Here are the Friendly Folks

who are the Band

Carson 

     Born into a family where his mother sang Southern Baptist hymns and his father yodeled Hank Williams songs, Carson grew up in Virginia, surrounded by music. As a teenager he rebelled against his Southern musical roots and became a Rock & Roll god until he won the selective service lottery and spent a bit of time on an extended vacation in a tropical paradise. Returning home, he also returned to his musical heritage and spent many years taking the music back to the beginning. Today he plays old time Americana music, telling stories of times past, and annoying the cats with his incessant banjo tuning.

 

       

Arden

     Her father an accomplished pianist and her mother a talented vocalist, music has always been an integral part of Arden’s life.  She first picked up the violin at the age of four; beginning a life-long love affair with classical music and stringed instruments of all types. Much to her family’s chagrin, she frequently “rescues” instruments from thrift stores, antique stores and flea markets claiming they looked lonely or followed her home.  She is also a lover of language and spent an extended period of time living and working in Japan (and yes, managed to bring home yet another stringed instrument…the koto!)

 

John

     John is the result of an joint unauthorized experiment between a chemist and a biochemist at a liberal arts college in central Iowa.  Originally a clarinet player, then a guitar player, he was forced to take up honest work at the tender age of 24 when the good citizens of Williamsburg stopped paying him not to play.  His performance skills were put into extended hibernation for 25 years, and are timid and only emerge from hiding on occasion.  He now plays folk bass in an attempt to get dates.  His wife does not feel threatened by this.

 

     

“Silent” Jim

     “Silent” Jim didn’t pick up a musical instrument until he was in his 20’s while working at Jamestown Settlement. He learned to play 17th-century songs on the recorder, but after several years he decided to trade in “Hey nonny, nonny” for “Doo Dah” and thus ventured into the 19th century. He learned to play bones early on and also dabbles in washboard, cajun spoons, occasional ukulele, and is now considered the world’s premiere finger cymbal virtuoso. At least that’s what he tells himself.