THANKS FOR STOPPING TO VIEW MY PAGE.  IF YOU HAVE EVER  THOUGHT ABOUT LEARNING TO PLAY THE 5 STRING BANJO, YOU ARE AT THE RIGHT PLACE.  WHAT ARE MY QUALIFICATIONS?  I RETIRED IN 2002 AFTER SERVING WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY PATROL FOR 30.7 YEARS.  I TAUGHT IN THE PATROL’S DEFENSIVE, PRECISION AND HIGH SPEED DRIVING PROGRAM FOR 10 OF THOSE YEARS.  UPON RETIREMENT, I BEGAN TEACHING THE BANJO.  I TEACH IN A CLASSROOM SETTING AND MY LESSONS ARE TAUGHT ONE ON ONE.  MY YOUNGEST STUDENT BEGAN AT AGE SIX AND MY OLDEST STARTED AT AGE SIXTY EIGHT.  MY INFLUENCES ARE STEVE DILLING, BEN GREENE, RANDY SMITH AND RON HATLEY.  I TEACH SCRUGGS STYLE UTILIZING TABLATURE.

MY LESSONS ARE TAUGHT WEEKLY FOR 45 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE STUDENT DEMONSTRATES HIS/HER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LESSON.  I DO NOT WATCH A CLOCK OR RUSH STUDENTS OUT THE DOOR.  I EXPECT THEM TO COME PREPARED, EXPECTING TO LEARN AND HAVE FUN.  I AM FLEXIBLE WITH SCHEDULES AND WILLING TO ACCOMMODATE MY  STUDENT’S BUSY ROUTINE.

I AM MARRIED, HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND A GRANDCHILD.  MY WIFE AND I ATTEND WIGHTMAN METHODIST CHURCH.  I AM A PAST MASTER OF STANLY LODGE #348 AF&AM IN ALBEMARLE AND A 32ND DEGREE SCOTTISH RITE MASON.

NOW YOU KNOW WHO I AM AND WHAT I’M ABOUT.  THE NEXT STEP IS UP TO YOU.  YOUR PROGRESS STARTS AS SOON AS YOU MAKE CONTACT WITH ME.  TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT, ASK QUESTIONS OR JUST TALK BANJOS CONTACT ME AT jatwater88@yahoo.com ON FACEBOOK.  FROM TIME TO TIME, I HAVE BANJOS FOR SALE.  BE SURE TO ASK WHEN YOU CONTACT ME.  THE BANJO IN THE PHOTO ABOVE IS CURRENTLY FOR SALE.  IT IS A 2003 GIBSON GRANADA.  IT HAS A MCPEAKE RING IN IT AND HAS BEEN USED TO RECORD WITH BY STEVE DILLING OF IIIRD TYME OUT.