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Hello from Newfoundland, Canada
From G on 3/7/2013 7:11:16 AM
Hey there folks ... I've posted a couple of brief notes since Jay (MiG-19) started this group, but I figured I'd do a proper introduction.
Born, raised, and still living in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. We're kinda like Montana, except 3 times as large with half the population ... and surrounded by salt water. Think, Montana marries Maine.
Claim to fame ... we're the most easterly point in North America.
I've owned a banjo for 30 years, since I was around 20 years old. I still haven't upgraded from that original Hondo. Never really learned to play well. Not a lot of bluegrass around here ... mostly Irish (some VERY GOOD Irish), and country is extremely popular here.
(regarding the Hondo ... I actually like it. I installed a geared 5th string tuner just after I bought it. I was brave back then. The 4 guitar-style tuners stay in tune remarkably well, and the banjo has some decent tone sometimes. Main problem is lack of volume.)
I started to fall in love with the banjo, and bluegrass (and blues, in fact) after buying "The Earl Scruggs Revue, Live at Austin City Limits" around 1980. If you haven't heard it, it's a bluesy, rock-tinged Earl Scruggs ... not everyone's cup of tea, especially the purists ... but I loved it, and it eventually got me into bluegrass. I love nearly any kind of music ... I think my top 3 musicians, though, are Scruggs, Jethro Tull, and Tom Waits.
I've flirted with learning - on my own, not very successfully - for years. Then a few years back some local fans started a Bluegrass society to promote the music, and I think that's what boosted my motivation. I started a banjo savings account, but I swore I would not spend any amount of money on a banjo upgrade until I proved I could learn to do it justice. When I saw Al post here that he had an opening, I jumped at it.
I'm taking just one lesson per month ... I guess I've had about 5 or 6 now, and I'm LOVING it. My account is around $1000 and growing, and I can see an RK-75 or maybe a Gold Star GF-200 sometime later this year. I think I'll be worthy :)
Thanks Jay for starting this group. As I said to Al during my lesson yesterday, using this particular group to support each other has the advantage that we are all reading from the same book. There's no time wasted, debating because YOUR instructor says use your index finger twice on the FMB roll, but MY instructor says use the thumb for the second hammer. (for the record, MY instructor is right :)
And it's another chance to chat with people from around the world. That never hurts.
(Oh, and if anyone really cares, I worked in the IT industry since 1980, and began teaching both IT and Human Resource Management at a local public college about 15 years ago)
Thanks Jay and thanks Al.
Rob
2 Comments |
 | vicpuch says:
3/8/2013 5:36:36 AM
Rob...in a lot of ways we have a similar story. Would some day enjoy a trip into your neighborhood. I ride motorcycle and have often thought it a great adventure to ride up your way. Who knows what opportunities my present themselves in the future. Good to meet you!
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 | G says:
3/12/2013 11:00:49 AM
Hey Vic ... yeah, I think you'd really enjoy it here. Depends on what you mean by "up your way" of course ... Canada's a big place ! :) I think you'd really enjoy Newfoundland via bike. You'd want to come in July/Aug, probably, because it's a bit cool here outside of that.
Such a big world ... would be nice to visit it all, wouldn't it ?!?!
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