Mandolin Surgery, Samhain 2017
This history was written to accompany the instrument when it was donated for the youths prize table at an event the following week.
I got this mandolin in around 1990 from Cedric's wife Lara and played it a great deal. I'm not that great, but it was always fu...
The biggest change since I last wrote about making music videos in 2018 is that I've largely gotten away from tracking tunes and creating finished videos and more into looping music live while streaming on twitch (see the link to my twitch channel at the bottom of any page here). I've also spent...
Getting ready to record
When I decide to make a video for a tune the first thing I do is fire up my computer on the desk in my music room. I pull up a copy of the sheet music and watch a few youtube videos of people playing the song if I can find any. Depending on the tune I either learn the g...
Folks in the US honor Veterans this weekend. While we're on the topic, lets not forget those Veterans of the Psychic Wars. The first reference of the term appears to be in Jim Morrison's poem Far Arden, 1969 (ref starts at 2 min 50):
A constant theme in Michael Moorcock's Elric novels (1972) w...
I've listened to Rich Conaty most Sunday nights for maybe 25 years now. He didn't know me, but I feel like I knew him some. He was always there as the week came to its close when I knew I'd have to be getting up in the morning and doing it all again soon. Sadly, Rich won't be getting up anymore...
A musical Christmas card with good wishes to you for the New Year from The Berry Family String Ensemble, performing Joy to the World as arranged by Lowell Mason at the homestead in Vermont for Christmas, 2016
The sheet music is freely available here:
One thing I need in a vehicle is a working radio. It doesn't have to be flashy, or even have bluetooth or a touch screen - I just need it to be able to tune in AM and FM radio and have a clock in it. The Van of Doom didn't have a radio. It was supposed to have had a radio, but when I went to pi...
Bardic Circle was invited to play at the SCVF Emerald Society meeting last night which was hosted by Ridge FD, but since 2/3 of Bardic Circle couldn't make it on such short notice, I ran out by myself. I usually don't do solo gigs and I certainly missed Cate's great harmonies and mandolin as...
I ran down to the Grey Horse Tavern in Bayport again to see Luke Powers and Bernadette Fee make the rafters roar once again, but also to say good luck to Austin who will be heading down to start his new life with Raleigh FD. I met up with Chief McKenna and the Honorable Kate Browning and a couple...