Usually, at this time of year, this space is reserved for looking back at the past 12 months. Frankly, there's not a heckuva lot to look back upon. This was a down year when it comes to playing music. Typically, I would offer self-flagellating remarks about not being able to find the time and hoping to do better next go-round. However, some reader comments from earlier this year have inspired me to just stop worrying about it. So, here is a brief list of highlights: My fondest memory was volunteering at the Lake Erie Folk Fest . My most successful post was about a podcast from September 2024. My favorite post was about buying some 78 rpm records in South Carolina. My playing goals ... well, let's not talk about those. I didn't reach my goals this year — not the end of the world. I went a few months without touching my instruments at all, but it turned out I didn't forget everything I knew when I got back to them. On the positive side, I...
How to learn to stop worrying and love the twang. A journey into old-time music.