From: kateh_1@charter.net   
      
   "T Harper"  wrote ...   
   > Kateh and Lane Gray,   
   > Hey it's good to hear of other kids in BG.   
      
   Ditto!!!   :)   
      
   > You were asking about the instruments and if the parents were Musicians...   
   > well...Neither I nor my wife are musicians, (ie. can't read a lick).  But   
   > our daughters got interested in music at their school when they were in   
   > the 4th grade. We would take my youngest (now 14) to school early to learn   
   > to play classical violin. She hated it by the time she was 11. She was   
   > getting ready to quit when my wife and I bumped into some old high school   
   > friends whose kids (boys near our girls age) play bluegrass. These two   
   > boys told my girls, " if you wanta hear that thing [violin] really make   
   > some noise come to our house and we'll show you how to play some   
   > Bluegrass." To shorten this story, the band (boys 12 and 15, girls 14 and   
   > 16) get together in a little town near here that has a gospel/bluegrass   
   > event every first Saturday night. The boys Mom stands in to play the   
   > upright bass out of necessity. (she learned this instrument just to do   
   > this). My daughters sing as does the Mom, but to date we can't get the   
   > boys to murmur a word. But we still are trying.  The instruments- the boys   
   > Dad and I can't play a lick but always wanted to. We are not wealthy by no   
   > means but each of us vowed that if these kids were serious about this   
   > music we would do everything possible to keep them going even if it meant   
   > buying quality instruments. I must tell you...it does make a difference in   
   > the music when you have a quality instrument. The kids could only get so   
   > much out of their first instruments and it was beginning to get them down.   
   > It made a tremendous difference in thier attitude when they acquired the   
   > good stuff.   
   > Keep in touch,   
   > T Harper   
      
   Wow, you folks are awesomly supportive of your kid's music!  That is   
   soooooooo cool!  I was just curious if the instruments were hand-me-downs   
   from mom and dad, who also play.   :)  That you're going out and purchasing   
   them is even more impressive.    :)   
      
   We've advanced away from the beginner instruments, too.....we're just taking   
   smaller steps, I guess.  The fiddlers and the bass player have nice   
   instruments (though I was just informed my son's saving again, for a new   
   bow).  :)  The banjo player's very happy with her Deering Goodtime II....her   
   first borrowed-banjo was so heavy she could barely lift it.  The only   
   members of the band still playing intro-instruments are our 9 year old mando   
   player (his parents think he's too young to be responsible) and our 14 year   
   old guitar picker.  I think the guitar player would be getting someting a   
   little nicer if he'd stop mentioning that he wants to be a   
   rock-star......somehow when he does that..... his mammy gets nervous about   
   investing in a better acoustic.   :)   
      
   We have four families involved......and you should see our calendars, trying   
   to keep track of everything/everyone!  And being mostly boys.......it's a   
   bit wild at times.  Kind of like a box of puppies.....you just get them all   
   gathered up in one place and....... one escapes.  :)   
      
   Three of our guys are singers.  The banjo player sings as well.....if the   
   boys insist (read that : gang-up on her).  They're currently working on some   
   harmonies......which is interesting since several of the boy's voices are   
   changing.....and the 9 year old is already singing bass.  :)   
      
   So are your kids performing other than on that first Sat of the month?  What   
   kind of places do they play?  Is there a web site?  I'd love to be able to   
   have the kids chat about this, sometime.  Maybe on email?   :)   
   KateH    :)   
      
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