Reward Music

BANJO:

My band members wife had a banjo-her dads; she traded me for harmonica & dance lessons. I gave her the harmonica lessons, but only one dance lesson so she took the “star” banjo back as a breach of our contract. I left the band shortly after that-(-sinfully,maybe that had something to do with it…it did, but also needed to leave anyway-that road got worn out and gas was getting expensive).

My parents gifted me with a banjo for my birthday (or Christmas). I even got to pick her out. They are so sweet. I named her “Elizabeth”.

Once I started practicing on my own, I realized rather quickly I was in need of lessons.
Banjo is a niche instrument so I looked for someone who knew that world and could help me along the folky road.
It all began with with YouTube (thanks be to God for the advent of the internet) and other websites-I was ultimately lead to my favorite-and basically only banjo player I knew, Noam Pickelny. In taking lessons with him he not only influenced my banjo playing, but my guitar, piano playing, how I taught and now presently (ish) teach harmonica and his lessons even got me into understanding slide guitar more efficiently -they are strung and tuned pretty much the same although a different head space when in play).
It is truly amazing what a little drum with strings can do when under apprenticeship of a master. Thank you Lord for Noam.

I know sometimes we forget this, but God always knows what He is doing. We are always catching up to what He already knows perfectly (and we can only apprehend what He knows imperfectly-or should I say finitely? He is infinite, all knowing, all powerful, All-Mighty God). No matter what we are doing He always has purpose for it, no matter how big or how small (we are small..He is not). We are specs of sand in the cosmos of Gods creation and yet together we make a beautiful shore-I wonder who the waves are in this metaphor? We can rest assured that though we are small and our lives are a vapor, what we are doing has meaning, because He made us. We can know Him, we must repent and believe-fall to our knees and believe on The King to ever understand this reality. Yes that rhymed intentionally…

…I had a buddy who played old time style (he was really good too-probably still is), now I play three finger style (Scruggs/Melodic/Single String).By The Grace of God, I’m still learning and (now)teaching this instrument to this day. I even attempted to help someone write a song with it, recorded on someone else’s tune and tried out for a group playing it. I wasn’t hired, but that’s ok; I’m hopeful to pluck it in church one day before The Lord and His congregation; for Him, to Him and through Him. You can too, (old time or three finger style) just as long as you can get use to the finger stilts.

These recordings are taken from October 9th 2017-November 22nd 2020

Soli Deo Gloria
-Ronnie

Track Listing:

1. What is Love?
2. A Cover.
3. Sleepy Banjo
4. Tuned Banjo
5. Cripple Creek (…Just Kidding)
6. Rollin’
7. Pinch
8. Cripple Creek (Attempt-For Real!)
9. In The Pines (…Not Really)
10. The Need. For Speed.
11. FWD/BWD ROLL EX. 1