Allen Wayne Damron ( 1939 - 2005) was a Texas banjo player. If I was hard-pressed to define his style, I'd have to say it was closer to to Pete Seeger's style than anything else. Allen would play 3-finger for introductions, but after that it was all a mixture of Clawhammer and what Seeger calls "Whamming".
I first saw him play at The Chequered Flag in Austin (I think it was in 1969). By that time, I had been playing the banjo for several years but had not, by that time, performed in public. A Texan of Irish heritage, Allen seemed to be addicted to two musical traditions: Irish and Texas folklore. His sets were always solo ones and the guitar was his principal instrument (Tennessee Stud, The Alamo, Nancy Whiskey, etc.). One of his more memorable songs was "Is There A Heaven For Baloons?" I think that he must have written it.
My friends kept urging me to get up and do what Allen was doing but I knew that I couldn't. My voice was not nearly as strong as Allen's was. Besides, I was in law school and fancied other dreams at that time in my life.
Some of Allen's work can still be found on various internet sources. Canadian River Music Company (here in Texas) is one of them.
Allen kept right on playing right up almost to the last. He was an avid shooter and a member of the NRA. He was born in Raymondville, Texas and spoke Spanish like a native speaker.
