Nuthin' to see here... just wishful thinkin'... I have no gigs.

I am still the first-call sub for Harwell-Grice Band, and surely there will be a few jobs with them this year. The Fireweed fellas are on indefinite hiatus... drummer had to have hand surgery on both hands. I don't know how serious they were anyway... seemed like just a jamnight thing to me, which was fine. Since our banjo player died, it's been hard finding motivation to book the Luv Buzzards or even try to rearrange the band to something workable. No one wants to say it's over, but I think it is... some machines won't work right with critical parts missing. New River Bound... you just never know when we might do something again, but nothing on the horizon, no plans.

This time last year I was giving some halfway serious thought to a return at full-time music this year, even a festival/tour schedule with some well-established band. Clearly not going to happen this year. Maybe some opportunities will come along next year when things are better. I'm open to it.

So watch this space... I still have a couple Alembics. And even my upright now fitted with some new electronics is being played through an old red-knob F-1X rack unit. Might be something worth posting this year.

Sidelined with health issues, I've not played a gig this year. I did play on a recording project last year... maybe I mentioned it, can't remember. An older gentleman named Marvin Harlow I grew up around here, one of the first-generation players of bluegrass music from this part of the world. My Dad would often take me to hear his band play. His son Danny, a little older than me, also took to music and plays. So when Mr. Harlow was about to turn 91, they decided to make some recordings of him and asked me to come play bass on it. The sessions were tracked live in-studio at the Handmade Music School, a branch of the Floyd Country Store. https://www.floydcountrystore.com/handmade-music-school

Back in the late-80's/early-90's I spent Friday nights at that store (when it really was a General Store) in pick-up jams. Met my first music connections, learned to play, formed first bands. These days, the Floyd Country Store functions as a full-time music venue and restaurant, cultural center. Tomorrow afternoon it'll host a CD release party for Marvin Harlow & Friends during "Americana Afternoons". https://www.floydcountrystore.com/event/americana-afternoon-96

And... I'm on-board. Rehearsal is this afternoon. Haven't played out in such a long time. It's not like I forgot how... just sayin'.

I learned yesterday at rehearsal, a few folks from the extended bluegrass community will be joining the bill as guests today. Mr Harlow is a well-respected senior player. It's hard to find anybody my age or older around here who wasn't influenced by him.

Among them, and just inducted into the Bluegrass Hall Of Fame at IBMA last week, banjo player Gene Parker, of Lost & Found. https://www.wvtf.org/news/2026-10-23/franklin-county-banjo-player-gene-parker-made-his-instrument-sing

Gene's been one of my heroes since I was a very little kid. I knew who those guys were before I even heard of Flatt & Scruggs. They were more real to 10-year old me than an LP record jacket. Gene got there yesterday, put his picks on and slung that Gibson over his shoulder like he just stepped off a tour bus. 84 years old. You just don't expect that, but I've seen him do it for years. One of the guys asked Gene if he'd gone to Chattanooga for the induction ceremony.  "Naaaw... I told em I'z too old, fat, an ugly to play banjer in front uh all them peeple..." That's Gene just being himself.


It's hard to say who all might be on this thing this afternoon, but I'm quite honored to have been asked. I'm really happy for Mr. Harlow that the attention is getting drawn too. It'll be fun, but I gotta' straighten up and play tight!

Oh yeah, before I forget - that trainwreck of a Kay bass I've been working on in the shop...the warped neck and fingerboard replacement. I'll be playing that one for the show today. The lady I repaired it for wanted it to go to the Handmade Music School, which purely by coincidence this CD and concert benefits. See, the bass belonged to her father, who played it in bluegrass and oldtyme bands his whole life. She wanted that to continue, so after today's show, the '38 Kay 'Orchestra Model' stays in Floyd for its new life.


Maybe someone will get a couple pictures from the show. 

Hope the show goes great and the music fills you with joy!

The show went well and there was a FULL house for the CD release. Hopefully some pictures or video will turn up. Amazing to me how many people video everything anymore. I like to take a picture or three, but I would much rather watch and listen to a show... it's an experience to be enjoyed best in that moment. To each their own.

The lady I fixed that old Kay bass up for was there, and got to hear it played again before ownership of her father's instrument changed hands to the school. That was a cool moment. Here's where it'll live after the show.



After the show I spent a few minutes with Mr. Harlow and Gene Parker. Got to sit at the grown-ups table so-to-speak. It was a strange few minutes after the year I've had. In the corner of the Store venue, there's a memorial picture of another guy; Jim DeHart. They all knew Jim, he had been the emcee of the Friday Night Jamboree at the store there some years ago. But back in 1988-89, I got my first paying job playing bass with Jim at a New Year's Eve party... that $34 (my cut of $100) changed my life. I pointed it out to the table. After a second, Gene said; "Well baw-ey, you growed-up tuh be uh fine bass playuh!" I don't know about any of that. I was just lucky to grow up here, being around these guys playing this music. They gave me a fence to swing for.

Nothing else on my calendar for 2026... that was it. I do miss playing out, and I miss playing music with the guys. Man it sure wiped me out though. Maybe next year will be the big comeback. We'll see.

Hola Señor,
Thanks for sharing.
A few years back at an awards show I had the opportunity to thank my mentors.
Super important in the race of life to acknowledge where you're going and where you've been, and how nobody gets there without others.
Weird when looking back and then we find ourselves filling that role, right?
We are indeed lucky to be where we are when you take into account we are discussing music and instruments on a website that is centered around life goal instruments like Alembics.

You know its the classic musician joke which defines a musician as someone who loads $5,000 worth of gear into a $500 car to drive miles (or hours) for a $50 (or $35) gig.

All that said when you find yourself drooling, lost in the music at a gig where things just work, sound great and take you out of your body, it's all worth it.

At least imho.