Creativity requires  some experimentation, lots of practice, and most of all motivation.

Four friends and the occasional stand-in known as the Alligator String Band have been putting their artistic spirits to work for some time now.

The band’s members include:
The members of the band in these photos (from left to right) include:

Andy Keeler (banjo)

Ron Cerimele (bass)

Carol Lee (guitar and vocals)

Frances Smyth (fiddle and vocals)

 

Other sometimes members of the group include:

Jack Donoghue (banjo)

Bill Davenport (guitar)

James Stone (guitar)

“I used to play with groups in Tarboro. Bill and I moved down four years ago full-time and I did not have anybody to play with. Feather Phillips knew Andy and at a Pocosin Arts event put the two of us together. Andy and I started playing fiddle and banjo together two and a half years ago,” said Smyth in a June 13 interview

Keeler and Smyth felt the need to expand.

“After we played together for a couple of months it was real clear we were enjoying it but we needed more instruments,” said Smyth.

Smyth knew that Cerimele played a variety of instruments from cello to keyboard.

“I also knew that Carol played guitar. I asked her if she wanted to play,” said Smyth.

Gradually a group started to come to Smyth’s house in Alligator just once a week.

“It was rough. It was real rough. Then Jack Donoghue, who plays the banjo here in town got hold of this and he wanted to come play as well,” said Smyth.

The group kept played the same songs over and over until they could really master them.

There has been improvement over time.

“Everybody has learned to play the music and learned to play with someone else which is hard to do. Each of us brought experience with different styles of music,” said Smyth.

The band has played at the Scuppernong River Festival in 2013 and at the Old Salt Oyster Bar May 30, and at the Pocosin Arts Cabin Fever Reliever in February.

Some of the members of the Alligator String Band will be playing at the First Baptist Church in Plymouth for “Singspiration” June 29 at 7p.m.”

Performing live has been of course a switch from playing together inside a person’s house.

“The bigger difference for me is that it is not in our usual space. We are still playing together but we are in a different room. My favorite thing though is watching the children dance,” said Lee.

The band practices Wednesday nights at the St. Andrews Episcopal Church.

“Since we practice there, people from the community come by. People bring their children. People bring their out of town guests and they sit in the corner and listen,” said Smyth.

It is still hard to pin down a style for the band.

“We started with pretty heavy blue grass. Now we have brought in blues, Americana, and folk,” said Lee.

Smyth and Lee are singing together and developing harmonies.

“That is bringing a lot more of a vocal repertoire into the group. So we can branch out from traditional instrumental old-time music to anything,” said Smyth.

The band has made quantum leaps in the last year in skill level.

“That process is happening fast. We are all adult music students. We are all musicians who have done this as a hobby off and on. As adults we are not accomplished yet, we are still learning. It is a lot easier to learn when you play with other people. So playing as a group, the learning curve is really moving fast,” said Smyth.