His real name was HARVEY FRANCIS STEFFEL. He studied the violin from the age of seven. At the age 16 he comenced learning the plectrum banjo. In 1924, he played in a dance band he had formed with fellow school students. In 1939 he started a solo act appearing all over the USA. He came to London in 1934 and stayed for several yeasr in Europe, then returned to the USA, and came back to Europe in 1943 to entertain American and Allied troops. KEN HARVEY was the only soloist to explore the full possibilities of the new electric banjo in the 1930s/40s. His masterly playing on an instrument specially built for him by the Gibson Co. was a feature of his recitals and music appearances. This instrument was called the "vibralectron". But he recorded only with the plectrum banjo, as far as we know. He tuned the C-string of his plectrum up to a D.

The Banjo on Record - "A Bio-Discography" , Uli Heir and Rainer E. Lotz

Title

Label

His Masters Voice E.A. 1718

Traumerei (Guitar)