Head on down to the DOWN HOME in Johnson City on the 2nd of March, buy a CD and get a hug from Dean Burchett, banjo picker for the DCB. Congratulations guys on your new release. Check out their website here.

I have a few private weddings on my upcoming schedule and it was suggested by another band member that I might play a waltz or two at such an event. This got me thinking about the few waltzes that I know and that I'd better refresh my playing of them and rehearse them daily, too. One of my absolute favorites is a waltz written by a man I met who lives in Hudson Falls by the name of George Wilson. He writes "Cape Breton style" music and his waltz named "Sweet Journeys" (available in a Jerry Holland fiddle book) is one of my all-time favorites. The tune is in A Major with lots of relative minor chords....just beautiful!

Another old standby is one named "Westphalia Waltz". This one is in the key of C Major and is a simple tune with only the tonic, dominant and relative minor chords being played. The next one is another old standby called the "Golden Anniversary Waltz" or sometimes simply called the "Anniversary Waltz". It's in the key of D Major and the second part goes "around the horn" in its chordal progression. (See the music theory page for an explanation of "around the horn").

The next waltz is an original of mine that I named "My Autumn Waltz". It's also in the key of D Major and has a lot of pretty chords in it. (See the "Fiddliferous" page here on this website for the music).

I've been playing so many reels and hoedowns lately, I'd forgotten how beautiful the playing of waltzes can be.

According to the Staff Reports of GoTriCities.com, J. D. Crowe will be playing in Historic Jonesborough on February 25th. Here's the link right here.

The Creekside Restaurant in Jonesborough has started up a Wednesday night Bluegrass jam and it's first jam was last night, the 8th of February. The Jam was well attended by musicians and listeners alike. It's a real nice place with great atmosphere and friendly waitstaff.

Another restaurant in Jonesboro is also starting a Bluegrass jam. The "Pickles" restaurant on W. Jackson St. will have a jam each Thursday night. Tonight, February 9th, will be their first night so be sure to come on down and support the pickers and the restaurant.

Follow this link to a nice article. Also there are pictures of us jamming on the "Bluegrass Country Pictures" page. http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/News/article.php?id=98091

Mary and I will be posting over 50 new photos today. Be sure to have a look around. Many of them will be of Carson Peters & his band; and also pictures of the band "Makeshift"; and snapshots of three different bands playing at the Temple Hill Bluegrass Jam; and also some of the band "Sons of Bluegrass" that played at The Choo Choo Cafe in Erwin, TN.