Oh gosh, how do I make this long story short and interesting? Here goes... 10 years old, the local music shop calls and offers my parents a free "music aptitude test" -- how many of us had those? Of course, I passed and the next thing I knew I was in music class. Alfred books, Monkees music (it was the '60s), note by note sight reading -- ugh, I couldn't stand it and quit. Didn't pick up the guitar again until I was 18 when a friend gave me his broken nylon string guitar and I repaired it with nuts and bolts (!!). It worked and I started to play. No lessons, just exploration. FF to 1985 and I bought a nice Yamaha acoustic (still have it!) and went to a community college night class. He had us playing chords on the first night and barre chords and Bob Dylan tunes by the third class. I was inspired. It's always been a part time as-I'm-interested thing for me, so as someone else above said, I'm mostly a strummer, but not always. I have a bass as well and can do Lady Madonna on it... but I've never really gone much beyond that on the bass. 1999 in the Mars Music store chain I applied for their Weekend Warriors program. They put me with a bunch of other folks and we had one month to learn how to be a band before we put a 30-minute show on in the middle of the store for customers. Due to the attrition of students I found myself playing lead guitar and singing, which I'd never done publicly before. We must have done OK because they asked us back for a second show during their big upcoming sale weekend! Then I put it down again and didn't pick it up until 2019 when we moved to Washington NC where they have a really great jam group. I played with them for two years before the pandemic struck and that's been it since then. I'm looking forward to learning more here and picking things up again. I just discovered a jam group here in New Bern, and I'm hoping this will get me back in the groove to be able to play there. Sorry -- wasn't very successful in keeping it short...!!

It worked! Just watched the whole thing and I'll have to think about what I can tell you about what I'd be looking for. Certainly having sessions to talk to the other guitarists or (like me) would-be guitarists on that channel would be fun. Thanks for putting all this together Mike and Ben!

@Mike Abalos Haha... well, with your help I may be able to do that better... :)

One of my goals is to be able to play the solo for Prairie League's "Amie". The last time I looked at the tab for the song, the part for the solo just said "good luck"... :)

@Benjamin Wood Wow.. thanks. I have my homework for the next two weeks (or more!)

leaving a comment!!

@Mike Abalos well I appreciate you and Benjamin too!!! :)

Good morning Mike. Let's see... What I already know. - that practice is essential. Do I practice enough ...? No.... - most of the chords I need to know including barre chords. But, practice makes my fingers more nimble. Are my fingers nimble? See point #1... - I know that I love being in a jam group. I participated in one when we lived in Washington NC, and the discipline of having a new song ready to perform each week really sharpened my skills and confidence. I have been to that jam group only once since 2021, but I've found a new one that's started here in New Bern, and I know I'd love to start up with them next month... I also know that I'm thankful you started this group. It might help some of that musical discipline to come back!!