Ah, 'tis a Funny World

Marty Pollard · Post by **Marty Pollard** » 29 Jul 2005 8:19 pm

I entered the b@nj0 contest at Rockygrass this morning and didn't even place.
I entered the dobro contest and made the finals! I mean, I wasn't even playing
a real SONG; I was just NOODLING fer cryin' out loud.

For the b@nj0 contest I worried and fretted and lost sleep and practiced and considered song selection/order and which licks are hot and which too tired/cliched/overused and whether more or less melodic and more or less Scruggs and more or less Reno/Osborne/Fleck et al. And where's that damn toilet and can I get there and back before I'm up? And GOD, I'm thirsty and it's SOOO hot and is this thing in TUNE?!?

Nothing; big fat NOTHING! Couldn't even make the top three! Lost out to some ok; just OK, players! DAMN!!! Wish I could get back my $15 entry fee for the dobro contest, well at least there's only four of us. If anyone sux worse than me, I'll be in the money.

By the time the contest rolls around, 8 more have signed up! sigh... I've just gotten relieved from duty (I'm a volunteer) and get to the stage with no time to spare.
I'm second up w/no accompaniment; just make some s*** up and get out of this heat and take Robyn to Boulder to eat some gourmet Eyetalian food on Pearl Street mall. Didn't even stick around to listen the competition.

Back from Boulder; go check the finals sheet; double take; yep, Marty Pollard and two other guys who probably know how to play the dobro.
Now what?!? Make up two more 'songs' in 14 hours?

Well, I'm guaranteed at least a $50 prize for 3rd but if I get first they
better have a defibrilator standing by!!!

P.S. I would have posted this on No Peddlars but I've never been there and I think it's kinda scary so I don't go (so it's safe for you Marty haters).

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 30 Jul 2005 2:32 am

Is it a bakelite banjo?

If you win Dobro, you should definitely post on non-pedals; I think they'd like you.

Seriously, good luck; I admire your pluck.
(Is that a pun? I admire your plectrum?)

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 30 Jul 2005 4:58 am

I'd much rather listen to a good musician "noodling" than a bad musician playing the best song in the world.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 30 Jul 2005 5:14 am

Amen, Dave!

Marty Pollard · Post by **Marty Pollard** » 30 Jul 2005 10:35 am

Well, just returned home with a brand new Jerry Douglas model Dobro w/Fishman installed. My Lebeda is brighter on top and rounder on bottom so really, I prefer it's (does that apostrophe belong there?) tone to that of the Dobro; the Dobro is more muddy and midrangy. I installed a McIntyre feather in the Lebeda a few months back but haven't plugged in the Dobro yet to compare the Fishman. If I like the Fishman better, I may switch the pickups and keep the Lebeda and sell the Dobro. Dunno...

Now I have to go back to my volunteer station at the recycle bins from 2-6.

dang b@nj0 players

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 30 Jul 2005 11:14 am

Marty -- congratulations!

it's (does that apostrophe belong there?)

No, "it's" is a contraction of "it" and "is." That's [that is] the only time an apostrophe is needed with pronouns.

The way I used to use to try to remember this is that the other possessive pronouns like, "yours" "his" "hers" "theirs" "our" "whose" "anyones" don't need an apostrophe.

Hope that helps.

[This message was edited by Tom Olson on 30 July 2005 at 12:16 PM.]

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 30 Jul 2005 11:32 am

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>I entered the b@nj0 contest at Rockygrass this morning and didn't even place.
I entered the dobro contest and made the finals!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Take it as an omen, Marty. Time for that perfect pitch.

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 30 Jul 2005 11:37 am

Maybe he was just trying T00 h@rD.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 30 Jul 2005 12:28 pm

Congratulation Marty, rotten luck on the b@njo.

When "it" is possessive, I believe the apostrophe goes after the S like so: its'.

It seems to be modern style to just drop the apostrophe in this case now.

You asked.

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 30 Jul 2005 12:39 pm

So Marty, I haven't been to a banjo contest since hmmm 1977. What kinda tunes are being played and after you view my video below, tell me if you think I would have a chance?
http://www.desperate-measure.com/garylee/Balad-Of-Jed-Clampet.wmv

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 30 Jul 2005 4:15 pm

Jim, Jim, Jim... no apostrophe.
I know; it's because we're so excited that a banjo player could win the Dobro contest, and has even bought a competition axe.

(So seldom do I have a chance to be right here, I couldn't resist.)

Marty Pollard · Post by **Marty Pollard** » 30 Jul 2005 5:06 pm

Gary, I'll have to listen from Windows; I don't have a .wmv plugin for Linux yet.
They're ripping it up pretty good though; I don't even know if you could call them triplets, they're more like SIXlets!

The winner though, was a ringer; he took Winfield a couple years ago.

I was walking by the Gibson booth and the rep said, "So, how's that new Dobro workin' out for you?" I told him, "I like it but wish it had been that one right there, the curly maple one with the fancy inlays."
He says, "Go get it and I'll trade you straight up."
I said, "No ****?"
He said, "No ****!"
So I did!

No pickup though so I'm gonna call him next week and see if I can get him to give me a freebie.

Who said, 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth'?

Who wants a Lebeda?

Anyway, thanx guys!

Now to the important business; don't you use an apostrophe to signify possession and well as a conjunction?
Like- Marty's new Dobro
no... that doesn't look right either...

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 30 Jul 2005 5:42 pm

Hey Marty, here are a couple of PICS of my Beard I picked up a few months ago.

.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 30 Jul 2005 6:29 pm

Marty,

ET or JI??

Nice going...

Donna Dodd · Post by **Donna Dodd** » 30 Jul 2005 6:52 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Now to the important business; don't you use an apostrophe to signify possession and well as a conjunction?
Like- Marty's new Dobro
no... that doesn't look right either...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, to signify possession EXCEPT with pronouns. Conjunction, no. Contraction, yes.

Example:
Noun – (Marty’s) new dobro
Pronoun – (His) dobro
Pronoun –(Its) new dobro (providing IT has a dobro – sorry, not a good example)

Contraction – (It’s) a dobro!
Conjunction – Marty (and) Steve both play dobro.

However, who cares – as long as it’s not in all caps???

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 30 Jul 2005 7:09 pm

Donna---Marty and Steve both play banjo's, too!!!

Post by **b0b** » 30 Jul 2005 7:50 pm

I thought the plural was banjoes.

Post by **b0b** » 30 Jul 2005 7:51 pm

Oops. I meant dobros.

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 30 Jul 2005 11:39 pm

bOb, which perfect pitch were you talking about? The one about the toil... never mind.

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 31 Jul 2005 12:48 am

Charlie and Donna are correct about "its", as far as I can tell from what I've been able to find online in English Grammar sites.

I really could swear that in English class they taught that the apostrophe came after the S on its, when it is a possessive, and with other words too, and English was one of my best classes, always an "A". Maybe that's what they taught back then, or in that area, or the teacher I remember this from was crazy... or I am...

Doesn't matter. No apostrophe, at least not anymore, so I'll go with that.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 31 July 2005 at 01:51 AM.]

Archie Nicol · Post by **Archie Nicol** » 31 Jul 2005 2:27 am

Ah huvnae goat a scooby whit yooze ur goan oan aboot?

Donna Dodd · Post by **Donna Dodd** » 31 Jul 2005 4:20 am

(There) are two (banjos) on the stage.
One is (Marty’s). The other is (Steve’s).
Marty and Steve will be playing (their) banjos.
(Who’s) going to tell them (they’re) out of tune?
(Whose) turn is it?

Question for Tom Olson – Is it acceptable to use an apostrophe with Nouns to indicate possession AND to form a contraction? Probably not, but I think you would know.
Example:
(possession) - Marty’s new red banjo is a real beauty!
(as a contraction for "Marty is") - Marty’s going to be playing his red banjo tonight.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 31 Jul 2005 5:29 am

Bob - Could the plural for banjo be banji?

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 31 Jul 2005 5:39 am

and could it be "Revenge of the Banji"?

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 31 Jul 2005 5:41 am

....(possession) - Marty’s new red banjo is a real beauty!....

A rule I was taught in school is if in doubt about the proper location of an apostrophe, try to use it in a sentence, as in:

"Marty is new red banjo is a real beauty"

Obviously a contraction is not (isn't) correct in the above sentence, so I was taught that a possessive apostrophe should be used after the "s".

Am example of non-use of the apostrophe would be:

"Martys reluctance to play his new red banjo was obvious".

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