I'm working on the first part to Rocky Top and I think it sounds pretty good. Love it with the capo up a few notches. I'm a Vol, so this one is special to me. Hoping to get it down before football season so I can surprise my pals for the first game.

Ned is working with me on rhythm and he has me playing with a drum machine pretty regularly. He says my problem isn't so much the feeling of the music or the big picture of the songs, but rather I'll get a little sloppy in some parts. He says I'm pretty good at staying with the time of the music and keeping pace when I make mistakes. He's working with me to make sure I hit all my notes. Still very much enjoying Ned's patient instruction. It is worth every penny.

I'm thinking about hitting the 5 Spot tomorrow night to observe. I'm not ready to jam yet because I don't know much for backup. I'm working on it, though. After Rocky Top, I think we'll be moving into accompaniment.