[Dixielandjazz] Why guitar and not banjo?

[Gluetje1 at aol.com]

At the moment I can neither find my copy, or recall whom I last loaned it  
to, the big red book that is a history of Storyville.  Anyhow, there is a  list 
in the back of that book of all the musicians registered to work Storyville  
along with what instruments they played.  Neat list to check out.   Anyhow I 
once counted the number of those listed as banjo versus guitar.   Without 
finding that to recheck, my recall is that it listed more  guitarists--but there was 
a significant list indicating banjo from say 1890  right on forward.
 
I've also done some reading, in no mood to relocate that right now, of  black 
bands in those early years being asked by club and boat  owners to add banjo 
because white audiences of the day liked that sound  better.
Ginny
 
In a message dated 12/25/2006 2:39:25 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
cellblk7 at comcast.net writes:

Merry...you know, Listmates!
>From the git-go I thought the early  bands used banjos and brass basses/bass 
saxes/sarrusaphones because they  could be heard, not like acoustic string 
basses and guitars. Then when it  was learned that you could amplify guitars 
and string basses,  banjos  and tubas went almost away...I guess I was wrong?
Warmest regards,
Bob  Romans,