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www.youtube.com/user/fretlessi
ntexas?feature=mhee
Playing Since: 1990
Experience Level: Purty Good
FretlessinTexas has made 29 recent additions to Banjo Hangout 
Interests:
[Teaching] [Jamming] [Socializing] [Helping]
Occupation: Other
Gender: Male
Age: 57
My Instruments:
A fretless Ramsey with brass sheet overlay on fingerboard; Fairbanks Tuba-Phone with Wyatt Fawley neck; Bart Reiter, No. 240, made in 1987; fretless minstrel banjo by Dan Knowles with 14-inch head; fretless Ramsey minstrel banjo; fretless Enoch Tradesman; no-name, circa 1920s banjo with a formica fingerboard; Cole Eclipse, circa 1905; SS Stewart Thoroughbred, circa 1895. And I saved my favorite for last -- Burns No. 8, a handcrafted banjo by Jason Burns of Birmingham, Ala., with a 12-inch pot and Dobson tone ring.
Favorite Bands/Musicians:
Fred Cockerham, Kyle Creed, Tommy Jarrell, Uncle Dave Macon, Art Stamper, Benton Flippen, Owen "Snake" Chapman, Clyde Davenport, Bruce Greene, Rafe Stefanini, Gid Tanner, Brad Leftwich, Roan Mountain Hilltoppers, John Salyer, Bob Townsend, Freight Hoppers and that feller with the hat -- Joe Newberry.
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Profile Info:
Visible to: Public
Created 6/17/2007
Last Visit 5/21/2012
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Monday, July 18, 2011 @7:57:55 PM
Well, what can I say? I moved to Texas back in December from northern Indiana, which never quite suited me. Can't say exactly why. I sure hated those long-ass, bone-chilling winters. But I always felt like a stranger in a strange land in the three years I was in Fort Wayne.
But we escaped and made our way to Texas, where just about everything is bigger. Soon after arriving here, I purchased a pair of Justin cowboy boots, which are remarkably comfortable. I also got a cowboy hat and some western shirts.
My sister in law bought me a belt buckle the size of a dinner platter. When I am all gussied up and wearing my western garb, I have to admit that I feel kinda cocksure of myself. Hard to fully explain. My wife, however, says she will not be seen with me in public dressed as such.
I live in Red Oak, about 25 minutes south of downtown Dallas when the traffic is flowing nicely. Soon after arriving, I started making contact with old-time music makers, but soon learned that there was no standing jam. (I have since moved to Plano, which is a whole lot different from Red Oak.)
So I started one. We meet at the first and third Saturday of the month at Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park. We play only old-time music. Here's just a snippet of what I say in a email that goes out on a regular basis:
"Bear with me with what follows. I include this in all notices because it is important to understand what we are trying to accomplish, which is to play old-time music. With all due respect to other genres, we won’t be playing bluegrass, Irish, or old country and western. Wonderful music, but not our focus.
Old-time music is the precursor or the parent music to bluegrass and is typically rooted in fiddle tunes from the 19th and early 20th century. It is ensemble music in that everyone plays together, sorta like in an orchestra. No solos, no pressure. It’s also dance oriented as many of these fiddle tunes were featured at square dances. The bulk of the tunes we will play come from southern Appalachia and the Ozarks.
And as we are playing fiddle tunes, let us allow our experienced fiddle players to lead. Better results typically follow. Note: We always need fiddle players.
We have no expectations on anyone's level of playing. All comers are welcome. If you don’t know what old-time music is, no problem, come and learn."
So it blathers on and on, but you get the point. The jam has been going on since February and I think will sustain itself whether I leave or get hit by a bus. I may have jump started the thing but the thing now has a life of its own.
We got some real talent here, far more than what I was experiencing in northern Indiana, which was close to being a musical wasteland, but like I said, I've escaped that place so there is no looking back. Some good folks in Fort Wayne to be sure, but thankfully I'm long gone.
I'm trying to start a consulting business, and I trust in the Lord for all my guidance as I know that I am not smart enough to make it happen on my own.
Well, that's the news from Red Oak. Summers are hot as hell here in Texas. Big state. Big heat. But there is an optimism here, a hold-my-beer-and-watch-this mentality that keeps me sufficiently interested and entertained. I do intend to make a purchase of a ball cap at the Alamo one of these days. It says this:
“You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas”. -- Davey Crockett.
Recent Forum Posts
Sugar Hill (OT stringband) (18 days ago)
Walking in My Sleep (OT Video) (50 days ago)
Been All Around This World (62 days ago)
Cindy (CH) (86 days ago)
Dance All Night with a Bottle in Your Hand (video) (87 days ago)
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