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Well, since my last BIT we’ve continued touring all over the USA. Playing in more Seminars & handling the audio for them as well. We sort of based ourselves out of the Atlanta area staying with friends in between each event which was a great blessing to us. We spent more time with Dickson & stayed there one weekend at his home… playing ’till 2 AM again each night! I think we’re creating a tradition or something as each time we go to his house or cabin we stay up playing our guitars to all hours of the night!
But, on the way over to his home we stopped in for a short visit at the Kennesaw National Battlefield Museum. That was such an interesting time, as he expounded on some of the local lore surrounding some of the events about the taking of Atlanta in the American Civil War.
A few weeks later a friend of our’s (and of Dickson’s), Herb, took us up into North Georgia to join up with Dickson Lester & the Mars Hill Porch Pickers Band to play in the 25th SEBA Anniversary Bluegrass Festival. This time Dickson brought along his “Banjitar”. It’s basically a 6-string Guitar neck on a Banjo body. I played it every chance I got… The sound is a really neat Banjo tone somewhere between that of the 4-string Banjo and the 5-string “Bluegrass” Banjo. The fact that it has the added tonal range of the guitar’s 5th & 6th strings on the Bass really adds another dimension to it!
It reminds me of my visit to the Deering Banjo factory in California two years ago… They make a mean 6 string Banjo!
About a week later Dad & I tied back up with Dickson & the Porch Pickers at the Crabapple Antiques, Arts & Bluegrass Festival. We moved around the grounds playing in different spots & had a number of young “stand-ins” playing with us! I’m not sure if we or the kids had more fun!
Anyway, take care until next time & keep pickin’!
Buddy
