Rockingham Road
Bruce Haney's Biography I am a Kingsport boy, and always enjoyed about any music, but it isn’t in my genes. I don’t remember anyone in my family playing anything, except my mom and a couple aunts could play piano a little. I remember watching the baseball game of the week on Saturdays with my dad, and after the game when he went to do something else I’d lay on the couch and watch Flatt and Scruggs on WCYB, I think it was. Who pays attention when they’re nine? Later on I did play in the high school band, but my only concern about my chair position was making sure it was under my butt. But it never occurred to me to actually play bluegrass till I was 27 and bought a mail order banjo for $125. I found a few folks to give me lessons. Not the famous ones that taught Brett; they all had the good sense to turn me down but I did learn some things from Fred Dean, Chris Walters and Keith Sims. I played banjo fairly regularly till my son was born and started crawling up in my lap to yank the strings off it when I played. Then I laid it down till he was 21 and not getting in my lap too much anymore, and took it up again. About that time my brother in law started nagging me to get a fiddle so he would have someone to practice with. 53 years old and never held one in my hands, but got started with Becky Buller, Megan Gregory and Dave Yates as my teachers. They encouraged me to get into the ETSU program, and it has been a great experience. Becky and Megan are two really fine players, and Dave is one of my all-timers as well, particularly on guitar. I don’t guess I really have a favorite player; just love ‘em all and when they get that good, I have trouble telling them apart, really. Like picking the best athlete you ever saw; they’re all so good, how can you possibly do it? But I got to meet Bobby Hicks when he showed some interest in a little invention for pickers I came up with, and I really enjoy his music. I go see Bobby play whenever I get a chance to do it and he’s just remarkable. If someone held a gun on me and made me pick a favorite, it would be hard to go against Bobby.
For information and/or bookings, call Jim Hunter at (423) 928-7914 |