GW's Pickin Parlor

I went to George Williamson's Pickin Parlor for the Friday night jam again last night. I always have a great time playing Bluegrass, and I always learn a lot. However, it's always a lesson in frustration because of how poor my fiddle playing is -- I just don't have anywhere near the range I want to have.

I basically just doodle around on the basic chord progression. Every once in a great while inspiration will strike and I'll find some crazy little fill or lick, but never when I really want to! And if they finally corner me and make me take a lead (in Bluegrass that's called "taking a break," but there's nothing relaxing about it!) then I completely break out in a sweat and my fingers turn to jello ("and I'm jello baby!"). It's exhilarating and fun, but it definitely motivates me to practice. But I still don't.... Not enough anyway...

Still, it's wonderful to live in an area where there are groups of people getting together to play music, and that those people are so open and friendly that they'll welcome such a bad player as me! I've received nothing but encouragement and positive feedback from all the folks at GW's, and for that I'm really thankful!

(You can get directions and times for GW's Pickin Parlor through the Banjo in the Hollow newsletter, Pickers In a Jam.)