I'm Old, So I Play Old Time, or Who ARE These Zinc People You Speak Of?
During my first semester back at UNCG I kept seeing notices about rehearsals for the "Old Time Ensemble". Now old time music (not to be confused with bluegrass, OK?) is a genre I've always enjoyed listening to, but had never taken the leap of faith to actually try and play. There are regular jams around town, and I have a cousin who plays fiddle in that crowd. But I was always a bit self concious of being "that rock guy" trying to horn in.
Anyway, it was curious to me that such an ensemble existed at an institution like UNCG. So when I saw that they were doing a semester end recital, I thought I'd check it out.
I was immediately floored; banjos and fiddles a-wailin', purty gurls a-singin' and a-dancin', I knew I had to be a part of it.
So the next semester I signed up. Learned a lot of tunes. forgot a lot more. More importantly I learned a lot about the music that is so much a part of my heritage as a native North Carolinian. I participated for three semesters, playing guitar, string bass, and near the end, picking up banjo.
And I made friends; good friends. A year ago, three of those friends, Dan, Mark, and Christen, formed a band. They named it after a brand name they found on a washboard; The Zinc Kings. Shortly thereafter, Christen's fiance Ryan jumped in on bass.
The sequence of events gets a little fuzzy here, but eventually the band was going to play at the Charlie Poole Festival in Eden, and neither Dan or Ryan could make it. I was already planning to be there with the UNCG group, so they asked me to sit in. That's my left arm and the brim of my Grasshoppers caps showing below.
Afterwards, Mark turns to me and says "You know you're in the band now." And that, as they say is that. Part of the reason they asked me is that Dan was moving to Asheville and wouldn't be able to make some gigs. Sometimes Ryan has to miss gigs as well, and I can get by on bass, as I did this past summer at the Belle Chere festival in Asheville. Here we are in the blazing sun; Dan, Christen, Mark, and moi.
The whole idea is that with five members, we can do a gig with any combination of three, as long as one of 'em is Christen. The only time all five of us have played together so far was Christen and Ryan's engagement party, and that was more or less a big jam.
We've got a few gigs booked for the fall. Keep an eye on my Facebook, or find the band on there and "like" us.
Anyway, it was curious to me that such an ensemble existed at an institution like UNCG. So when I saw that they were doing a semester end recital, I thought I'd check it out.
I was immediately floored; banjos and fiddles a-wailin', purty gurls a-singin' and a-dancin', I knew I had to be a part of it.
So the next semester I signed up. Learned a lot of tunes. forgot a lot more. More importantly I learned a lot about the music that is so much a part of my heritage as a native North Carolinian. I participated for three semesters, playing guitar, string bass, and near the end, picking up banjo.
And I made friends; good friends. A year ago, three of those friends, Dan, Mark, and Christen, formed a band. They named it after a brand name they found on a washboard; The Zinc Kings. Shortly thereafter, Christen's fiance Ryan jumped in on bass.
The sequence of events gets a little fuzzy here, but eventually the band was going to play at the Charlie Poole Festival in Eden, and neither Dan or Ryan could make it. I was already planning to be there with the UNCG group, so they asked me to sit in. That's my left arm and the brim of my Grasshoppers caps showing below.
Afterwards, Mark turns to me and says "You know you're in the band now." And that, as they say is that. Part of the reason they asked me is that Dan was moving to Asheville and wouldn't be able to make some gigs. Sometimes Ryan has to miss gigs as well, and I can get by on bass, as I did this past summer at the Belle Chere festival in Asheville. Here we are in the blazing sun; Dan, Christen, Mark, and moi.
The whole idea is that with five members, we can do a gig with any combination of three, as long as one of 'em is Christen. The only time all five of us have played together so far was Christen and Ryan's engagement party, and that was more or less a big jam.
We've got a few gigs booked for the fall. Keep an eye on my Facebook, or find the band on there and "like" us.
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