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“‘Old Longneck’ or…the Saga of the Silver Banjo” by Don DeFore
Disneylander Magazine, December 1957
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“Let me ask you — have you ever seen an old-time, long-neck Dixie banjo? If you have, chances are you’ve never forgotten that distinctive, rhythmic sound, that unique tone and musical styling that smacks of only one thing—true Dixieland. I have never forgotten, and I think I never will.
“It all started back in Cedar Rapids, on a snowy December evening in 1923, right about this time of year. Outside, drifts were 8' high, and inside six and one-half worried kids (Mama was expecting) pressed noses against the frosted windows, awaiting eagerly and not without a wee mite of anxiety, the appearance of a loved and familiar figure, battling his way through the sub-zero weather. Dad was a railroader—ask anybody who knew the Rock Island, the Milwaukee & St. Paul, and Chicago Northwestern, and they’d be pretty sure to know Joe DeFore, engineer. Quite a guy, my Dad. He’d gone into railroading when he was twenty…when it was a “hero” job and they were writing songs about it. And now, at the comfortable age of thirty-eight, high on the ladder of seniority in the East-Iowa division of Chicago Northwestern, he was master of all he surveyed, whether it was in the cab of his “iron horse”, or on this throne…the big Morris chair in the sitting room of the two-story dwelling over on the east side of the River Cedar.
“But now it was snowing hard, dinner was waiting and Dad wasn’t home. And then, suddenly, he emerged out of the murk, through the front door, puffing, stomping and brushing the mounds of white from his cap and shouders. In the excitement of his return, the big odd-shaped package tucked under his arm went almost unnoticed as he placed it by the newel post at the foot of the stairs. But, once fully greeted and thawed, he plunked himself down in his big Morris chair, called for the mysterious package, and the unveiling began. That moment I shall never forget! “What is it!”, we shriekd in unison as we peered at this strange object with a round face like a drum, a long stick attached with keys and strings like a violin, and with the drum-back and edges gleaming silver.
“Then Dad began to pick and strum, a little inexpertly at first, but to us, “Old Longneck” sounded fine as Dad segued from “Wabash Cannon Ball”, into “Down on the Levee”, and “Alabamy Bound”, and we all joined in the chorus. Thuse started an almost nightly tradition in our house in Cedar Rapids, and, as I remember, these little songfestts invariably took place just before or just after the evening meal. other winters came and went, and that old Silver Banjo kept right on strummin’ and gettin’ older along with the rest of us.
“It’s been many a moon since I paddled my own canoe up over those rapids in the Cedar and headed west. And the fingers that once picked and strummed on “old long neck” have long been stilled, but that well-loved and haunting sound of the silver banjo has never left me. And, what’s more, I have ever since associated it with supper time…and good food! A couple years ago, while reminiscing with my younger brother, Verne, about those early childhood supper-time banjo fests, Verne mused; “Did you ever notice what a terrific appetite ya got from listening to that ol’ banjo strummin’?”
“PING. Idea. How about a restaurant called “BANJO”?
“For two weeks, night and day, I worked on the idea and plans; and then, as though my Guardian Angel had been working with me, I heard that there was going to be space available in Disneyland for someone to operate a barbeque restaurant. Negotiations were immediately started, and before long my brother, Verne and I were welcomed into the Disneyland lessee family.
“Oh yes…incidentally, three weeks before we opened, a large package was delivered to our home, and as four children looked on with intrigued and excited faces, they saw me unwrap an old time, long neck banjo. “Who sent you that old thing!” piped the kids as they gazed scornfully at a beat-up old long neck, with silver all dull and tarnished. The note inside read; “Found this in the attic…thought you might find some use for it. Happy memories! Brother Cliff.”
“And you know what? I did find some use for it! It gave me the idea for the name of our restaurant—“THE SILVER BANJO.” And you know what else? Some day I may even learn to play the darned thing!”
Many thanks to Jason Schultz for sending this article to me! |
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