Barefoot Pete's Musical Interests
My main musical interests are old-time, bluegrass, folk, and Renaissance Festival music. I was really into bluegrass music bigtime for a long time, but I haven't been going to any bluegrass festivals or jam sessions lately. I've been to most music festivals in central and northern Florida. I also like going to the mountains of North Carolina and East Tennessee to play music with old friends... or new ones.
As far as music goes, I guess you'd have to call me a bass player because that's the only instrument I get paid to play on a regular basis. I've been in too many bands over the years to mention them all. The band I played with most recently was The Original Simple Gifts of the Universe, which should never be confused with other groups with similar names from up north. I used to be a regular at the Tennessee Fall Homecoming I usually played with The Stewart Family Band. Billy and Helen Stewart were members of the Grand Ole' Opry.
A few years ago I was riding in a car when it hit the ditch going 65 MPH and then rolled over 2 1/2 times. Since then I've had a lot of problems with my neck and back making it physically painful to play music so I've pretty much retired from the business and gone back to being a fan. I still like play a bit now and then.
My upright bass is a 1/4 size (yes, I said ONE-quarter) Kay bass, made sometime in the early 60's. You can see a picture of me and my Kay bass somewhere on this site. I also have a Gibson Les Paul Vintage Cherry electric bass (reissue) and a Guild acoustic bass guitar with a gorgeous sunburst finish. My latest bass aquisition is an Ashbury. See my general information page for a picture of this interesting little bass with a big sound. I usually use a Gallien-Krueger MB150E amp. A good site with a ton of information about basses and scads (when's the last time you heard that word?) of links to bass related sites is Bob Gollihur's site, be sure to check it out.
In addition to my basses, I've also got a couple fiddles, a couple mandolins, a Martin HD28 guitar, a cheap banjo, an old Dobro, a lap dulcimer, a hammered dulcimer, and a few other miscellaneous instruments such as a penny whistle and an ocarina. A few years ago I got myself an autoharp for my birthday. It's a nice Oscar Schmidt OS110 21 FN. It's a limited edition model with a beautiful flamed maple top. If you look around my place you'll probably find a few other musical instruments hidden in the nooks and crannies.
Here's a picture of Ted Locke (fiddle), Don Ripple (guitar), Bruce Kistler (mandolin), and Barefoot Pete playing the bass at closing day of Carl Allen's Historical Cafe in Auburndale, Florida, in May of 1998.
Carl Allen, rest in peace my old friend.
Some of My Music Friends:
Shae Laurel
A great little family band from California. I met them at
when they were performing at Busch Gardens Summer Nights. They're a
talented bunch of people and
darned nice, too. I've adopted them into my extended family. Hey
guys... Uncle Pete loves you!
Cuban
Sandwich
Crises
If you get a chance to see this band tell The Dave that Barefoot Pete
sent you and he'll probably say "Who?".
Lush
Progress
Drew was one of my favorite performers at Busch Gardens in the Jammin'
show. The show went dark after their last performance on October 3,
2004. Anyway, this is one of his personal projects. Drew recently
returned to Busch as a guitar player in the Moroccan Roll show.
The Original Simple
Gifts of the Universe
A. K. A. the band I played with for almost a decade.
Hammered Dulcimer & Autoharp from Tampa, FL
Lowry Olafson
Singer-songwriter from Vancouver, BC
Kate
Carpenter
Folksinger, Songwriter & Storyteller from
Jacksonville, FL
Travis LeDoyt
I met him when he was performing at Busch Gardens in the summer of
2004. He's a most entertaining singer. NOT your typical Elvis
impersonator...
Wayne
Fishell
Singer-songwriter from Atlanta, GA. An interesting guy
singing interesting songs.
Darren Romeo
My favorite singing magician.
Huzzah!
I beseech thee to attend...
Bay
Area Renaissance Festival
(AKA B. A. R. F.) in Tampa, Florida
Weekends starting in late February thru early April
You'll see: Men in tights! Great music! Great comedy! Men in tights! Beautiful art! Great food! Men in tights! Swordfights! Human chess match! Jousting! And did I mention men in tights?
You may also see me doing the wandering minstrel thing with my fiddle or mandolin if I'm up to it, otherwise I'll just be hanging around harrassing the performers and vendors unless I'm out Rat Pucking...
If you go you'll have a rousing good time and you may see some of my...
Favorite Renaissance Performers:
My favorite renaissance festival performer, Emrys Fleet, the Ratcatcher. You can see some pictures I took of the Ratcatcher if you click HERE. And don't forget to visit The Official Emrys Fleet Web Site.
Featuring the Loony Lucy, the love of my life.
Other Great Musicians
Brollywacker a.k.a. Old Soles
Craig Broers
Jim Hancock
Cantiga
Burly Minstrels
and many others too numerous to list here.
Favorite Music Festivals
Fiddler's
Grove
Union Grove, NC
(Just north of Statesville)
A great festival featuring old-time and bluegrass music.
Tennessee Fall
Homecoming
The Museum of Appalachia, Norris, TN
(Just north of Knoxville)
You may see me there playing with the Stewart Family Band.
Favorite Music Store
Celestial
Mountain Music
Brevard N.C.
Favorite Fiddlers
J. P. Fraley
Charlie Acuff
Ruth (Hammer) Hawkins
Gone...but not forgotten:
John Hartford
Wilson Douglas
Clark Kessinger
Buddy Thomas
Other Music Links
Two great festivals, The Florida Old Time Music Championships and The Sertoma Bluegrass Festival take place at the Sertoma Youth Ranch located between Brooksville and Dade City, FL. (In the middle of nowhere, a bit north of Tampa)
WMNF,
88.5 FM,Tampa, FL
A great little community radio station. It's located on the far left side of your radio dial.