Good Thing My Head is Attached...

So, I have a stupid bike story. Well, not really a bike story. It's bike related, but it's more of a stupid Jim story. There's a moral at the end, and it's not too long, so bear with me.

Since the weather was nice I took off from work today a little early to ride my bike. I came home, got lunch and headed out.

Just out of courtesy to Tina I stopped by the store where she works to let her know I was going for a ride. While I was standing there talking to her I spotted an el cheapo bike lock & chain. I figured it would be fine for when I stop in town and have to leave my bike out of view. It's nothing major, but it would be at least a deterrent if I do happen to leave it somewhere. We're officially a small town USA kinda place, so bike theft isn't really high on the crime list, so it'll do.

Proud of my el cheapo purchase I head out and toss the chain in my handlebar bag. Saddle up, and I'm off.

A little over ten miles later I'm back home.

During the last couple miles of the trip i noticed a clicking noise from the front wheel. I figured it was either a loose spoke, maybe something on the tire. It was no biggie but irritating none the less, but this story isn't about that.

When I get home I decided stop at the drive way and see if I could determine what the clicking noise was. So I toss my glasses in my handlebar bag, take off my helmet... wait... where's my helmet? Hey! I'm missing a helmet here...

I lost my helmet.

How in blue blazes do you lose a helmet????

I don't recall it falling off anywhere. Let's face it, the helmet is strapped to my head.

So looked at the mailbox thinking that maybe I had already took it off and sat it there. Nope... it's not there.

Shoot!

I looked in the yard. Nope, it's not in the yard. I didn't go as far as the yard.

I decided to retrace my steps mentally.

I stopped at a church parking lot. Got a drink. I don't remember taking off a helmet.

I stopped again about a mile from the house to figure out how to navigate a gnarly intersection at 5 o'clock -- and took another drink. There was no reason to take off a helmet there either.

Dang!

I bet I left it at the store!!!

So I called Tina.

Of course she laughs at me.

"How can you lose a helmet? It's attached to your head," she chirps.

"Yeah yeah.. leave me alone." I mutter.

"Just go see if anyone turned in a helmet."

"Yes, there's the helmet - lucky you," she reports.

You know, as I write this I remember exactly where I left it. I left it at the U-Scan when I paid for the chain.

The stupid chain!

So the moral of the story that I promised: Just leave the helmet on. No matter if you're at a wedding, or having supper with the family - just wear it. That way you'll be safe, and won't have to replace it.

I amaze me.

-=Jim

I'm a Water Color!

At a couple of recent Lone Mountain Band shows Marie Spaeder Haas, an artist, sat on the fron row and made sketches of us. I'm quite flattered, honored and humbled to have been the inspiration of a sketch.

I think her sketch captures me in a very "me like" stance, and it's genuinely an ego booster!

I posted the other sketches of the Lone Mountain Band on the band's news site. You can check them out here, or you can follow the following links to Marie's page for the pictures.

Bobby - Mandolin
Diana - Bass
Roy - Guitar
Jim - Banjo

Be sure to check out Marie's web page and galleries. She has some great artwork there and most of it is for sale.

-=Jim

Rain Gutter Regatta

The Cub Scout Raingutter Regatta came about quickly. Almost true to form we didn't have the boat kit until the day before the race. Not only that, Samuel and I had an engagement that evening, and we didn't get home until 10:PM. Fortunately Tina had done all the shaping and had painted a primer coat on the boat, so all we had to do was paint , sail decoration, and final assembly. Samuel helped with the color choice and the sail decorations, and I got busy painting.

The finished boat turned out okay. I would have liked more time, but it did what it was supposed to -- float. And float it did, but more on that later. Samuel christened it "The Remphibian" since it had a Frog on the sail and Snake on the sterm.

Race Day

The setup is simple - two rain gutters on sawhorses filled with water. The boats are placed in the gutter and blown gently toward the other end. Simple? Perhaps, but there's obviously some finesse to piloting one of these boats without capsizing it, or burying the bow in the water.

Samuel was undefeated in his races and brought home the 1st Place ribbon! He puffed gently to the finish line each time. After the last race he commented, "I think I'm getting dizzy!"

I was very proud of him. His sportsmanship was at its best and he made sure to commend the other competitors on their effort.

Although we had a lot of fun previously with the Pinewood Derby, the Rain Gutter Regatta was just as much fun -- maybe more. Blowing the boat down the course allowed for the boys to take an active part in the race. That added to the excitement.

So, get out there. Make some boats!

Jim Bought a Road Bike

I'm not quite sure what came over me, but I decided to buy a road bike. It seemed like the right thing to do. I'm not exactly sure if I'll ever make any long rides, but it's nice having a good bike. I figure if I do no more than commute to work as many days a week as I can it will be worth what I paid for it.

I visited the folks are Dalton Bicycles again and wound up purchasing a Specialized Allez Triple. It's a beautiful bike - and speedy. I've only put 10 miles on it, but it was a fun 10. I'm still a little shaky on it, and I'm slowly getting the hang of getting in and out of the toeclips. I figure in a few more days I'll be comfortable with that.

Enough of that for now, but I just had to share! See you on the road or trail, or if not there, in the Banjo Lounge!

Samuel Pankey - Baptism

Title speaks for itself, but first a little background...

It was April of last year. We (Samuel, Tina and I) had gone to Marietta for no particular reason, but wound up shopping. Tina was in one store and Samuel and I decided to walk across the parking lot to the Guitar Center.

A car zipped by us pretty quickly. I said, "Wow, you better stay close; your mom will shoot me if you get squished!" He chuckled. I told him I thought that would just be a mess as we'd probably both wind up dead and asked him what he thought.

His comment was sobering; he said, "You would go to heaven, but I wouldn't."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because I'm not saved," he replied.

"We need to talk," I said.

We talked and walked to the store. He understood, but I wanted to make sure he really understood. That week the topic came up a couple of times, and we were clear that it had to be his decision alone. Then, here at home Sunday evening (April 9, 2006), after church, he asked Jesus into his heart. He knew he was saved!

Today he was Baptized. He was excited, but you can also tell from the video that he was a bit nervous. This was at the First Baptist Church of Chatsworth; the pastor is Bobby McGraw.

So, without boring you any more, here's the video.

Thanks for letting me share.

-=Jim

Pulled the Trigger on the Mountain Bike

I know you just can't wait to know what I bought. I should let you all take bets. I bet some of you already have bets going. So, what did I get?

Did I buy the Jamis? Maybe I got the Trek? Maybe I got the Ironhorse that I didn't tell you about? Maybe it was the Motobecane that Richard showed me on eBay. I really liked the looks of the Gary Fisher - maybe it was that one? Okay, okay... enough teasing.

I bought a bike! Heck, I bought two bikes! I bought a bike for me, and one for Tina too. We've already put a few miles on them today and I can hardly wait to ride again.

Tina isn't nearly as picky as I am. She just wanted a bike. She saw one, it fit her, she rode it - liked it - done! Gee, why can't I be like that. She wound up with a Giant Rincon. She liked the blue color. It fit her quite well, but she did opt for a better seat. I figure it's her butt, she should know what feels right, and I honestly don't want anything to discourage her from riding. I suppose it's her Mother's Day gift, and Birthday, and Christmas -- just kidding.

I bought the Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc. Yes, I know, I had looked a all kinds of bikes. Test rode higher end stuff, cheaper stuff, and had worried and stressed about the varying quality of components, but I took the advice of Bob and Richard and went with the bike that just felt the best. Nothing else I rode really felt as right as the Hardrock. I'm happy, and oddly, I'm not feeling any of the buyers remorse that I usually feel when I make a big purchase. I did my homework. I annoyed my friends. I carted my family to nearly every bike shop I could think of. I tried several bikes. I followed my gut on this one. I'm glad I did!

I'd also like to thank Dalton Bicycles for their patience throughout this whole process. I had been going in there for probably 6 months just looking at bikes trying to decide exactly what I want. In the end I got treated right, and Jason and Ross were very helpful and made us feel welcome. I believe in supporting the local stores and they made it easy to do that.

So, without further ado, here we are with our new bikes.

The Search for a Mountain Bike

It's been years since I've ridden a bike. Well, with any seriousness, but for about a year I've been wanting a bicycle. I've looked at all sorts. I've made good use of my friends in the education process too. Richard Williams and Bob Bowden have probably had enough of me and probably sigh in frustration every time they see an instant message from me.

Here are the bikes I've looked at locally:

The first I tried was a HardRock Sport Disc from Specialized. It is also the least expensive bike I've considered. The fit was good and the components seemed good at that price point. I wasn't really thrilled about the red paint on the model at the shop, but it looks better in person. The same shop also carried Giant, but they didn't have a Yukon in my size to check out. The whole sizing aspect of this purchase process would become a sticky issue when it came to trying out bikes in particular models

The next bike on my list was the Gary Fisher Wahoo Disc. The riding position is a little different on this bike, but it felt pretty good too. The Fisher had a good feel too. However, once again the dealer didn't have a Wahoo in my size. They did have a Marlin that was was able to try. It was the same frame and layout, just different components. One thing that struck me as odd was though the specs online stated certain things, but the Wahoo at the shop was slightly different. For instance the front derailleur on the bike was a Shimono SIS, but according to the specs it should have been a Shimano Acera. While I'm not entirely sure it makes much of a difference, it was just puzzling to a neophyte mountain bike purchaser.

Trek's 6000 was another bike I liked, but, as usual, there wasn't a 6000 in stock at the dealer. They did have a 4900 (basically the 2006 version of the 6000) for me to try. It had a great feel, and seemed like a very well made bike. This bike had some nice features, and I wish I could have just bought it, however the 4900 was on hold for another customer. As a matter of fact, when I walked through the door I saw the salesman putting a tag on a bike - turns out it was the 4900 - just my luck!

The last bike on my list today is the Jamis Durango 2.0. It's probably the better of the bikes that I've considered. It's in a higher price point ($775) than the others. I've also considered the Durango 1.0 (same price range of the others).

It has been my goal to buy a bike by the end of this month, but as I get closer to making a real decision I'm starting to get anxious about having the bike. Of the bikes above I feel drawn to the Specialized. It just felt really good when I was riding it. I'm almost ready to grab that one, but I want the most value for my hard earned money. I'm hoping I can get the dealer to get close to my budget with the Specialized Hardrock Pro Disc.

Now that I've tried out a few bikes, and in the process of negotiating prices less than MSRP, I can hardly wait!!!

New Railroad Video

Although we had a slight breeze and the pollen count was nearly 6,000 today I decided to record this tune and share it. It's probably not as polished as some of my other tunes, but I really like the song.

Hope you enjoy it!

Pinewood Derby

Over the past couple of months Samuel and I have had the opportunity to build a Pinewood Derby car for Cub Scouts. I had promised myself that I'd make sure Samuel had plenty of help building a car, and make sure we could make it as speedy as possible.

He got his kit from the Scouts and Samuel drew several designs for the car. After going over the designs with him he decided on a shape and we cut it out. Samuel handled the bulk of the sanding and I cleaned and shaped areas that were difficult for him.

Painting was fun. It was Samuel's first time using spray paint, so needless to say we painted - sanded it all off - painted - sanded - painted - sanded. You get the idea. He finally got the hang of it and he settled on a red car with a black bottom. I thought it looked really good. We added pin-striping from the auto-parts store and a number from the original kit.

I took charge of the wheels and axles. I figured if there was to be a major contributing factor to the outcome of any of these races the wheels and axles were going to be a major link. The kit comes with four nails that are used for the axles. I carefully cleaned the burring and flashing from them and smoothed them out - finally using 1500 grit sand paper. I also beveled the heads slightly. The wheels, just plastic, came with mold marks and flashing from the manufacturing process. I cleaned those up as well.

Mounting wheels and axles turned out to be a bit trial and error and a lot of guess work at first, but I finally managed to get them in straight. The car held a good straight line and the wheels didn't wobble or pull in or out on the axle. I applied graphite to the wheels, axles and anywhere else I thought might be a contact point.

My other job was adding weight to the car. The maximum weight is 5 ounces. Not wanting to go over I settled on 4.8 ounces and hoped the scales used at the race wouldn't weigh heavier than mine.

Race #1

We took our car to the race. Weighed in at 4.8 ounces as I had hoped. I made sure everything was still straight on the car and Samuel and I checked it in.

Samuel won both of his races at the Pack Race and was 2nd place in the Tiger Cubs and tied for 3rd for all the divisions. I was thrilled, he was happy, but he came into this race knowing that he would have a fast car, and really expected to do well. He obviously had some confidence in our design and building skills. His first run down the track took 2.67 seconds. His second run was a bit faster at 2.65 seconds.

A nice surprise was getting 3rd place in Best of Show! As many times as we had sanded and painted, we really didn't expect much in terms of looks. We were just proud to get a decent coat of paint on it. The pinstripes must have been just the trick.

Race #2

This was the District Race. Unfortunately I didn't get to attend this one, but Tina filled in for me and they headed out for the race early this past Saturday morning. Samuel won 4 of 8 heats, and had an average time of 2.327 seconds - his best time was 2.310 seconds. The average scale speed was 212.5mph, his fastest was 214mph. Speedy!!!

The final results put Samuel in 5th place. He was only 0.343 seconds from the 1st place car. I was thrilled! For a couple of first timers building a Pinewood Derby car I think we did pretty good. We didn't have a lot of tools, or any way to test the car. With the exception of cutting out the car at the pack meeting on the band saw, everything we did was by hand or with small hand tools. Neither of us really qualify as "highly competitive" either. We just wanted to have a good time! We have the car on display here at home now, and we can hardly wait until next year.

If you've got a boy that's Cub Scout age, you should really get involved - even if only for the Pinewood Derby. It's a lot of fun for a Dad and Son!

-=Jim

Interview - World Wide Bluegrass

About a month ago Becky Taylor from World Wide Bluegrass asked if I would be available for an interview on her show. Interview? Me? Internet Radio? Well, sure, why not. Looked like a good opportunity to get a little publicity and have some fun at the same time.

I took an early lunch to come home and set everything up. Found my way to the World Wide Bluegrass chatroom, and from there Becky contacted me through Google Talk. After fiddling with my settings on this end and discovering that I had somehow changed my recording settings from Mic to Line in we were on the air.

Becky provided such an introduction I almost wondered who she was bringing on. Turns out it was me. We discussed my early interest in banjo and music and how I learned. There was talk about some of the other bands I've performed with through the years, and about the current group I'm with, The Lone Mountain Band.

Becky played a couple tunes from Highway of Regret (Ten Mile Tennessee and Stoney Creek) and I also had the opportunity to play a few banjo tunes live. For those that are interested, my 3-finger bluegrass selection was Ring of Fire. I played to clawhammer tunes: Cluck Old Hen and Angeline the Baker.

We also spent some time talking about the Banjo Lounge and what I'm trying to do there. Becky is one of the moderators at the Banjo Lounge and has been very helpful in promoting the "Lounge."

Everyone was very great there, Becky, Gracie, and everyone in the Chatroom. I hope I didn't scare away too many of their listeners with my playing and scattered comments.

Be sure to visit World Wide Bluegrass!

-=Jim

The Georgia State Yo-Yo Championship

I've been some part of the GSYYC for several years now. I've done everything. I've watched, hungout, organized it, judged it. promoted it, built the websites, and even somehow managed to participate from long distances.

Yes, long distances. Over the past few years I've had music jobs that have coincided with the day of the contest. It's tough, but the paying job has to come first, even though I enjoy seeing my yoyoing friends. I plan everything, I get sponsors, I build the website, I seek sanctioning, I put together rules and a tricklist, and everything else that has to be done. Then as it approaches the day of the event I hand everything off to Rob Tsou. Rob's a great guy. He takes my effort, and then turns it into a real contest. Even though I have some mental attachment to the event, I know I can trust Rob to make it run as planned. This year Rob did all of the major planning. Best of all I got to attend and participate!

Dick Stohr flew down to assist. Frankly, we couldn't manage this without Dick. He's got a lot of experience with contests, and the tools (spreadsheets, wireless microphone, etc) to make everything easy on us. I can honestly say without Dick we'd have to work a lot harder than we might have to.

Congratulations to all the winners! You can read the results at Yoyoing.com. Samuel Pankey, age 6, was the photographer assigned to the freestyle event, so be sure to check out the pictures. I wish I could have had more time to meet everyone. Maybe next year.

I did put together the website for the contest, which you can see by clicking on the logo at the top of this post. That logo was also featured on some very limited Duncan Freehand Zero sidecaps provided by Greg Cohen, owner of Infinite Illusions! I'm not sure, but I think there are less than 20 sets of these! Everyone that got a set of these needs to take the time to thank Greg for making these. They're great!

The contest is held in conjunction with the Atlanta Jugglers Association's Groundhog Day Juggling Festival. Because of this we have access to a large venue, and an audience that we wouldn't have. It's a great way to show off the hobby and attract new players from a group that's already predisposed to the manipulation of objects.

I was asked to be a judge, and I had reservations about it, but I agreed. I'm glad I did. It was a learning experience, but I also discovered that when I compared my scores to the other judges I wasn't out of line at all. There were differences, of course, but nothing that skewed the contest unfairly. That was a relief. I'm a lot of things to a lot of different people (good and bad things), but I hope to always remain fair and just, especially when scrutinizing people that give their all in a competition. (That goes for yo-yoing, music, or any other contests where I'm called upon to judge.)

I know I've already mentioned Infinite Illusions, but they were at the festival with all sorts of yo-yos and juggling equipment. I wound up spending my allowance on a Yo-Yo Factory 401K yo-yo. I had been wanting something new, and this one came highly recommended by Rob. Though I have more expensive yo-yos in my collection (you can see part of the collection here) it represents the most I've ever spent on a single yo-yo. I am glad to report that it has quickly become a favorite!

I hope to see you all again next year at the GSYYC!

-=Jim

Blast from the Past!!!

In 1987 & 1988 I lived in Athens, Georgia where I met up with a fiddle player named Andy Carlson. For a short while we played a five hour set together on Sundays for breakfast, lunch and about $40 a piece for our efforts at a restaurant call Skeeters. Why? For no other reason other than it was fun. It's quite sobering to think about the amount of time that has passed since then. I really miss playing with Andy sometimes. It was so much fun.

We've gotten together a few times since then, but not often enough. Since our Athens tenure Andy has moved on to bigger things. Primarily he's over the Music Department at Denison University in Ohio. About seven years ago (which coincides to about the same time I started playing with the Lone Mountain Band) he started a bluegrass program for the students.

Wednesday, out of the blue, I got an email from Andy telling me his Bluegrass Ensemble would be in Dahlonega, Georgia (a little over and hour from me). I knew I had to go. He had also suggested that I bring a banjo. Shucks, I never leave home without one anyway, so Friday evening I tossed the banjo in my car, loaded up the family and made the short drive through the mountains to The Crimson Moon in Dahlonega. It's a small venue, but cozy, and everyone was very friendly.

When we got there the group was already playing, but I spotted a couple of other folks I knew - Earl Murphy (Andy's Grandpa) and Dennis Helmrich. I spoke with them a moment then found me a spot to listen to the concert. The students were quite capable musicians, and the music was great. Vocals were clean, and the arrangements were clever.

Andy had a spot saved for me on the second set, so I did three numbers and blundered my way through each of them. You can see me struggling in the picture there with Andy on guitar. Never the less it was a lot of fun and the crowd was appreciative. The students were polite and didn't push me off the edge of the small stage or openly make fun of my lack of musicianship. Obviously graciousness and politeness still thrive among the music students at Denison.

I dug around in the Wild Jimbo Archives and came up with a photo of Andy and I from 1988 at Skeeter's; the now long out of business restaurant where we played. Golly, I hope we had nothing to do with it's demise.

The short drive really paid off in a lot of good feelings and good memories. I hope it's not another 10 years before we do it again!

-=Jim

Boots!

Maybe it's just nostalgia, or maybe even a mid-life crisis, but whatever it is I'll take it. I've not had a pair of cowboy boots in a very long time. It's not like I never wore them though, it was the footwear of choice for me for years. I've had more than my share of boots and I'm not entirely sure how I came about not having boots. Oh, there's a pair of cowboy like work boots suitable for trudging through the odd pasture, or through the woods, or into the dungeon when the combination of space heater, microwave oven and electric griddle get the best of a breaker, but they're not anything I'd slip on as casual attire.

This wasn't just some passing fancy either. Heck, I was married in a pair of boots. Oddly enough, that was the last decent pair of boots I had. I bought them specifically for the wedding, and wore them about 5 years. They were very nice, super soft, caribou hide Dan Post boots. So, what happened to these special boots? I was at a music store hanging out and the shop owner commented on my boots. I jokingly offered to sell them to him. He chuckled and asked, "How much?" Like the bonehead I am I told him $100. I went home barefooted.

A few months ago I wandered into the Corral West store looking for a jacket and this gentleman was behind me trying on boots. He asked me "What size boots do you wear?" I told him and he tossed me a pair and insisted I try them on. I figured if a customer was this sold on these boots and liked them so much that he would suggest them to a complete stranger, I should try them. Holy moly! These were comfortable. My boots never felt this good! They were Ariat Cobalt XR Pros. I had never heard of the brand, but of course I hadn't shopped for boots in 15 years. I had to have these boots!

So each time we'd go by Corral West I'd stop in, try out the boots and wonder what was stopping me from biting the bullet and taking them home. The last time we were there Tina said, just stick them in lay-away and each time we come by we'll pay a little on them, and it'll be like they're free. I sure like the way she thinks.

Samuel, our son, loves boots too, and a couple of days ago he announced that his were too small. Ok, so he needs boots too. So, with Christmas money in hand we head to the western store to get him a pair of boots and pick up mine. While we were their Tina found a pair of boots that she wanted so all three of us spent our holiday allotment on boots. Yes, all three of us bought Ariat boot. As I've already noted, mine is the Cobalt XR Pro. Samuel's pair is the Heritage Crepe and Tina finally opted for the Canyon style.

Does this sound like a commercial for Ariat and Corral West? Probably, but we're all thrilled with our new boots. We're also happy to have discovered a new brand that is incredibly comfortable - beyond anything I've ever had on my foot! Perhaps it's just the nostalgic mid-life crisis along with the fact that it's just darn nice to have a nice pair of boots again! I'm excited, can't you tell?

-=Jim

Winter Wonderslam

Tina (my lovely wife) heard an advertisement on the radio regarding a concert that was going to feature the band Family Force 5, a rock group from the Atlanta area. Mind you, I'm not exactly what you'd call a rock and roll concert goer. I've been to less than a handful of concerts in my life, but this was different.

It was different in the respect that I knew of the drummer, Jacob Olds. He's the boyfriend of Bethany Dick. Some of you may remember that Bethany played with the Lone Mountain Band for about a year as a regular guest.

A few months ago I heard about a Family Force 5 video that Bethany was in, so I went looking for it. You can watch it on their MySpace site. I recommend it, but even more, my son Samuel recommends it!

Now, back to the concert...

I realize most concerts are not the place you'd consider taking a 6 year old for an outing, and though I thought it would be a lot of fun, I really needed to get an idea of what I should expect, so I got in contact with Bethany, realizing she'd be my best source of information regarding what we might hear or see at the concert.

She indicated that Family Force 5 shows were fun with a lot of dancing, and no bad language or content. She warned that the show would also be loud. This was good news. I was still concerned about the other groups, but she explained that the other groups were Christian and played what I figure would be best categorized as Christian rock. It was Toby Mac's Winter Wonderslam Tour. I figure at this point that Samuel and I would go to the concert. Ticket prices were well within my budget, and we wouldn't have to drive too far, so I figured this would be a great "father-son" outing and a great first-time rock concert experience for Samuel.

Samuel had the bright idea to take earplugs, and we're glad we did. It was loud, but honestly, we had a blast. The other groups (Hawk Nelson, Ayiesha Woods, The Afters and Toby Mac) were great and Family Force 5 was awesome!

We hung around after the concert and met Jacob (Crouton) and talked with him a minute or so, got autographs and the picture of him and Samuel. I felt as if I should know him after spending so much time with Bethany, and knowing what a great person she is. He was as nice as I had expected and hoped for.


Oh, I almost forgot. Here are some pictures of the Family Force 5 show!

Family Force 5

-=Jim

I set up a Flickr Account

As long as I can remember I've liked to take pictures. Granted, I'm not good at it, but I do like to press the button and make the camera do that clicky sound. However, in the thousands upon thousands of pictures I've taken I found a few that I'd like to share, and you can find them on Flikr.

Feel free to leave a comment or two, and don't hesitate to shoot me message if you see something you really like.

Wild Jimbo's Flickr

See you again soon.

Music from My Past

It all started out Sunday. My Dad's Church was having their homecoming meeting and he had decided it would be fun to have me and his sister (my Aunt) come play and sing. Well, that sounds pretty safe, right? It did to me too - at least until it occurred to me that the three of us haven't played together in 20 years. Shucks, Dad probably hasn't played guitar in 7 or 8 years. Now, back then, 20 years ago, we were playing fairly regularly, and had a "set list" of sorts.

Sunday morning comes, I carry banjo and my Dad's guitar to church. I carry them to the back and get in tune. Dad casually walks through and checks to see if everything was ready. I told him it was. He heads back out front. I follow.

Service begins as usual, and then we're announced. Dad and I walk to the back to grab my banjo and his guitar. Dad strums a chord to make sure the guitar is "close enough" - his fingers a bit clumsy from the lack of practice - hey, it's just 8 years, how bad could it be? :) I worry that he'll have some difficulty. I know he'll be there, regardless of what my aunt throws at us; I'm just all to aware of what his fingers are going to be feeling.

We meet my Aunt who's already made her way to the front with her little notebook (list of songs). She mentions something about how it's been a while. We play 3 songs, and it's just like old times. It's funny how this stuff stays in your head after so long. Everything was there. It was the same as it ever was... same same same. Other than the fact that we're all 20 years older, it was like a trip back in time.

The next day I discovered some old cassette tapes of me when I'd have been probably 15 or 16 years old. It was fun though kind of strange, listening to myself as a teenager that was just coming to terms with what would turn out to be the instrument I'd spend the rest of my life with. That said, I'll just post a link to one of those tunes.

These would have been from '78 or early '79, so I'd have been playing around a year (since I started banjo in the fall of '77).

Foggy Mountain Breakdown
Fox on the Run

..and from a little later that year: Long Gone

Thanks for listening!

Recent Yo-yo Stuff About Me!

A few days ago Mário Troise, a yo-yo designer for Vulto (a Brazilian Yo-Yo Company), contacted me to do an interview. A couple of emails later and it's done, and on their website! It's a huge honor for me to be featured in Brazil by such a prominent yo-yo maker.

You can read the interview here: Vulto

Drinking Straw Quality Control

Perhaps I should have titled this post the LACK of Drinking Straw Quality Control! Where will this end? I'm 43. I've used drinking straws as long as I can remember. I remember using paper straws, but mostly plastic ones. For the better part of my life I've had pretty much no problems with a straw. Oh, occasionally I'd happen upon one that had been bent and cracked, but that was obviously not a QC issue.

However, over the past year I've encountered several straws that were sealed on one end.

Apparently during the cutting process the end gets fused. Or maybe this is just the first or last straw in a run. Either way since the first one of these I got earlier this year I've had a half dozen of them. So, if I don't get one before the end of the year that's averages out to one every 2 months. While I'll admit to eating out more than I should, that part of my life hasn't changed. The Straw QC program obviously has.

Now, it's not a big deal to get another straw, but if you don't spot the problem you're in for a surprise as soon as you try to take a sip. Tonight's amusement was trying to get the straw to stay in the glass.

So, you straw manufacturers out there, get your act together. It's time for a ZERO DEFECTS policy on straws!

They Told Me To Stall

Some of you know that I play banjo in a bluegrass band. Some of you could care less. Some of you even know that I yo-yo. Some of you might even know that our band features a yo-yo segment. Some of you didn't know that, but now you do...

The job was your ordinary, run of the mill, evening gig that was an opening event to a fall festival for the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. Brasstown's a tiny place, so this festival is huge doin's for everyone. We were booked for their concert series, and it's just a great place to play the type of music we play. The crowds are generally very interested in Bluegrass and Old-Time music - many are musicians. All in all, it's probably one of the best places we play.

Our guitar player and I rode together and we arrived on time. We set up what little gear we had, and tuned up. My phone rings and it's the other half of the band - the bass player and the mandolin player. They're late... and they suggest we stall. I told them to step on it and make up the time. Of course that's no small feat going thru the gorge on Hwy 64 by the Ocoee River... curvy, and a lot of tourists. I realized that when I suggested that they should hasten, but I wasn't particularly optimistic.

Stall... it's really hard to stall with an auditorium full of people that are waiting for their entertainment.

Yo-yo....

I begin some small talk with the front row and begin to yo-yo a bit. Only reason I'm chatting with the front row is we don't have sound yet. They're amused. I chat. I yo-yo. I smile A LOT.

As I yo-yo I watch the wave of attention slowly spread through the auditorium. It begins with an elbow... a "hey look"... and it just spreads. I finish some simple trick without knocking out an eye and there's a smattering of applause. Okay... this stall may work.

I talk some more, now I've picked up my volume a bit with my "school teacher voice" and continue. No super complicated stuff. These are just things I can do in my sleep. By now the mic is set up and I can talk to the whole auditorium.

What now...

I fall back on the basics. I walked the dog... jumped it through the hoop... and finished with a dogbite. I thought I'd go deaf from the applause. They like this stuff?

Well... if they like that I thought. I introduce the Man on the Trapeze... his brother... their sister... and finish up with the Mother-In-Law bouncing off the floor. More applause, but this time with laughter... amazing.

Rock the baby.... Eiffel Tower... yup... you guessed it - Rock the Baby on the Eiffel Tower. Chuckles and Applause from the crowd.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that the rest of the band had arrived and was ready to come on. I finished up with some simple 2 handed stuff. Applause again...

About that time the EmmCee begins introducing the band and they join me on stage. 30 seconds later I've ditched the yo-yos, strapped on a banjo and I kick off the first song of the night...

Is there a lesson to be learned here, or perhaps a moral to this story?

I have no clue... but I do know that it doesn't take fancy tricks to entertain folks. What it took for me, was honest chatter with the audience and good old fashion stuff they could recognize.

So, the next time you're out there waiting for your bandmates to show up, and you're told to stall. Grab a yo-yo and just talk to the crowd. The rest will take care of itself.

The Doc Stock Banjo Method...

...or Any jerk can play the banjo so why not you too?

Lesson 1: Beat It!

The most common mistake of the beginning banjo player is to play too gently. True, musical instruments require great care and special handling, but banjos should not be confused with these. There are three basic licks that are used in playing the banjo: the hit (abbreviated h in tablature), the harder hit (H), and the beat (B). Learn these three licks, and soon you'll be able to play anything! Remember -- Hit 'em again, hit 'em again, harder, harder!

Lesson 2: Stage Presence

A dignified stage presence will do more than anything else to create the impression that you are a serious, professional musician. This is to be avoided at all costs--you have a reputation to maintain, after all! While playing on stage, you should: (1) slouch, (2) drool, (3) pick nose, (4) bump fiddler, (5) cross eyes, (6) pour beer on self, and/or (7) stare off into space. The more you can do at once, the better.

Lesson 3: Tuning your banjo

Musicians make a very big deal about "getting in tune." Fortunately, you're a banjo player, and therefore need not be so hung up. There are three basic ways to tune a banjo:

1. With a tuning fork: Tap the fork on a hard surface. Listen to the clear bell-like tone. Make sure none of your strings duplicate this tone.
2. With an electric tuner: Tap the tuner on a hard surface. Continue as with method (1).
3. With a fiddle: Tap the fiddle on a hard surface. Continue as above.

Lesson 4: Tunes and Tablature

It's a well-kept secret that there are really only four tunes in old-time music: the G Tune, the A Tune, the D Tune, and the C Tune. It's an even better-kept secret that these four tunes sound exactly the same. Tablature is a simplified form of musical notation used by musicians to preserve music on paper. Avoid all tablature--you will get nowhere as a banjo player by imitating musicians.

Lesson 5: Drugs & Banjo Playing

Just say, "Why not?"

Lesson 6: Playing with Musicians

Playing with musicians is always scary for the beginning banjo player. You should not be intimidated, though, because musicians like to have a banjo player or two around. Even the most mediocre group of musicians will sound great by contrast when a banjo player is added. So get in there and start jamming!

Lesson 7: Banjo Paraphernalia

• A capo allows the banjo player, once out of tune in one key, to quickly be out of tune in any other key.
  
• A case protects your banjo from abuse, except when it is being played. This is really unimportant, but where else can you put all your cool bumper stickers?
  
• A dog will follow a banjo player around and keep everyone uncertain as to which is responsible for the odor.
  
• Beer is the experienced banjo player's favorite liquid to spill on the dance floor, dancers, and/or musicians. Sometimes it is filtered through the kidneys first.

Lesson 8: Name That Tune

As mentioned previously, there are only four tunes, and they all sound the same. It is definitely uncool, however, to let on in public that you know this, so here's a list of titles for The Tune: Turkey in the Straw, Bug in the Taters, Bonaparte Crossing the Turnpike, Fire on the Mountain, Billy in the Lowground, Drugs in the Urine Sample, Christ on a Crutch, Monkey in the Dog Cart, Logs in the Bedpan, Ducks in the Millpond, Pigeon on a Gate Post, Water on the Knee.

Lesson 9: Three Myths Dispelled

• Myth Number 1: It takes hard work and talent to play the banjo. Fact: The only talent most banjo players have is a talent for avoiding hard work.
• Myth Number 2: You can make good money playing the banjo. Fact: People will frequently pay you much better money to stop.
• Myth Number 3: Your banjo will make you friends wherever you go. Fact: This is only true if you never go anywhere.

Lesson 10: The Universal Banjo Tune

----H----B---h---B----------H-------B---B-H--------
--h---H--B---------B--------H---H---B-H-B---H------
---------B-----h-----B------H-B---------B-----H----
-----------h-----------h----------h----------------
------------------------------------------------B--
h=hit it! H=hit it harder! B=beat it!

This article was reprinted from the February 1990 issue of The Daily Clog, Julie Mangin, editor.