It’s hard to hear the phrase “dueling banjos” without thinking of the iconic scene from the film “Deliverance” in which an out-of-towner with a guitar engages in a spontaneous pluck-off with a banjo wielding hillbilly. The plucky musical phrase has become synonymous with country music, and you’d be hard pressed to find a banjo player who hasn’t bothered to learn the tune. While dueling banjos originated in this popular American film, it has found a life throughout pop culture.
But do people really duel guitar and banjo in real life?
You bet they do!
In fact, a duel can break out at any time… even during a Christmas show. I present to you, a rendition of “Dueling Jingle Bells”, the twangiest version of the Christmas classic song yule probably ever hear! Get it?… yule ever hear?
During a performance by the United States Navy Band, we get a real life duel.
Firstly, the duel is introduced by the frontman of the band:
“Now some of ya like listening to your Christmas music with a little bit of guitar. Then there’s this whole other group of people that likes listening to their Christmas music with a little bit of banjo” …”we’re gonna fight it out up here and see which one of those instruments win”
First up, is the guitar…
On the guitar is Petty Officer 1st Class Joe Friedman. He starts us off with the classic dueling banjoes tune, you know the one. Then it’s time for Senior Chief Petty Officer Keith Arneson to reply on the banjo, repeating the same phrase.
Then the game is on!
Friedman on guitar goes off Hendrix style, with incredible finger work, he nimbly navigates the fretboard and stuns the audience with his guitar skills.
…if Arneson is half as good on the Banjo, we’ve got a real duel on our hands!
Turns out, he is!
Arneson gives his response, plucking away with veracious fingers and incredible speed. Now that’s how you play banjo! He even has a cheeky little trick up his sleeve…
…at the end of his turn he breaks out the Star Wars theme and the audience lose their minds with excitement. The competition has just stepped up a notch.
The pair go back and forth, each time one-upping each other and pulling slicker licks and trickier tricks.
They get faster and more complex as they continue taking turns. Just when you think it’s getting as good as it’s going to get, they raise it up another level. This is a unique version of dueling banjos in that it weaves in and out of Jingle Bells as they play.
So who won?
At the end of the performance the frontman asks the audience if they thought the guitar won, then if they thought the banjo won.
Who they cheer for may surprise you!
After he asks who won between the guitar and the banjo, he asks who thought Star Wars won, and let’s just say everybody cheered for that one! Does that mean banjo by default?
Watch the full video below to find out who won this crazy challenge!
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