Teacher Transitioning to Retired Life as Banjo Player

[Codex33486]

Hello, folks; Codex33486 here. I'm a high school English teacher and retired military person who has the idea to outfit a bus with a back-end stage and drive around the country playing the banjo. I'm recently and amicably divorced and have a little dog, whom you can see at banjothedog.com. When I have a moment, I'll post some of my sketchup drawings to show what I'm thinking of.

 

[EastCoastCB]

That's pretty cool, man. Welcome aboard!
I dabble in mandolin and tenor banjo, but I'm definitely no musician!
Some decent bus deals are always popping up in AL so you should have no problem finding a bus.

 

[Tango-SKO]

Welcome! --- More travelin' banjo players is what this country needs most!

 

[Crazy]

Sorry, couldn't resist.










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[Codex33486]

Thanks, Everybody

Thanks everybody. Travelin' Banjo is exactly the idea. My plan is to cut away the back end of a bus to make a stage and go do my thing at fairs and festivals. Duelin' Banjos is one of three tunes that banjoists get asked to play all the time (the other two are Foggy Mountain Breakdown and Ballad of Jed Clampett). The problem is that for the version of DB that everyone wants to hear--the version on that clip, for example--you need a guitar, and the guitar part is much more difficult that the banjo part, and so you need a correspondingly better performer

 

[Tango-SKO]

I always liked the Steve Martin version. That ol' boy really is a purdy good picker.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I like the oldies. Uncle Dave Macon... The Bible's True!!!

 

[Sika]

Glad to see this post because I'm also very curious about the feasibility of a stage, or in my case a porch, on the back of my conversion.

What is something like this going to do to the structural integrity of the skoolie? I've been scouring this site to try to see where it's been done before but without much luck. Can anyone point me and Codex33486 in the right direction? Anyone know if there are particular bus models that would lend themselves well to something like this?

Also, I'd love to attend your traveling banjo show once you hit the road. Sounds rad.

 

[Codex33486]

Heh! Thanks, Sika!

 

[mikeacg]

Add the UP to your tour and we'll play us some bluegrass together! I'd like a stage/porch on my little bus just for some extra space in the good weather! How big are you thinking? I was tossing around making a fold-up porch...

 

[Booyah45828]

You could do something like they did here for a stage.

I also remember where someone took the walls down on the back 10 feet to make a porch like area. It was a silver bus with black railing and I believe they stored dirt bikes on the back. I can't seem to remember or find which member it was here but it looked like the way to go if that's what you want.

 

[Ironwindow]

Bought me a Washburn a few years ago, realized I'm not musically inclined, decided to save everyone's ears. It now gets taken to concerts and I have the banjo players sign it for me. So far I've got Jody King, Graham Sharp, Houston Norris (Terry Baucom's step son), and local legend (Ralph McGee) to sign for me.

I love me some banjo. Good luck on everything and let me know when you're around Winston Salem NC and I'll come out and get you to sign it too!