That time I played banjo in front of Publix for the Salvation Army ...

I hopped out of the car and was about to run into the grocery store, when I stopped in my tracks. 

There was a man in a black cowboy hat and a red Salvation Army apron. Except instead of the monotonous bell, he was playing his guitar and singing, behind the hanging red bucket where people were putting their dollars.

I commented about how cool it was (how could I not!) and my cousin, who was still in the car at the curb, yells out the window, "She has a banjo!"

The man's face lit up. "With you?!" he asked.

"No, it's back at my hotel room ..."

"Well, bring it and we'll play! I'm here from 2-5pm tomorrow."

Considering what I CAN play right now on an instrument I just began learning this year, I said, "Do you know Wagon Wheel?"

"I was just about to ask you that!" he replied and then broke out into playing and singing the first verse.

You know what happened next.

On Saturday afternoon, I brought my banjo up to Publix and played music with the singing Salvation Army man. He told me his name is Sam and that he's been doing this for 13 years. He's had all kinds of people come play with him (including Brett Michaels from Poison) and that it's his favorite thing. 

I thought we'd play the song maybe once or twice but no, this dude's a pro. I shared with him my favorite extra verse (you'll recognize it and probably sing along!). After a few more rounds, we made a plan for when to interject that as well as a little banjo solo time for me.

We played for the better part of an hour inducing smiles, waves, thumbs up, and curious looks from passers by. Also quite a few dollars in that bucket. I've never busked before but always dreamed of doing it -- never expected my first time to be with a banjo in front of Publix for the Salvation Army with a musician I just met.

Sam let me film our final performance, so here's video footage of my day/week/month/year being made.

(You’ll hear me say, “Yeah!” at the beginning of the video and that’s because right before I hit record, one of the managers of Publix had stepped outside, saw me, and said, “Yay, banjo!”)