Ross Nickerson on the road
Ross Nickerson performing in Arizona, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Wales, British Columbia, Alberta, Ireland, Scotland, England, Germany and Australia this year.
On my own I just returned from Germany, and Norway where I held banjo workshops. They were well attended and a great experience for me. I also had workshops in Virginia, Arizona, New York State, and some other places I am likely forgetting at this moment! Not to forget to mention the Nova Scotia Banjo Camp we had this summer, Tom Adams, Ian Perry and myself, it was fun and a success, oh and last years Banjo Cruise too!
I
have an exciting event I'm part of this year in May called the Trans
Atlantic Bluegrass School in Wales. The faculty band is comprised
of some legendary players and I am thrilled to be part of it, Bobby Hicks
on fiddle, (former Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs member) Kenny and Amanda
Smith, Mike Bub on Bass, Emory Lester on mandolin and me on banjo. We
also have the Banjo Cruise coming up with Alan Munde. This year the Banjo
Cruise is combined with the 10th Annual Bluegrass Cruise. I am going
to have the opportunity to perform on the bill with some top bands including,
Cherry Holmes, Tim Graves, Grasstowne, Jesse McReynolds. Loraine Jordan,
Mark Newton and more.
This year on the instruction front, I've completed a new DVD called Essential Licks, produced some new, more advanced Online Lessons, Upgraded my Online Lessons, Upgraded some of my books, we are just finishing revamping the artwork on my Playing by Ear and Jamming DVDs, and I am going in the studio to film some more videos next month.
My Monthly Free Banjo Lessons for mailing list members seem to be going well too. So far the lessons have been mostly for beginners, I plan to make them more challenging this year.
Earlier this year I recorded the CDs that will go with two new books of mine coming out soon. A Gospel Song Book and a book of Popular Children's Songs. These will be available as E-Books in later December 07. I posted a couple of bonus tracks free at this link.
Finishing the Hungry Hill CD was an accomplishment. Fortunately for me and my time constraints much of the work, (the work besides recording) was done by folks other than me, so all I did was play my best when called upon to do so, and wrote a couple songs too.
I almost forgot, I went on the greatest vacation I've ever had to Costa Rica last April. I liked everything about that trip.
This has been my first full year in my new home of Tonawanda, NY. I moved here from the Baltimore area in 05. My daughter is in her third year of law school here and I love the area. I live not to far from Niagara Falls. I still have a house in Tucson AZ too. My son is doing well in the Air Force in Germany, he is an air traffic controller.
That is enough about me, I hope anyone who has taken an interest in reading this is doing well too! Thanks again, please keep checking back for more updates, new music and banjo instruction help. I am always hard at work.
All in all it's been a productive year!
Newest workshops with Ross Nickerson Click here for full upcoming Workshop Schedule
Trans
Atlantic Bluegrass School in Wales
May 7th thru 11th, 2008
Ross Nickerson-Banjo, Bobby Hicks-Fiddle, Kenny Smith-Guitar, Amanda Smith-Vocals, Mike Bub-Bass, Emory Lester-Mandolin
Click here for more information on this incredible workshop on the coast of Wales. Trans Atlantic Bluegrass School
Went
on a cruise in Alaska, what was I thinking? Actually it was a ferry, got
some pictures of eagles on the trip. I'm in Whitehorse Yukon doing some
recording, Alaska was a lot closer than I thought. Check out the Eagle
Pictures. I had never seen anything like it. They are feeding on the salmon
this time of year.
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My Dog Bones Playing Bass in Brittish Columbia!
10-17-06
Moved
To Niagara/Canada Travels Again/Nova Scotia Banjo Camp/Cruise Coming Up/Missed
the Storm
In June I closed on a house in Tonawanda, NY. I've never lived here before but I love it. My daughter is going to law school at Suny/Buffalo and that is how I arrived here. I'm a block from the Niagara River. Been hanging out at Niagara Falls, canoeing and kayaking, wow. I just realized how stupid that sounded, I should say, canoeing and kayaking, NOWHERE NEAR THE FALLS. I won't elaborate much more but I'm really happy here and it was all unexpected.
Yikes!
Travels
I toured with the British Columbia based band Hungry Hill again this summer. One place we played was in Dawson City, Yukon. The sun never went down, or barely. The weirdest thing I thought was the hottest part of the day was like 7:30 PM. That was an experience. I spent time in Whitehorse Yukon too and enjoyed that. Bob, our mandolin player let me drive the bus for awhile, I still have my CDL. I almost ran in to a herd of Buffalo on the Alaska highway, seriously, like 15 or 20 huge Buffalo just wandering the highway.
I had a funny story with a student I had never met or had contact with before. She emailed me kind out of the blue through the website. She wanted to know if I knew of any camps or teachers near her. She told me that she lived way up in the Yukon and it was hard to find instruction. I emailed her back and said….. no problem. LOL…I'll be there next week. I don't think that is what she was expecting. I knew it would make her laugh. Small world, aint it!
After I got home from the tour with Hungry Hill I drove up to Nova Scotia through Maine from Tonawanda. I played at a company party for a student that I met through the website. I put together a band and we had a great time. Then it was off to Nova Scotia to put on the first Nova Scotia Banjo Camp.
Wow, this is another unexpected story. I put together a great faculty, had a great location and facility, and was pumped up about it. However, two or three weeks before the camp I had only 12 or so students signed up. I was sweating it; I wasn't at the break even mark by any stretch but was still hopeful.
One
student in Nova Scotia named Keith Jollymore set up some media coverage.
First the Halifax Newspaper called me and did a long interview with me
and also another student, Lyle Goldberg who helped a whole bunch with
getting the word out. That generated a lot of interest and the registrations
started trickling in. Then Keith set me up to play live on TV on a show
called Live at 5, which goes to all the provinces out there. My relatives
in southern Nova Scotia even saw it. That experience was an adrenalin
adventure. 10 minutes before the show went live, the anchor decided that
he bet I could play their theme song, so I worked it up and went live
with it. I can't turn down a challenge I guess, I pulled it off, well,
I think I did...seriously, adrenalin is the secret I think. When I pick
banjo around the house, I feel lethargic and uninspired a lot, but as
soon as others are playing, or the tape is rolling or some kind of good
reason to try hard comes up, I do a lot better. Not sure if that is a
tip but it may make some sense to you.
Keith set me up with CBC radio too. One of the DJ's on CBC played banjo
and came to the camp too, he was great and did a follow up show on the
weekend too. What a great bunch of folks we had. Almost 40 students all
together. Thanks everyone who helped! Bill Keith was amazing all weekend.
He has been playing regularly and is chops were up. He reminded us all
of why he's the legend he is. I was really impressed. He wasn't resting
on his legend or laurels, he was ripping it up. Ian Perry was great too.
I've got him coming back next year, I hired him for the Banjo Cruise as
well. He is really a good teacher, hell of a guy, great player, I feel
like he is really the perfect person for a banjo workshop.
Anyway, the concert in town went well too so we are on for next year!!!! If you want an excuse for an awesome vacation in one of the most beautiful places in the world, please come next year, or if you're local, it's going to be even better this time around.
New Videos
I've gotten settled in my house and it's leading to me accomplishing some things for the website and allowing other instruction ideas to happen. I finished two Mel Bay books and I've started a new monthly newsletter with a free lesson video each month.
The
videos are amateur, filmed with your average Sony DVR camera with only
one angle…but…they are free and they should be very helpful.
So far I've been teaching some licks that I get a lot of questions about
or I see misplayed a lot. I hope they help. It's one way for me to keep
you all interested, progressing and learning new things.
Since I moved to Buffalo, all I get is snow jokes, I was actually starting
to get kind of sick of them. I was thinking how nice the weather had been,
how nice it is being near the water, and thinking basically that anyone
that thinks all it does is snow here is full of …...
Then this happens, I'll never live it down. Two feet in October! The most snow in October in 137 years! I was canoeing in shorts three days before this, no one will believe me! I'm looking out the window, it's going to be 63 and sunny tomorrow, will anyone remember that?.. no. Now every time when I'm performing and I get introduced from Buffalo, a chill will continue to go across the audience…I better get a sense of humor about it!
I got really lucky though, this has been a big tragedy here. I actually feel kind of guilty. I left Tonawanda at noon on Thursday for Ottawa, It started snowing at 2 PM. I got home Sunday night about 8PM. When I got home my electricity was on and the snow had all melted. As I was approaching my neighborhood Sunday night before I got to my house it was pitch black, no traffic lights working and somehow the electricity in my neighborhood was on. It was out for 36 hours here but was back by the time I got home.
I basically got off with about 20 minutes of picking up tree branches. I didn't even lose any food. I've been watching the news and I can't believe it. It's a federal disaster area just down the street practically.
There are 200,000 people still without power. I am so lucky, I don't even know how lucky I am. I would hate being without power right now or have water in the basement. I left my guitar leaning against the wall on the basement floor, that would have been gone.
OK, that's it for now, Coming up is a tour in New Brunswick and Saskatchewan, then to the Yukon again for recording.
I must have lived in AZ long enough to think going to cold weather is fun. I'll be in Tucson this winter too.
Thanks everyone, Ross Nickerson
Virginia, DVDs, Italy, British Columbia, Niagara Falls, Vancouver, Bowen Island, Spring Training, Tucson, Banjo Cruise, Florida!
Hello out there! I've been busy; I've recorded two new DVDs in VA in Feb and some new Online Lesson clips for streaming video. One of the DVDs is on playing by ear and learning more about and to play by the chords etc, and the other is a jamming DVD. They should be edited and completed in the next two to three months. I'm also finishing up three new books for Mel Bay and I'm going to edit some more videos for the member's site! I'm going to learn to edit the streaming videos myself so I can get them out when I want, and how I want. I have about 10 free songs and other lessons in the can ready for the site but not edited, hang in there, they may all come at once but they will be available soon! I've got so many projects near the completion point, but too many open! It will all come together (then I'll fool myself in to thinking the work will be over) but, guess what, I'll open even more projects up and the cycle will begin again! It always does. I remember when I was learning to fly, at every new pilot rating I thought life would be complete, then it was always another step to climb, that's life I guess, I doubt I'll ever stop trying to reach the next goal. I heard a great saying that should help a person like me. Achieve Happily, not, Achieve to be Happy. In other words, enjoy the process, because if you think it will make you happy when a project is done, the truth is, there will just be another goal to reach, It's a good thing I picked music, it's never ending, I'll never know as much as I want, or could, or think I can, there will always be a new song, a new lick, a new key, new scale, something I can't play as well as I should, a tone left to find. I hope it keeps me young instead of making me old....... My B-day is May 17th I'll be 49. Yeesch, I'm not getting any younger.
I went to Italy do you believe it?? What a trip, Venice, Rome, Capri,
Cinque Terre, Amalfi, kick ass, drove too, they drive crazy over there,
rented a scooter on Capri too, that's the pinnacle of anarchy on the streets.
It was a great trip, the prices were reasonable too, what an unbelievable
place to visit and see. Something everyone should do at least once, my
turn was three weeks ago!
I'm in Niagara Falls now, this is well kept secret. When I mention Buffalo, all people do is laugh and say, hope you like snow, what are you doing there????......This place is great, great people, beautiful water, no huge lines, no outrageous prices, no bull, what you see is what you get here. Hey, at this point in my life I can say I've been around, and this area is awesome. Of course I do go to AZ every winter so I guess I got a plan! I toured Canada for two weeks in March with Hungry Hill, BC Bluegrass Band, (another benefit of Buffalo, it's close to Canada) What a great group of people and musicians. I wish you could all see and hear that band, they are very good, hard working, professional.... and fun too. I'll be touring with them this summer in BC and Alberta. I joined them also in Bowen Island (Vancouver area) first week of April. That was a great experience.
The cruise went very well this year. Everything seems to work so well, especially from a practical standpoint. I learned a lot from the first one. I didn't have as many students this year but the ones that came I think really enjoyed themselves and learned a lot too. Next year is the Bahamas, sailing out of Florida.
I spent a week down in Florida in March doing some workshops and catching some baseball too. My friend and student Matt Ginter is with the Red Sox this year. He's pitching great, he brought one of his buddies Rudy Seanez to the workshop too, he's got 20 year in the major leagues, he plays guitar. Being a huge baseball and sports fan in general it's fascinating for me to see inside that world from a player's perspective. All of these guys were the best at what they do when they were growing up, when they hit the big leagues, all of a sudden everyone is like that, it must be a huge adjustment for them to be treated like a commodity that you can keep, sell, trade or discard.
I
made some practice CDs for myself tonight, can't wait to get out of the
office soon and hit the road with just the banjo! I can't get any practice
or playing in around the house it seems, too many distractions. With any
luck, I'll have the new DVDs edited, my books submitted to Mel Bay and
a bunch of new stuff for the member's site up before I head off for the
next adventure. Thanks! Till next time! Ross Nickerson
Christmas/Cruise/New Videos/Playing by Ear Workshops/Nova Scotia Banjo Camp
Hello Everyone,
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas season this year! I was very fortunate to have a great visit with my children, family and friends this year. With all the traveling I've been doing, this holiday season was perfect. We were all in Tucson, my daughter was home from college and my son even had a long break from the Air Force.
I've been working very hard over the holidays and this week on the cruise workshop schedule, writing some new books and making preparations for travel in the upcoming year.
I'm going in the studio to record two new DVDs, some new Online Lessons and other banjo projects in February. I have four days booked. The studio is tops, these new videos will have state of the art split screen and quality. I've also been recording some new songs her in Tucson that will be available as advanced tabs. Sorry folks, this time I'm not going to play it at three speeds, I'm going to play it at will. I think you'll enjoy the songs though and I'm going to make the recordings and tab available for all the arrangements.
I also launched a new series of workshops based on Playing By Ear and playing without tablature. It doesn't focus on not using tablature per say, but rather on how to use it more effectively, and play without it. There is a lot of instruction on how to use chords, playing by the chords as well as developing your overall ability too. Of course, things like, how to practice, what aids to use in practice, how much time on different aspects of your banjo playing, and lots more. The first one was in Phoenix, January 15th, 2006 and it seemed to really connect with everyone.
I've started the Nova Scotia Banjo Camp which will be held this year on August 11th, 12th and 13th. It's in a beautiful spot right on the ocean at a perfect facility for it too. I have myself and Ian Perry so far and I've asked Bill Keith, he wants too, he is now just checking on his availability. Check the workshop schedule for more details. I think it would make a wonderful excuse for a vacation to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton. All very easily accessible from the Sunrise trail where we'll be. I plan to put some time into having links to local attractions and more about there area as soon as I get to it at the website too.
I added a new format to the way I offer books or I should say I expanded on it. I now have several more of my books in E-Book form that you can download, but now I also have the CD Tracks you can download right off the net too. Makes for no shipping or waiting and you save money too this way. I also added some new online lessons and am really looking forward to the new ones I'm going to be filming in February too.
All in all, I've been really busy, but really enjoying all there is to do too. I hope everyone is progressing with their banjo playing and having fun with it. Keep checking the New Stuff page at the members site for new tabs, videos and other tips. Thanks again! Ross Nickerson
On the Road 10-14-05
Since I wrote last I’ve performed in the Baltimore area, Nova Scotia, Maine, NH, Germany, and Ireland. I’m on my way tomorrow to KY, and WV for several shows workshops and some live radio spots. Right now I’m on a plane coming back from visiting my daughter at law school in Buffalo, NY. I had a great time, they were having Indian summer there, it was 80 degrees today and the date was October 6th. I’m excited about this next tour down south and I’m also fitting in a little trip to perform with Jenny Lester and Hungry Hill in Canada the weekend of October 19th, 20th. Going to Vancouver and Edmonton. Then back to WV and heading down to Nashville for the International Bluegrass Music Association Trade show. This is the first time it’s being held in Nashville, I think it’s going to work out great. From there I have workshops in Oxford and Jackson, MS, Huntsville, AL, Asheville and Charlotte, NC, then back to Baltimore for a week and to upstate NY and Toronto in mid November. My son is going into the Air Force October 18th and graduates boot camp in 6 weeks after that so after NY, I’m heading to TX for his graduation. Then to Tucson for December and January, back to Baltimore and then on the 2nd Annual Banjo Cruise, Feb. 13th to 18th. After reading what I wrote I realize how much planning ahead this all takes.
Last few months highlights were Johnny Keenan Banjo Festival in Ireland and getting to hang out pick with banjo heroes of mine, Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka and Bill Keith. Also had a great summer this year traveling in Canada and New England and made some great new friends along the way.
Special Thanks to Chris Keenan, Kathy and the whole staff at the Johnny Keenan festival, banjo player Andy Glandt for setting up such a great tour n Germany, Susie McNutt and Junior Johnson in Nova Scotia, Jenny, Mark, Bob, Ann Louise and Matt from the Hungry Hill tour and to all the folks that help keep this show on the road!
8-05
Got a lot to write about coming up, but need a minute from driving!!!! EEEESHHH
Monday,
July 04, 2005
Greetings From Way Up North
Thought I write in a little on the Blog from way up north. It doesn't get dark where I was till Midnight! That's a first! You can still see a little light in the sky even at 1AM. I was in Fairview, Alberta. I had a funny coincidence. I was emailing with Murphy Henry about the upcoming Banjo Cruise. I had something to talk to her daughter Casey about too, she wrote back, Casey will call you when she gets back from Alberta, I said mmmm, I'm in Alberta, long story short, we were both playing the same place, ...a long...long way from home, I live for coincidences, that was a pretty good one.
We're on our way to Victoria on Vancouver Island to play at Butchart Gardens, that is supposed to be really something, people who have been there rave about it. Then to play at a big Island Music Festival, featuring a lot of different genres of music, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band too.
I love these kinds of coincidences too. I fellow came up to me at the festival in Fairview, Alberta. He said I just bought several of your books from banjoteacher.com. I didn't expect to see you here! He did look surprised! You never know the way I've been traveling lately I guess. It made me feel good though and it nice to say hi to a customer face to face too.
Been getting online pretty good up here, thank God, I was worried about it. The folks I'm traveling with ask me...doing ok?? They're wondering if the accommodations, transportation are ok, I'm thinking..The only thing I was worried about is Bones and getting online. So far Bones never had it so good and I'm staying connected, the cell phone works up here too, so I'm good!! Picking a lot of banjo as well, so not much to complain about, eh?????
Video of Ross Nickerson sitting in with Del McCoury Band at Calgary Folk Festival click here
I'll ask my video editor to get his butt going and get you some more video songs to work on. I recorded some improvising on John Henry too and maybe a couple of others, I'll get those up as well soon.
All for now, Thanks so much as always...and keep on picking.....and practicing...and more important...trying to improve and move forward!!!
Ross Nickerson....Bones Too
posted by Ross Nickerson and dog Bones at 8:32 PM | 0 comments
Thursday,
June 02, 2005
Wow!! My son just got the call
My son Jackson just now called and said...he got the call. He got the job he wanted in the Air Force. Air Traffic Controller. Ships out this fall, I'm happy for him, proud too!
6-05
Wow, going to spend most of the summer in Canada, who knew?? I got hired by Jenny Lester and her band Hungry Hill to tour with them in Western Canada this summer. I'm psyched! I filled in with them at the Sorrento Bluegrass camp I taught at in Canada last summer. They must have liked my stuff, I liked theirs. The band was solid, Jenny is a real talent, not just a practiced picker but someone who comes alive on stage, gets in front of people and transforms, I was impressed. She plays fiddle and guitar, sings of course, and has a lot of stage presence.
Then as soon as I get back home in late July I'm heading to Nova Scotia for the 32nd annual Bluegrass and Old time festival and also a few other gigs and R and R. Nova Scotia,.. ah, it's like going to Ireland without crossing the Atlantic, great people, really genuine, great scenery, ...summer visits only though..I ain't no fool.... Speaking of Ireland I'm playing in Ireland at the Johnny Keenan Banjo festival, if you been on the site, I guess you know, it's all over it. Hey what can I say, who wouldn't be excited, I hope I get to pick some with Bela or just talk to the guy, got a lot of respect for him and he's got it all, and he's also worked his ass of at it too.
Check out these pictures of Camden Yards. I'm a huge baseball fan and I've made another great friend through banjo teaching, Matt Ginter. Ginter pitches for the Tigers, he's not as famous as Clemens but you know he throws hard, to get to that level you have to be something special. He's a banjo fanatic just like you all must be too. He's going to beat me to having a platinum album. He recorded a song on a Major League Baseball CD of players doing all kinds of different songs. Him and his brother have a band and they recorded the old Dillard song, Dooley. They're selling the CD at the ball parks and most of the proceeds go to charity. He's pumped,... again who wouldn't be, he's living the dream, ain't he???
My Daugher Theo and I hit Niagra Falls 5-05. My dog Bones too!
5-05 I've been blogging on the Banjo Blog about my travels but had forgot to update this page! Since I logged on to this page last. I've been to San Diego, North Carolina, back to AZ and all the way across the country to Baltimore, Delaware, Virginia, Rhode Island. Tomorrow I'm off to PA and NY. My daughter is looking at law schools she got in to in Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Buffalo. She has lived her life in AZ so I guess that might explain why she's not looking at schools in warmer climates. Looks like I'm going to Canada for practically the whole summer. I've been asked to tour with Jenny Lester out in the west of Canada. Her band is from....well north of Edmonton....I met them at a camp I taught at last year in Canada and we hit it off....she's something special...great talent.... here's a link to her site..http://jennylester.com/. .then off to the Atlantic Provinces for the Nova Scotia Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival....then I'm staying around for some R and R in Nova Scotia and a few more gigs. Got to write some more music, I want to begin recording a new CD this fall. Going to Ireland and Germany in September and then heading south in October, and back out west in November...well in case I forget to update this page for a bit, we'll both know where I am and if I lose track of myself in this, I can check too. -:) 5-24-05
3-24-05- I'm off to Phoenix, for lessons and two shows, San Diego in two weeks. North Carolina next week.
2-25-05 Back home in Tucson, I'm staying put after postponing my San Diego workshop till April 9th. I still have room for any one in Southern Cal. I'd love to have you join us.
2-15-05
Back in Tucson as of 2-05, going to Vegas this weekend for fun. Haven't been there since they built a bunch of the new ones. Should be fun! Supposed to go to San Diego next weekend for a workshop but the enrollment has been kind of weak. What's up with that? If you're from So Cal, we need you! I may have to cancel, it's a long drive and they don't give hotel rooms away around there. I hope not. Tucson workshop the 5th of March, that one is doing well, and it's only 10 miles away. I guess I'll consider that too when I make a call on San Diego. I've only canceled one that I can remember since I began traveling and doing the workshops.
Check out the Banjo Blog if you want. I've been doing a lot more updating there.
1-11-06
I'm home!!! well kind of, be here 2 weeks
We just got back from Tucson, AZ, next stops, Newark, DE, Herndon, VA, Ft Lauderdale, Key West, Cozumel, (Banjo Cruise), Tucson, San Diego, Phoenix, Albq..(however the heck you spell it)