Kingston, WA Farmer's Market
Ramon Selby is a real estate broker and fiddler from Wyoming by way of Allyn, WA on the lower end of the Kitsap Peninsula. Ramon’s fiddling is very much in the style of Hugh Farr, who was a friend of the family and lived with the Selby family for several years. Because of, or in spite of, his influences he is a fine fiddler. Ray is a pleasure to play with and a real gentleman to boot. Ramon’s style and connection with Hugh Farr and my passion for the Farr recordings were the inspiration for us to form a band.
Ray was awarded the "Fanciest Fiddler" at the 2006 National Old Time Fiddlers' contest. Click here for a couple of pictures from that event.
Dave Bennett was the middle man, the one who introduced Ramon and I and who suggested we form a band for the purpose of playing at Northwest Folklife in Seattle. Dave not only plays great rhythm but he builds guitars as well. He plays an Epiphone archtop from about 1945 and a Bennett from about 2003. I’d give my eyetooth or a couple hundred bucks for either one of them. He has yet to consider my offer. Dave hails from Kingston, WA on the upper end of the Kitsap Peninsula. {back to top}
That be me, Alan Troupe. I play a flattop Gibson, an AJ from about 1990. Doesn’t quite sound like an original from the thirties but I guarantee there’s not $20,000 difference. The AJ is a great guitar. I don’t think you’ll ever hear a bad one. I’m an insurance agent during the day and a music lover the rest of the time. I live in Ephrata, WA, the dry side of the state. {back to top}
Our bass player, Dan Sullivan, is on sabbatical for more trivial pursuits like family and business. He operates a frame shop in Renton and makes his home in the Maple Valley area. He will re-join the group when we have enough beer. {back to top}
As you may note from the above remarks we live quite a distance apart, hence another meaning to Farr & Away. Practice sessions are few and far (there’s that word again) between. We jokingly tell people that each performance is a practice for the next performance. Except that there isn’t much joke in that. It’s our very own Reality Show.