Has anyone heard of Banjo Picker Bill Runkle? update on sale

[gspren]

  Local Bill Runkle died this past winter of Covid at 82 years old. I knew Bill through my dad and Bill's garage where he sold and repaired vehicles and I knew he played blue grass music but wasn't aware he was well known. This weekend I was at his house talking to his son and daughter who are prepping for an estate sale and they talked about hearing from people all over the country when he passed. We already bought a few things and they gave me one of his CDs, just surprised that he was well known.

[firefighter ontheside]

I hadn't heard of him, but a quick search tells me I should have heard of him.  He was in a band with Grand Ol Opry member Del McCoury.  I found some youtube videos of him playing.  I love bluegrass.

[Resonator]

I also love bluegrass. ;D
Looked up "High on a Mountain Top" (one of the high and lonesome standard songs of bluegrass) on YouTube. Bill is on the album cover with Del McCoury and the Dixie Pals, he played the lead in banjo melody, good stuff. I remember hearing Del mention him in interviews, and thought highly of him. Doesn't surprise me that he was well known in bluegrass circles, very much a close community feeling among pickers. Especially with the older ones that were all only a couple steps removed from the father of bluegrass, Bill Monroe. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Oh heck yeah. He toured with Del McCory for about 8 years and before and after with other bands.  It sady, is not surprising that his name is not well known. It's a tough business and most have to work a day job then do the touring thing at night even when they are very good at what they do. Even Del had a day job in those days. Yes, he was a very good player by all accounts. DO some reading in Bluegrass Today and other online magazines. There are also many references to him on the Banjo Hangout (forum), where i first learned of him.
 I don't believe I ever met him, but you certainly are lucky to have known him. If it were me, I would be picking through that estate sale very carefully. It's a shame that he beat cancer, but was taken by covid on his 82nd birthday. But his music lives on.

[gspren]

We will go to the estate sale this Saturday, Nov 6th, but I don't know enough about the bluegrass stuff to appreciate it. Our new to us house that we are still moving into is about 200 yards from Bill's house and was built on land that he once owned. Most of the conversations I had with Bill were about trucks or hunting, I bought a truck from him in the 70s and got gas there many times. They are selling bluegrass records, memorabilia and instruments but I'll be looking at tools, fishing rods and maybe some furniture. Even his own kids were surprised at who all they heard from after he passed.

[Old Greenhorn]

Even his own kids were surprised at who all they heard from after he passed.

I'm not surprised at all. The bluegrass world is pretty tight, but not flashy and bluegrass is never in the pop spotlight with very few exceptions (like deliverance or the Steve Martin prize). None the less those fans know music and when they hear an exceptional musician they keep an eye of him/her and learn from them. They never forget the good ones and hole them dear. Sonny Osbourne just passed last week, and there is quite the response from around the world. My friend that does a Bluegrass radio show was very close to Sonny, having lunch with him at least once a month.
 Most of those guys are not hung up on what they do, it's a job and they do it well but move onto other stuff, like hunting, or woodworking, or whatever for fun and that's what they will talk about. For a few years before dementia destroyed his brain completely I had a running weekly conversation with Eric Weisberg (look him up) and if I wanted to get him talking or relaxed I would ask a mundane question about how is firewood piles were coming along, or if he had gotten all his motorcycles tuned up for the year (depending on the season) and sit back and let him talk. Fascinating guy, later on I could ask him about his time with Pete Seeger or Judy Collins and he would slide right into a ton of old and good stories.
 I don't know for sure if my friend Bill knew your friend Bill, but I suspect they did because they are of the same time period and all those guys knew all the other hot players. Bill (my Bill) played with Del McCory in Bill Monroe's band before Del had his own band, in fact it was because of Bill that Del switched to the guitar (he was a banjo player before the two met) and they remained friends for the rest of Bill's life. (The story of the day they both auditioned for Mr. Monroe is a reel good one and I have heard each of them tell his own version a couple of times. Mr. Monroe was a shrewd  fella.) Del is getting a bit old now, but still hanging in there last I heard. I have not seen him in over 2 years now.
 But I digress, sorry. If you find anything in that sale with the name 'Bill Keith' on it, I surely would like to know about it, maybe we can make a deal (within the forum rules of course).
 Also, I am sorry for the loss of your friend. The Bluegrass community is not going to see that generation ever again and they came up the hard way through tough times.

[Resonator]

Sonny Osborne died? Wow, none of the national media mentioned that. I'll have to play "Rocky Top" later.

Del had his own show "Hand Picked" on SirusXM when I drove truck years ago, always loved listening to his stories of being in Bluegrass 50+ years. Get pics of the instruments if you can, anything that was used on recordings would be worth more.
smile_banjoman

[gspren]

@Old Greenhorn if you want you can PM me your cell number and I'll call you if I see anything from your Bill, I don't think the Forum will mind as I won't make a penny. The estate sale is Sat from 10:00-5:00 and will be like a walk through the house yard sale with items already priced. I don't think there will be anything on-line about it as it's just his kids running it, no auction. Maybe there is something on facebook but I don't do that so I wouldn't know. The daughter gave me a CD, "Lonely Tonight" by Bill Runkle and Smith Hollow, I think he had a bunch of them to sell so I guess there will be a box of them, but again I don't know what they should sell for. Of curious interest to FF members Bill lived on Gum Tree Road, and to get to our house the directions will always take you on Gum Tree to get to our road which is a dead end that comes off Gum Tree.

[Old Greenhorn]

If I recall, "Lonely tonight' was a tune that Bill had written earlier and that album was intended to highlight his playing. That was a band he put together, I think, a few years after he played with Del and his boys. Bill's career is pretty well documented out there in the web. I recall an article in Bluegrass today, I think, soon after he passed. That is read worldwide and likely caused the influx of condolences. 

[gspren]

  An update on the sale, I didn't buy any memorabilia as we are downsizing and I only want stuff to use not collect. What we did buy was the table and six chairs from his dining room. Bill's house was very informal and his daughter said there were many family meals shared at that table plus music made and played, it is well worn and no show piece but for our rec-room where we will also have family get together party's it's perfect.