Monroestock III the real story!!!!

[JW]

First for all of us that attended a big round of applause for Rick Crider. He really knows how to get things moving on these NC get togethers. Thanks a bunch Rick!!

Second A big thanks to Marion Holloway who I know went to great expence to do this thing. Not only does he bring out the gear and staff, the man knows how to put on the feedbag! Yes I did have a few cookies:roll: and he was even giving away free picks, or at least I think he was because I took about ten of them:) But Marion next time you slap my hand for signing a 814Ce please hit the other hand (hey it beside the others to be signed:roll: ) Also it was great that Holloways gave away a Baby Taylor that all signed (got some new signatures on mine as well) even Rick brought a baby to be signed for his son (yeah right Rick! that was for you) Three babys lined up just to throw ink at, what a great sight and I see a trend here.

My guess in the total attendance was upwards of 55-60 even though some left the house was still pretty full all day. JR had his SoundSeats and my wife even brought one from home just to make sure she had a comfy place to sit. JRs seats stayed occupied most of the day and I think he sold most of them before the night was over. people who sat in them all day were hooked. JR even has some new colors, even one in olive for you weekend commandos.

Now the Talent!! Yikes the house was full of it. Jim Tozier WOW that guy is from another plant!!! I'm not kidding the guy plays with so many capos his neck looks like a clothes line. Incredible!!!
TimmyPack has to be the most improved player over the year since I've heard him play last. My wife went out to find that boy a date and ran across a nice looking lady that said she would have dinner with Timmy but it turned out to be his Mom:roll: But really It was so nice to see Mother and Son spending time together. And all to lost art form called family values!! Very nice Family!!!
Rebecca (rejoice music) came all the way from CA just to attend this event. Poor thing had jet lag and was camping out over in the corner floor using one of JRs seat backs for a pillow. I sent my wife over to offer up my jacket for a blanket but was disappointed to find out the wife wanted me out of the jacket first:roll: Rebecca got moving and has that lady got some talent. Rebecca and Thumberlus (sp?) really put together a great first time performance!!! Thanks Laren for doing my song!! Whenever the crowd would take a break it was like a bunch of kids in a toy store. Just so much to play with and people to talk too people didn't want to sit back down. Rick de Fuer had to get the kiddies back in the seats. It was just a day filled with pure fun, fellowship and great guitars. How much better can it get? The door prizes! Some very nice prizes from a baby Taylor, Taylor guitar stand, straps, picks,T shirts and Taylor Aprons (I traded my taylor shirt for a Taylor apron). JR Baker was the lucky winner of the Baby. Whoooooo! I could just go on and on about the great stuff that went on at MonroestockIII. Even Micheal Woo fro Taylor showed up. It would take me three hours to go over the days events but the only bad thing was it ended (and Babbus Pakistani Restraunt but that another story GAG!:roll: )

Special thanks go out to my friend Capt Bill Nichols, If not for his persistance in my going to this event I would have really missed something special. Because he gave me corage to get away from my doctors my wife and I threw a 7 hour yard sale in order to go and had the money to stay at a motel and all the expences. We even bought the wife a new Baby Taylor from marion before we left. He made us a great deal on it and now my wife is back to playing and like JR is a Taylor owner. Bill from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all the encoragement! Thank you even more for showing up for this event so we could meet you face to face. I don't know who went the most balistic to meet you, my wife or JR Baker. It's a good thing you didn't get caught between those two.

I just want to thank any and everyone for being so nice and treating us like family. There isn't a better group anywhere. Here is to MonroestockIV may it be even bigger. I had a great weekend!!! JW

[Bill Nichols (CaptBill)]

Originally posted by JW
I had a great weekend!!! JW

If nothing else at all had taken place just those words alone would have made the long drive worthwhile. :)

But, of course, there were so many things that made it great!

I feel like a wealthy man today to have so many folks that I can call Friends. :)

see ya....
http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/contrib/legionxs/wavey.gif

[CRITTER]

And may I say it was a pleasure meeting you JW, I was glad I got to add my signature to your already popular baby. What a day.

[lcogginz]

JW;

I'm sure we all enjoyed seeing you and that lovely K14 again, and your comic relief was certainly welcome! Enjoy those lucky charms and that Irish Spring soap. ;) Glad you enjoyed City of New Orleans--I was trying to redeem myself at that point!

Glad you and Mrs. JW had a safe trip home--


Lauren

[JW]

Originally posted by lcogginz
JW;

Glad you enjoyed City of New Orleans--I was trying to redeem myself at that point!

Lauren I always enjoy the City of new orleans, Great job with it !!!! As for redeeming yourself I thought the first song was halarious, I know how tough it is to pick it back up when you stumble and you did great. I was cracking up listening to the song. I have to wonder how many people really paid attention to the words. Thats one I would love to add to my play list. You did super!!! JW

[wthurman]

Originally posted by lcogginz
I was trying to redeem myself at that point!

Glad you and Mrs. JW had a safe trip home--


Lauren

I'm STILL trying to redeem myself! You did great, Lauren.

For me, Open Mic was one of those mixed emotion things... pure pleasure to be in front of people with whom I immediately felt a bond... and pure torture to be giving one of my worst performances in recent memory.

You faltered... I had to completely give up on a song I've been playing for 18 years(!!!)... wrote out lyrics to a couple of new tunes and left them at the hotel... got a wave of missing a loved one trying to perform another song... and my mouth felt like it was coated with silica gel with a touch of sandpaper stuck in my throat. The only thing that didn't happen was that I didn't break a nail.

Well, it's good for the soul to screw up badly now and then. For real. It helps give us humility, and reminds us that practice is a GOOD thing.

Seriously, you did great (and City of New Orleans is such a GREAT tune!) You have a natural, wonderfully expressive voice. In fact, I have to say I enjoyed everyone's performances VERY much.

Highlights for me were meeting you, JR, JW, Capt. Bill, Doc, Jim, Rebecca, Cocobolo Guy, Tom, Rick, Tim, Jennifer, Chris, and all the people I'm too tired to list at the moment.

My bed calleth... 4:30 comes early every single morning.

Oh, and JW? It was great to meet you and Mrs. JW. You are a couple of very special folks.

[Bill Nichols (CaptBill)]

Lauren...I thought you were great! especially the first tune, it was terrific!!

Wade...stumbles are OK as long as you don't quit. You kept performing and were terrific. Really great original tunes.
I thought that the last tune you did was exceptionally good.

[lcogginz]

Wade, JW and Capt. Bill;

Thanks for the kind words (read: mercy). ;) I enjoyed seeing/hearing everyone perform, especially deltoid's version of "Over the Rainbow," Jim Tozier's fingerstyle tunes, and Wade's songs. Wade, I too really enjoyed the last one you did, which you prefaced with the comparison to Open Mic here on the forum. It was an astute song, and very nice.

Bill, it was a treat to meet you as well, and more so since I didn't think you were going to be able to make it (as of the last post I'd read prior to driving down there yesterday). You and the other folks who came from so far are, for me, what made this one so special--I think Monroestock, as JW has called it, is a good name!

Also--Doc Jacobs, it was great meeting you and I enjoyed your sleight-of-hand. ;)


Lauren

[Rejoice Music]

Thanks to all that gave me sweet words of encouragement here. It was truly awesome to meet you all. Each one of you are such very special people. I also thoroughly enjoyed hearing all of you Open Mic-er's too! Special thanks to Thurmabus for allowing me to sing his beautiful song with him.

Of course, thank you to Rick Crider and Marion Holloway, without whom this event could not have happened. (More stated about them in Open Mic.)

Once again, I'd like to thank J.R. Rogers for starting this forum, which has enabled all of us to meet such great folks who all have so much in common, that would have never met otherwise. I feel as though the friendships we are forming here and at these gatherings are friendships for life.

JW, you and your wife were a blessing to us all! :) :) :) :)

[cocobolo_guy]

For me,It (monroe-stock3)was everything I hoped for and expected and then some.As I stated at open mike,"it truely is a pleasure to make each and everyones acquaintence".I meant everyword of it.I tried to speak to or at least nod to everyone.Everyone`s music was embraced and appreciated.On a personal note I must say I NEEDED this weekend,as a parent of two great teenaged boy`s,the pressure`s of being a parent over time can really build up.It was nice to let loose and do something just for me.I haven`t enjoyed something so much,smiled as much and laughed as much (dinner)in along time.I can`t possibly remember everyones name and if I miss yours I`m sorry....Thanks Rick and Marion for a labor of love well done.To CDT and Deltoid who are my Winston-Salem neighbors it`s nice to have you as friends.Jim Tozier (wow).Cakes,Thurmabus,JW and Mrs JW,JR,critter,Stan,Doc Jacobs,it was an absolute thrill to get to know ya.Rejoice music, you came from so darn far away,thank you,we were all blessed.Capt Bill,lcogginz,jmeinel,TimB,squintbro,bnjp,Mr and Mrs tbondo,wjpjr,thanks.Last but not least Timmy Pack,your love of our Lord Jesus Christ and your youthful enthusiasim is wonderful,drive on brother,you`ll bring many into the fold.I know there`s others and I`m sorry I can`t remember everyone. Remember if it wasn`t for a nerdy kid who wanted to build guitars almost 30 years ago we wouldn`t have had this oppertunity to get to know one another,thanks Uncle Bob.Until we all meet again GOD BLESS you all.........Bobby Kiger aka cocobolo_guy

PS.I would like some critique on the U2 song I performed at open mike....thanks cg

[Cakes]

Originally posted by cocobolo_guy
[snip]....
PS.I would like some critique on the U2 song I performed at open mike....thanks cg

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was awesome! What tuning did you use? Sorry I can't give a better critique but I really enjoyed it and thought you chose really nice (and original sounding) chords. Was that your arrangement? I suppose we didn't chat too much, but I'm glad I got to meet you, none-the-less. Looking forward to the next one!

John

[deltoid]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by lcogginz
[B]Wade, JW and Capt. Bill;

...I enjoyed seeing/hearing everyone perform, especially deltoid's version of "Over the Rainbow," Jim Tozier's fingerstyle tunes, .....


Thanks Lauren. I enjoyed your first tune immensely, I'm wish I could have stayed for the rest. (had to be back in Winston)

[cocobolo_guy]

Cakes,I was in dadgad tuning. when I get the chance I`ll tab it for ya and email it to you....CG

[Rejoice Music]

Cocobolo_guy.........thanks for being such a good sport during my (attempted) 'percussion accompaniment' ;).

I thoroughly enjoyed your playing, and promise to bring some 'real' percussion instruments next time! :roll:

(Everyone's 'discretion' appreciated here! ;) )

[cocobolo_guy]

Thanks RM,looking forward to next time......:roll: ......CG

[Doc Jacobs]

CG.... U2 was wonderful. Lots of emotion (which is what made it)!!!! A very nice performance.

Doc