Ronnie B

I go through this same thought pattern all the time. It was 1995 since I was in a proper band. Since then I had family matters that took prominence over playing. Now I'm 60, kids are on their own and I keep all the old gear around just for the chance that I meet up with some people to play with. Still have my #1 bass and a new amp for when the time comes. When I was young playing was a way to exercise my demons. I played in heavy metal bands and even formed a punk band - in Memphis Tennessee of all places. Plus the odd cover band here and there but I never really enjoyed playing unless it was in a band where original music was the focus. In my late 20's I "got religion" as my friends put it and played in a very serious Christian rock band - a Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Pearl Jam sound - and gigged A LOT. Once a player always a player I've been told.

You've got to check out Tad Kinchla from Blues Traveler.

My name is Ron Berenato, former bassist for the Memphis bands Steeler and Medieval Steel, and Christian rock band Pentecost from Birmingham Alabama. Favorite bands include the Allman Brothers Band, Grand Funk Railroad, Blackberry Smoke, and early Van Halen. My #1 bass at the moment is a '93 Ernie Ball MusicMan Stingray. My backup is a Rogue precision copy modified with Gotoh Tuners and EMG Geezer Butler pickups. I'm a dedicated 4 stringer. My current rig is a Hartke LH500 head and two Peavey Headliner 210 cabinets. I also have a Behringer 210 for small gigs (it has a tweeter which makes it a little sweeter when I'm only using 1 cabinet). Basses I've owned previously: 1974 Fender precision, 1965 Fender Jazz, Fender Jazz Plus 5, Carl Thompson fretless, Rickenbacher 4001, G&L 1000.