Well, this thread turns out to be a pleasant surprise! My fist "professional" performance was when I was escaping for a weekend from reconaissance geology mapping in deepest darkest Maine at the age of 20. I had my Stewart 5-string banjo, a sleeping bag, and a ice chest of fried chicken and had camped out at some small lake near Guilford (somewhere near Moosehead Lake). At some point I gathered up the courage to approach two lovely teenaged girls who were camping nearby, and regaled them with renditions of Sloop John B and Tom Duly, upon which they suggested we meet later that evening at a local roadhouse which I did but surprisingly they never appeared. Tragic. However, the bartender, noticing my banjo, suggested I play a few songs for those who were lined up at the bar. So I did a medly of Appalachian songs I'd learned from Obray Ramsey: Rain & Snow, Wild Bill Jones, and Poor Ellen Smith. There was even some applause and much to my amazement a glass of bourbon appeared and...well, I didn't know David Dodson's song "I Was Right, I was Wrong All Along" at the time so I swigged it down. I don't remember what happened next but I'm sure my playing deteriorated. Thanks for the memory!;-)