I'm so glad you asked. I had a black gospel/reggae/rhythm and blues and rock and roll New Year's Day. The birthday of the wife of the tenor in my gospel quartet was on New Year's Day, and my tenor, Derrick arranged a surprise birthday party for her. Her family, which lives in Florida, came up here to Connecticut, as part of the surprise. When my wife and I got to the party, Derrick's friends from his reggae band were setting up their instruments and a sound system. Then, Derrick got up and played electric guitar, with his son on drums, and two other members of the reggae band on electric bass and keyboards. They rocked the place for about a half an hour, and then the rest of our gospel quartet came up and sang harmonies while Derrick sang the lead on Earth Angel. Then it was the Gospel Messengers turn, with me on guitar. I'd never heard black gospel accompanied by a reggae band, but we really got rolling. I've never played with a drummer, keyboards and electric bass behind me, but we had a power we've never had on our own. Definitely not Appalachian folk music. There was a little bit of Rolling Stones, and a lot of gospel.

My only regret was that my friend Ian wasn't there, playing second bass. What a way to welcome in the New Year!
Jerry