R. Crumb: The Complete Record Cover Collection

Back in the early 1970s I used to follow the adventures of Mr Natural and Schuman the Human in R. Crumb's  Zap Comics. The other day, while surfing the web, I came across this interview with Mr. Crumb promoting a new book of his album cover artwork. In the piece Crumb talks about his love of old time country, blues, and jazz music while a video illustrated with his wonderful artwork plays.

The book came out this past November. Check it out as well as his earlier collection,

Heroes of Blues, Jazz, and Country,

which comes with a great companion CD of music from the golden age of recording.

Fifteen Years of Family String Band Music

I guess the roots of our family band can be traced back to the late 1980s when I used to sing the kids to sleep, or maybe to 1994 when Erica and I led the middle school orchestra in a rousing version of Rosin the Bow. That same year our father/daughter duo entertained a group of seniors at a pancake breakfast with some old-time fiddle tunes. 1994 was also the year I surprised Georgianne by giving her a mountain dulcimer for our fifteenth wedding anniversary. But the first public performance of "The  Family That Plays Together," AKA The Homegrown String Band, was at a Long Island Traditional Music Association member's concert on January 10, 1997. Fifteen years ago this month.


Our first performance of 2012, our sixteenth year of performing together as a family, will be right down the road at the Longwood Library in Middle Island, NY on January 15th at 2 pm.

Longwood Public Library

800 Middle Country Road

Middle Island, NY 11953

(631) 924-6400

Homegrown String Band on Fios 1 News TV

On October 23, 2011, The Homegrown String Band performed in the auditorium of the Commack Public Library. The show was covered by Fios News video journalist Eric Alfredo. To view the five minute interview/concert footage as it appeared on Fios "Push Pause" on December 5, 2011, click on the link below or on the screen shot to the right. I wasn't able to embed the video, so you will be taken to the Fios 1 News website.

A Family That Plays Together on Fios 1 Push Pause

Ramblin Rooster Rick

I was ramblin' through some old Mp3 files on my computer and found this solo banjo piece from our first CD Blind Dog Thumpin' on the Porch (2000). It's called Ramblin' Hobo. I learned it from the playing of Doc Watson and his father-in-law Gaither Carlton. This "little ditty" is a cool tune in an odd F tuning (fCFCD). It's easy to get into this tuning from double C, just drop the two G strings down to F.

Ramblin' Hobo, to me, personifies the unique (and sometimes strange) percussive, melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic qualities of old time banjo. Playing the banjo can be a grand adventure in self expression and artistic freedom. This song lends itself perfectly to the type of individual interpretation that makes playing the banjo so much fun. It's like a puzzle whose pieces can be rearranged to form different pictures. . .  There I go ramblin' again.

Ramblin' Hobo by Rooster Rick

The Banjo Lesson

Piece of Banjo History

Banjos, Murder, & Moonshine

Take Banjo Lessons on Long Island

A Thanksgiving Prayer - Thank You Song

We had a great time playing out in Montauk last night. I'd like to thank everyone for coming out to see us and we sure hope to see y'all again real soon.

Here's a little Thanksgiving prayer I wrote sometime around 1990. This was a totally unrehearsed moment captured on "tape" by Larry Moser. We included it in our 2004 CD release "Rock Hollow."

Thank You Song by Rooster Rick

Happy Thanksgiving from The Homegrown String Band!

The End is Near!

As we near the end of our 15th year performing professionally as a family we will be heading out to the historic town of Montauk, near the end of our 110-mile-long Long Island. The Homegrown String Band (full Quadrupelo) will be performing at The Montauk Library from 7:30 - 9 pm on Saturday, November 19th. Come on out and have a relaxing evening with Long Island's "First Family of Folk" before all the holiday hub bub begins.

The Montauk Library is located on Montauk Hwy. (Route 27) just east of the village of Montauk, on the north side of the highway, as indicated on the map below. 631-668-3377

Pretty Polly

Here's a creepy murder ballad I played the day before Halloween at The Bayport-Blue Point Library in Bayport, NY. Before I sang the song I told the tale of Willy, The Cruel Ship's Carpenter, and the ghost of Pretty Polly who's undead spirit sought justice for herself and her unborn child. Freddy Krueger had nothin' on this murderous 18th century villain.

Our next show is 3:00 pm Sunday November 6, 2011 at The Newburgh Free Library

Newburgh Free Library
124 Grand Street

Newburgh, NY 12550
845-563-3601