We've all heard the tale: Lincoln B. Gatcomb was a Maine boy that made it big in Boston manufacturing banjos and publishing sheet music. He was pals with George Lansing and Bert Shattuck, and he had a nice factory and published the Gazette.
But is that the end of the story? To many, yes.
Christine Merrick Ayars, whose Contributions by the Music Industries of Boston 1640 to 1936 is endlessly cited as a source in historical music tomes, was unable to track Gatcomb past 1899. Contemporary authors who have penned wonderful books on banjo and guitar history were willing to admit that they were stumped, that they simply didn't know where L.B. Gatcomb went, or why he left the lucrative music trade. (Less ambitious authors were happy to sidestep the Gatcomb question and often ignored our queries.) And some of the most prominent banjo collectors in the country (indeed, the world) were perplexed.
How did Lincoln B. Gatcomb, an undeniably notable Bostonian, manage to simply...disappear?
The answer to that question has been buried and hidden for over 100 years, but thanks to the folks at Discover Maine magazine, you can now read a condensed version of the tale here.
But is that the end of the story? To many, yes.
Christine Merrick Ayars, whose Contributions by the Music Industries of Boston 1640 to 1936 is endlessly cited as a source in historical music tomes, was unable to track Gatcomb past 1899. Contemporary authors who have penned wonderful books on banjo and guitar history were willing to admit that they were stumped, that they simply didn't know where L.B. Gatcomb went, or why he left the lucrative music trade. (Less ambitious authors were happy to sidestep the Gatcomb question and often ignored our queries.) And some of the most prominent banjo collectors in the country (indeed, the world) were perplexed.
How did Lincoln B. Gatcomb, an undeniably notable Bostonian, manage to simply...disappear?
The answer to that question has been buried and hidden for over 100 years, but thanks to the folks at Discover Maine magazine, you can now read a condensed version of the tale here.