You probably heard before coming here, but in case you hadn't - my banjo was stolen. (What is the world coming to?!) A few folks have been kind enough to ask if there's a way to help covering the costs, so I've made a gofundme. Anything you want to contribute would be much appreciated!

My banjo really meant a lot to me, and brought a lot of joy, laughter, and dancing. It was my grandpa’s banjo, and very special to me. I play it in my band, the Sassafras Swing Set, and have been playing for about 15 years in Texas. We’ve played swing dances, fundraisers, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, brunches, and Christmas parties, and spread a lot of cheer over the years. ☺️ And we're still going!

Really, my main instrument is my voice, but the banjo has become a big part of my music, and adds an important percussive element to our mix. Believe it or not, the banjo plays a big role in Dixieland music history. All of those old 1920's and 1930's bands had banjo's, playing more of a percussive role. I love passing that little tidbit of music history along through our music!

This has all caused unexpected headaches and expenses this holiday season. I have put in a police report in two counties, called and visited every pawn shop, second-hand instrument shop, and antique store I can think of. I've met a lot of friendly folks willing to help keep a look out, and I am still hoping to get my grandpa’s banjo back, but no luck yet! I may end up having to buy it back from someone. In the meantime, I’ve been shopping around, and found a quality tenor banjo for a very good deal. It looks like the costs of setup and everything will add up to around $1,000+. (Most nice banjo's are $2,000+)

I hesitate to ask for financial help, but on a more personal and vulnerable note, I'm a single mom, and have had a few extra medical bills this year. And of course, well, it's the holidays ($$$). Anything you want to contribute would be much appreciated!

Thank you for reading all of this! ❤️ Merry Christmas!

PS - Please continue to keep an eye out for the banjo in these photos! This is a very unique banjo, a four-string, Bruno Conqueror, with a very unique pattern. I have been to a few different states and worked with a lot of wonderful musicians and repair shops, and nobody had ever seen anything like it. If you see this pattern on a four-string, please put me in touch. Thank you!