Today is the day that I have launched an opportunity for banjo fans and enthusiasts that visit this website to take advantage of one heck of a deal. I've been working on an advanced book of banjo tunes for thirty some years including really professional printing of very highly detailed music and tablature including precise fingering for a number of tunes both original and in the Public Domain. It is now possible to listen to a computerized version of the tune and email me to order a PDF file of the tablature file that you'll be able to print or simply view on your computer desktop. The fee for each tune is set at $1.99.

To hear the tunes, follow this link: Banjo Book Volume One

​Simply email me at: adirondackcomposer@gmail.com and I'll get back to you as quickly as I can. 

Dear Members of the United States Congress:

Songwriters are egregiously underpaid because laws governing the music industry have not kept pace with technology. The Music Modernization Act of 2017 will change that. This bill is the most significant update to music copyright law in over a generation and represents an unprecedented agreement between the music and technology industries. We, as the songwriters most affected by 100-year-old policies that reduce our royalties, encourage Congress to pass this legislation as soon as possible.

The Music Modernization Act is a bipartisan effort that will greatly improve the way mechanical and performance royalties are calculated. Today, digital services like Spotify, Apple, Pandora, Amazon and Google often do not know who to pay and money is lost to lack of information and inefficiency. The Music Modernization Act will create an entity, funded by the digital music companies, that will properly pay mechanical royalties for interactive streaming. It also gives songwriters a better shot at getting higher royalty rates in the Copyright Royalty Board proceedings. Additionally, it reforms the system that determines performance royalty rates for ASCAP and BMI by allowing rate courts to review market evidence into the valuation of how songwriters are compensated as well as giving them improvements to the rate court process.

When passed, this bill will be the biggest achievement that music creators have seen in the Digital Age. Unfortunately, there are many hurdles to face before this bill becomes law, which is why we songwriters are coming together to make our voices – which are so often behind the music – heard.

This bill is supported by the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA), the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), the Songwriters of North America (SONA), the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI), the Church Music Publishers’ Association (CMPA), the Production Music Association (PMA), MusicAnswers, the Music Publishers Association (MPA), the Council of Music Creators (CMC), the Society of Composers and Lyricists (SCL) and the Association of Independent Music Publishers (AIMP). The bill is also supported by the Digital Music Association (DiMA) which represents Amazon, Apple, Pandora, Spotify and YouTube.

The next time you hear your favorite song, think of the struggling small business owner who wrote it, and remember that you can do something to help by supporting the Music Modernization Act.

Sincerely,

​Songwriters

I want to thank all of my friends and fans for their continued support, emails and friendship from such places as the United States, Egypt, Japan, Russia, The Netherlands, Denmark, The United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Canada, Mexico, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Austria, The Czech Republic, Belgium, Switzerland, South Africa, India, Saigon, Malaysia, Spain, New Zealand, Ireland, Iceland, Islensku, Kuwait, Israel, Romania, Sweden, Norway and Finland.

​HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy 8th anniversary to this website (the 20th of October, 2017). A great big THANKS to all who visit and to the many questions regarding the Music Theory page. 

Mary, my loving wife and this site's photographer and I enjoy so very much working on this site and perfecting it in any way we can. 

​Here's to another year!

Happy Birthday (October 6th, 2017) to Mary, my loving wife, best friend and life's partner. I couldn't begin to keep this website up without her guiding hand, computer expertise and helpful suggestions/input.

I love you Mary!

Twenty-five years ago today, I penned the original composition titled "Wind in the Woods". A few years after writing the song, I recorded it and featured Katie Moody singing the high tenor line. A few years after that, the "Food Stamp Ramblers", - a band I was in which featured Donnie Perkins on fiddle, Phyllis Ezero (Donnie's sister) on keyboards, guitar and 2nd fiddle; Joe Ezero (Phyllis' husband) on standup bass; and me on banjo and guitar, - performed this beautiful song using twin fiddles in the keys of E Flat and C Minor. It was done to perfection and I loved the arrangement.

Some day, I hope to introduce this piece of music to my wonderful friends Eric and Leigh, the Gibson Brothers and have them sprinkle their magic on it and bring it to the world in a manner befitting the composition. I am truly proud of this song, both lyrics and music and hope for the eventual success I feel it deserves.

I have performed this song for hundreds of people and I've yet to hear a discouraging word. Everyone loves it.

​Happy Birthday "Wind in the Woods".

A great big "THANK YOU to all our friends and fans from all over the world who have continued to visit our website. We enjoy your company very much. We're 7 years old today.

The Stanley family has announced that the funeral to be held for Ralph Stanley on Tuesday (June 28) will be open to fans and friends.
It will be hosted at Hills of Home Park, the site of the annual Stanley festival of the same name. It is located between McClure and Coeburn, VA on Smith Ridge. The address for use in GPS systems is 131 Hills of Home Park, McClure, VA 24269.
Attendees are asked to arrive by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday with services scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. All are welcome.
A phone number has been provided for questions: (276) 926-4646.