Best gut strings for banjo

Peghead sketch for inlay on new Lee banjo

Here is the sketch Chuck Lee sent of the rough outline of the peghead inlay. I can't wait to see the finished inlay. Chuck is such a wonderful artist. I love the way he came up with the basset hound floating on a cloud.

If you'd like to see some of Chuck's finished inlay and banjos--check him out at:

http://www.leebanjos.com

More later!

Itunes links to Mary Z. Cox CDs

Mary Z. Cox: Vintage Banjo
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=5184326

Mary Z. Cox: Walkin' That Banjo Home
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=7451679

Mary Z. Cox: A Secret Life Of Banjo
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=14876246

Mary Z. Cox: Banjo Dreamin' Suwannee Nights
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=152537564

Or just type in "Mary Z. Cox" in the search box on itunes

Bob & Mary Z. Cox to play at United Way luncheon

Bob and Mary will play the first lunch setting at the Pepper Building this Friday.
All proceeds for the lunch go to United Way.

Here's a fun personality test--fun for banjoists. !

Your Five Factor Personality Profile

Extroversion: You have high extroversion. You are outgoing and engaging, with both strangers and friends. You truly enjoy being with people and bring energy into any situation. Enthusiastic and fun, you're the first to say "let's go!" Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness. You're generally good at balancing work and play. When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done. But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have medium neuroticism. You're generally cool and collected, but sometimes you do panic. Little worries or problems can consume you, draining your energy. Your life is pretty smooth, but there's a few emotional bumps you'd like to get rid of. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is high. In life, you tend to be an early adopter of all new things and ideas. You'll try almost anything interesting, and you're constantly pushing your own limits. A great connoisseir of art and beauty, you can find the positive side of almost anything.

The Five Factor Personality Test

Walkin' That Banjo Home Banjo Tab Book is Ready!

Simple banjo tabs to the seventeen tunes on the Walkin' that Banjo Home Cd.
I've been working on it all summer and it arrives tomorrow :)

summertime banjo

Ponce de Leon /new banjo tune

Hi!
Just put up a brand new banjo tune--Ponce de Leon (Mary Z. Cox 2006). Its a raw cut and the finished track won't be ready till next year--but have a listen if you'd like!
http://www.myspace.com/maryzcox

New imix/ Falling Leaves Sampler

Hello, For all you itunes and ipod enthusiasts--I just put up a new imix of banjo, fiddle, guitar, dulcimer, mandolin, vocals and more. It is here: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMix?id=191537307 Take a listen if you'd like. I tried to load up some of my favorites with a couple tunes of my own. :)

Banjo Dreamin Suwannee Nights tab book

This is my latest (2006) tab book. There are 17 simple tabs to the 16 tunes on the CD by the same name.
Suwannee River, We Three Kings, Dinah, Shepherd's Wife Waltz, Rockin' In A Weary Land, Sweet Sunny South, Song Of the Chanter, Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss, Winder Slide, Wish I Was a Mole in the Ground, John Stinson's # 2, Hangman's Reel, Big Scioty, Going Back to Cairo, Light the Torch Jeannette Isabella/Good Christian Men Rejoice
If you happened to download the CD in itunes, you may not be aware that the tab book exists. :)
There is a nice form letter in the back to encourage your spouse to support your new banjo purchases as well as some nice playing and historical notes and pictures.
Check out this month's (September) Banjo Newsletter for a review of the CD and tab book.

Welcome home, Natalie

Natalie moved back to Tallahassee with Bob and I to work and go to school. She's even painting walls in the house. We are enjoying having a young face around the house.

Cedar Mountain Banjos

Lo Gordon & Mary Z recording a banjo duet in July.

Happy Birthday, Arcy

Arcy(green sweatshirt) with Cox cousins. Arcy (Sidney ) just celebrated his 28th birthday a few days ago. Here is a photo of him from when he was in Tallahassee last March.

Clawhammer banjo

Here is one of my neighbors that stopped by to pick a tune on my custom Deering banjo and to try on my beekeeper helmet. Don't we have a good time here in Tallahassee?

kayaking on Saturday morning

Bob and I Kayaked on the Wacissa River this morning. It may still be the prettiest river left in North Florida. The water is cold and clear and you can see fish and turtles swimming. The birdlife is abundant and awesome. Lots of kayakers today and one very loud airboat. :)

Coming soon-Beginning old time banjo and mountain dulcimer workshop

Beginning Mountain Dulcimer and Old Time Banjo Workshops

with

Mary Z. and Bob Cox

Time: Saturday, October 7, 2006 from 10:00 AM--12:00 Noon (Mountain Dulcimer) and 1:30--3:30 PM (Old Time Banjo)

Place: Craft Square Cabin # 1 at the Stephen Foster State Park in White Springs, Florida (on the Suwannee River) http://www.floridastateparks.org/stephenfoster

Registration: Call the Craft Square
at 386-397-1920 to register and pay class fee.

Come to the workshops and stay on for the

Cracker Coffeehouse that evening.

Don’t miss out on all the fun—sign up soon!

Mountain Dulcimer 101

Have a mountain dulcimer and want to get started?
Here’s a two hour introduction to Appalachian style playing
with the 2006 Uncle Dave Macon Days mountain dulcimer champ.
Come tuned in DAD and be ready to have some fun learning to
play a simple first tune to get you started.
This is a fun instrument and easy to play—especially if you
have ever played another instrument. Limited to 12 students.
$20 10:00 AM-12:00 Noon

Old Time Banjo 101

Here’s a two hour “hands on” workshop to the old time banjo. If you have a functional five string banjo and want to get started on a frailing motion with your right hand and begin a simple old time tune with your left—this is the workshop for you. If you are a beginner, but still need help with the basics—this is for you too. J Please come with your banjo tuned in open G. (gDGBD) and ready to have some fun. Limited to 12 students. $20

1:30-3:30 PM

Short Bio

Mary Z. Cox – is a banjoholic with 12 banjos. When forced to stop buying banjos, Mary entered clawhammer contests and won two top-notch banjos in one year as prizes. She’s been playing since she was 12 and is a past Florida champion. She has recorded five CDs, has written four banjo tab books, and has been published in Banjo Newsletter. Today, Mary plays concerts, teaches at camps, and records with family and friends. She enjoys introducing students of all ages to new tunes, techniques, and the banjo life.

Mary Z. is also a dulcimaniac with 7 mountain dulcimers, a past Florida Mountain dulcimer champion, as well as the first place winner in the 2006 Uncle Dave Macon Days in Tennessee. Her “Dulcimer Fandango” CD is a park favorite in the Stephen Foster gift shop.

Lucky dulcimer

Here's a photo of my Blue Lion Mountain dulcimer. It's the one recorded on the Dulcimer Fandango CD, and the one I won the Florida Championships with. I have been playing a couple of my other dulcimers lately, but just happened to dig this one out for the 2006 Uncle Dave Macon Days. I played "Step Around Johnny." Of course, I had the lucky contestant number too--13!

I had forgotten what a pretty tone this dulcimer has. It is rosewood and western cedar.

More Sweet Potato Five/John C. Campbell Folk School

Sweet Potato Five/contra dance band

Here's a photo Bob snapped at the John C. Campbell folkschool in July at the Dance Musician's week. The instructors assigned us to small groups to play a couple dances each evening. They assigned us five ladies together (3 fiddles, a banjo, and a piano) so we became the Sweet Potato Five. We played "Put the Hog's Foot a Little Closer to the Fire & Seneca Square Dance" as a medley for dancing. We also played "Westphalia Waltz" It was great fun with some very talented and fun ladies and it was wonderful to watch the dancers having so much fun dancing to our music. :)

More imixes with banjo and other artists

Here's a link to more of my imixes at Apple itunes. Take a listen--its really kind of fun putting them together. It's about a 103 outside--so I have to stay inside so I am trying something new. :)
Here's a snapshot of a very large Luna Moth that visited on the screen of the bathroom window in the log cabin this summer. It was pretty warm in the mountains too. :)
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewIMixes?pageType=3&sortOrdering=1&id=21262272