April 14th, 2025

Greetings folks,

  Religious holidays are in full swing. Yesterday was Palm Sunday and Passover has begun. It’s the time of remembrance of those who have influenced us in the course of our lives. These are not the kind of "John’s Corner" that I like to write, but I need to express the deep connection I had with Dr. Elias Kaufman who passed away on April 4.

   A dentist and teacher by profession, Eli Kaufman entered my life sometime around 1978. I was still teaching school and living in Penfield and I had sent out my very first list of musical instruments for sale. I would use the old mimeograph machine at school to run off copies of my list. I took names and addresses from the back of all sorts of music magazines, including "Mugwumps", and "Banjo Newsletter". As my list of instruments for sale circulated the globe, I received a very curt and direct phone call. The voice on the other line said "I got this piece of paper in the mail, this list of instruments". He went on….."Well, if you are going to do this "thing" you had better know who I am!". Taken aback, I could only blurt out, "well thanks. Who are you?" The voice on the other line said "I am Elias Kaufman"…. Well he was right! In addition to being a dentist and professor of Dentistry at the University of Buffalo, Dr. Kaufman was the grandfather of banjo history. He had written numerous articles on all of the major banjo manufacturers such as S. S. Stewart, A. C. Fairbanks and Vega….but most of all he was involved in the American Banjo Fraternity, an organization devoted to preserving the "classic" style of banjo playing that was widely popular from the 1880s to the time of the First World War. The instruments were  equipped with gut strings, and the music was marches, schottisches, waltzes and rags as performed by the most popular players of the day. Every college campus had a major banjo club and the banjo was the king of American instruments. 

    Elias and his wife, Madeleine passionately kept the organization of the ”ABF” going for many years. They were the editors of the magazine and supported everything banjo related. Just one short story tells so much about him. Once I was caught in a difficult situation and needed a place to stay while I was stranded in Buffalo. Without any questions, they open their house to me and let me stay in the guestroom. There were banjos everywhere. They were banjos printed on the sheets. They were banjos on the pillows. There was even banjos on the toilet paper. Elias was a consummate collector with organization and attention to detail seldom found in people who just mildly collect. He was serious about what he did and his collection of banjos and ephemera was organized and beautifully maintained. But most of all he was a teacher, and he gave me quite an advanced education over the course of the nearly 50 years that we were friends….. I salute you, Eli and thank you for your friendship and your passion. We will raise a glass to celebrate you at the rally next month.

With peace, 

John Bernunzio 

A scene from the last “ABF” convention that I attended