A few years ago I used to play banjo and do some singing in a rockabilly/roots band. We played regularly at two bars in Baltimore, doing mostly covers of the Grateful Dead, Johnny Cash, Gillian Welch, Merril Haggard, traditional "Americana" types of songs, and a lot more. Occasionally we'd play a parties as well. But as time went on, a few guys moved away, and the rest of us got too busy to jam regularly. Some of us got married, one got ordained... so now we hardly ever get together to play at all. Anyone who's ever played in a band has experienced this, I'm sure.
It seems that the only time we do get together is when I get some of the guys to come and play at the Presbyterian Home of Maryland, where I do an Evening Prayer service every few months. One time, I got the bright idea of getting the remaining guys together to play some special music. It was also a chance for me to preach the Good News to the bandmates, but that is another post. So the band went and played a rockin' medley of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", "I am a Pilgrim", and "Were you there (when they crucified my Lord)?" It went over very well, and I was surprised that some of the octagenarians even knew who Johnny Cash was. The second time we went back as a band months later, we just did an entire concert for them, which was a blast - that's where the picture is from. That was the last time we played out.
Well, today I got an e-mail from our former bass player who lives up Boston now, and apparently he posted some of our music online. A promoter discovered it and has asked us to consider playing some shows at some larger venues in the Baltimore-Washington area! What a crazy life this is.... Anyway, that would be lots of fun, and we might even make some money at it, but unfortunately St. James the Average doesn't have time for one more thing to be added to his schedule. And I don't think they would let me play in my collar, so count me out!
