Growing up I hated when Hee Haw was on TV. Watching clips like this today knocks me out. Bobby Thompson is really amazing. This type of banjo playing is my inspiration these days!
tim

Happy Hockey Day in Canada Folks!

We did our part here in downtown Toronto today. After practising some banjo while the kids watched saturday morning cartoons, I perused the spotrs page and then took Dylan to hockey school. We had a mid afternoon road hockey game in the driveway, watched the first period of Montreal vs Ottawa and then I took my little guys skating at Dufferin Grove Park. (very cool all day Womens Shinny Hockey Tournament happening there on the big ice surface...saw my friend Arland playing in that)

Continued watching the always awesome coast to coast coverage of hockey of all sorts (mostly amateur etc.) and right now the Leafs are down 4-1 in the third period. (doesn't look too good)

Hoping to get a little more banjo in tonight and then see how the late game (battle of Alberta) Edmonton vs Calgary turns out. I am glad it is only once a year but a great reminder on so many levels why I am fortunate to be involved in this very special sport that brings communities together (we will be up for our neighborhood road hockey game tommorow) and helps keep people happy and healthy all over the world.

Ron Mclean for PM!
t

It is really interesting to listen to Monk after listening to and playing so much bluegrass music over the last couple days (weeks?)

It sounds so fresh and beautiful. I see myself writing this and think how corny or stupid it sounds. (who doesn't know how great Monk is already?) I have to confess, I did get to a place recently where I was really not very interested in hearing or playing his music. So there. (haha!)
t

What a great day of practising banjo! I dedicated almost the whole part of the day that I am without kids to pickin...very cool. I think I got over a huge hump today. Trying to bring my own voice to this instrument is a real challenge but I feel closer today.

It was partly from jamming along with Ron Gaskin's radio show on CKLN today. He was playing some very soulful, minor tonality stuff that gave me a bunch of new ideas of how to use minor pentatonic scales and patterns. Very exciting! (playing along with a bunch of Ornette was fun too!)

Gotta go!
t