The First Quality Music Blog

Every now and then, we receive a “letter of endorsement” from a Sullivan owner that overwhelms our hearts with joy, and affirms the sense of pride and enjoyment we get in making our own line of high-quality banjos. We’d like to share this one from Mark, serving our Country in Kabul Afghanistan, with you.

Greetings from Kabul Afghanistan!

Just to let you know that Bluegrass is alive and well on the other side of the world – and in the midst of the Taliban! I am getting great service from my Sullivan banjo. It has been across the globe three times all in baggage compartments of foreign airlines. It went with me to Kuwait (2008)(in 140 degree heat!), crossed by air over the Persian gulf, over Iran and down to Kabul (10,000 feet). Then it survived the unload by Afghani handlers and its still going strong! In fact tonight we were just finishing a rehearsal and whooooooosh! BANG! “Hit the Bunkers!” We had a rocket attack. So you can say my Sullivan has been baptized by hostile fire.

I have enclosed some shots from performances we’ve done here in Kabul (church and on New Years) (note all the Mongol soldiers we had there celebrating with us). We (Four Horsemen) have been invited by the MWR department (Morale Welfare and Recreation) to provide two more performances in February here on post and across town. Note the hat I’m wearing in the shots.

Best wishes!
-Mark

Mark asked us to let everyone know that if they just happen to be in town, they are having an open jam every Monday night in downtown Kabul. In Mark’s own words: “Second floor Ciano’s building, Camp Eggers, downtown Kabul right across the street from Karzai’s house“.

Thanks for the note, Mark, and we’re glad you are enjoying your Sullivan Banjo!

The Whiskey Bent Valley Boys, a local group known for their high-energy performances of classic bluegrass tunes, stopped by today before heading out on a tour of the surrounding states. They were absent their fiddler, but they grabbed some instruments off the walls and agreed to play for us.

You can learn more about the Whiskey Bent Valley Boys, and check out their schedule of performances, at http://www.whiskeybentvalley.com

Today we had a few friends of ours stop by and, like many other days, a little impromptu jam broke out in the Banjo room. I was handy with a camera this time, and thought I’d share a little bit of what goes on at First Quality Music every day. Here we’ve got Malcolm Moger, an excellent Banjo player from Springfield, Virginia, and Shari Mabe from New Haven, Kentucky. Shari is a teacher at New Haven School where she tells us she’s formed a Guitar Club for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders that’s been operating since 2006. We weren’t able to get the information of the other guitarist before she left, but we thank them all for dropping in and letting us record them! A group of great musicians, check them out in the video below!