sentences:  He started playing drums in elementary school, started playing the guitar in sixth grade and picked up the banjo after he met Ruth Ungar in 1998.In 2000 Merenda moved to Western Massachusetts and in 2001 he, Ruth Ungar and Tao Rodriguez-Seeger started The Mammals.As well as being a member of the Mammals, Merenda has an active solo career with three CDs in his own name.