Good friends, good food, good music

I spent my Saturday, from late afternoon into the wee hours of the next morning, hanging out at my buddy Foose’s house where we did some boat riding, some grilling, and lots of jamming. I’m very fortunate to have the friends and acquaintances that I do, and I feel lucky to receive invitations like this.

Devon and Deandra haning on for life!

I packed up my youngest two kids, Devon and Deandra, and off we went to hang with my friends Mark & Diane Zickefoose. Mark called earlier in the day and invited me and the kids over. We call Mark “Foose”, which is a shortened (and easier) version of his last name.

Foose lives beside a lake in a beautiful house with lots of toys. Pontoon boat, speed boat, motorcycles, ATV’s, and, most importantly for a good jam session: lots of instruments! Foose and Diane are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, and Foose is a phenomenal musician. He is especially gracious for allowing a no-account banjo player like myself to set foot on his property. Most times I get the 12-guage welcoming committee when I try to visit someone, but Foose willingly let me come over!

I always try to let my students know that picking alone in your living room may be relaxing, and you may enjoy the sound of the banjo, and you may like the accomplishment of learning some songs, but there is nothing in the world like attending a social picking party. The thrill of bonding with other like-minded musicians while you all pick and sing your hearts out is beyond compare. It is seriously so much fun. As me and Foose say often, “man, that’s 12 kinds of awesome!!” The average student is a bit afraid to think of taking the leap to letting others hear him or her pick, I find. But it’s important to get over that if you want to make this hobby all that it can be. Of course, if you truly are not interested in playing with others, that’s fair and let no one force you into it. But I gotta tell ya…I wouldn’t trade anything on earth for the hours and hours of good, clean, creative fun that I’ve had with my banjo over the years. I have seen the sun come up many-a-time at a jam session or a picking party after being up all night playing, because I just couldn’t put the banjo down. Now that’s 12…no, 15!!!…kinds of awesome.

Use the arrows to see more ads!

Foose is a great guy to know, and he is truly on fire for the music. He can sing like few people I’ve heard. He was the rhythm guitar player  and vocalist for Audie Blaylock for awhile, so the boy has “the chops” and can “git ‘er done!” He has picked with some flat-out PHENOMENAL banjo players over the years, and yet he seems to still enjoy getting together with little ol’ me.

Foose is the inventor of the Z-Motorcase

As long as I’m on the topic of Foose, I thought I’d give his latest enterprise a quick little plug. Foose is the originator and owner of the Z-Motorcase, and ladies & gentlemen, boys & girls, children of all ages…this is the cat’s meow. The Z-Motorcase is a guitar carrying system made for motorcycles so that you can take your axe with you when you ride your bike. When you see this thing out on the street, you can’t even believe it. “Wow!!!” they say. “That’s so cool!” they say. And for good reason. IT IS COOL!!! I was blown away the first time I saw it. There is absolutely nothing else like it anywhere. He has been getting serious about streamlining production on this case and getting it ready for mass distribution over the course of this year, so you won’t see many on the streets just yet. But 2010 looks to be a big year for Z-Motorcase, and I’m excited to know Foose & to get to be involved. (I am the webmaster for Z-Motorcase.) Be sure and take a minute tovisit www.zmotorcase.com and check this thing out for yourself. You’ll love it.

Also at the jam session was a veteran picker of the west Michigan scene, Mike Crofoot. Almost anyone in Michigan will tell you that it’s going to be a fun jam when Mike comes. He brought his lovely wife, Sue, along for the evening (Mike and Sue are close personal friend’s with the Foose’s) so it was a great evening of fun picking with good friends.

It's Foose!!

Another fun part of going over to Foose’s house is that his neighbor is one of the owners of the Brann’s restaurant chain, John Brann. “Johnny B” is quite a guy and super nice. He loves coming over to hear the various pickers that hang out with Foose, and while we didn’t see him this night, he was gracious enough to donate a case of sizzler steaks for our grilling enjoyment. As anyone who knows me will tell you, eatin’ for me is like a second religion, and I was in hog heaven when dinner was ready. Burgers, steaks, corn on the cob, baked potatoes…sheesh, I’m getting hungry again.

Alright you beginning students, it sure pays to make connections. I encourage you to get out “on the scene”…attend some bluegrass festivals and jam sessions; if you are anywhere near Michigan, get in touch with the West Michigan Bluegrass Music Association. No mater where you live, there’s likely an organization the promotes acoustic music near you; you just have to do a little internet digging. Introduce yourself to some pickers, be out there and available. Standing in a circle and playing your heart out is one of the most satisfying, thrilling experiences you can have in life. You have embraced this truly American art form known as bluegrass, in one of the greatest countries on earth, where we have the freedom to come and go as we please, and the freedom to express and enjoy ourselves. Grab ahold of those ancient tones and let them flow from your voice and your fingertips. It’s what life is all about. To quote the old beer commercial: “Boys, it don’t git no better ‘n this!”

“Banjo Paul” Pope
“Wunse, I coodn’t even spel bango pikker…now I are one!”
www.banjosrule.com