Snuffy Jenkins

DeWitt " Snuffy " Jenkins (* October 27, 1908, † 30 April 1990) was an American Old-time musicians. It is known as a pioneer of bluegrass banjo.

Life

Childhood and youth

Jenkins was the youngest of ten children in the Jenkins family. All his siblings learned to play an instrument. As a small child learned Jenkins fiddle playing, but he was not big enough for it, he began to pluck the fiddle like a mandolin. In addition, he also learned to play the guitar.

In 1927 he founded, together with the banjo players Smith Hammett and Rex Brooks his first band. From them he took over the play of the three-finger style, which he refined. In the following years he moved around the country and played on Square Dance Festival. Meanwhile, he began to teach the young Earl Scruggs. Soon the student surpassed the master. Jenkins moved in 1937 to Columbia, South Carolina. There he formed a band, with which he soon played gigs in local radio.

The breakthrough

In 1939 he founded, together with Homer Sherrill, a former member of the Blue Sky Boys, the Hired Hands, in which he remained active until his death. Eight years after the founding of the duo by the guitarist Julian Medlin and bassist Ira Dimmery was extended. In 1955 the second guitarist Bill Rey. The first recording they made in 1962 for the Folk Lyrics label. In the following years they played over and over again a successful plates. His last recording made ​​Jenkins 1989 for the Old Homestead label.

Snuffy Jenkins died on 30 April 1990 at the age of 82 years.

Work

No other musician except Charlie Poole, had so much influence on later bluegrass as Snuffy Jenkins. His style of banjo playing was decisive for many later musicians. Above all, he influenced Earl Scruggs, who later played in Bill Monroe's backing band, the Blue Grass Boys.