Lowell Levinger: Banana still has appeal!

Richard Gordon

Lowell Levinger playing at the QueCumBar French Cafe in London, England. 11/1/15If you want to have a good time, listen to the podcast of this interview!

The host, Mandorichard, reports:

When I was in high school and college, one of my favorite LPs was The Youngblood’s Elephant Mountain. I about wore that LP out and loved just about everything they put out in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. I was especially intrigued by the keyboardist whom we all knew as Banana. But digging around on the liner notes from those Youngblood LPs, I came to realize that except for the bass and drums, whatever the instrument, this Banana guy was the one playing it.

What a pleasure to find that Lowell Levinger, aka Banana, is still making great music today. He was very gracious and witty. We had as much fun chatting off the air as on!

According to Lowell’s website, “he sings Americana songs from bluegrass to country blues to old R&B classics that swing while they tell stories. He plays an Italian 5 string tenor guitar tuned in fifths with a unique style and sound.”

Album CoverListen to the podcast linked below and you’ll hear Lowell telling some great stories about the old days and his current musical life and some great examples of his music.

Listen to the Interview

Lowell Levinger
31:34
29.3 MB

The Music

Artist Song Album or Source Year Notes
Lowell Levinger Get Together Get Together – Banana Recalls Youngbloods Classics 2015 Excerpt in podcast
Lowell Levinger Bound to Lose (with David Thom and Dan Booth) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDL-qK0mFm8 2010 Excerpt in podcast
The Youngbloods Hippie from Olema No. 5 Good and Dusty 1971  
Grandpa Banana Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me Even Grandpas get the Blues 2012  
Lowell Levinger Grizzly Bear (with Jesse Colin Young) Get Together – Banana Recalls Youngbloods Classics 2015  
Lowell Levinger On Sir Francis Drake Get Together – Banana Recalls Youngbloods Classics 2015  

Note: The podcast contains excerpts from two songs we played before the interview began.

Photo: Lowell Levinger playing at the QueCumBar French Cafe in London, England. 11/1/15. From www.lowelllevinger.com