N. Morris interview with Paul Elliott

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. In this recording, N. Morris interviews musician Paul Elliott about crafting artisan banjos, banjo-playing techniques, and musical performances. To start, Elliott recalls teaching himself to play the banjo and making his first instrument from a wooden plank, cotton strings, and beeswax at age 4. He then explains that he crafts his banjos out of walnut and curly maple wood. At 5:01, he plays a banjo tune with tremolo composed by banjo musician, F. J. Bacon. At 12:25, he plays two folk tunes, then at 17:00, he plays a folk hymn accompanied by unidentified female vocals. Next, at 22:05, Elliott discusses banjo guitars, which are six-stringed guitars with banjo heads and rims. At 23:57, he plays another tune and explains that the fifth string can be used to play in different keys. Then at 26:24, he recalls jigs and so-called devil songs as among the first songs he learned to play and explains his three-finger playing style. At 28:40, he shares that each banjo takes him approximately six weeks to complete, and that he learned to play using an F. J. Bacon record and chord book. At 30:26, he plays a folk tune called Home Sweet Home to demonstrate playing banjo with bare fingers (without a pick) and tremolo, explaining the difficulty of mastering the technique. Next, at 35:13, he plays a folk hymn titled Where Will I Shelter My Sheep Tonight with vocals from an unidentified female singer, who remembers when she first heard the song performed by the Acorn Sisters. Then, at 38:38, they discuss banjo brands like Vega and Gibson, and Elliott explains that he can only play the five-string banjo because four-stringed tenor banjos require different chord patterns. At 40:18, he presents an instrument he constructed out of a Ford Model T Fender and speculates that he has made 30-40 banjos in total. At 46:22, he demonstrates the lower sound of a banjo guitar without a back which requires a reinforced fingerboard to maintain string tension. Next, at 49:51, he talks about traditional banjo heads made of calfskin and the need to warm the instrument by a fire in cold, damp weather to maintain pitch. At 53:19, he plays on a few more banjos, before closing the interview with a discussion about his family. Paul Napoleon Elliott (1892-1990) was born in Lumpkin County, Georgia, to Samuel Bruce Elliott (1848-1930) and Mildred Millie Adaline Elliott (1851-?). In 1918, he married Elizabeth "Bessie" R. Blalock Elliott (1899-1961), with whom he had six children: Lorene Callie Elliott Thurmond (1919-1954), Garvice Paul Elliott (1922-2009), Alice Elliott Head (1925-2008), Dorothy Beatrice Elliott McAlister (1930-2014), William Farrell Elliott (1939-2023), and Mildred Elliott (1927-2011). He worked in a sawmill and in farming, logging, and gold mining. In addition, he was a craftsman who handmade artisan banjos for more than 50 years. No transcript exists for this recording. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us in a position to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, and bias is reflected in our descriptions, which may not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materials accurately. Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment. We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created. Additionally, our work to use reparative language where Library of Congress subject terms are inaccurate and obsolete is ongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailing reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.