Eric Weissberg: Difference between revisions

{{shortShort description|American musician (1939–2020)}}

{{RefimproveMore citations needed|date=March 2020}}

| name = Eric Weissberg

| background = solo_singer

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date |1939|08|16}}

| birth_place = [[Brooklyn]], [[= New York City]], U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|03|22|1939|08|16}}

| death_place = near = [[DetroitWhite Lake Township, Michigan]], U.S.

| genre = [[Folk music|Folk]], [[Country music|Country]], [[Bluegrass music|Bluegrass]]

| occupation =

| instrument = [[Banjo]], [[steel guitar]], [[guitar]], [[mandolin]], [[dobro]], [[bass]]

| years_active = 1958–2020

| label = [[Elektra Records|Elektra]], [[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]

| associated_acts = [[The Tarriers]], [[Bob Dylan]], [[John Denver]],

| website =

'''Eric Weissberg''' (August 16, 1939 – March 22, 2020) was an American singer, [[banjo]] player, and [[multi-instrumentalist]], whose most commercially successful recording was his banjo solo in "[[Dueling Banjos]],", featured as the theme of the film ''[[Deliverance]]'' (1972) and released as a single that reached number 2 in the United States and Canada in 1973.

Weissberg was born in [[Brooklyn]], New York City, the son of Cecile (Glasberg), a liquor buyer, and Will Weissberg, a publicity photographer.<ref>https: name="nytdeath"//www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/arts/music/eric-weissberg-dies.html</ref> He attended [[Little Red School House|The Little Red Schoolhouse]] in New York's [[Greenwich Village]] and graduated from [[The High School of Music & Art]] in New York City. He went on to the [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]] and the [[Juilliard School of Music]]. From 1956 to 1958, Weissberg frequently joined [[Bob Yellin]], [[John Herald]] and [[Paul Prestopino]] at [[Washington Square Park]] to play on Sundays from 12-6pm. Public folk-singing in that park was forbidden by the city except for Sunday afternoons. John Herald the lead singer played guitar. Bob Yellin played guitar and 5-string. Weissberg usually played 5-string but also fiddle. Paul Prestopino played mandolin. Weissberg joined an early version of the [[Greenbriar Boys]] (1958–59), but left before they made any recordings. He joined The [[Tarriers]], replacing [[Erik Darling]]. At the time, the Tarriers had had a hit with "[[Banana Boat Song]]"; [[Harry Belafonte]]'s version, released soon afterward, became a bigger hit.

He was well known for playing the banjo solo in "[[Dueling Banjos]]", used as the theme in the film ''[[Deliverance]]'' (1972), produced by [[Joe Boyd]] and directed by [[John Boorman]]. It was released later as a single and became a hit;, playing on Top 40, AOR, and country stations alike. It reached the Top Ten and hit #2 in the US and Canada.<ref name="bluegrass">[http://bluegrasstoday.com/arthur-smith-passes/ "Arthur Smith passes"], ''Bluegrass Today'', 4 August 2014, accessed 27 August 2014</ref> The song also won the [[16th Annual Grammy Awards|1974 Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance|Best Country Instrumental Performance]].<ref name="nytdeath"/>

Weissberg released a related album, called ''[[Dueling Banjos: From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 'Deliverance|''Dueling Banjos: From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' Deliverance]] (1973), which also became a hit. The album was made up mostly of tracks which Weissberg had recorded on ''New Dimensions in Banjo and Bluegrass'' (1963), with [[Marshall Brickman]] and [[Clarence White]]. (Also a screenwriter, Brickman later received an [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] for ''[[Annie Hall]].''.) They removed two tracks from the 1963 album and added the track for "Dueling Banjos,", releasing it under the new name. One of the original 1963 tracks on the new album, "Shuckin' The Corn,", was later sampled by [[Beastie Boys]] on the track "5-Piece Chicken Dinner" from their album ''[[Paul's Boutique]]''.

[[Warner Brothers]] was sued by [[Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith]], the composer of "Feudin' Banjos", which he had written and recorded in 1955. It was renamed as "Dueling Banjos" in the movie. He won a "substantial settlement,"<ref name="obit">[http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/04/03/4815965/charlottes-arthur-smith-who-wrote.html#.U_4NOWOOpX0 Joe De Priest, "Charlotte’s Arthur Smith, who wrote ‘Dueling Banjos,’ died Thursday at 93"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407065247/http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/04/03/4815965/charlottes-arthur-smith-who-wrote.html#.U_4NOWOOpX0 |date=2014-04-07 }}, ''[[The Charlotte Observer,|Charlotte Observer]]'', 3 April 2014, accessed 27 August 2014</ref> which included appended film credit for the song and a portion of royalties.

Continuing to play folk festivals, Weissberg was nearly as well known in that venue for his [[dobro]] guitar as for his [[bluegrass music|bluegrass]] banjo playing. He also recorded with [[jazz]] musicians [[Herbie Mann]] and [[Bob James (musician)|Bob James]]. In 1998, he joined [[Richard Thompson (musician)|Richard Thompson]] and dozens of other folk musicians on [[Nanci Griffith]]'s album, ''[[Other Voices, Too]]''.

On February 12, 2009, Weissberg performed at the [[Riverside Church]] in [[New York City]] with the [[Aaron Copland School of Music]] at [[Queens College]] orchestra and chorus, along with the Riverside Inspirational Choir and NYC Labor Choir, to honor President [[Abraham Lincoln]]'s 200th birthday. Directed by [[Maurice Peress]], they performed [[Earl Robinson]]'s ''[[The Lonesome Train]]: A Music Legend for Actors, Folk Singers, Choirs, and Orchestra,'', in which Weissberg played solo banjo.<ref>[http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/news/article.php?id=270 "Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Gala Concert"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121027133547/http://www.theriversidechurchny.org/news/article.php?id=270 |date=October 27, 2012 }}, Riverside Church, NY blog, 1 February 2009, accessed 27 August 2014</ref>

On March 22, 2020, Weissberg died at the age of 80 from [[Alzheimer's disease]] at a nursing home nearin [[DetroitWhite Lake Township, Michigan]], Michigannear [[Detroit]].<ref name="nytdeath">{{cite web|last=Friskics-Warren|first=Bill|title=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/arts/music/eric-weissberg-dies.htmlEric Weissberg, 'Dueling Banjos' Musician, Dies at 80 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/arts/music/eric-weissberg-dies.html|publisherwork=The New York Times|date=March 23, 2020|accessdateaccess-date=March 23, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bestclassicbands.com/eric-weissberg-obituary-3-23-20/ |title=Eric Weissberg, ‘Dueling'Dueling Banjos’Banjos' Musician, Dead at 80 |website=Bestclassicbands.com |date=29 July 2015 |accessdateaccess-date=2020-03-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/12492819/Eric-E-Weissberg | title=Eric e. Weissberg Obituary }}</ref>

* ''[[Fifth Album]]'' (Judy Collins, 1965)

* ''[[Ballads From Deep Gap]]'' (Doc and Merle Watson, 1967)
* ′′ ''[[Bombs Over Puerto Rico]]'' (Jim & Ingrid Croce, 1969)

* ''Sweet Moments With The Blue Velvet Band '', Warner Bros. Seven Arts Records WS 1802 (1969 - As member of The Blue Velvet Band, with [[Bill Keith (musician)|Bill Keith]], [[Richard Greene (musicienmusician)|Richard Greene]], [[Jim Rooney (music)|Jim Rooney]])

* ''[[Barbra Joan Streisand (album)|Barbra Joan Streisand]]'' ([[Barbra Streisand]], 1971)

* ''[[Stoney End (Barbra Streisand album)|Stoney End]]'' (Barbra Streisand, 1971)

* ''[[True Stories and Other Dreams]]'' (Judy Collins, 1973)

* ''[[Judith (album)|Judith]]'' (Judy Collins, 1975)

* ''Sing Children Sing: Songs of the United States of America'' ([[UNICEF]], 1977)

* ''Two Days Away'' ([[Elkie Brooks]], 1977)

* ''[[Return of the Wanderer]]'' (Dion DiMucci, 1978)

* ''None But One'' ([[Jean Ritchie]], 1981)

* ''Chaka Khan'' ([[Chaka Khan]], 1982)

* ''[[The Animals' Christmas]]'' (Art Garfunkel, Amy Grant, 1986)

* ''[[Rei Momo]]'' (David Byrne, 1989)

* ''[[Songs from a Parent to a Child]]'' (Art Garfunkel, 1997)

* ''[[Other Voices, Too]]'' (Nanci Griffith, 1998)

* [http://www.ericweissberg.com/ Official Eric Weissberg site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304032422/http://www.ericweissberg.com/ |date=2019-03-04 }}

[[Category:Deaths from Alzheimer'sdementia diseasein Michigan]]