The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: BigDaddy
Date: 02 Oct 02 - 01:16 AM

I may even swing down from my current home in Pasco County. Probably the 12th not the 5th. Sorry, no fiddle.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 01 Oct 02 - 07:44 PM

Sounds like a good session building up here...Am I correct in figuring you for the 12th Of October? If Gern can make it that day and Lauren can be there we could have a mini-mudgather right here in St Petersburg....Neat!!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: harpgirl
Date: 01 Oct 02 - 10:37 AM

...oh joy! I love to play with fiddlers! I expect to be there and thanks for the directions, ya'll! I'm a Guest at Sunshine State Music camp so I'll probably go to the mando classes only, and hope to play the concert Saturday night! More fun to jam with the St. Pete bluegrassers! hg

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 01 Oct 02 - 10:29 AM

Mountain View, AR? Hey, any home to Grandpa Jones sounds like home to me. Lauren, I'm a clawhammer banjo picker into old-time, and I come to the shop evey one or two weeks. Would sure love to have a fiddle join in. Can't say for sure about this Saturday, but others will be there. Hope to see you soon.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 08:07 PM

Yes Lauren, a fiddle is greatly needed at the jam. I hope you can make it on Saturday. If you have any questions feel free to PM me. The folk at the jam would love to hear some old time and I'm sure would even be able to play some. I am looking forward to seeing you there this weekend. Folks start gathering around 1:30 or so and it usually runs til around 5 PM.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: GUEST,Lauren
Date: 30 Sep 02 - 04:14 PM

Hi, Ive been following this thread with interest. I will try to come by next Saturday. I play the fiddle. I play mainly oldtimey music, so don't know a lot of bluegrass tunes. However, last month, I spent a few days in Mountain View, AR, and fell in love with playing bluegrass music, so I'm starting to quickly get into it. What a perfect way to learn some new stuff. Hope to see you all then.

Lauren

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 11:37 AM

The grandson has told me that next week he will unpack his guitar earlier and I promised him that I also would try to get my hand back in on the guitar. He has been told the best way to get into it is to just follow along until he loses it, then pick it back up where he can. I will use the same logic to get my playing honed once again...it has been so many years!! Look forward to next Satutrday already..!!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 29 Sep 02 - 11:19 AM

Yeah, c'mon down, Harpgirl, and show us what they taught you. I'll second Banjer's assessment: a fine session. Four banjos on the premesis (sp?), which is enough to require an Environmental Impact Statement. The store owner is an accomplished guitarist and hospitable host. I must say, though, that there were too many unpacked guitars and modest mandolinists. My example should prove to you that you don't have to be good to be fearless. Doesn't anybody in Florida play the fiddle? I'm not sure I'll make it next week: I'm supposed to be kayaking and camping in the Keys. But with Lili troubling the waters, some bluegrass bonding may be called for.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 07:19 PM

Yes!!! That would be the 12th of October wouldn't it? I'll be more than happy to give directions. You can finf US 19 or 34th St (one and the same) with no throuble. Go north (you will be coming from the south end of town if you are at the Boyd Hill Park) on US 19 to 38th Avenue North, turn left (headed west). Go to 66th St and turn right. Then follow 66th St to 41st Avenue and you'll see the Bluegrass Shop on your right after 41st Avenue. The address is 4125 66th St No. The phone number should you get turned around and need talked in is 727-302-9740. Please come to see us!!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: harpgirl
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 06:41 PM

...hey banj...I'll be at Boyd Hill Nature Center the second week of October for Sunshine State Music Camp. If you give me directions, I'll try to drop by....harpgirl

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 28 Sep 02 - 06:19 PM

Boy what a good afternoon!!! Gern was there playing two banjos, in one song he played them both!!! A fellow I had met some time ago and then lost track of, Bob Miller, a left handed banjo player with a custom built left handed Mastertone was there along with a bass player and another guitar player. Another fellow from another jam I used to go to years ago was also there. My grandson and several others made up the group, and what fun we had. Wish you all could have been there!!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 11:08 PM

Two trips??

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 10:41 AM

I'm aiming at it, but we'll have to see. After my first gig at the nursing home, I've been predictably sick all week. If I can make it, I'll bring my Deering. but I'll never fit the piano into my Pontiac.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 27 Sep 02 - 05:10 AM

Just a reminder to those in the area...Saturday afternoon around 1:30 we'll be cranking up again!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Wesley S
Date: 17 Sep 02 - 04:22 PM

I'm living in Texas now but I grew up in Largo on Indian Rocks Blvd. We have plans to visit St Pete Beach some weekend next summer so you might get that mandolin chop you were looking for. I'll let you know if our visit pans out. Best wishes to everyone at the session.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 16 Sep 02 - 08:43 PM

Anybody else in or around St. Pete feel free to drop in at the Bluegrass Shop this Saturday. I plan to be there around 1:30!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 09:55 PM

BTW, Gern...If you desire to e-mail just put reanes@ using the same ISP you have! Later.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 09:53 PM

I'm looking forward to next Saturday already! It was a blast. Maybe I'll bring my banjo next week. I have two, a resonated and an open back for old time. I cna;t play either well, but I am working on it. I have too many irons in the fire I suppose. I am also getting my old Kay ready to restring..Cleaning and waxing and touching up bad spots, etc. It currently has nylon strings but it originally had steel, which it will again. I also glued up those loose parts on the Guild today, that project worked out real well! I've been doing much reading today and really enjoy it!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 15 Sep 02 - 11:48 AM

Outclassed? You made it happen, Banjer. But let's send out an APB to get more pickers. I'm hearing impaired, and really need a strong rhythm section to keep my tempo under control. Any bass players in the Tampa Bay area? A strong mandolin chop would help too. Any fiddlers around? We've got the nucleus for a good session here, but more is needed. While I won't be able to make it every week, I too look forward to my next chance to play there. I thought I would miss out on this sort of thing when I left Kentuckiana to come to Florida. But, like West Nile virus, good old-time mountain music is everywhere!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 07:15 PM

Well, what an afternoon. What started out last week as a small impromtu gathering continued this week as a pretty good jam. Gern made it and SingSong and her hubby came up from Bradenton to visit with us. There were also some more folks, guitar, banjo and dulcimer all were represented. We need a mandolin player to join us and the set will be complete! So, not only a good gathering for the Bluegrass Shop but a Mini-Mudgather as well. I was very impressed, as were others, with Gern's banjo playing. He plays both three finger and clawhammer. He also belts out some good singing on bluegrass numbers. He also has some other talents and abilities which I will let him release here on the Mudcat when and if he sees fit. My dulcimer (and my playing ability) were both hugely outclassed so I was more a spectator and applauder than anything else, but had a real good time. Looking forward to next Saturday already!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 14 Sep 02 - 06:43 AM

It's Saturday again!!! Only about 7 hours to go! So looking forward to it......

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 08:17 PM

If I remember I will wear my Mudcat t-shirt.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 10 Sep 02 - 06:07 AM

mmb, since last Saturday was just the first get-together of what I hope bnecomes a regular thing, it was very informal. I suppose as time goes on there will develop a group of 'regulars' and a bit of system. Last week those present would just be talking about a certain song and the guitar player would start to strum and I would join with my dulcimer and another guitar would join in...very unstructured and NICE....I suppose as it grows a bit we will do a song circle type of arrangement, each choosing what he/she wants to play in some form of order. I will be there from about 1:30 to 4 on Saturday, barring any unforseen catastrophe. Look forward to your visit!

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: GUEST,mmb
Date: 09 Sep 02 - 10:54 PM

I also live in St. Pete, and would enjoy playing, and possibly singing, with an informal group. I will not be able to drop by the shop this coming weekend, but will check back next week to see if anything seems to be developing. Thanks for the info. M.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 11:32 AM

Hi Gern, more than happy to give Elson a plug! Go in a visit with him, look at the pictures on the walls and get him to tell some stories, its an interesting place. He just opened and is still trying to stock it so don't be disappointed by the low number of instruments he has hanging right now, he is expanding rapidly! The adddress is 4125 66th st n. His phone # is 302-9470. If you do get out to see him, let me know what you think of the place and of Elson. BTW, right now he is on abbreviated hours, he still works another job the better part of the day. He is usually open from 4 to 7 in the PM weekdays and 10 - 5 on Saturdays. I will probably be there around two on Saturday.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: GUEST,Gern
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 10:43 AM

Hey, Banjer, I live in St. Pete and I don't know where this place is. Could you give us an address?

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Banjer
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 10:06 AM

Thanks BF, I would never have opened this thread if you had not given me the headsup on it.

Subject: RE: The Bluegrass Shop, St Petersburg FL
From: Bullfrog Jones
Date: 08 Sep 02 - 06:15 AM

You might like to share your experience in this discussion, too Banjer -- not obvious from the thread title: I deal with........., because........

BJ

Subject: The Bluegrass Shop
From: Banjer
Date: 07 Sep 02 - 05:26 PM

Just came home from a wonderful afternoon at a place known as The Bluegrass Shop. It is where my grandson takes guitar lessons. I discovered some other folks interested in the lap dulcimer and several folks that play guitar and we all met at the shop at 2PM and had a good time for about two hours. Elson, the proprietor enjoyed it so much he said we need to make this a weekly thing. I am already looking forward to next Saturday. Great bunch of folks and much good music! Just had to share this with somebody that would understand!!