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THE BANJO-OLOGIST
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

  • "THE CROWD WAS ENTHRALLED...WATCHING OHLIGER PERFORM IS CAPTIVATING. HE DOESN'T JUST PLAY THE BANJO, HE EMBRACES IT, MAKING EVERY INCH OF THE INSTRUMENT COME ALIVE. A HAUNTING SOUND IS CREATED AS HE SINGS IN THE BACK OF THE CALFSKIN HEAD, AND A RHYTHMIC TEMPO SURGES FORTH AS HE BEATS THE HEAD FACE WITH AN OPEN HAND. BUT THE REAL BEAUTY OF THE BANJO BLOOMS WHEN OHLIGER'S SEASONED HANDS FLY ACROSS THE STRINGS...HIS MUSIC WEAVES A THREAD OF HAPPINESS THROUGH THE DECADES. AND SOME EQUALLY ENTERTAINING MOMENTS COME WHEN THE BEARDED CHARLIE CHAPLIN-LIKE PERFORMER PURSUES SUCH ANTICS AS PLAYING A PAPER BAG OR CREATING BARNYARD SOUNDS TO ACCOMPANY THE HIGH-PITCHED MELODIES OF A MANDOLIN BANJO."
    The News Review, Roseburg, Oregon

  • "I HEARD YOU WERE A GREAT BANJO PLAYER...BUT YOU'RE FUNNY TOO!"
    Member of the Audience

  • "HIS HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE, EXPERT SKILL, AND TALENT ON THE BANJO WAS NOT ONLY ENTERTAINING, BUT VERY IMPRESSIVE. IT IS ALWAYS A PLEASURE WORKING WITH THE PROFESSIONAL CALIBRE OF AN ARTIST SUCH AS MR. OHLIGER AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND HIM."
    Erik Buck Townsend, General Director, Townsend Opera Players

  • "I ABSOLUTELY, WITHOUT HESITATION, RECOMMEND A LIVE PERFORMANCE OR RECORDED PRESENTATION OF GORDY THE BANJO-OLOGIST. IT WILL LIGHTEN THE HEART AND BRIGHTEN THE SPIRIT."
    Kathleen McBain, Music Therapist

  • "HE PLAYS BANJO LIKE NO ONE ELSE!...TRULY A STAND OUT IN THE ENTERTAINMENT FIELD, HE NOT ONLY KNOWS HOW TO HOLD A CROWD, BUT HAS THEM COMING BACK FOR MORE."
    Suzanne Wilson, Entertainment Director, Sonoma-Marin Fair

  • "CHEERY MUSIC...THE TUNES ARE FUN AND OHLIGER SINGS WITH A WONDERFULLY CLEAR AND SWEET VOICE."
    Chico News and Reviews

  • "HE IS THE ONLY PERSON WHO PLAYS ALL FIVE STYLES ON ORIGINAL INSTRUMENTS."
    Review Panel for Touring Subsidy, California Arts Council

  • "AS A MUSIC COLUMNIST WRITING A SYNDICATED REVIEW SERIES FOR 60 NEWSPAPERS AND SIX MILLION READERS, I HAVE ENCOUNTERED OHLIGER'S PERFORMANCES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. HE IS AN INCREDIBLE PERFORMER. BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OHLIGER IS PRESERVING A UNIQUE AMERICAN ART FORM. THERE ARE VERY FEW PERFORMERS ALIVE WHO CAN STILL PLAY THE ORIGINAL BANJO STYLES. AS WELL AS KEEPING THAT STYLE OF MUSIC ALIVE, GORDY TEACHES HIS AUDIENCE, TELLING THE STORY OF THE BANJO AS A TRULY INDIGENOUS AMERICAN INSTRUMENT. BESIDES BEING A MUSICIAN'S MUSICIAN, AN ETHNO-MUSICOLOGIST, AND A FINE STORYTELLER, OHLIGER IS QUITE SIMPLY A FINE HUMAN BEING...IN SHORT, EXACTLY THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU ARE LOOKING FOR TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR PROGRAM. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT OHLIGER WILL REPRESENT YOU WITH THE HIGHEST QUALITY PERFORMANCES EXPECTED."
    Peter Berkow, Record Review Column, Donrey Media Group

  • "CROWDS LOVE THE SHOW...OHLIGER IS A SHOWMAN AS WELL AS A PICKER...IN THE WORLD OF BANJO PLAYERS, FEW CAN PLAY WITH OHLIGER'S DEXTERITY. GORDY, THE EDDIE VAN HALEN OF BANJO PLAYERS..."
    Off the Record

  • "A MUSICIAN WITH FINGERS AS NIMBLE AS DANCING HUMMINGBIRDS."
    Santa Barbara Sun

  • "HE GIVES A NEW MEANING TO BANJO PLAYING ITSELF WITH A NEVER-MISS QUALITY THAT IS NOT TO BE BELIEVED."
    Chico Jazz Society

  • "RECENTLY, WE BEGAN UTILIZING HIS TALENTS ON SENIOR CITIZENS DAY... AND QUITE FRANKLY, THEY WOULD PREFER THAT WE PROVIDE NO OTHER ENTERTAINMENT FOR THEM OTHER THAN GORDY. HIS QUICK WIT, STYLE OF DRESS, AND KNOWLEDGE OF SONGS THAT APPEAL TO THE SENIOR CITIZEN, MAKE HIM READILY ACCEPTED AND ENJOYED BY THEM. I RECOMMEND GORDY OHLIGER HIGHLY AND WITHOUT HESITATION. HE IS A COOPERATIVE, VERSATILE AND SKILLED MUSICIAN."
    Jim Lemos, Special Events Coordinator, Colusa County Fair

  • "WHAT A PLEASURE...YOUR PERFORMANCES WERE FAR MORE THAN JUST BANJO STRUMMING. ...THE HISTORICAL ANECDOTES AND INFORMATION CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF OUR AUDIENCE THROUGHOUT YOUR SHOWS. YOU HAVE A VERY UNIQUE ACT, AND YOUR KINDNESS IN MEETING MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE TO LET THEM SEE YOUR ANTIQUE BANJOS, ADDED ANOTHER ASPECT TO THE DAY. IT WAS NICE MEETING AND WORKING WITH YOU-LETS DO IT AGAIN."
    Dick Fernandez, Festival Entertainment Director

  • "EXCELLENT....ROUSING....HAD THE CROWD CLAPPING AND HOOTING."
    Chico Times

  • "WHEN I HAD HEARD HIM PERFORM EARLIER I HAD THOUGHT, HE REALLY LOVES TO PLAY. IN AN ACROSS THE TABLE DISCUSSION THERE IS NO DOUBT OF IT. GORDY REALLY LOVES THE BANJO, HE LIKES HIS WORK AND IT MAKES HIM HAPPY, AND WHEN YOU LISTEN, YOU GET HAPPY. YOU JUST CAN'T BE BLUE AND LISTEN TO GORDY ON THE BANJO."
    Colusa Sun Herald

  • "HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP 520 KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE STUDENTS SPELLBOUND FOR 40 MINUTES. GORDY'S PRESENTATION COVERS THE FOUR CORNERSTONES OF THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS FRAMEWORKS. THROUGH HIS MUSIC AND HISTORY LESSON HE ENCOURAGES AESTHETIC PERCEPTION, CREATIVE EXPRESSION, ART HERITAGE AND AESTHETIC VALUING.
    Linda Denton, Principal, James Burchfield Primary School

  • "...YOUR PRESENTATION AND SHOWMANSHIP WERE HIGH-ENERGY, POLISHED, AND APPEALING TO ALL. THE ADULTS WHO WATCHED YOUR SHOW WERE ENTHUSIASTIC WITHOUT EXCEPTION..."
    Phyl Manning, Hamilton Union Elementary School District

  • "MR. OHLIGER WAS ABLE TO PRESENT HIS MUSICAL PROGRAM TO THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF THE 4TH-6TH GRADE STUDENTS. HIS PRESENTATION WAS ENTERTAINING, INFORMATIVE, AND CONTAINED A GREAT AMOUNT OF HUMOR, WHICH THE STUDENTS LOVED. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING MR. OHLIGER BACK TO MY CAMPUS TO PERFORM IN THE FUTURE."
    Ed Conrado, Principal, Egling Middle School

  • "WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE. WE WERE PROUD TO FEATURE YOU GORDY, YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY VERY MUCH LOVED BY ALL. YOU ARE A GOOD ROLE MODEL FOR THE YOUTH OF AMERICA AND PROMOTE A SPIRIT OF FAMILY UNITY, PEACE AND JOY."
    Lee Burrows, Yuba Sutter Regional Arts Council
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