. . . we grew up in the NY Capital District area, in music and dance-influenced families, and live on the remains of a small apple orchard in upstate, NY.

Like most musicians, we haven't quit our day jobs, and we love to play whenever we can. Whether it's playing for wedding receptions, community events, back yard parties or just busking at a market, it brings us joy to see others enjoy what we do.

How did we get into all this, when we didn't even know what traditional fiddle music was?

Blame it on the fiddle.

Jim inhearited his grandmother's violin, years after we were married. Though both of us played guitar, and we'd sung at churches and Christian coffeehouses, neither one of us had any idea of what to do with the fiddle, and so it sat for a while until our daughter began taking violin lessons in school.  That sparked an interest in me getting out the old violin, getting it fixed up, and taking lessons of my own. But my interest wasn't in classical music. Instead, I answered an ad for old-time fiddle lessons, which were nearby. Since I'd learned guitar on my own and played by ear, picking up tunes on the fiddle wasn't too hard. But a job change took us from the area, and the fiddle took a back seat to moving, keeping up with the kids, and life in general. Plus, we had no idea how to connect with other traditional musicians, or that there were jams or festivals for such music --- until we moved back to the Capital District area.

We attended a local dulcimer festival, enjoyed the music, and went to our first jam.  There we met a woman who, that night, led us to a nearby weekly fiddle music gathering  (Fiddlers Tour), where beginners and pros alike were both welcome. We stepped in as beginners, eyes and ears wide open, and the people there became our music "family" for several years.

Within the first few jam sessions, Paul Rosenberg (jam leader and local dance caller), noticed Jim's solid rhythm guitar playing (did I mention he was also a drummer?), and asked if he'd play for an upcoming family dance, using mostly tunes from the jam session. After the gig, Jim became the permanant guitarist for Paul's band, "Tame Rutabaga." I tagged along, playing on the side, listening to the lead fiddler and quietly working out the tunes on my fiddle. In a few years, I became a permanant band member.

That's over a dozen years and hundreds of dances ago. We still play for Paul for family, contra, and community dances. We owe him a much for taking us on and drawing us into this music and dance journey. Through the years, we've ended up in several different bands, formed with fellow jam members, and are currently playing with the Tamarack Band and The FireFlies, as well as just our "add-in" duo, TuneFolk.

We're still learning, and we couldn't be happier -- well, except for the fact that we became grandparents. It's our hope to pass this music tradition on to our grandsons. We started by giving our first grandson his own tune when he was born - Liam's Jig. Now to write one for his new brother.

As you can see, we're licensed to play in New York. We also travel to western MA, VT, and CT, as well as areas south, north and west of Albany/Saratoga region.

Can't say enough about jamming with other musicians, especially those who are more advanced. Years of jamming is how we developed the list of hundreds of tunes we play, as well as increased our abilities on our own instruments.

 Jamming is a great way to boost your tune knowledge, pick up different styles or versions of tunes, learn new playing techniques (by listening /watching others around you), and meet good folks. Local jams and traditional music information can be found at: www.fiddlerstour.com, and www.tri-city-trad.org, two area groups who encourage learning and enjoying traditional music in the Capital District area. Or do a web search for "jam" and then the city or town closest to you.

Jams can be open to anything, or pretty specific on what style of music they play, so be aware of the type of jam it is (Celtic only, or Bluegrass only, etc).  Don't overplay the group in volume. Tune, tune, tune your instrument, several times a night, if you have to (it helps everyone around you, and your own playing).  Record the session, if it's allowed, so you can practice at home. Visit often, or try out other jams in the area for tune and musician variety.  Keep trying, if you don't get it right away. It takes time, and a desire to learn. You'll get there.

Traditional music is all about learning and passing on what you've learned. Music has been handed down through generations, from back porches and kitchens, to pubs and taverns around the world. Jams are not performances. They are not perfect. But they are a wonderful way to keep the music flowing.

All we can say is -- find your instrument, follow your musical dream, and pass it on.