History July 16 2011

Busking & Open Mic: The guitar and fiddle are the most common instruments in this genre of music because they're carried everywhere. If you're traveling across the country your guitar will be pulled out anywhere and played. When you meet new people, the guitar comes out. Sharing music and learning new things and maybe writing a new song.

The fiddle is the same way although it can sound rough when you're learning and it takes a while to warm up. Naturally, musicians and songwriters will get their feet wet when they get out and play in front of people who don't necessarily want to hear their music. You're playing to an audience who might slam you or ridicule you if they don't like your music. Some people might really enjoy it and you'll make new friends or find another good musician to jam with.

Jamie and I followed this path although our roads weren't the same at all. Jamie moved out to Hinton, Alberta Canada a few years ago and played Open Mic. One evening could go on for hours of straight playing non-stop. Other musicians would be on the stage and they'd all jam together. Open Mic is the best place for musicians starting out to network with others and get feedback on what works and what doesn't. If you've been busking already you'd have no problem playing in front of an audience that is there to hear your tunes and have a good time.

I started playing the fiddle in 1997 after playing guitar. I started busking in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada. Afterwards I played at the Island Rock Cafe at the Open Mic in Charlottetown for a few years. Since 1997 I spent over ten years trying to work with musicians who couldn't get their

act together with music or playing shows. I really discovered how far behind everybody was when my friend's son had a band and played two live performances before he started into high school in September. I was totally shocked and amazed by that. "What is everybody doing?"

In October 2010, Jamie and I decided to work together and try to record our original material. Well I was impressed; Jamie had about six or seven full original songs that he banged out in one recording session. That left me with a lot of catching up to do on my end; I needed to add in accompanying riffs and harmonies in the right places and develop some consistency in my playing.

At the moment we're trying to find more guest musicians who can learn the songs and record on the album.