Bringing Bluegrass to the Platte Valley

The sound of the banjo and guitar brought high energy to the Lazy River Cantina as Dan Mazer aka Banjer Dan made his first visit to Saratoga on Wednesday, June 26.

The crowd went crazy with some loud yee-haws as Mazer played the song Dueling Banjos to get the crowd fired up.

Mazer has traveled to many different places in his lifetime, but this was his first time playing in Saratoga. His trip to the Platte Valley came following a trip through Wyoming and a stop in Sinclair.

“I go on the road a lot more than I used to,” Mazer said. “I have heard from folks who say they don't see me enough. Last year, when I was on tour, I passed through Rawlins and got off the interstate. I ended up in the town of Sinclair and discovered the Parco-Sinclair Theater and I wrote this down in my notebook to follow up on.”

Mazer said he was booked up for Parco-Sinclair Theater this year. However, It didn't go according to his plan.

“I called Monte Thayer and he booked my gig for June 26,” Mazer said. “A couple of weeks ago I texted him then sent him another poster and told him I am ready for the show. Mr. Thayer texted back and said ‘Oh my gosh, there is a mix-up. That day is not available, let me help you find another place.’ He felt responsible for the mix-up. He set me up with the Lazy River Cantina and negotiated almost the same deal I had with the theater.

While banjo and bluegrass may be more mainstream these days thanks to bands like Mumford and Sons, it was a bluegrass song from a Burt Reynolds movie which would get Mazer into playing the instrument. That, and his siblings.

“When I was little, my older brothers and sisters would play guitar and sing songs from the Beatles and Bob Dylan,” Mazer said. “When I lived in Washington D.C, my older brothers were into Rock ‘n’ Roll. I have a younger brother who loved the movie soundtrack from “Deliverance.”

According to Mazer, his brother enjoyed the song “Dueling Banjos” which was originally composed by Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith. The film version was arranged and recorded by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell.

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“My brother wanted a banjo for his birthday and he got one,” said Mazer. “I saw my brother playing the banjo and kids were hanging around. So I said to myself, maybe I could make friends playing banjo”.

Mazer said he got a record album of the Dueling Banjos and the musical duo of Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. He said he practiced playing the banjo to play music like the two bluegrass legends.

“We had one Dueling Banjos record and one Flatt and Scruggs album with an Earl Scruggs instruction book,” Mazer said. “From those influences, I got the idea that the banjo is about bluegrass music and Earl Scruggs. This has happened by happy circumstance, Washington D.C. in the 1970s has become the hotbed for progressive bluegrass music.”

Mazer said the two popular bluegrass bands in Washington D.C were the Seldom Scene and the Country Gentlemen. He talks about other bluegrass bands in Washington D.C. who impacted the folk music scene.

“There were bands such as The Seldom Scene and the Country Gentlemen who performed a lot in Washington D.C,” Mazer said. “Coupe De Grass and Bluegrass Cardinals were also playing in the nation's capital. But it was the Country Gentlemen who started the bluegrass trend in Washington D.C. back in 1957. They were the first bluegrass band to cover Bob Dylan and the folk music scene. Two members from the Country Gentleman, Tom Gray and John Duffey, reformed as the Seldom Scene during the 1960s “.

Mazer credits these. legendary bluegrass bands with deepening his interest in becoming a banjo player. Since then Mazer has continued his success and has not looked back.