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Hi! I'm Sarita Sastry.
I’m a singer and guitarist for the Bones Jones Music band Psych Ward.
I started playing guitar when I was eight and continued learning for about six years. I continued to pick up my guitar off and on. I especially like playing songs by the Eagles and James Taylor. My favorite songs were “Lyin’ Eyes” and “You’ve Got a Friend”. I even learned some blues guitar for a few months during grad school. But, guitar took a back seat to career and stopped playing altogether for over 20 years. I always had the intention to start learning/playing again, I just needed to find the right teacher.
In 2021, I was living in downtown Rockville and one day I was walking to Dawson’s. I came across Bones Jones Music playing their summer concert on the Town Square. It was great! I immediately reached out for an intro lesson.
Billy is a fantastic teacher! He teaches us skills but he also teaches us how to play music to “make it our own”. He makes things work for each student in the class. The environment he creates is fun and relaxed so everyone is always learning and improving. It’s very motivating!
The Band Experience
Late last year after I’d been taking classes for about a year, Billy and I had a check in. We talked about my goals and I told him I was interested in joining a band.
When a guitarist spot opened in Psych Ward, I joined. It was a great fit from day one. Ward - our band leader and bassist - and I get along really well. He takes great care of the band members, giving us a lot of choice and input on songs, and so much encouragement!
At one of my first rehearsals, Ward asked me if I was a singer. I had to come clean and admit that I am, in fact, a singer (it was my hidden secret, no one at BJM knew I could sing.) I joined BJM because I wanted to focus on learning and improving my guitar playing. When Ward suggested a Fleetwood Mac song, it was all over. We finished our first pass at the song and everyone in the band was like “Sarita! You HAVE to be our singer”. I am grateful for all of the support from BJM and it really is super fun to finally put my singing and guitar playing together!
My inspiration comes from artists like Sarah McLachlan, Sheryl Crow, 10,000 Maniacs, and of course, the one and only Mark Knopfler. I am excited to keep improving my guitar playing, and to keep singing with the band!
Join Bones Jones Music!
If you are thinking about joining Bones Jones Music, I say DO IT! It’s a fun inclusive environment. Everyone is valued and you can learn at your own pace. You don’t have to read music or do any thing complicated. And there is always room to grow. Maybe you’ll end up joining a band, and if you do, it will be a BLAST!
Ready to rock with us?
Contact us to schedule your intro lesson!
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