here’s two lil bits – a cover and an original piece – that i recorded a long time ago where i play the banjo and sing together with friends who play the guitar.

the time i spent living in north carolina was magical for a lot of reasons. i learned about and listened to a fair amount of old time music during this time. before even living in north carolina i was a teen obsessed with folk punk and i looooved the sounds of banjos, singing saws, and mandolins. right after moving away from north carolina i rented and then purchased a banjo and took group clawhammer lessons at a place called dusty strings (i will never forget when the person next to me pulled out their nail clippers in the middle of the lesson and proceeded to clip their fingernails, leaving the tiny hardened bits of themselves spread all over the carpet, unbothered).

i’m not very skilled at all but good enough to have fun with it which is all that matters. the main thing i learned is that the banjo and acoustic instruments in general are so much more enjoyable to play and listen to when played together in groups. now and days i still play the banjo but i’m currently spending more time in electric and digital spheres. things ebb and flow.

bonus photos from peak banjo era!!!