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If you
came here looking for some "herb" or looking to get your yard
landscaped, then Google has mislead you. Considering
how many banjo pickers come from Earl Scrugg's home state of North
Carolina, it's a wonder some feller didn't already make off with a cool
band name like "Bogue
Sound Grass Company".
Instead, fate reserved that simple, profound moniker just for us.
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It
all started one day at Manning Brothers General Store when I
stopped in to get me a moon pie and a Coca~Cola. It was a
cold winter
day and Mr. Henry had the coal stove glowing, so I sat down on the
bench beside the stove to rest a spell and eat my moon pie.
About ten
minutes later this old feller walked in and sat down. After a
few
minutes he looked over at me and said, "You want to buy a mandolin?"
I
said, "No. Don't know
how to play a mandolin." A few minutes later he
leans over and says, "You
want to buy a guitar?" I said, "No. I don't
know how to play a guitar." After a few minutes
he says, "Well what do
you know how to play?" and I says, "I play the banjer."
He
finished up his Coca~Cola and then the old feller asks, "You got a banjer?"
I said "I got one at home."
So then he says, "I
tell you what. You go home and get your banjer and
I'll go
home and get my guitar, and I'll meet you back here in fifteen minutes."
Fifteen minutes later he showed up with his guitar and his
grandson. As fate woud have it, Mr. Henry's new
stock boy who came in to work after school knew how to play the
mandolin and had it under the counter.
An hour later we had drawed us a sizeable crowd. Mr. Henry
liked
all the business we brought in so much that he didn't even charge me
for
the moon pie and Coca~Cola. He said it was "on the house" for
all the fine music we played and for the crowd we brought in to his
store.
That was seven years ago, and basically I'm still picking the banjer
for moon pies and a Coca~Cola.
If you're ever down east in the Newport area,
this is your invite to
stop in every first and third friday evening about 6pm, brang what you
play
and join us at Bob's Pickin' and Grinnin' jam session at the
Woodmen of the World building on
Howard Boulevard. We ask a $2 donation at the box
by the door for them Woodmen
of the World fellers for the
generous use of their building.
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