To all my veteran brothers, enjoy our day of recognition. And "Welcome Home".
I just got home from my annual day of foraging and some simple math shows a haul of 3 1/2 feet of turkey sub, a little over 3 square feet of pizza, 2 gallons of diet Pepsi and a deep concern about how bad an eating disorder is when you start measuring food in linear footage... Though I suppose it doesn't become a disorder unless you eat it all in one sitting. This will last me a week.
My father, my six uncles and Janice’s father all served in WWII combat. Many folks nowadays appear to not understand sacrifice. Hats off and respect to all veterans past and present and to those currently serving.
The photo is one i shot of our local veterans cemetery where Janice’s father and mother rest. We visit it several times a week. It’s beautiful and is very large which makes for a pleasant walk.
Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
I drew #312 in the "lotto for your life." My best friend died in Vietnam (actually Cambodia but those operations were classified) and I went to graduate school. All due to a safe number. Sans that number I would have joined the Navy. I've felt a bit of guilt about it all for 50+ years. Hard to explain those times if you weren't there.
Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
I was #7, Bud. The day before me was #320. The day after was #285. I was #7. I took a 3rd year to go to Germany and avoid Vietnam. 88 days after I arrived in Germany my entire battalion was picked up and moved to Vietnam. I was so naive I thought that my sign on contract was binding. I was sitting in the base bar drinking with an older E7 I met there and he just laughed and said "Boy, Uncle Green sends you wherever the F he thinks they need you. The small print you likely didn't read has something about 'emergency' in it. You'll be fine. You are a mechanic so you will be on a base camp and you'll grow to like the duty there."
Well, he was right. Shave, don't shave, whatever. Polish boots, don't polish boots, whatever. Haircuts, if you feel like. I liked it so much better with the relaxed discipline that I extended my tour for an extra 6 months. Came home at Christmas time in 1972 and had to go BACK to Ft Sill(y) Oklahoma and immediately went back to hating the Army.
Thanks to all the vets. I for one am glad some of you did not have serve. I did a second tour to keep someone else from going to Vietnam. Many of us did that to protect others. We got to go to school also but just later.
There are no winners in war, just survivors.
I have my Selective Service System Notice Of Classification card setting here on my desk dated 21 September 1965, I-A. At least I had some idea of what I was getting into because I was in Europe in the beginning of 1965. There you saw on TV what was really going on. There was less hiding the truth from the public in France at that time.
On May 7, 1954, the French-held garrison at Dien Bien Phu was over runned so by 1965 the French were fed up with the whole thing. So I guess there was little reason to hide much by that time.
I was part of the people that were never there in the places that we never were. I think this was the beginning of the serious lack of trust in our federal government and the people who were in power.
Thanks to all the vets I served with who made it possible for me to return alive, and to all the vets both here and abroad.
If you get hungry Eddie, just drop by anytime. You will always get something good to eat at my house. Sorry, but I ate all the C-rations....lol
Cheers,
Billy
“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig? “Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”
In ‘63 i was a college senior, don’t remember whether I was 4F or not when I went for a physical it verified I had a bad heart valve but not serious enough to keep me out of service. An opportunity opened up for me to join the 561st California air national guard band so I suspended my last semester to join. It was one of my better life decisions.
I was a high number lotto guy. I did however go for the Navy physical voluntarily. But when I was there I found myself trying to do everything I could to fail. Which I did not. So I was schedule to report to airport a week later to fly out. But I never went to the airport. That is about as much of the details as I recall. But I am pretty confident I did not sign anything and no one is looking for me.
Heck, I was kinda a mess around that point in my life. Nothing to be proud of. Given that sordid history I can only say I have the utmost respect and I will always honor our service men and women. God bless you all and thank you for your service.
Well, they'd be like 50 years old now anyway, so....
In Vietnam I had a hotplate in my room. I would always trade guys who came off the road for a few days on the firebase for whatever Cs they had to spare. Beer was the best currency there. I would get a lot of the chicken casserole/stew and the spaghetti and meatballs. I would take the chicken casserole and add canned vegetables to it, make ramen noodles, and my roommate and I could dine in if we chose to. It is always said that the people you want to meet are the motor sergeant and the mess sergeant. I WAS the motor sergeant and the mess sergeant was one of my best pals over there. When he needed a Jeep, he got one. And if we were hanging out at night and got hungry, well, he had the keys...
I remember we had our choice of Schlitz or Hamm's beer. I HATED Hamm's. I had a small fridge in my room as well as one in my office at the shop. When a new guy rotated in the torch of responsibility was passed to him to keep the shop fridge stocked with beer (and NOTHING BUT beer). Guys would toss a buck here and a buck there into the beer fund and the new-boot knew where the money was. Guys would come in off the road to have something done to their jeep or truck and they had a nice cool room to hang out and have a beer in.
I wish I could tell you how many mufflers and exhaust pipes were patched with Schlitz cans. We didn't exactly have an Auto Zone nearby.... Just open both ends of the car, cut out what you needed, and weld it onto the muffler or tailpipe.
And one time we had an audit coming and we had a jeep we weren't supposed to have because some guy came in out of the field in the jeep and then grabbed a chopper back to his home base. The captain told me "And you need to lose that extra jeep." I asked him how to do that and he turned his back, started walking out and said "Just lose it." So I called the heavy equipment guys and told them I needed a couple of front end loaded earth movers. We drive it down to the shore of Danang Bay and I had the graders dig a long, slow trench, and when it got deep enough one of them pushed the jeep into the trench and then covered it up. If the cement stanchions from the guard tower right there are still there, I'd bet 100 bucks that I could still find that jeep by triangulating the math I used to bury it. Unless of course erosion from 48 years ago has already uncovered it, but is that happened, good luck with them calling me out on it. All I did was follow orders and make a jeep vanish! LOL!!
Heck, I was kinda a mess around that point in my life. Nothing to be proud of. Given that sordid history I can only say I have the utmost respect and I will always honor our service men and women. God bless you all.
Nobody with a brain would hold anything against you this many years later. It isn't for everybody. That said if I was 19 again I would have picked Navy. Those guys got to see stuff. I never met a Navy guy who didn't have binder after binder of photos from all these great places. The best I can do is Lawton Oklahoma...
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
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