I thought it was time to join

Hello all.

Well I have been reading this forum quite intensely for the past 2 months and it has been very rewarding.

I would like to briefly tell you my story for those who are interested.

I started playing banjo at a late age, about 28, and previously had been a very average rhythm guitarist since about 16. I had always loved the sound of the 5 string and Mr Scruggs had been my early influence. Anyway my initial 1 hour a day practice didnt seem enough and I soon averaged 4 or more hours a day as I quickly became very obsessed. I would get up before work and pick, take it to work with me and pick in the car during my lunch break, then come home and pick. I stopped going out with my freinds because I needed to pick. I created Time Practice Charts that I placed on my wall. Here I could write down how many hours I had done that day and then the weekly and monthly totals. I would get very angry at myself if the monthly total did not exceed the previous month I also had a list on my wall of the songs I could play. I could not add a tune to this list until I could play it from start to end without looking at tab.

I kept telling myself that because I had started banjo at a late age I needed to work harder than most to become a respectable player.

I practiced this intensely for around 4 years. During this time I played in a few different bands, mainly country crossover bands where I got to play Alabama, Marshall Tucker type music but no real blugrass.

Anyway in 92 I was lucky enough, with 17 other musicians, to be chosen to represent Australia at the World Fair in Seville Spain. This was a great 6 month banjo gig, although the amount of beer and tapas consumed should never be repeated. I next visited the rest of Europe, doing a few shows here and there and then returned to Oz via the US. I kept reheasing madly until in 1993. I managed to get a fulltime gig with a great professional Sydney band The Fargone Beauties. This group played (what many bands have since copied) a variety of heavy rock songs, of course with the banjo kicking butt all the way through. They were all unbelievable musicians. (Tommy Emmanuel was an original member) The gig lasted 3 years with lots of touring, TV, and a couple of Cd's and was life changing for me. But one thing it also did was stuff up my playing technique! Without knowing it my right hand developed some dreadfull habits (Thumb bending down, index finger extending straight out at times) due to the speed of some of the songs we were playing.

While performing with this band in 96 I was offered my next musical journey which was a 3 month gig in Asia performing at a Theme Park, so I decided to leave the band and head to the Land of the Limping Dog, "Taiwan".

This was an amazing time, and the 3 months eventually became 11 years. But as great as it was, there was also a price to pay. After the first year I moved into a more managerial role (myself and a business partner started a company bringing performers into Asia, musicians, stuntpeople, dancers, magicians etc) and I very rarely picked up the banjo. and that neglect proceeded for the next 10 years

As I try to keep my story interesting for those who are still awake and reading it, I just want to say thay my hard work in the beginning really paid off. The banjo has taken me around the world and made me a better person. I have seen so many wonderful places, met so many great people, played with so many amazing musicians, all because of this wonderful instrument.

To cut to the chase, I got back to Australia about 3 years ago. I decided to sell my Ome Juggernaught, as I truely believed, after 10 years of neglect, I would never play serious banjo again. I now have a wife and a young 2 year old to take care of.

About 6 months ago I met up with an old friend who just happpens to live relatively close by (about 150 kilometers). He is a great singer and brilliant flatpicker, amongst many other musical talents (toured with V. Gill & B Berline when they where here last century) and he urged me to play some banjo with him. At first it was difficult, but after a few days I started to feel good and although I was tripping over myself, I began to feel that old desire I had about 22 years ago.

So all I can say now is I AM IN LOVE AGAIN!!!

I cant put it down! When I sold my Ome, I bought a Goodtime just to have around for parties etc. But now that I am addicted (and loving it) again I recently ordered a Huber Berkshire, with a few modifications, that I hope I w recieve before Xmas.

This is the first time in my start, stop, start, banjo career that I am totally focused on traditional bluegrass music and I must add that my timing completely sucks. I am working daily with a metronome as I feel this is the only way I can again achieve good time, other than playing with good musicians.

I hope this has been interesting to at least one person and I look forward to being a part of the banjo hangout family.

I will continue to read and learn things from this great forum and maybe I can add athing or two.

Regards to you all.

Jack