Wednesday Night Banjo & Donut Marching Society

Last Wednesday I attended the inagural meeting of the "Wednesday Night Banjo & Donut Marching Society" via Zoom.

For those who do not know, when I was attending UNC at Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1969, I met a young woman at Greensboro Women's College who would have been at home in hoop skirts, sipping mint julips while fanning herself and uttering such southernisms as, "Bless yo'r heart" and "Pass the suggah sweetie".  Myra was my first up close encounter with a "Southern Belle" who would have been at home at Tara and I was infatuated.

While listening to a local folk group at a small bistro one Saturday evening, Myra remarked, "I just Luv the Banjo, don't you?"

The next day, I bought a banjo and a how to play book to match and began my short lived banjo playing career.  I played badly and couldn't find anyone to teach me.  Myra was unimpressed and was soon off to find another Rhet for her Tara and I Was soon off to distant places and other pursuits but I never seemed to have the time to learn how to play the banjo.

Fast forward 40+ years and retirement and finally, enough time to learn to play the banjo.  In the on-line find anything you want I found an affordable banjo at Amazon and I found Patrick Costello as a teacher and a role model: you see, Patrick is deaf (cochlear implants did give him some hearing a few years ago), has more health issues than anyone ought to have but he plays beautifully and has a knack for teaching.

Patrick and his "Dear old Dad" Pat has an on-line publishing and teaching Claw-hammer Banjo to the likes of wannabes like me.  We've been on-line friends for nearly 10 years now and I have become a reasonable player.

Last week, I received an email from Patrick inviting me to the first gathering of the newly formed "Wednesday Night Banjo & Donut Marching Society" via Zoom and I had to be there.

22 banjo players joined Patrick and Dear Old Dad for an hour of mayhem in an international jam session.  We had fun - there were issues and questions and a bit of learning but the Society had a successful launch.  I'll be back next Wednesday and I'm sure others will be as well.