November 6th, 2023

Hello Folks,

  As the Banjo Gathering drew to close, I had to admit that the most important element of the entire weekend was the connection with old friends and not the old stuff. We spoke more of our concerns for our grandchildren and the state of the human condition, than about banjos. We are all 70+ years old and we don’t know who will not be back next year. The bond and the connection is really important….I have known some of these folks for nearly 50 years. In some ways, the old guard is lost in an identity shift….There were many new faces, but no introductions. They were great many talks, but they weren’t exactly about banjos and there seemed to be less jamming than usual… perhaps the sign of aging guys going to bed a little bit earlier. I’m not sure but the times they are a changin’.

    This loosely knit organization of banjo fanatics has had a quarter of a century run, and it seems to be morphing into something completely different than what it started as. The topics now center more on the roots of the instrument, rather than the instruments themselves, which is all well and good, but it diverts from the original intent. While we had a very successful event, this will likely be my last "gathering" for a variety of reasons which I will keep to myself.

     The exhibit on women in country music at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum was exceptional. I have included as many photos as I can because our return trip not going to allow me much time to write about the experience. We made it as far as Gettysburg PA, and spent the night there. We will have lots more to share and certainly further rantings in the weeks to come.

Best Regards,

John Bernunzio

A particularly fine Fairbanks-Vega Deluxe

Birthplace of Country Music Museum: women in country music exhibit 

The display room…. Lots of old banjos, lots of old guys.

Virginia countryside 

the long way home…on the dreaded Interstate 81….my least favorite road in America.