Stan Von Hagen

Busking

Born in Nashville, TN (where it is said that every baby is given a banjo at birth) and grew up there. Was interested in the Grand Ol Opry for most of my youth (until Elvis) but did not become seriously interested in playing music until College and after. Big influences then were Pete Seeger, Joan Baez and Bob Dylan. Moved to New Jersey in 1966 and have lived there ever since.  Actually met Pete Seeger a couple of times, once at an Awards ceremony and later at a Sloop Clearwater festival for cleaning up the Hudson River.

 

I played guitar, banjo, dulcimer, and auto harp in a local amateur folk group, “Strings and Things” (now disbanded) until the mid’80s. Sorta’ lapsed after that until I retired (from teaching Statistics and Pharmacology at the New Jersey Medical School).

 

I got interested in playing bones after hearing Carolina Chocolate Drops recordings and searched around the internet until I found the Rhythm Bones Society. Went to my 1st “fest” in Grand Rapids MI in 2014 and Jean, my wife, and I have been to every bones fest since then (including the Virtual Zoomfests) except XXI in San Antonio. What with arthritis and some loss of hearing, the bones have become my primary instrument. Still trying to develop a personal ”style” and enjoying the camaraderie and encouragement of my fellow bones players