In May, 2004, I received an email about the possibility of getting an old band of ours, The Helium Brothers, back together to play a renuion gig. Miraculously, we were all able and interested - that gig took place, and a good time was had by all, but especially by the band.

By the time the four hour rehearsal and the three hour gig were over, I had actually worn a good deal of the twenty-five years of rust off of my playing, and some old abilities had begun to resurface.

Then in January, 2005, I got an email from the same person, who lives in Texas, that a local (to me) Yale bluegrass band, The Professors of Bluegrass, were looking for a banjo player to finish forming the third incarnation of this popular band. The trouble with Yale is that students actually graduate and move on, and the junior faculty, well, let’s just say they generally move on as well. So, it’s tough to keep a band together for very long.

Anyway, it turns out that the Professors of Bluegrass accepted me into the fold, and I am having a great time playing a little real bluegrass for a change.

The band has a new website, for anyone interested in checking it out:


The Professors of Bluegrass