By:  Karen Hefter
Photos by:  Bob Nelson

The East Bay Banjo Club performed in the beautiful Fireside Room at Rossmoor in Walnut Creek for the Red Hat Club’s monthly luncheon.  The audience was wonderfully attired in purple dresses with red hats (except for those who were dressed in red dresses with purple hats to reflect that it was their birthday month).  The “Queen Bee” started off the program by reciting a poem and leading everyone in song.  Then she turned the event over to the EBBC, led by Jack Convery for this occasion. Jack started out by giving the audience some background history about the banjo and he kicked off the playing with “The Banjo Picker’s Ball,” which the club played with gusto.  For the rest of the show, Jack invited each player to select their favorite song for the group to play.  Jack Convery, Kit Nelson, and Mickie McDonald sang throughout the program.  Both Jesse DeTorres and Bud Pearce belted out their best impressions of Al Jolson to the point where you would have thought Al was in the room!  Dina Melamed and Don Granberg were featured on their washboards in “Coney Island Washboard” and David Hefter, the third washboard player, was shy and played while staying in his second row seat.  Other players were:  Guy Black, Betty David, Karen Hefter, Ardie Jarrett, Bob Malucelli, Diane Malucelli, Herb Moore, Linda Myers, Phil Myers, and Ken Williamson.  Bob Nelson took pictures and loyal club member Georgette DeTorres was present in the audience.