Thanks for all the interesting feedback.

My guess is that most folks feel that theory is not that important for a banjo player (learning folk styles)

Actually I only started finding theory interesting when I started teaching. Prior to that I relied on a good ear and a lot of experience, to be able to play along with somebody on something I didn't know.

I AM big on the "number system" though. To be able to indicate the whole chord structure of a complicated song to someone in twenty seconds on a slip of paper no bigger than a matchbox is a neat trick.

Cheers

Rick