though not real regular here at the mudcat, I've come back from time to time over the last couple of years. Born in 1950 in Dallas Oregon (the big D ), did the school thing, avoided the draft by joining the Navy (sub duty is the best duty),came back to the world and did the party thing, did the get married thing in 75 (still there),3 girls (the oldest is trying to have a baby as I write, do I feel old or what)doing the empty nest thing now, livin' in the sticks, bought an old home built just before the turn of the century (that's 1900) big garden and all, and Playin' music. took band for 7 years in school and choir for 1 year (wish that I'd done more). Love all kinds of music from classic to rap ( rap is to music as ech-a-skech is to art), folk is my second passion, Gospel is (as strange as it may seem) my favorite ( Gospel seems to find something positive even in terrible situations). I play a few instruments, (backup) guitar (I currently have a martin 1970 D12-35) Banjo (though I seldom admit it) a hammered Dulcimer (oh how I love this instrument) and I've picked up an instrument from my youth recently, a ukulele (ouch). Currently I am playing with a group called the Bridgeport Volunteers, and I and my wife have been with them for about seven years (I really love these people) their Website is currently down, but they do have one (my bad, I'm in charge of it, but hey, give me a break, I'll get it up and running again (and maybe I'll even post one of those blue clicky things, or maybe I'll make it a yellow one instead)