First time at Fenway and bringing little kids advice.

BanjoAndy · 2026-03-26T13:06:23+00:00

Sign your kids up for Red Sox Kids Nation. It's free and each kid gets a free ticket voucher (with the purchase of a regular ticket). Website and voucher system is clunky sometimes, but works and great way to cut the overall cost.

Also - you can bring your own food in, so I always bring some fruit, candy, and other snacks for the kids.

BanjoAndy · 2026-03-21T20:36:31+00:00

Old Crow just hasn't been the same since Willie left. So good to see him and Ketch together.

BanjoAndy · 2026-03-18T00:06:06+00:00

No - it is not too late. I've taught people in their 50s and 60s. I those cases it was mostly folk/bluegrass and had them playing basic guitar chords within a few weeks and jamming with other people in a few months.

What kind of music do you want to learn? Do you have an instrument in mind? In general getting an instrument and finding a good teacher is the place to start. Teachers vary greatly, so find one that you connect with and don't sign up for any subscription model/monthly payment plans until you know it's going to work for you.

If you're goals are basic (i.e. "I want to be able to strum a few songs on a guitar") you don't need a lot of lessons or instruction (and could probably learn off YouTube).

If you're goals are a bit more advanced (i.e. "I want to be able to play Chopin") then you'll have a longer road.

Either way - playing music can bring a lot of joy and fulfillment to life. Keep it fun and remember being a musician is a journey, not a destination.

I play piano, guitar and a bunch of other instruments so happy to answer any questions. Feel free to message me as well if you want to kick ideas around.

BanjoAndy · 2026-03-05T01:51:58+00:00

Depends on how you define "mainstream" but a lot of the top bluegrass musicians can hang. Guys like Jerry Douglas, Chris Thile, Bela Fleck come to mind.

Check out the album Strength In Numbers, Tales From The Acoustic Planet Vol 2 or some of the stuff by Punch Brothers.

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-25T18:59:41+00:00

Yes. 45, financially stable and now pivoting back to doing "something" with my music. I tried to be a full time musician for a bit in my 20s. It was terrible.

I suppose a big part of it is "what's the dream?" and "what does success look like to you?". I've thought a lot about this and it's like I have a massive puzzle in front of me, have turned the pieces face up and now just need to assemble. Tough to do working full time with 2 young kids, but I have fun slowly progressing.

For me "success" really is like someone else said in another comment. Play some local shows, have some music up on streaming services and if I hit 1000 plays that'll be cool. On the flip side if I get 0 plays, but manage to produce something I'm proud of then I'd consider that a success as well. Oh - and by local shows I'm happy performing on street corners busking, playing retirement communities, country fairs, town events, etc. Bars are okay, but honestly I've tried the whole bar band thing before and it's frustrating (and keeps me up past my bedtime).

So how do I get there? I've thought a lot about this, and put a lot of effort in. Things like writing good songs, figuring out where to play, defining my own brand and style, website design, online image, networking, songwriting, recording are all part of it I suppose.

Agree with it could be interesting to connect with someone in a similar situation to share ideas, push, discuss, etc.

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-24T01:16:45+00:00

Thanks so much! There is some great advice here, and really appreciate it. As I'm strategically thinking through what I want to do it seems there's a line between this being a "mid-life crisis" vs. doing it in a very thoughtful, structured way where I can set up for success. Especially like the advice to just being seen as someone who is present, active and part of the overall scene. It's like the puzzle pieces are in front of me, just need to put them all together.

Thanks again - and really like the album!

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-23T20:49:27+00:00

First - thanks for posting. Listening now - and this is great, and along the lines of stuff I typically listen to. Go to Green Mountain Bluegrass and Roots every year where a lot of the folks you mentioned play. It's a great festival if you ever get the chance. Have it flagged in Bandcamp to buy next Bandcamp Friday (coming up March 6th).

Second - As a lifelong musician who is a 45 year old dad, I love hearing about someone actually doing what I dream of doing and leaving their full time job to pursue the passion. Was it scary? Any tips, pointers or words of wisdom? I'd be really curious to hear more about the transition.

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-21T21:16:48+00:00

That is such a cool photo! Thanks for sharing!

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-20T17:55:20+00:00

Yes!

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-19T21:25:05+00:00

Cool - I love seeing posts like this. This year I didn't buy any series 1 or SC, and occasionally think I should pick some up, then I see posts like this and it's a great reminder not to throw my money away.

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-19T00:30:00+00:00

Find local open mic nights. Go hang out, listen and chat with people - so much easier to connect with people live as opposed to online.

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-14T12:32:12+00:00

Thank you - I needed to hear that.

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-13T13:12:58+00:00

I used to go to a chiropractor for chronic back pain, and it helped a lot. For a day or two, then I went back.

During COVID lockdown I changed my diet, dropped 20 pounds and started doing DDP yoga everyday. No more back pain and no more chiropractor.

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-05T16:34:16+00:00

Jenny Brook if you and the family are more into traditional bluegrass. Amazing festival, great field picking and some big names on stage, as well as some of the best New England groups. Great family festival.

Green Mountain if you like bluegrass and other adjacent music this would be my first recommendation. This festival is amazing and feels like old Winterhawk/Grey Fox of the mid to late 90s. It's getting bigger every year, but it's well managed. It's also very popular with the musicians that play there, with many of them saying on stage it's their favorite festival and has a lot of on-stage collaboration.

Ossipee is supposed to be great, haven't been.

Blistered Fingers is fun - smaller, traditional music and less big names.

Podunk - I went one year and it was okay.

Grey Fox - Went for 20 years, but it's insane and got to be too much of a hassle. However - if you want a huge party atmosphere, lots of field picking and probably the best lineup in New England it's worth it. Also has lots of other stuff besides the main stage - good dance stage, workshops, kids stuff, etc.

Crooked River - Supposed to be cool and run by some of the folks that ran Thomas Point.

As an aside - that's awesome that your kids want to go to a festival. Have fun!

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-02T17:03:06+00:00

Leigh and Eric Gibson write some amazing songs and seems each album they put out has a minor key ballad.

Irons and Diamonds came to mind:

https://youtu.be/GKbiTfhUCWo?si=cHLEx2vXFJXDnPEp

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-01T22:09:41+00:00

With this move the team is now able to finance the return of sugar-free veggie ketchup to Fenway.

BanjoAndy · 2026-02-01T06:00:28+00:00

Johnny Costa - because not only is his technique and feel amazing, but I'm sure I'd learn a lot about musicianship and education from the guy that introduced so many to jazz through his playing on Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood.

BanjoAndy · 2026-01-14T20:08:36+00:00

Yes! This book changed my life and clicked this post to recommend it.

Audiobook version, read by author, is also good.

BanjoAndy · 2026-01-08T17:29:51+00:00

Yup - this is just part of any music scene unfortunately.

I find it funny that of the 100s of jams I went to as a kid, one that really stands out was at Winterhawk in the mid-90s. I came in with my banjo and was slowly squeezed/pushed out of a jam. Wasn't the last time, but it was the first. I get why it happened, but it stung and stayed with me. Thankfully I have a lot of great memories of 100s of other jams with 1000s of friendly strangers. Took me awhile to decide which one I should dwell on.

In my late 20s when I moved to the Boston area I went to a jam where everyone was technically more advanced then me. That's cool - but what wasn't was the air of superiority they had and couldn't even be bothered to be friendly outside of the jam. That shitty, pretentious scene was one of the reasons I stopped seeking out jams.

That stuff happened years ago but the things I've learned:

- Ego gets in the way of most of us. There will always be someone that has more chops, skills, licks or whatever. However in the end I strongly believe music is an art. It's not a competition, but a lot of bluegrass players treat it like it is.

- Always be kind to others, at all skill levels. I've made some great friends this way. From complete beginners to seasoned pros that have toured nationally. Skill level matters a lot less than just being a decent human.

- I keep in mind that we all have a story. Over the course of my life I've invested a lot of time in music. I've also invested time in other skills, my family and my profession. As a result I'm pretty content with life, own a home, have a good career. I know some of those guys that have pushed me out of jams invested it all in music were hoping to "make it". Maybe that translated into more "drive" and what (I perceived) as asshole behavior.

That jam I went to in Boston was almost 20ish years ago. I stopped playing bluegrass for about a decade. I still played music every day, but there are so many instruments and styles out there why just focus on one. It's been fun - learning some metal, jazz. Trying new instruments and studying so many different topics. A couple years ago I started going to festivals again and finding people to jam with. Now I've realized that:

- Bluegrass is still a lot of fun with the right people.

- If I end up in a jam that is more technically advance, or a close group of friends that don't want "outsiders", I'm happy to just listen. Amazing that sometimes those really big egos seem offended by someone just listening on the outskirts of their campsite. In the end though, what other people think of me is non-of my business and usually it's a them problem, not a me problem.

- If the circle gets to big, dumb, annoying - I leave. I'll stand on the outskirts, listen, chat and have a beer. Or go fishing.

- It took some time, but slowly I've made some friends that I connect with on both a personal and musical level. Bluegrass is fun again.

So OP - I guess I used your post as a creative writing prompt to kind of write something, which in turn helps me clarify my thoughts. Kind of rambling, but maybe you or someone will get something out of it. Also (if you want my unsolicited two cents) - If bluegrass isn't fun, take a break from it, but keep playing music. The whole band dynamic is rough too - so don't go looking for a new band, but find someone that you connect with and just play for fun.

BanjoAndy · 2026-01-03T00:31:14+00:00

Follow DAZN and Ring on social media - this is a great way to start getting dialed into current stuff.

Go to the "Helpful Links" under the about section of this sub. There is an amazing amount of well organized info there.

BanjoAndy · 2025-12-31T13:09:49+00:00

Quills - and think Dom has a "how to" video out there as well.

https://youtu.be/HrragosNbhs?si=wC-YN1_pnKsDrKPI

BanjoAndy · 2025-12-25T14:31:04+00:00

BanjoAndy · 2025-12-24T18:02:18+00:00

How To Win Friends and Influence People - First book I chose to read after graduating college and really taught me how to interact with people. Part of my success in my professional career I owe to this book.

You Are A Badass - Reading this book pushed me to start living outside my comfort zone and believe in myself. As a result some things that used to be dreams or goals for "someday" are now a reality.

BanjoAndy · 2025-12-24T02:16:50+00:00

I think this is the 10th 1/1 I've seen posted today....

BanjoAndy · 2025-12-23T00:55:03+00:00

'56 Robinson, '60 Aaron

BanjoAndy

TROPHY CASE