Lloyd, yes, I spent the past six or seven years with the Born Once Poodle Players (there's a name I can live with: BOPP) learning to play ensemble, learning how to play backup on both banjo and harmonica--in fact, learning how to play cross-harp style. I'd learned enough of the basics working with Joh Gindick and David Harp tapes, but it's not until ya do it over and over and over that get to the point where you can do it confidently in public. The BOPP have had a few public but non-paying gigs (we turned down $600 to play at one party--they are friends, and it was enough to party with them).

I had sat in the audience before at the Lighthouse and occasionally played along--lots of people sing along--but it wasn't until a week ago Thursday that I got the courage to actually go up and jam with them--and I was floored by being asked to join them "in uniform" after jamming (I had no idea I was auditioning). Anyway, I guess they feel I add something to their sound, and that is a real ego-booster.

--seed