Larry Garrett's Family-Friendly-Music      

I play multiple instruments: guitar, dobro, banjo, harmonica, psaltery, dulcimer, banjo, and I'm working on the mandolin and thinking of the concertina. I'm not Chet Atkins on any of them, but can play well enough for what I want to do.

It seems to me that if you are a folk musician, that playing more than one instrument becomes a real desire. Not because you have to do it, or even need to in-order to perform your music, but simply because each folk insturment tends to lead to another folk instrument that you've heard in a song. The guitar leads to a banjo, then to a dobro, and since I can't play a fiddle I got a psaltery (which is far easier to play). The harmonica was a "must" because folk music and a harmonica go together as well as a guitar and folk. Dylan often plays a harmonica. Cash used it too. The dulcimer came along because I think it has a primitive and folksy sound. Mandolins have been around for ages, and the concertina (also known as a "music box") is an awesome little accordian that adds that "something extra" to any song. Basically, all of these instruments blend together very smoothly. Kind of as if they were made to be together.

While I typically use a guitar in most settings, I find myself also bringing along my dobro and/or banjo more and more. The harmonica is always there too.

contact me at larrygarrett@yahoo.com