Erv Troyer

I've been playing guitar for 40+ years and still learning.

I grew up in a musical family, although the only instruments we had were a few harmonicas. Dad, Mom, and six sisters were all singers - mostly gospel and 1930 era country. I bought a cheap guitar when I was 18 and I played that thing till I got blisters - then kept playing till I got calluses. For years I picked only melodies - had no use for chords, since I didn't sing at all.

Then I started going to bluegrass festivals and jams about 12 years ago, and I can't fully express how much that has helped my playing, and my enjoyment of making music. I liked listening to a couple (Dennis and Norma Jean) that played at the Northern Indiana Bluegrass Festival, and sometimes I sang along with them. Norma Jean kept encouraging me to do a song, so I finally did Don Williams' "Amanda". That started a whole new phase in my music - I now have a notebook of over 200 songs that I do. I also like to play leads and do harmony picking behind others.

I have a "sometimes" band, just whoever I can put together to do a show, and I play electric lead at some of these.