How many instruments do you play?

At last count, guitar (12-string, 6-string, bottleneck, electric), banjo, autoharp, pennywhistle, harmonica, spoons (!)

 

What is your favorite instrument?

The guitar is what I pick up most often to play, write, or improvise.  My current favorite is a Recording King parlor - size copy of the 1930's Stella guitars favored by blues musicians for their low cost and solid quality.

 

What is your favorite kind of music?

I like aspects of most genres and the music playing in my head most often would be acoustic "country blues", symphonic literature, and some of my favorite singer-songwriter-guitarists.

 

Do you write your own songs?

I've written and recorded a few albums of my own songs mixed with traditional ones, but I feel that there are so many songwriters more gifted than I am, I often prefer to work with their material.

 

Who is your favorite artist?

I listen for certain qualities in the music itself and do not "wed" them to certain artists.  There are some, however, who consistently get me to turn up my CD player.  Among them are Richard Thompson, Paul Simon, and John Hiatt.

 

How long have you been playing?

My sister bought me my first acoustic guitar - an all-mahogany 000 size Harmony - when I was 13.  I've been playing ever since - over 50 years.

 

Where did you learn to sing?

I was very fortunate to grow up in a singing family.  We sang all four parts in church hymns, and even sang and harmonized while we did the Sunday dinner dishes.  I got involved in an excellent choir program in my church in second grade, took all the choir classes I could in school, and toured internationally with a high school group auditioned from Michigan.  I have had wonderful teachers and mentors.

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