aware of the hot spots for vintage instruments.
CBA: What about home?
Charlie Cushman: These modern day travel coaches are equipped with just about everything, and I can keep in touch with family and friends. The coach has wireless internet, so of course you can use email to easily stay in touch. At home, though, it's pretty much banjos full time. I have a set-up business and I also set up the Osborne Chief banjos for Sonny Osborne's company. My home time pretty much centers around banjos.
CBA: What banjo(s) are you touring with now?
Charlie Cushman: I am using a new Osborne Chief on this tour. I have been working with Sonny this year setting up his banjos. This banjo is a fine, quality instrument that performs well and has an excellent tone. It is less than a year old, yet has a vintage sound.
CBA: As a collector how many banjos do you have?
Charlie Cushman: Several pre-war Gibsons. I use these on recording sessions. I match the banjo to the music, if possible. Sometimes songs call for particular sounds. Like the pre-war sound we all seek. I also have some good archtop banjos. As an example, on the album I cut with Michael Cleveland, called “Let 'Er Go, Boys!”, I used a 40-hole archtop on "Miller's Cave". When you listen to the track, it's a good sound . A lot of banjo pickers are really surprised at this track and the fact that it is an archtop they are hearing.
CBA: You recently restored a historical banjo….tell us about it.
Charlie Cushman: A good narrative is on my website @ http://www.charliecushman.com.
It's a 1935 Gibson RB-3 (serial # 518-1) and was owned and used by Earl Scruggs as a member of Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys during the early days of the birth of Bluegrass music. Earl Scruggs later traded the banjo to Don Reno, and Don used this banjo throughout his career. It has a lot of miles on it. The sound so many of us banjo players know and love, still lives through this great instrument. This banjo vibrates like no other banjo that I’ve ever played and has a sound all its own. It was an incredible experience, exploring the potentials of this banjo. You know, this was the 1st Mastertone used by Earl Scruggs and, as far as we know, it was the 1st Mastertone used in a Bluegrass band. It is a very magical instrument. Don Reno carved his career out on this banjo, too.
CBA: Your website on this restoration is very interesting. I bet once you got into it and did the set-up, and eventually played it, it was truly an exciting experience. Did you get it to sound like it does on the early recordings?
Charlie Cushman: Well, back in those days it had a skin head on it and those guys would have the bridge pretty thin and the head cranked tight to get a brighter sound.
CBA: Have you used it on any recordings?
Charlie Cushman: I was fortunate to have been able to have that banjo for a little over a year . I have logged thousands of hours listening to it. I have recorded a few records with it. On the David Peterson album, "In the Mountain Tops to Roam," it was on 7 or 8 cuts. Some of the cuts are “Red Rockin’ Chair”, “I'll Still WriteYour Name in the Sand”, “Careless Love”, and several more. On the Michael Cleveland album, “Let 'Er Go, Boys!”, I used it on “Old Joe”. I have an unreleased Don Reno tribute album right now and I used it on several songs on that project, too. Playing Reno's music on his banjo is pretty special. It was a real honor to have been given it to work on and play. I will say that that particular instrument will do things that I have never seen another banjo do. Like the high section on “ Cumberland Gap ” where I'm at the 22nd fret playing the same thing that was played at the 10th fret…there is enough room to get your fingers between the frets to play that section easily. I have even had necks made to the same dimensions as Reno's banjo neck and have yet to get one to do the same. It a unique instrument…the brush technique that Reno used, it all comes out on that instrument. You don’t have get it to come out...it just does. There truly is something special between the neck and the pot on this banjo.
CBA: Why do you think Earl traded it?
Charlie Cushman: A young men, Earl and Don were so musically aware that they could just walk up to each other and say, “I need your banjo and you need mine…let’s swap.” That banjo impresses me because at one time it was good enough for both of the masters.
CBA: What is your favorite banjo(s) in your collection?
Charlie Cushman: I have a couple of flathead RB-3s made in the 30s that I use a lot. Whenever I can use them I do. People want to see you play a good vintage instrument. As you know, the old pre-war flatheads are expensive and rare, so I don’t tour with them. But, I love to play them. My favorite is a 1934 Flathead RB-3. It was a tenor converted to a 5-string. It has a neck made by Frank Neat.
CBA: You have a set-up business. How long does it take to do a set-up?
Charlie Cushman: I like to spend about 3 days on a banjo. I like to do a thorough job. I think the selection of the bridge is paramount to a good set-up. I can do a quicker set-up if the instrument is only available for a short time.
CBA: How much do you charge?
Charlie Cushman: Under $200. I also work for Gruhn Guitars in Nashville and do all their banjo set-ups and a lot of repair work. It seems like I am dealing with banjos 24/7! I was looking to work with Deering, but we didn't come to terms.
CBA: Do you work on open back banjos?
Charlie Cushman: Some, but I really concentrate on resonator banjos.
CBA: You are a sought after studio musician. What are some of the recent projects you have been working on?
Charlie Cushman: I just finished an acoustic record with Merle Haggard. I also recorded with Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, Rhonda Vincent, and Claire Lynch on their most recent projects.
CBA: Do you do any festivals?
Charlie Cushman: Quite a few.
CBA: The CBA puts on a great Fathers' Day weekend festival. Would you consider coming out here for one?
Charlie Cushman: Absolutely! I have heard so many great things about the festival in Grass Valley . I have participated in many workshops, but they have all been back East. It would be great to participate in one out here in California . Over the course of my 40+ years of playing, I have studied Scruggs and Reno extensively and learned a few tricks that I would be glad to share. I would be honored to attend your festival.
CBA: If you have any advice to other banjo pickers what would it be?
Charlie Cushman: Keep your mind open and play what you feel. That’s why we love all the great banjo players, because they play what they feel.
CBA: Tell us about your CD. What is the meaning of Hi Fi?
Charlie Cushman: HiFi means high fidelity. Before we had stereo, there was high fidelity. It was a 2-channel format like the recordings Don Reno and Red Smiley made on the old King records, using analog tape to record the music. It has a special sound. We used the HiFi format and vintage RCA ribbon microphones, then digitally mixed the recording for today's technology. It gave us the warm sounds we sought. We wanted the analog tones that produce the instruments' sounds accurately. When you hear the CD, you will know what I mean. It sounds more alive and warm.
