Historian wins state honor for banjo making

When many people think of banjos, they may envision the Deep South or start humming a riff from the film "Deliverance."

For George Wunderlich, the heart of the banjo lies deeper and closer than these stereotypes. Wunderlich, a specialist in 19th-century banjos, was recently honored with a Maryland ALTA award for his dedication to and love of the traditional stringed instrument.

The ALTA award, named for community leader and folklorist Alta Schrock, stands for Achievement in Living Traditions and Arts. Each year, three awards are given out at the Maryland Traditions showcase to honor an individual, a place and a tradition "that best epitomizes Maryland's heritage."

"It's strange to think of myself as a living art tradition," he said. "I look at the banjo as the ultimate expression of multiculturalism in American society. The idea that somebody says I preserved this living tradition, from a banjo building and historical standpoint, it's pretty powerful stuff."

Wunderlich moved to Maryland in 1996 to do more research on the banjo.

"I've researched, I've lectured, a friend and I have collected the world's only database (of early banjo sightings), I've made reproductions and restored originals. There are other people who restore, build and lecture, but I guess I'm one of the few who does all three together."

Wunderlich admits that he knew next to nothing about banjos when he first started making them in 1992. A recording of 19th-century banjo music hooked him on the sound, but it seemed completely different played on a modern instrument. When told that he was using the wrong type of banjo, he decided to make one of his own.

"The first ones I made were attempts on my part to make an instrument for myself to play at re-enactments," he said. "With the prodding and assistance of a number of people in the industry, I was slowly able to understand the technique behind them."

Working out of his home in Hagerstown, Wunderlich uses original tools and practices to create and restore his banjos. He carves the wood by hand, molds his own metalwork and creates his own finishes.

Wunderlich operated locally until a call came through from Hollywood. The crew of the movie "Songcatcher," filming in West Virginia, wanted to use some of his reproductions for props. Within a week, he had made them three banjos.

Since then, his work has been featured in such movies as "Gods and Generals," "Gangs of New York" and "Cold Mountain." He also created the 19th-century, Spanish-style guitars for "The Mask of Zorro."

Wunderlich said he had no idea he was going to receive the award. He was nominated by his friend Greg Adams.

"When (the ALTA committee) called to ask me to come to this dinner, I said maybe. Around the third or fourth time they called, they said 'Please commit to this' and told me they wanted me for a panel before the dinner and something more," he said. "I said, 'Tell me what more means,' and they told me, 'All right, you're up for an award and we really need you to be there."

Besides banjo building, Wunderlich also harbors an intense interest in history. A Civil War re-enactor from the age of 11, he now serves as executive director of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in downtown Frederick .

"There's a wonderful history to Maryland, and they're really good about preserving their history," he said. "History is being torn down all over the place, and at least when you go to tear it down here, somebody puts up a fight. They're fighting for their heritage."

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