Like many musicians, Jonny Baird started early, playing a mock-guitar tennis racquet along with videos on MTV.
Now, his racquet is almost as tall as he is.
Jonny's a bass player. He picked it up "by necessity," playing rock-a-billy for Cash O'Reilly.
"I'm the rhythm guy," he says. "The lower end feels good."
When he switched from electric bass to stand-up bass, it was like a completely different instrument. But Jonny says it fits him: "This is what I want to do," he says. He plays bass for a variety of bands around town, from metal to rock-a-billy, but is trying to take it easy to spend more time with his wife and son (who is also a musician).
"This is the only girlfriend I'm allowed to have," Jonny says of his custom-built bass shipped to him from California.
In Jackson, Jonny sees the musician scene as a tight-knit community.
"In the music scene, we all stick together, and help each other out," he says.
Jackson, he says, is home to a variety of musical styles, and many people want to hear original music, not just cover bands. He credits local restaurants and venues with keeping the music scene active and growing.
"People have to create their own opportunities, too," Jonny says. "Music is my thing. This is what I do."