Roger Sprung: August 29 1930 – July 22 2023

An entertainer for the ages…

Old Molly Hare – Roger Sprung and the Picking Gypsies

… From- String Music Recorded live at the 43rd Annual Old Time Fiddlers Convention, Union Grove, NC on the Union Grove Label. This is track 10.

From the back cover: “Roger Sprung, virtuoso banjoist from New York City, needs no introduction to Southern Convention audiences. He has played ‘the circuit’ for several years and draws a large following. Teaming up with his West Virginia friend, Frank George, they do a refreshing twist to an old number.

One of my favorite Roger Sprung stories-

When Roger Sprung was in his 80s and I was a beginner banjo student in my 40s, I drove Roger to a concert and an afterparty. There were two young rising stars in the Bluegrass/String Music genre, both virtuoso guitar players, playing at a church in southwestern CT. I think it was in Easton but maybe it was New Canaan? Doesn’t matter.
Anyhow these two young hot shots had just released an album and I guess it was a really big deal that someone was able to get them to perform at this local venue. Roger and I arrived late for their concert and went straight to the afterparty site, a home near the church, while the concert was still in progress. The host who had helped book the artists at the church, was busy putting out a spread of food and drink. I helped set up some chairs, while Roger helped himself to all the food. By that point in Roger’s life, his wife had started strictly policing his diet and every chance he had to indulge, he did. He picked up a hunk of cheese as big as an apple and just started chowing down.

We talked with our host about the performance we were missing. She had been at the concert earlier and said the music was extremely technical. So technical, one song blended into the next and they all pretty much sounded the same. She asked if Roger wanted a lift to the church to hear the last part of the performance and Roger looked up from the buffet table just long enough to say he’d play with them later at the party. It was clear that Roger, with his advanced age and experience, wasn’t one who was easily impressed by rising stars. He was there for the party.

About an hour later folks finally started arriving from the concert. Nearly everyone had an instrument case with them. There were more instrument cases than people and there were easily fifty plus, all packed into this small house. A group of about twenty settled into the garage, set the chairs in a circle and started jamming immediately. Another dozen or so between the kitchen and the dining room. It was cold in the garage, so Roger and I found chairs in the living room. After a half hour or so the two young guns came into the living room and were introduced by the host to Roger, the World Champion Banjo player and legend of the Washington Square bluegrass scene for decades. They were actually pretty nice guys. They asked Roger if he had enjoyed the concert, and Roger replied in a way that didn’t give away that he hadn’t actually gone to it. Something like “I heard good things”. The host told the two young guys, you’ve got to play with Roger while you are here.

There in the living room after everyone had filled up on food and drink, it felt like the real show was about to begin. People started getting out their instruments. And there was a tension in the air. How would these two rising virtuoso players get along with Roger. As is tradition, someone has to start it off, giving the name of the tune and the key. All eyes went to Roger. Someone yelled “Hey Roger, Whatcha got?” Roger replied straight faced “hopefully nothing that can’t be cured with a couple of shots!” The room erupted in laughter. And the real show began.

He was a legendary entertainer. He was loved and he’ll be dearly missed.

Roger’s Wiki

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Championship

The madness finally ends tonight with the Men’s Championship game. I doubt anyone would have had #5 San Diego State facing off with #4 UConn. Tip off is at 9:20 PM with all the hoopla starting at 8:30 PM on CBS.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Region Seed School Record Score Region
9:20 CBS 5 San Diego State 32 – 6 59 South 4 UConn 30 – 8 76 West

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Final Four

We have reach the last two games of madness before the Championship on Monday. All the number ones have been defeated.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Region Seed School Record Score Region
6:00 CBS 9 Fla Atlantic 35 – 3 71 East 5 San Diego State 31 – 6 72 South
8:30 CBS 5 Miami (FL) 29 – 7 59 Midwest 4 UConn 29 – 8 72 West

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Final Four

The winners of these two games will met on Sunday in Austin, Texas for the Championship. Tonight’s games start at 6 PM on ESPN.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Region Seed School Record Score Region
7:00 ESPN 3 LSU** 32 – 2 79 Greenville 2 1 Virginia Tech 32 – 2 72 Seattle 3
9:00 ESPN 2 Iowa** 30 – 6 77 Seattle 4 1 South Carolina 36 – 0 73 Greenville 1

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Elite 8 – Day 2

It’s the women’s turn to determine their final four with the start of the regional Championships, the Elite Eight.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Region Seed School Record Score Region
7:00 ESPN 2 Maryland 23 – 9 75 Greenville 1 1 South Carolina 34 – 0 86 Greenville 1
9:00 ESPN 3 Ohio State 25 – 7 74 Seattle 3 1 Virginia Tech 31 – 4 84 Seattle 3

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Elite 8 – Day 1

It’s the women’s turn to determine their final four with the start of the regional Championships, the Elite Eight.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Region Seed School Record Score Region
7:00 ESPN 9 Miami (FL) 22 – 12 42 Greenville 2 3 LSU 31 – 2 54 Greenville 2
9:00 ESPN 5 Louisville 26 – 11 Seattle 4 83 2 Iowa 29 – 6 97 Seattle 4

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Elite 8 – Day 2

After today’s games, the Final four will be set. Those twp games will be played on CBS starting at 6 PM ET. Are there any intact brackets left?

Time Network Seed School Record Score Seed School Record Score Region
2:20 CBS 6 Creighton 24 – 12 56 5 San Diego State 30 – 6 57 West
5:05 CBS 5 Miami (FL)** 28 – 7 88 2 Texas 29 – 8 81 Midwest

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Elite 8 – Day 1

All of the men’s number ones have fallen. last night #5 San Diego State beat #1 Alabama and the other #5 Miami (FL) ousted #1 Houston.

 

Time Network Seed School Record Score Region Seed School Record Score Region
6:09 TBS 9 Fla Atlantic** 34 – 3 79 East 3 Kansas St. 26 – 9 76 East
8:49 TBS 4 UConn** 28 – 8 82 West 3 Gonzaga 31 – 5 54 West

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Sweet Sixteen – Day 2

Day 2 of the women’s Sweet Sixteen will determine the last twp teams for the Regional Championship games, the Elite 8, which will start tomorrow and Monday.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Seed School Record Score Region
11:30 ESPN 3 Notre Dame 26 – 5 59 2 Maryland 22 – 9 76 Greenville 1
2:00 ESPN 4 UCLA 30 – 9 43 1 33 – 0 59 Greenville 1
4:00 ABC 3 Ohio State** 24 – 7 73 2 UConn 30 – 5 61 Seattle 3
6:30 ESPN2 4 Tennessee 24 – 11 64 1 Virginia Tech 30 – 4 73 Seattle 3

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Sweet Sixteen – Day 2

This is the second day of the men’s Sweet Sixteen. The Elite 8 starts tomorrow at 6 PM on TBS and Sunday on CBS at 2 PM.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Seed School Record Score Region
6:30 TBS 5 San Diego St.** 29 – 6 71 1 Alabama 31 – 5 64 South
7:15 CBS 5 Miami (FL)** 27 – 7 89 1 Houston 33 – 3 75 Midwest
9:00 TBS 15 Princeton 23 – 8 75 6 Creighton 23 – 12 86 South
9:45 CBS 3 Xavier 28 – 8 71 2 Texas 28 – 8 83 Midwest

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament – Sweet Sixteen – Day 1

It the women’s turn for their Regional Semifinals, better known as the Sweet Sixteen. Two of their number ones have fallen in the Second Round of 32: #1 Stanford was lost to # 8 Ole Miss #1 Indiana lost to #9 Miami (FL). The upsets are starting to look as bad as the men’s.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Seed School Record Score Region
2:30 ESPN 9 Miami (FL)++ 21 – 12 70 4 Villanova 30 – 6 65 Greenville 2
5:00 ESPN 3 LSU** 30 – 2 66 2 Utah 27 – 4 63 Greenville 2
7:30 ESPN 6 Colorado 35 – 8 77 2 Iowa 28 – 6 87 Seattle 4
10:00 ESPN 8 Ole Miss 25 – 8 62 5 Louisville 25 – 11 72 Seattle 4

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament – Sweet Sixteen – Day 1

Well, here we are at last, the Men’s Sweet Sixteen, aka, the Regional Semifinals. There are four games tonight and four tomorrow evening.

Two of the men’s number one seeds are gone, Purdue fell to a #16 team, Fairleigh Dickinson, in the first night of the “madness” and Kansas fell to #8 Alabama.

Time Network Seed School Record Score Seed School Record Score Region
6:30 TBS 7 Michigan St. 21 – 12 93 (OT) 3 Kansas St. 25 – 9 98 (OT) East
7:15 CBS 4 UConn 27 – 8 88 8 Arkansas 22 – 13 65 West
9:00 TBS 9 FL Atlantic** 33 – 3 62 4 Tennessee 25 – 10 55 East
9:45 CBS 3 Gonzaga** 30 – 5 79 2 UCLA 31 – 5 76 West

 

Bold indicates the winner; ** indicates an upset.

TMC for ek hornbeck

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