Two points to which to respond. First, I never met Hellerman, but I believe, as has been stated here, that his preferred, practiced, and well-presented & sensitive style was flat picking. Not to sound as though I'm dating him (remember, I never met him so couldn't have dated him......oh, never mind) but during the late 40s and early 50s musicians were creating their own styles. People like me had the benefit of listening to those creations in order to learn. Hellerman was a great song writer and performer, and he stayed within a certain framework. When I began listening and became excited about learning, I wanted to play both guitar and banjo. I had to find some common element between the two in order to make it easier, and that common element was finger picks.
Point number two..... Ron & Colleen Busch became great friends during that time period (late 80s, early 90s) and provided the funding for that video, made at Rockefeller's in Houston. It is one of my favorite recordings of my tenure with the group, and as well-produced and well-recorded as it was, we all know that it begins with the financing. My gratitude to the Busches will forever remain.
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