What (do we play)?

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: CamiSu
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 08:28 PM

I guess my misuse of parentheses belongs in the illiterate thread... I think I'm too tired to be doing this.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: CamiSu
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 08:08 PM

I started to answer this 2 days ago and got interrupted.... finally got to look again today and everything I'd typed was gone. I must say I've enjoyed hearing what everyone does- we need a festival of our own! (Guests welcome, though I was taught that when I was a guest that I should be polite. Kind of goes with the territory. If a "guest" doesn't behave they are not a guest, but an intruder... Sorry, I just haven't seen that sort of rudeness in public ever before but I guess most of you know how to handle it better that I do, i.e. ignore it.

Anyway, I mostly tell stories (usually as a volunteer, though I can be found at the Clearwater Great Hudson River Revival on a regular basis. (I stage manage there as well so I'm there anyway.) But I sing in the oldest chorus in the US--note I did NOT say anywhere close to the best. They have me, so they must not be THAT picky. I also play guitar and sing well enough to delight my kids, even those in their twenties, and I love it. Mostly I do backstage work -- I'm a set designer and master carpenter so I get to see a lot of stuff from the "wrong" side. And I know all the terrible things the techs say about ungrateful talent!

BTW Moon, if Barry gets tired of putting you up you can head a few miles further north and stay with us a while. The 3 older kids are all headed overseas, so we'll have LOTS of room. You don't even have to stay with the sheep!

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Jimmy C
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 06:03 PM

For more than 25 years I played almost 6 nights per week in a folk group. Mostly Irish,English,Scottish with a few American, Canadian and Australian songs thrown in as well a good mixture of sea chanteys. I play tenor banjo, Mandolin, Bodhran (custom made by Eamonn Maguire),I also tinker around around on Appalachian Dulcimer and English Concertina, I still sing occasionally. Favourite artsits include 'The Dubliners", Pete Seeger, Guthrie, Leadbelly, Cisco Houston, John Prine, The Young Tradition, Cyril Tawney etc.etc.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 09:55 AM

Just wanted to clarify one thing about my last post on this thread, and that was the use of the word "clever". I did not mean "witty" or "sharp". I enjoy word play and admire someone who can manipulate the language to amuse others (like Spaw - who is at least half way to being a real wit - and whose posts I always enjoy). What I was really referring to are people who manipulate people or situations solely for their own amusement. People who post bogus threads to see who they can gull, or people who think posting inflammatory comments under pseudonyms or, worse yet, using another members name would be examples of the sort of "cleverness" I despise. In my use of the word, a "clever" person is someone who thinks he/she is smarter and faster than everyone else, not in the "Einstein" sense, but more in the "Artful Dodger" sense. Little cheats who imagine they have people fooled, when they are only being troublesome.

People try to be "clever: in this sense in all realms of life. They think embarassing someone by publicly pointing out some little flaw is cute, that using the loophole that cheats the system doesn't have consequences, that everyone else is a sucker waiting to be played. They don't see how much negative energy they create with their little bits of cleverness. They don't realize how they diminish the quality of life for their own amusement. Aargh. . .

Enough of my rant; please excuse my venting. We now return you to your regularly scheluded thread that is already in progress.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: GUEST,Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 04:54 AM

Exactly. How do they get that vibrato in there, anyway? And I see in rereading your original post that you were talking about real old European music, which I'd also love to learn. I was thinking more Michel Legrand, but both styles fit the accordian so well (by the way, is it "an" or "on"? I was in the National Spelling Bee once but some things do tend to slip...) The sound is so...right. I don't have to tell you that, Carol, and everybody else who wants to tell accordian jokes can go hang. Comfortably, of course. Yes, I'll send you a message as soon as I get back on my own computer. Tonight I'm a little tied up here at the hospital.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Ella who is Sooze
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 04:53 AM

Hello

I mostly play the bodhran...

I also play the tin whistle and dabble in the flute recently.

I also play the guitar, keyboard and drums.

But I will try my hand at most instruments and recently been having a go on the accordian.

Oh and I sing.

And have loads of fun doing all of the above.

Regards

Ella

Wants to have a go on a banjo next... anyone got one? he hee

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: CarolC
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 04:08 AM

Mark- I'm not sure I know exactly what kind of music you're referring to from the 50s movies, but I've been making a complete pest of myself all over the Mudcat for the last week or two trying to find continental European music, and nobody seems to know anything about it. I have been told that I might be able to get the e-mail address of the guy who inspired me to learn to play the accordion. He's from Belgium and he's one of the big guns in the Washington D.C. area folk music scene, but I've met him and jammed with him several times, and he seems like a pretty nice guy. I'm hoping he'll be able to turn me on to some good sources. If you want me to share anything I get with you, let me know and I can either send a personal message, or you can PM me with your e-mail address (if you're not already a member, you have to join to be able to send and recieve personal messages).

You have no idea how much it means to me that somebody understands. You'd be amazed at the amount of abuse I get for playing the accordion. I have a good come-back, though. When people suggest that I take up a more respectable instrument, like the concertina, I say that I like the way the accordion vibrates better. That shuts them up pretty good.

Carol

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: GUEST,Mark Cohen
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 03:25 AM

Hey, thanks for starting this, moonchild, this is the kind of thing that got me hooked on Mudcat last year. I taught myself to play guitar when I was a second year medical student in 1974, and have been stuck at mediocre ever since. My 1970 Martin D18 disappeared a while ago courtesy of my soon-to-be-ex-wife, but that's another story....Love to sing, though, and my voice is actually getting better with age, though the same can't be said for eyesight or memory. I really miss the song circles and shanty sings in the Northwest. Nothing quite like singing in harmony a capella.

CarolC, I know exactly how you feel about the accordian. A few months ago I was visiting a friend in Oregon and said, "Hey, what's that thing that looks like a musical instrument case?" It was a little Italian accordian, red, two octaves with four rows of buttons. Turns out it belongs to his daughter's ex-boyfriend, so he figured it was safe for me to borrow. I've figured out what the buttons do, and have started to learn "Under Paris Skies" -- that's the kind of music I want to play on it. The stuff you hear in movies from the 1950s. Yes, I've heard all the accordian jokes, but this thing is, as my friend Mbo would say, SOOOO COOOOOOL!!! Let me know if you find any good books, Carol.

Also, in the absence of my guitar (I'm back on my first guitar, a Signet with a thrice-broken neck) I've just bought an ukulele. About time, after living in Hawaii for 6 years. I actually got to play it on HearMe last week, and got a marriage proposal as a result, so it seems to work pretty well. I'm trying to find a book and/or a teacher so I can learn Hawaiian music, and also trying to learn slack-key guitar style.

Sorry for being so long-winded, but I'm here at the hospital waiting for a 32-week premie to be born (who will no doubt be shipped off to the children's hospital in Honolulu soon afterward), so I have time on my hands.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: CarolC
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 03:12 AM

Lepus Rex; You might be able to get a dombra from the House of Musical Traditions. They have just about everything. Their original location is Tacoma Park, Maryland, but they have a very good web site. The web address is www.hmtrad.com (I don't know how to do links, sorry). Another possible resource is Lark in the Morning. I believe they're out of San Fransisco. I don't remember their web address, but if you get into a search engine and type in "Lark in the Morning" (without the quotations), you'll probably be able to find out. Good luck. I hope you'll be playing music soon.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 02:20 AM

The main thing is, I AM HAVING FUN! Jim - isn't that the whole point of this? If we weren't having fun (or being paid, for many that't the same thing....) would be continue to do it?

LTS

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: JamesJim
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 01:16 AM

I play both 6 and 12 string acoustics and have recently added harmonica. I sing folk, including a lot of Irish and do a few bluegrass numbers and generally do this with a good friend who play banjo. Im playing tin whistle pretty well, but I've got a long way to go with that. The main thing is, I AM HAVING FUN! Jim

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Lepus Rex
Date: 02 Aug 00 - 12:56 AM

Hmm. Unfortunately, I can't play anything, yet. And I sing like a monkey. Ah well:)

I listen to... Lots of things. Music I like... Everything from Iron Maiden to Big Maceo Merriweather to Nick Cave to Roscoe Holcomb to GWAR to Turgun Alimatov to Bikini Kill to Väsen... Probably my favourite music comes from Central Asia, especially Kazakhstan. I'd kill for a dombra.

---Lepus Rex

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Mbo
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 10:01 PM

Bart, I amazed to see another Desert Rose Band fan! I love those guys. Their music defined my childhood! Glad to know other folks care about them like I do!

--Matt

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: dwditty
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 09:12 PM

I've been around here since '97, so I'm more or less immune to anything 'Spaw might say or do *BG*. I play guitar - a Gallagher '71 Special (happens to be my last name, too) and a Guild F50R circa 1970 that served as Jonathan Edwards' stage guitar for many years. I picked it up mostly because my musical hero - Dave Van Ronk - plays the same guitar (Dan Hicks, too). I play a variety of blues and folk and am always on the lookout to steal a clever song from anybody at anytime. Can't write songs for shit so I've got to swipe 'em. I've played out 3 or 4 times - open mic's and such. Found HearMe a few weeks ago, thanks to kat, and now all the world is my stage. Of course, I'm yours, too.

dw

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Art Thieme
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 09:01 PM

I just wrote out a long entry---and lost it. It's enough to say that (most of) this thread is like a breath of cool fresh air.

Thank you all,

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Yo
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 08:28 PM

I'm pretty new here. I play acoustic guitar (Marina) and trying a bit of slide. I also sing, but I don't think I'm very good at it. People say I got a good voice for the rough stuff. My big exemple is David Lindley as you may have seen in some of the threads. I'd like to learn some more about Cajun/Zydeco and Mardi Grass, wich I'm doing right here right now. I love to play ritmic/melodic, with lots of changing chords. Yo.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 08:02 PM

Bartholomew;

I agree with you about the mean and spiteful ones. As far as the clever ones are concerned, different threads for different heads, my friend.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 06:47 PM

Hi, my name is Jim and I've been obsessed with music since I was just a little spud. I am now a wizened (but not wiser) old tater who turns 50 in exactly one month and one day. I had a wild uncle who introduced me to the Clancy Brothers, Kingston Trio, Chad Mitchell and Classics Illustrated (the great books in "illustrated novel, i.e., comic book form) when I was a beardless ute.

I learned to read music as a trumpet player, but got all turned around by the Beatles and taught myself to play the guitar in High School. I played "professionally", i.e., no day job, after dropping out of college, for about fifteen years. Mostly C&W and country rock. Wrote some and stole lots more. I played my first coffeehouse in 1968 and my most recent one last week. I like to do almost anything - acoustic versions of Prince songs, old 50's R'n'R, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dill (the singing pickle), Marvin Gaye. I particularly like to re-arrange songs so that people can hear them differently. "Proud Mary" as a Bluegrass tune; Happy Birthday as a slow Blues. Right now my favorite writers are Guy Clarke, Bruce Cockburn, Kim Richey Neil Young (my dream is to get adjoining rooms at the NYCFTTS), the Desert Rose Band. . .

I'm a good singer, I'm learning to be a decent writer. My guitar playing is adequate on acoustic and electric - just don't ask me to play lead. I take the music seriously, but not myself. I like talking about all aspects of it, but I like doing it more. I like being able to exchange ideas with y'all. I can't understand why anyone would want to waste time being mean and/or spiteful or so da*n clever. Life's too short and there's way to much to do.
Thanks for letting me hang around. E-ya later.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: GUEST,CLETUS
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 04:59 PM

Now I tell ya Mis Carol, a lotta folks hav tol me thet I shud git me an accordion cuz Ime awful gud at playin with myself. But I remeberz one time....well, I gess Ile tell ya later. Catspaw iz cookin sum vittels an I reckon az ifn I doan be too crude or nuthin, he mite feed me an Paw an the Reg boyz tonite.

CLETUS

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: CarolC
Date: 01 Aug 00 - 04:50 PM

Hey Cletus-

What do the people out your way think about ACCORDIONS. Around here they're the musical equivalent of vermin. (Makes it hard for me to find anybody to play with.)

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: GUEST,CLETUS
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 06:30 PM

Carol darlin, Ime reel glad thet ya enjoyt the story an I wanna thank Miz Jeri an her dragonfly hooterz fer postin thet link.

CLETUS

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 06:22 PM

Drumshanty - it is quite acceptable to have a crib sheet now, especially as we are all not getting any younger! But look into the 'learning from others mistakes' thread, and remember to print the damn thing big enough!!

I tried to bring Phoebe (aka spawn of satan or bratling) up with music of all sorts, she listens to Disneys' Fantasia, for most of it, and can recognise the tunes out of context - i.e., on the radio; but sadly, she shows interest in playing the melodeon, so she isn't musical.

LTS (!)

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Drumshanty
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 06:18 PM

I started listening to traditional music in my carry cot at my dad's folk group sessions and rehearsals. And I have always sung - apparently I knew many rebel songs when I was three (don't know them any more sadly!).

I don't sing for people any more - seem to have undergone some kond of crisis of confidence and can't remember the words. But I am working on it. And as for playing, I have a fiddle waiting for classes to start in September.

Hanging round the Mudcat has made me realise how much I don't know and I have learnt so much in the past few weeks. Although my first love will always be the "diddly diddly" stuff, there is so much more out there and I'm glad I found this place!!

Drumshanty

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 06:04 PM

Kim C - I had exactly the same thing - the others were supposed to grow into the gaps weren't they? Did yours? Have you got a gap in the side like I have? I had to have my wisdom teeth out for the same reason. I still have them though, in a box in a drawer. I frighten the bratling with them.... (sorry, spawn of Satan, Phoebe, 4 yrs old, swapped at birth, completely different at school, I'm thinking of changing my name to Rosemary.....)

Roger and Roger, I'm sorry, Skiff - I love you really, Sheff - yes, on the skin at the top, and I'm sorry, I'm easily confused.

LTS

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Irish Rover
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 02:53 PM

well... my name is Daniel I, like spaw, live in central Ohio. I came to America in '57 from the North of Ireland. I have played and sung most of it 50/60 r&r country, blue grass but my love is celtic. I was on the circuit for years, working out of chicago. I play mainly 12-string and 5-string banjo, I have been a drumer, a dixieland sax and clarinetest. I just love music!

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Kim C
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 02:27 PM

Oh, I forgot to mention, I still have all my body parts except for a few teeth that had to be extracted when I was very young because My Mouth was Too Small for all of them. Yes, Too Small...

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 01:50 PM

Well, let me jump in. My name is Steve, and I live in Massachusetts (USA), with my wife and three kids aged 17 to 7. I unloaded my appendix last year, and haven't missed it.

My main instrument is guitar, in all styles -- I studied classical guitar for years when I was younger, and still dabble in it, but mainly it serves as a background for fingerstyle excursions of no definable style. I am a musical mongrel, absorbing styles from any and all directions, without regard to labels or categories. I play electric lead guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin in a local rock and roll band that plays out about 4-6 times a month. Outside of the band, I do a lot of playing, songwriting, composing, and recording on my own and as a freelancer on projects by others, usually on acoustic guitar -- fingerstyle, flatpicked, "Celtic," American traditional styles, and the dreaded "singer-songwriter" genre, which happens to be one of my favorites (Mudcatters' disparaging comments notwithstanding).

I currently own Lowden, Larrivee and Alvarez-Yairi steel-string guitars, and a very nice classical guitar by an unknown Japanese luthier (M. Nishino). These all share space with my 1953 Martin mandolin (style 2-15, given to me by my father), my PRS CE-24 electric and Peavey Cropper Classic, lots of harmonicas and assorted musical toys and sound gear cluttering up my house. I have recently been outfitting my home studio, and expect to record my first CD within a few months.

Pleased to meet you all -- I enjoy your company.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Jeri
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 01:40 PM

Some history of the insanity is available here: Paw, Cletus, Buford & and the Reg Boys

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: catspaw49
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 01:30 PM

Carol.....Thanks and its nice to hear from others of low taste like myself. If you want to read more of the exploits of Cletus and the gang, enter Cletus in the search box for the forum and DT search on the left just above the threads on the main page. You can follow their continuing saga which I call, "Tales from the Edge of Insanity."

Spaw

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 01:20 PM

In my freshman college year I caught the folksong bug, and learned guitar (sort of). At one time had a LARGE folksong repertoire by memory. Sang any place they wouldn't throw me out.

In my early 30s, not courting the girls any more (I'd been took!) and being very busy with work, I let folk song/music slide, only very occasoinally would get the guitar out.

About three years ago, retiring from my job of 36 years, faced with the universal question to retirees, "What are you going to do with all that time?", I decided to get back into folksongs. I'd always had a yen to learng 5-string banjo, so I done did, and retreaded the guitar at the same time.

Now, besides HearMe, I sing for nursing homes, farmer's markets, folk festivals, and have a ball!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: CarolC
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 01:08 PM

Spaw, that Cletus bit about the bear farts is one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. I printed it out and I've been annoying my friends with it ever since.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Roger in Sheffield
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 01:02 PM

Liz the squeak
Is you Cerne Abbas Giant anatomically correct?
It has just occurred to me (and made my eyes water!!) where do you beat this drum?

Roger - who plays flute

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Kim C
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 12:58 PM

Well, let's see....

I sing, yodel, play guitar (strumming, mostly; it's a little Alvarez I got dirt cheap because of a cosmetic flaw), fiddle (generic, made in Romania), spoons (whatever's in the drawer), bones, tambourine. I'm working on the bodrahn and once in awhile I'll get hold of a pennywhistle. I studied classical piano for many years but don't have a piano in my house right now.

Mister and I are living history musicians equipped for 1845-1865 but the goal is to be able to go from 1750-1900. I'm working on my first set of colonial clothing this very week.

Obviously we listen to a lot of historical stuff, but I like most anything except jazz. Don't know why, just never have been able to warm up to it. Our CD collection includes everything from the Pipes and Drums of Scotland to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, the Reno Brothers to Elton Britt. Except jazz. No jazz. The closest thing I have to jazz iz a couple albums by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. :)

Lately I have been driving Mister crazy listening to the classic rock station on our new car stereo.......

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: catspaw49
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 12:48 PM

I'm thoroughly enjoying this since there are lots of folks who are newish and I only pickup bits and pieces.

Most of my life history is now on these threads somewhere and I tend to forget that not everyone knows who I am. That's certainly not conceit, just the fact that I've been around here for a couple of years and I'm a "prolific" poster, much to the chagrin of many. Then after last years hospital debacle where the whole joint learned the details of each salient detail of my almost zap-out, the bio things seem kinda' strange!!!

Anyway, I'm married to Karen, have two wonderful young sons ages 7 and 8, am 51 years old, play the usual assortment of folk stuff, sing badly, build hammered and App. dulcimers, used to do a lot of street fairs and school programs, have been an active children's rights advocate, foster and adoptive parent, prefer trad mountain stuff and some of the singer/songwriter stuff from the 60's, etc. My real name is Pat Patterson, the 49 was the year I was born, live in Ohio, and am sorrowfully (not really)responsible for a lot of the nonsense around here such as the Neil Young Center for the Terminally Screwed, Cletus, Paw, and the Reg boys, Cleigh O'Possum and assorted other malarkey.

Spaw

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: SINSULL
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 12:14 PM

Moonchild,
So glad you are continuing to post. Purely through the magic of Harpgirl's autoharp, I purchased one recently - my first instrument ever. I sing in the shower and with the help of a glass or two of wine in other odd places. I treasure music from the Gay Nineties and Civil War. The more maudlin, the better. In the real world, I get "Oh that's nice" and a strange look. In the cafe, I get 46 additional versions or verses to songs I used to think I was the only one who remembered. This thread is a real treat for me. Some have heard it all before. I haven't.
Mary

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Pseudolus
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 11:17 AM

I play the guitar mostly to accompany myself singing and although I'll probably never play the lead guitar for any group or band, I get an occasional compliment on my guitar playing. And some of them aren't family!! I play a lot of oldies, Eagles, America, and a lot of Jimmy Buffett. Over the last couple of years I have learned a ton of Irish and Folk songs and have (for the last year) been playing at a local Irish Pub on a regular basis. So what do I do best? Sing? Play the Guitar? Well, I have a Polish father and a French mother (can't speak either language) so I'd have to say that my best attribute might be marketing!!!

Frank

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: GUEST,Rogerthe skiffler
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 11:00 AM

Minstrel, I'm within walking distance of Ascot Racecourse went thither for my annual flutter on Sat, only had one success but at 12-1 it meant I made a smallprofit on the day- unheard of!
Also unheard (fortunately) is my persona as the Croakin' Bullfrog, purveyor of out of tune blues to the tone-deaf, who only emerges behind closed doors or in Greek tavernas after a few brandies, hence my motto "I've emptied bigger rooms (islands) than this". My only musical accomplishment, ever rarer exercised is playing the kazoo (at least it stops me singing). Coincidentally one of my work colleagues, who doesn't know my dark secrets has just asked me how you play one, and when I admitted owning one suggested I play the Last Post over our old scrapped computer equipment when it goes tomorrow as our new system kicked in today.
God knows, I don't have much street cred here,if I do "perform" this might remove what little I have.
RtS

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Sean Belt
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 10:39 AM

Holy Moly! My spelling just about sucked in that last post. Apologies to all who care about such like. More coffee for me!

- Sean

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Sean Belt
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 10:37 AM

Moonchild, (& all the rest)

What a lovely idea for a thread. Yes, it's probably been done elsewhere, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it here! Thanks for getting it started.

So, here're my "vital statistics":
1) I love singing! And loudly. I'm on a person quest to get people to turn off the TV and radio and begin singing socially again. After a recent very inspiring time spent with Betty Smith (a terrific balad singer and collector from North Carolina), I'm concentrating on learning ballads to sing.

2) I play guitar, clawhammer-style banjo, and mountain dulcimer. I play at playing ('though admittedly not well) mandolin and whistles.

3)I enjoy old-timey music, Appalachian Mtn. ballads, fiddle tunes, English and Irish folk songs and dance tunes, good singer-songwriter stuff, Richard Thompson's electric guitar, "classical" music, klezmer. I guess just about anything that's well and joyously played.

- Sean

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: A Wandering Minstrel
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 10:12 AM

Still thrashing out tunes on the old Eros 12 string singing mainly Shanties, coalmining songs, Northumbrian and Geordie songs and sneaking down to pick-up sessions with those bodhrans! Roger? whic end of the Berks? anywhere near the "Widow at Windsor"?

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Downeast Bob
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 09:29 AM

This is kind of long-winded, but some of you will find it interesting. I grew up listening to my mom's Burl Ives records and her 78 rpm albums of Library of Congress field recordings. I never played any musical instrument until 1953, the year I turned 19, left home, and began working factory jobs in Chicago. That year I heard a Pete Seeger disciple from NY frailing a five-string banjo LIVE for the first time and was totally captivated by the distinctly American, rhythmic sound. A friend of my parents found an old banjo in his attic and gave it to me. I picked up a copy of Seeger's HTPTFSB -- a mimeographed affair in those days. After I could handle the banjo somewhat, I started jamming with some guys from Kentucky and Tennessee who worked with me at International Harvester's "Tractor Works." I learned guitar from Bernie Asbell. Have played both 6 and 12-string acoustic, but not much guitar of any kind since the early 60s. Today it's mostly banjo and harmonica (mostly blues harp). I learned blues harp from black street musicians in Chicago and from young white guys like Paul Butterfield who in those days hung out with some of my friends and me. Off and on, I've played for money, usually as part of a group. I played coffee houses in the early 60s. Later, I was part of an Almanacs-style band for a couple of years. I was a member of a couple of Rhode Island bluegrass bands during the 70s.In 1984 my wife and kids and I moved to Maine. I sometimes jam with a bunch of mostly old-time Mainers who meet twice a month at Erskine Hall in the tiny village of Alna. Some of the more die-hard musicians, including myself, get together weekly. We play a pretty eclectic style and repertoire ranging from French-Canadian and appalachian fiddle tunes to Woody Guthrie, to a few folk rock tunes. I love to tell some of the humorous Maine stories that I've learned from Maine storytellers like Kendall. People from away swear I can talk just like a native, but what do they know? I own 5 banjos -- including a handmade fretless banjo carved from black walnut by the legendary Frank Proffitt. I write children's books and travel around the the country visiting schools where I talk, tell stories, sing songs and read from my books.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: bbelle
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 09:20 AM

Dear Guest ...

"You are defecating all over this forum anyway. Take all of your psychotraumas elsewhere."

Backwoods Birkenstock Bitch

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 08:13 AM

Liz the Squeak, I am not now, nor have I ever been, from Sheffield.'Tis another Roger entirely. There's a few of us on the Mudcat. You are doing the poor man a disservice by confusing us!
I'm the one from Brum who now lives among the Berks. My real answers to this thread have been given on earlier threads and will interest no-one,so I won't repeat them.
RtS

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Dulci46
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 07:45 AM

I started playing the violin at age 8, but didn't much want to, my family was amazed at the horrible sounds that I could get from one instrutment. I did learn to play one song which I played non-stop until I was asked to give up the violin to save the sanity of my family.

I later took up the guitar and was doing pretty good till I had to play the F chord, fingers just won't bend that way. I now play the Dulcimer and Autoharp and have stayed with them. Only played and sang for my own amusement until "Hearme".

Moonchild,

Have you thought of Indiana? We're all pretty nice here. Besides I only know of two of us on Mudcat and we need more Mudcatters here.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: death by whisky
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 05:06 AM

I play Yamaha acoustic,banjo,mandolin,learning fiddle and I also sing.I'm doing five sessions a week at the moment,it's half way through the tourist season. P.S.I'm in Kerry,Ireland.

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Bernard
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 04:14 AM

So did I!

There is no answer - it hasn't happened yet! (Miaowww!)

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 31 Jul 00 - 02:57 AM

Sorry Bernard - I went to bed.... I give up, tell me the answer....

LTS

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: CarolC
Date: 30 Jul 00 - 10:08 PM

Well, Moonchild, it sounds like you've pretty much got a handle on things. I wish you the best of luck.

Carol

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: GUEST,Barry Finn
Date: 30 Jul 00 - 09:50 PM

Hi Moonchild, well while you search hit the northeast. Up here we'd be happy to have you for a day, a week or a year or better. No response to the above, maybe Joe can deleate it. See you soon, Oct, hopefully. Barry

Subject: RE: What .....?!?
From: Jeri
Date: 30 Jul 00 - 09:34 PM

My last address was in Delaware, and it seemed like a pretty good place. There was a pretty good folk music scene, and where I lived (Dover) was reasonable close (a little over an hour's drive) to DC and Philly. It was very "country" in most places. I really miss the Amish store I used to go to.