October 2014
So much to say, so little space - but here goes ... A great big hello to all the Americana Music Association (AMA), and the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) conference attendees. We’re glad you’ve taken the time to give us a glance! [If you’re reading this prior to late September, 2014, you’ve still got time to check those events out, and we highly encourage you to do so.] Many of you have asked, can I find your magazine on line? You can! There is a link on our web site at www.AmericanaRhythm.com, or you can go directly to www.Issuu.com and search Americana Rhythm. The full version is there to read on line, or you can down load it. Soon you will be able to find AR’s editorial content in the searchable data bases of nearly all the public librarys as well as on line. Cool, huh? More to come on that one in the near future. Did you know we have our own internet radio station? Yep! It’s called Americana House Party. There is a play box and a direct link on our web site. You can also listen on your iPad, iPhone, or smart phone via the www.Live365.com platform. Just search Americana House Party. See you out there! Questions, comments, suggestions: greg@americanarhythm.com PUBLISHER
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Americana Rhythm is published six times a year. All corresponCONTRIBUTORS dence should be sent to PO Box 45, Bridgewater VA, 22812 or Ed Tutwiler email to greg@americanarhythm.com. Copies of Americana Wayne Erbsen Rhythm are made available free at various pick up locations within Ryan Babarsky the publication’s region. Subscriptions are available inside the United UNC Ashville Students States (only) for $16 US currency made payable by check or money Andrew McKnight order sent to, Subscriptions at PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812. Doak Turner Foreig n su bscrip tion req u ests shou l d b e sen t to Don DePoy greg@americanarhythm.com. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. DISTRIBUTION Reproduction of any content, artwork or photographs is strictly Ed Tutwiler prohibited without permission of the publisher. All advertising maZebra Media terial subject to approval. Associated Dist. PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Downtown Books Greg E. Tutwiler The Purple Fiddle Associate Editor Floyd Country Store Ed Tutwiler Shen. Valley Farmers Mkt. MARKETING & PROMOTION Heritage Farmers Mkt. Mark Barreres (GrassRootsNetworking.com) ... many more! ADVERTISING Letters, Comments, Suggestions Business office 540-433-0360 greg@americanarhythm.com advertising@americanarhythm.com www.americanarhythm.com
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October 2014
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October 2014
If not for the folks who deem the
past worth remembering, every happening be it obscure or memorable soon fades into the mists of time as soon as the last eyewitness passes on. Fortunately for the history buffs and others who care about matters such as this, there are people and organizations that do care. In this story, we want to tell you about several examples of this that are important to fans of Americana Music.
By Edward Tutwiler
Digging Deeper
Earlier this year, our publisher was manning a trade booth at the Acoustic Uprising festival in Wytheville, VA. The gentleman staffing a nearby booth was a builder of high-end custom mandolins and a member of an oldtime country string music group. The gentleman’s name is Mr. Ray
radio station WCYB-AM in Bristol TN/VA. Let that date sink in a second. Bill Monroe had just created quite a stir with a 1945 appearance on the Grand Ole Opry introducing a new style of playing the old music. Further, in the late 1940s and early 1950s local AM radio stations were the most important information providers in the rural areas of the southern mountains. Plus, they broadcast many hours of live country music in an era when old-time music was fast morphing into what would later be commonly referred to as country and bluegrass. Radio station WCYB was one of these local
“ ... not only the famous events in history that need to be remembered but also those obscure events from the heartland that means so much to those who lived them as they unfolded ...”
One example is the Birthplace of Country Music Museum that recently opened in Bristol, TN/VA. The museum was built in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution and is a project that was years in the making. The museum features both temporary and permanent exhibits and is located in the heart of downtown Bristol. (see article on page 16)
Dearstone, and he lives just outside of Bristol TN/VA. During the down times that festival weekend, our publisher and Mr. Dearstone visited and bonded over mutual musical interests; and Mr. Dearstone shared three CDs of old Image credit https://trueblueridge.files.wordpress.com radio recordings by a group known Another example is a project proas the Curly King and the Tennesduced and sponsored in part by see Hilltoppers. Our publisher later shared his adventure and the CDs the Birthplace of Country Music with me and suggested that I Association and the Virginia demight find a story that you would partment of Tourism. This is a appreciate. I agreed and recently soon to be released tribute recordhad a delightful conversation with ing honoring the original 1927 Mr. Dearstone where he told me Bristol recording sessions by the about a very interesting preservaVictor Company’s recording ention example of his own. gineer, Ralph Peer, which are now recognized as the birth of The CDs Mr. Dearstone shared recorded country music. In this with us are copies of recordings new tribute effort, current stars that were originally made in 1949, and budding newcomers get toand are of local, live broadcasts at gether to record 16 of the most memorable sessions from that 1927 watershed event. This new/ old effort is called: Orthophonic Joy: 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited.
These afore mentioned examples of remembering famous musical events of the past are wonderful; however, I want to tell you of a less famous but maybe more important example that was told to us recently.
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All Is Not Lost
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stations. The station went on the air in December 1946 and had a clear-channel frequency that gave it a five-state coverage area.
Hanging On To It
In preparation for this station launch, WCYB officials had auditioned at least 35 string music bands to line up talent f or planned 15-minute live daily broadcasts. The names of the selected groups included: the Stanley Brothers; the Clinch Mountain Boys; and the subject of our story, Curly King and the Tennessee Hilltoppers. One well known WCYB show of the time was the Farm and Fun Time Show; and Curly King and the Tennessee Hilltoppers were a main-stay on that show.
According to Mr. Dearstone, Curly King and the Tennessee Hilltoppers were a very capable group of regional musicians who could have easily held their own in Nashville and beyond. The group usually included four members: Curly King (vocals and guitar); Don Campbell (vocals and electric Hawaiian guitar); Leslie Keith (fiddle); Roy Russell (fiddle); Cousin Zeke Leonard (bass); and Shorty Morris (vocals). It was a standard practice of the station to record each 15-minute live show on large acetate discs and save these discs so station personal would have content to broadcast should the group not be able to make the actual live broadcast time. Once the show time had passed, the discs were of no further use and were usually discarded. In the case of the recordings of the Hilltoppers shows, Don Campbell had the foresight to get these discs from the radio station to keep them from being destroyed, and stored them away. As time passed and interests changed, the WCYB days of broadcasting live country music came to an end. With the passing of this era, Curly King disbanded the group and retired from performing. As a tribute to King, Mr. Dearstone related, “Curly King was in the class with Eddy Arnold. In my opinion, he could have gone to Nashville and become as famous as Arnold and many of those other guys. He did not want to leave his home town of Bristol, and when the Farm and Fun Time show finally ended, he never played again.”
Regeneration
In the late 1980s, Don Campbell took those now obsolete technology acetate discs, which he had saved from the trash bin, to the Smithsonian Institution where machines exist that can play ob-
solete media and preserve the content onto current storage media. The Institution’s staff personal performed this service for Campbell, and placed the result on two cassette tapes.
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Not long after, Campbell consulted with Mr. Dearstone who then reviewed the material on the cassette tapes. Here are his words on what happened next, “I went through the cassette tapes with Don and Curly’s approval. I picked out the cleanest sounding recordings that I could find using the technical ability I had at that time. Now, with digital technology, you have the ability to do a good job in cleaning up recordings; however, at that time I did not have any technical way of cleaning the recordings so I could only pick the cleanest ones by listening to them. I was able to put together enough material to produce two secular albums and one gospel album. We put these three albums on cassette tapes and marketed them. In my opinion this resulting collection of music is the best representation of all the shows that were aired on the Farm and Family Time broadcasts (at least as far as traditional country music).” “This collection is all from the original 15 minute Tennessee Hilltoppers shows. The recordings even include some of the announcer introduction for each song. When improved technology became available, I went back to the masters and upgraded the material that we had originally produced on the cassette tapes, and produced them on CDs. With this effort, I tried to further clean up the sound yet still preserve the radio station sound.”
In Passing
Curly King passed away years ago, and Mr. Campbell passed continued on page 11
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October 2014
By Wayne Erbsen Chatam County Line
I’ve Been All Around The World Of all the many kinds of songs there
Judge Parker
are to sing, by far my favorites are what I call “real songs.” These were not written in an air conditioned office on the fourteenth floor by fancy pants professional songwriters. Instead, they were written about events that really happened, by real people who were there to witness it. “I’ve Been All Around This World” could not be any more real if it tried. The outlaw captured in this song was reportedly hanged for murder in Fort Smith, Arkansas in the 1870s. If this is true, the chances are good that he was sentenced to die by the famous hanging judge himself, The Honorable Issac Charles Parker. From 1875 to 1896 Judge Parker had jurisdiction over Oklahoma and all of the Indian Territory. Over those twentyone years, he tried over 13,500 cases and sentenced 106 men to death. Of that number, seventy-nine were
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Parker’s chief executioner was George Maledon, who took great pride in his “scientific” hangings. Of the seventynine men sentenced to death by the Hanging Judge, Maledon personally hanged sixty. When he finally retired, he went on the lecture circuit, proudly displaying several of his favorite hanging ropes. Terry and his “I’ve Been All Around This World” Derring has been collected under such titles as Banjo. “The Gambler, “ “My Father Was a Gambler,” “The New Railroad,” “The Hobo’s Lament,” and “The Hobo’s Blues.” In 1930, George Milburn published a book entitled the Hobo’s Hornbook that included a version of “I’ve Been All Round this World,” with this great verse:
hanged during his term of office. During the first fourteen years he was on the bench, the convicted could seek no appeal, save from heaven.
Bring to me my supper boys, I’ll eat ‘er done or raw Bring to me my supper boys, I’ll eat ‘er done or raw For I haven’t had a square meal since I left Arkansas I’ve been all around this world
The following tabbed arrangement is written out for clawhammer banjo in
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what’s commonly known as double C tuning (gCGCD). If you don’t happen to play clawhammer style banjo, you can take the same melody and add your favorite banjo rolls. I’ve Been All Around This World Working on the new railroad with mud up to my knees, Working on the new railroad with mud up to my knees, Working for big John Henry a nd he’s so hard to please, I’ve been all around this world. Hang me, oh hang me and I’ll be dead and gone, Hang me oh hang me, and I’ll be dead and gone, It’s not the hanging that I mind it’s layin’ in the jail so long, I’ve been all around this world. Up on the Blue Ridge Mountains it’s there I’ll take my stand, Up on the Blue Ridge Mountains it’s there I’ll take my stand, With a rifle on my shoulder, six shooter in my hand, I’ve been all around this world. Lulu, oh lulu come and open up the door, Lulu, oh lulu come and open up the door Before I have to open it with my old .44, I’ve been all around this world.
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When you go a fishing, take a hook and line, When you go a fishing, take a hook and line, When you go a courting don’t never look behind, I’ve been all around this world. If you see a rich girl, just pass her down the line, If you see a rich girl, just pass her down the line, And when you see a poor girl, just ask her to be mine, I’ve been all around this world.
“I’ve Been All Around This World” can be found in Wayne’s book, Outlaw Ballads, Legends & Lore. For a free catalog of instruction books for bluegrass and clawhammer banjo, fiddle, mandolin and guitar, get in touch with Wayne at Native Ground Books & Music www.nativeground.com.
IBMA Nominations In October, The IBMA will award it’s anual recipients here are just a few of the nominees. ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR Balsam Range Blue Highway Dailey & Vincent The Gibson Brothers The Del McCoury Band VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR Balsam Range Blue Highway Dailey & Vincent The Gibson Brothers Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR Balsam Range Blue Highway The Boxcars The Del McCoury Band Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen SONG OF THE YEAR “Dear Sister” - Claire Lynch ”Grandpa’s Way of Life” The Spinney Brothers ”It’s Just a Road” The Boxcars ”The Game” - Blue Highway ”You Took All The Ramblin’ Out of Me” - The Boxcars
ALBUM OF THE YEAR Hall of Fame Bluegrass Junior Sisk and Joe Mullins It’s Just A Road - The Boxcars Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe - Noam Pikelny Streets of Baltimore The Del McCoury Band The Game - Blue Highway EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR Detour Flatt Lonesome The Spinney Brothers Town Mountain Volume Five MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Del McCoury Buddy Melton Tim O’Brien Frank Solivan Dan Tyminski FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR Dale Ann Bradley Alison Krauss Claire Lynch Amanda Smith Rhonda Vincent
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October 2014
21st Century Bluegrass
It’s hard to watch the Country
Music Awards and not wonder why the IBMA Awards receives so little national attention. What has country music got that bluegrass doesn’t? Bluegrass songs certainly feature longing, lost love, hard work, history, and yes, even crying in your beer. Bluegrass musicians are just as talented, perhaps more so, as I think of the lightning speed associated with fiddle, mandolin and banjo picking. I challenge any country band to keep up with a bluegrass band full of talented musicians! The traditional bluegrass singers’ voices pitch into that high lonesome sound made popular by Bill Monroe, but that’s not all bluegrass can do—bluegrass music is just as well rounded as country.
Why Aren’t We As Popular
I believe I could count on two hands the number of bluegrass bands that are full-time. Even with a record deal, our artists struggle. The recording industry
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at large provides little funding for artist development and promotion for bluegrass artists. Many bluegrass performers must have some kind of day job to pay the bills or at least have a retirement income that helps plug the gaps between music gigs, festivals and album sales. While the top names in bluegrass travel around in beat up station wagons, converted school buses, and fly coach class; top artists in rock, country and rap are traveling in style in private jets and custom fitted buses.
a crossroads. We can continue on as we have since we got started and ride off into the sunset, or we can deviate just a bit and take directions from other successful
I believe bluegrass music is at
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By James Reams
music genres. Change does not mean that we forget where we came from. Our bluegrass roots will continue to be the foundation that gives our music its identity; nevertheless, we need to change the misconception that bluegrass is just for old-timers, and bring our music into the 21st century. So how do we do this without losing our bluegrass core?
Embracing Technology
If you look at the music styles that are currently successful, it’s easy to see what sets them apart — the Media. Radio channels are clogged 24/7 with stations devoted to rock, rap/hip hop, country, Christian and even classical music. Yet live bluegrass radio programs are largely relegated to Sundays. I can’t find a radio station devoted solely to bluegrass music. (One exception is WAMU, 105.5 FM in Washington, DC. editor) Of course, I can listen to bluegrass music on-line or even create my own digital bluegrass
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station using computer applications such as Pandora. It is just not the same as radio play. I miss all the depth the DJs provide. I don’t think anyone will disagree when I say that the current generation is on visual overload. We must face the fact that music programs such entities as VH1 and CMTV are here to stay. You just can’t deny that this is the age of the music video. If that is the case, where are all the bluegrass videos? I firmly believe that TV and the Internet speak to the masses, while bluegrass radio preaches to the choir. We’ve got to get more professional looking bluegrass videos in front of folks.
Better Than Backyard Video
Quality is the keyword when it comes to videos. YouTube is clogged with unedited videos of dubious sound quality featuring bands performing live at bluegrass festivals. While entertaining, shaky footage of your favorite band performing on a festival stage is not the kind of music video that’s going to grab the attention of the music world. There is a limit to the emotion singers can incorporate into a song. Most bluegrass songs tell a story, so creating a video can take that story a step further by providing images that convey the feeling behind the words and actually complement the singing. If we’re going to claw our way out of the poverty class of music, we have to find a way to emotionally connect viewers of all ages to our music. I think feeding the visual addiction of today’s music lovers with quality bluegrass videos is critical. I can hear you question, where are we going to get the money to make these videos. It is a valid question. Making a video can be expensive but thanks to the Internet there are numerous crowd funding sources available. I used a web site called Kickstarter to help fund the final production for my film documentary, Making History with Pioneers of Bluegrass. Other popular options for funding creative projects include the help one can obtain from webbased sources such as Indiegogo and RocketHub. Making music videos is how many well-known film directors got their start so you
could collaborate with a talented film student at a local university, or purchase film editing software for your favorite computer whiz kid for Christmas. Who knows, you may discover a future Stephen Spielberg!
My First Video
I put my words into practice and have just completed my first music video with the help of talented filmmaker, Rick Bowman of Backyard Green Films. It was just released in July. Check out Almost Hear the Blues on YouTube. By putting some thought into the process, we were able to come up with a story and pull it together without breaking the bank. It’s being well received and that’s encouraging. I hope to work with Rick again soon on a video for my new album, Rhyme & Season, coming out later this year. There are options out there to fit most budgets. Once you have a few videos going viral, you can approach sponsors to help fund the next one. Country music moved into the spotlight, literally, when that music style embraced music videos. Bluegrass can do the same. It’s a sleeping giant just waiting to be awakened—BGTV anyone? I’d like to hear what you have to say. Send your email to james@jamesreams.com. James Reams is an international bluegrass touring and recording artist coming from a family of traditional singers in southeastern Kentucky, playing both old-time and bluegrass music. Known as an “Ambassador of Bluegrass,” his dedication and involvement in the thriving bluegrass and Americana music community runs deep. In 2013 he celebrated 20 years as a bandleader, and to date, has released 8 CDs and the DVD documentary, Making History With Music. It is a culmination of over 10 years of filming and interviews. James is also the organizer of the Park Slope Bluegrass Oldtime Music Jamboree, an annual music festival that he started in 1998. It’s the only event of its kind in or around New York City.
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October 2014
Thanks to our partnership with ReverbNation (www.reverbnation.com) we are honored to give you a peak at a few of the nation’s hardest working indie artists. Each month we select one entry to showcase for you here. Enjoy! THIS MONTH’S FEATURE:
By Greg Tutwiler
Matt Hoggatt
FEATURE ARTISTS Matt Hoggatt is like most other musicians, just trying to share the music they love with an audience that will appreciate it. However, sometimes in real life the stars do line up in a way that is often relegated to mere lyrics of a song. Matt’s musical background began while playing in the marching band during high school and college. That experience led him to a stint in the Army Band with the Army National Guard for six years. Once out, he started writing songs and performing open mic nights. “I tried the Nashville song-pitching game as an out- of towner trying to get cuts,” he said, “but I learned quickly that I had a better chance at hitting the lottery.” So Matt started playing the songs that he wrote for himself with no real intention of commercial success. “Pretty soon I won a few songwriting contests,” he commented, “and I started to figure out that the only rules about songwriting are that there are actually no rules at all.” Leaning on his military experience, Matt lived the life of a police detective by day, and a gigging musician at night. “It was very tough physically, mentally and financially for me, but I was serious about
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both professions. For a long time, I basically had two full time jobs.” Then one day, for Matt, life did imitate music. I wanted to write a fun song about a letter to Jimmy Buffett,” he recalled, “so I did; in about five minutes. It was a song I played in bars late at night and that’s about as serious as I ever really took it.” Matt had been entering his music in songwriting contests including one sponsored by American Songwriter Magazine. He had won 3rd place award once “but the 1st place prize eluded me,” he said. He decided to enter an obscure, non commercial simple song for a change, his song about Jimmy Buffet, “and low and behold, that’s what won.” The song titled, “Dear Jimmy Buffett,” featured a story about where Matt asked Jimmy for a record deal. “I had no idea it would lead to me meeting Jimmy. Afew weeks later, one of his people reached out to me and asked for some more of my songs to listen to.” Of course Matt complied, and eventually was invited to a Jimmy Buffet concert in
Birmingham, AL where he was again surprised with an invite on stage to play his song with Jimmy’s band in front of 14,000 people. “And the biggest surprise was that Jimmy had written a response - a song about me. The song was called “Dear Matt Hoggatt,” and you guessed it; it led to a record deal. “To this day I still can’t find anyone who scored a record deal quite like I did.” Now Matt plays music full time. “It’s not easy,” he chides. “I am a one-man show and do most of the promotion on my own. People think having an indie record deal means you are rich, but in my case it means I have to work harder. I love it though. I enjoy meeting people, traveling and spreading my music around the country.”
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In early 2014, Matt released an EBook onAmazon.com called “Thoughts of ATraveling Musician,” a collection of random short stories and blogs form his time on the road. Production on his Jimmy Buffet inspired CD is set to release a little later this year, produced by Keith Sykes, and features Buffett band members, Mac McAnally, Doyle Grisham, Nadirah Shakoor and Tina Gullickson.
For more information, see www.matthogatt.com.
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Music Trail Continued from page 5 more recently; nevertheless, their performances along with the other Hilltoppers remain with us in sound forever; because on a shoestring budget and with limited technical tools, two folks who care about preservation did something memorable. An aging musician from a once regionally famous country music group; and a musician and instrument builder with a good ear did something just as important and memorable as either of the other examples I cited previously— maybe even more so. Here’s why I say that. Mr. Dearstone told me, “There is a song on one of the secular CDs titled Black Mountain Blues played by Leslie Keith. Leslie once said on the radio show that he wrote this tune. It is now known as Black Mountain Rag. Even though Keith played it in a simpler manner than the bluegrass folks play it today, it is easy to tell that the song is the same.” I say that this fact alone might make this labor of love historically significant. I must conclude that it is not only the famous events in history that need to be remembered but also those obscure events from the heartland that means so much to those who lived them as they unfolded or heard about them from the legends they generated. Nevertheless, I remember times long ago sitting along side my mother, listening to live and local stringmusic broadcast by our local AM radio station, and on Saturday nights by clear-channel WSM in Nashville, TN. I honor those likeminded souls such as Don Campbell and Ray Dearstone who think enough of the past to remember and preserve a tiny bit of the good parts.
Digging A Little Deeper
An interesting aside to Mr. Dearstone’s story is this: I was recently looking at the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Archives of Appalachia web site (www.etsu.edu/cass/archives/collections) and discovered that these archives contain WCYB broadcast records from 1947 through 1949 stored on 7-inch, reel to reel audio tapes. This historical record was donated to the archives in 1990 by the director
of ETSU Center for Appalachian Studies and Services, Richard Blaustein. In 1979, Mr. Blaustein and ETSU professor, Charles Wolfe, obtained Don Campbell’s permission to copy several WCYB transcription discs that he had in his possession. (Apparently, Mr. Campbell salvaged more than just the Tennessee Hilltopper discs.) If you have further interest in this aspect of the story, you can send an inquiry email to archives@etsu.edu with the subject line stating: WCYB RADIO TAPES.
Crafting The Sound
I mentioned that Ray Dearstone is a musician and instrument builder. While that is a story for another time, I would be amiss if I did not at least acknowledge that fact here. Ray Dearstone and John Malayer perform together in an old-time/original country duet group. Here is how Ray told it to me, “John’s last name is Malayer and my first name is Ray so we decided to call ourselves the MARAY Brothers. “We do Carter Family music and songs originally done by the Lubben Brothers and the Monroe Brothers. We do mostly the older songs. We are rather pleased to do the old original version of Sittin’ on Top of the World as it was originally done by the Mississippi Sheiks. The melody and timing of this version is totally different from the style in which the bluegrass players play this song.” As to the instrument making, less you think that Mr. Dearstone is an amateur luthier, let me dispel that notion with these facts: Dempsey Young, founding member of Lost and Found, has played only Dearstone mandolins since first being introduced to them a number of years ago. Further, Shawn Lane, one of the founding members of Blue Highway plays a signature model—the Dearstone Shawn Lane Model mandolin. There is much more to tell but to be brief, Ray Dearstone started crafting mandolins from high quality raw materials as a hobby in 1979 and went professional in 1992 with his brother helping in the shop. By his estimate, he has built a total of 200 pieces and usually builds about 20 per year. You can point your browser to www.dearstone.com and read the rest of this story
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October 2014
Banjos In Baltimore Several years ago, I wrote a tribute to the banjo for a different article but I think it appropriate to print again as an introduction to this story as well.
All God’s creations have voice. The mountain speaks in silent grander, the flower in radiant beauty, and folks sing and shout. The musical instruments that accompany Americana sounds have voice as well. The fiddle sings and cries, the mandolin rings, and the guitar hums with soul. But the banjo, oh the banjo—he is so filled with joy he can’t help but laugh. His happy nature always prevails, and he must laugh out loud for us all to hear.
A few weeks back, the mailbox at the AR office yielded a press release from an organization known as the Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI). The release was from Claire Mullins who is the Director of Marketing and Events for the BMI and told about a new exhibition on the history of the banjo in Baltimore. Officials from the Baltimore Mayor’s office founded BMI in 1977 as a private, nonprofit organization established to celebrate the past, present and future innovations of Maryland industry and its people and to do so through dynamic educational experiences.
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By Edward Tutwiler
Making Music
This present exhibit is titled, Making Music: The Banjo in Baltimore and Beyond , and features banjos, sheet music, profiles of local banjo makers, and explores how Baltimore, MD was instrumental in the history of American banjo music and why Baltimore was at the center of one of America’s first popular music crazes. The exhibit is supported in part by the Maryland Humanities Council and the Maryland Arts Council. The exhibit opened in April of this year, and it is scheduled to run through early October of 2014. In today’s music world, we associate the banjo most closely with the
genre of music that folk call bluegrass and we forget that it has a long, shrouded past as one of the most popular music instruments in the country. What is often overlooked is that the banjo is an instrument of African origin and provided one of the few pleasures enjoyed by an enslaved people. Early illustrations abound showing fancy people dancing while a servant/ slave off to the side plays a banjo to accompany another musician playing a fiddle. Together, these two instruments were at center of 18th century dance bands. Well into the 19th century, the banjo was the folk instrument of black musicians eventually coursing into the hands of the poor white Scot-Irish people of the Appalachian region. Because
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the historical path of this instrument that was born during slavery; had a rich 19th century association with African-Americans; and followed by a 20th century connection with rural white southerner
people, the banjo has until fairly recently been burdened with unfair and unkind stereotypes. Lester Flatts and Earl Scruggs
today to be the home of banjo talented artists such as Grammy winner Cathy Fink and virtuoso banjo player Buddy Wachter as well as author and historian Stephen Wade whose performance of Banjo Dancing had a 10 year run at the Arena Theatre in Washington D.C.
Mullins, Director of Marketing and Events at 410727-4808 ext. 119 or email cmullins@thebmi.org.
If you are a banjo player, a history buff, or just a curious soul like me; this seems like a road trip that we need to take before the exhibit closes in October. The Museum is a leader in innovative education about Maryland industry and a major attraction for Baltimore, Maryland, and the Mid-Atlantic region. The hours of operation are Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM, and closed Mondays. The Museum is located at 1415 Key Highway, Inner Harbor South, Baltimore, MD. If you want a few more details before you take the trek, contact Claire
A Present Reminder
The BMI exhibit reminds us that for nearly 300 years the banjo has been a part of America’s past, and that the city of Baltimore played an integral role in this legacy. Baltimore craftspeople were early manufactures of this instrument, and the city was the birthplace of some of the most highly regarded banjo players in history. The release tells us, “The largest concentration of banjo sightings in North America between the 1730s and 1830s was in the Chesapeake region of Maryland. As the northernmost point for the southern economy and the south’s most industrialized city, 19th century Baltimore was the crossroads for slavery and industry and became the site of the banjo’s earliest mass production.” “William E. Boucher, Jr., an immigrant from present-day Germany, capitalized on the demand for banjos and in the 1840s, began a successful business manufacturing them and running a music store. Mr. Boucher and the city of Baltimore helped to transform the banjo into an icon of one of America’s first pop music crazes, leading to its enduring presence in the hands of everyday Americans.”
5 String Legacy
Mr. Roland Woodword, the executive director of BMI, states, “The banjo is quintessentially American, and has a long and proud history. This exhibit explores many facets of the banjo’s legacy, and provides important historical perspective on the instrument in Baltimore and elsewhere.” Not to be left to the annuals of history, the state of Maryland continues
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October 2014
Dirty Kitchen, Sweet Grass
By Greg Tutwiler
Frank Solivan grew up
in California at the feet of a huge musical family on both sides of the isle. Weekly family meals felt more like mini-festivals with the aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, and cousins all pitching in on the family jams. “There were ten kids on grandmother’s side alone, and they all had a bunch of kids,” Frank said, “so there was a lot going on like that when I was growing up.” At eighteen, he set out for Alaska in the mid-90s. From there he moved around for a while; Nashville, Hawaii, etc., and back to Alaska. He picked up little odds and end jobs all the while continuing to play music. “I found work in kitchens, I was a bouncer, substitute school teacher, school bus driver, truck driver, whatever I could get my hands on,” he said.
Boot Camp And Bluegrass
Of course Frank made friends in the industry through the years playing at festivals and such. Some of these friends had joined the Navy country band, an active military troop used to promote Navy recruitment. They had a tour through Alaska and reconnected with Frank while they were there. “About a month after I had hung out with those guys I went to Wintergrass (An indoor bluegrass festival held in February in Washington State) where they happened to be playing,” Frank told me. “Their fiddle/mandolin player’s daughter was having surgery and he couldn’t make the gig. I saw them as they walked into the hotel and they said, ‘what are you doing, do you want to learn some music and play with us?’ I said ‘sure’ and sat down and learned four sets of music in a really short amount of time.”
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Photo credit: Michael Marsland
Frank learned that there was an electric guitar position opening up in the band and was asked if he played guitar. “I said, yeah, I play the guitar.’ Their response was, ‘do you play the electric guitar?’ I said ‘sure’ and began immediately brushing up on my electric guitar chops.”
and fiddle. Six years, one month, and 24 hours later I got out to do my own thing, which was to cook and play music.” Frank said, “Food and music are the two things that bring people together. Both are passions of mine. Both are highly creative processes.”
A year and a half later the audition was announced and Frank flew from Alaska to Wash in g t on , D.C. After a second audition Frank was offered the job. “The next thing I know, I’m doing push ups in boot camp for duty with my electric guitar, mandolin,
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Dirty Kitchen
True to his loves, Frank named his band Dirty Kitchen after a fiddle tune he wrote. “A long time ago I decided to write a fiddle tune instead of cleaning my kitchen,” he said. “So I recorded that song on my first solo project, and it’s the first tune that I ever wrote that eludes to my passion for cooking. I’ve always been connected to the cooking industry in some way, my mom’s in the food industry, and my whole family loves food, i.e. those big gatherings. When I wasn’t working or playing music I would consume cook books one after the other and learn all these different recipes. The next thing I know, I’m making up my own recipes or putting my own spin on it, just like we do with our music.” Frank has even been tinkering with a self-created recipe book that he hopes to one day publish in conjunction with a CD of food oriented songs.
October 2014
Not So Cold
Frank’s new CD, Cold Spell, released on August 12 th,, one day ahead of learning that the band had collectively been nominated for four 2014 IBMA awards, including Male Vocalist of the year and mandolin player of the year nominations for Frank. “We put a lot of great love and energy into this and attention to detail and arrangement,” He told me, “I’ve been really trying to hone my singing to become a great singer also. It’s really my life long pursuit to be as good as I can be, and enjoy it in the process.”
Frank went on to explain; “The thing about perfection and music is, if it’s perfect it isn’t music. It needs that element of human in it. When we cut a record, we cut it all live, and do as few edits and overdubs as possible. We want the vibe of us all playing at the same time. We want to capture that natural energy, not make it up. We play a song through until we can hit the arrangement and then we hit the record button. Sometimes we might hit record a half dozen times until we get the best take and then use that one as our base line.” Banjo player Mike Mumford, last year’s IBMA Banjo Player of the year winner, was once again nominated, and the band was nominated for Instrumental Group of the year. Guitarist Chris Luquette (2013 IBMA Instrumentalist of the Year Momentum Award winner) and Bassist Danny Booth round out the current line up known as Dirty Kitchen.
Find Your Flavor
When I asked Frank about the styling and phrasing of the brand of music they play he said, “I don’t really think about that too much. If you like it, great. If you don’t, that’s okay too – don’t listen to it. That’s the beauty of living in America and having so many different kinds of music. Find the flavor you enjoy. I don’t really want to be pigeon holed into anything – I just want to make good music. The bluegrass demographic is our audience because we’re all bluegrassers in the band. But I also sing some blues and some jazz. And when I go to listen to music I’m going to put on Stevie Wonder, or James Brown, or something like that. But I also try to listen to other bluegrass musicians too so I get the feel for what they are doing as well. We just don’t want to make cookie cutter music. I want my own sound to come through so when people hear us they know that it is our band because only we sound like us. We don’t want to be formulaic in any way. We often don’t use the same intro or outro on our songs. And we try to use imagery and more complex subject matters too. We want depth to it.” “It’s an honor to be getting recognized on this level,” Frank said. “It makes me feel like we’re achieving what we set out to do.” Right on, Frank! As this industry grows, and evolves, and takes on new nuances, one thing’s for sure; Being you will become increasingly important to remain viable on a professional level. Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen clearly have proven that uniqueness, authenticity, and being true to your vision of who you want to be does work, and it seems to be what the listener is looking for too. Find more info on Frank and the guys at www.dirtykitchenband.com
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October 2014
Another Reason To Visit Bristol
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s generations of music fans grow up, the tendency is also to grow away from the influence of their foundational roots. Naturally, each new crop of entertainers strives to find their own voice. That is to be expected. Yet, it’s equally important to keep memory of how we got here. And thanks to the recent opening of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol VA/TN, that preservation has been put in place for generations to come. The 24,000 square foot center will offer multiple exhibit spaces that feature not only temporary, but permanent exhibits as well. The museum will also incorporate educational and interactive programming into its offerings making this not only a place to commemorate the history, but also a place where you can learn on a deeper level.
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Institution and is a project years in the making. “The opening of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is something that our community has been looking forward to for many years, and we take pride in giving our community something that celebrates our rich music heritage,” said Leah Ross, executive director of the Birthplace of Country Music.
Why Bristol
Bristol straddles the border between Virginia and Tennessee, and holds a rightful spot in music history as the place where historical icons like The Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers laid down the influential catalog of songs referred to as “The 1927 Bristol Sessions.”
These sessions were so highly regarded as musically important, that Johnny Cash declared them “the single most important event in the history of country music.” The $10.5 million dollar museum was built in conjunction with Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian
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Dr. Jessica Turner, director and head curator of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum said, “What the museum offers is a variety of ways to interact with music history in fun and innovative ways, and we are thrilled to launch such a quality museum here in downtown Bristol.” For more information about the Birthplace of Country Music Grand Opening event, please call 423-573-1927 or visit the website, www.BirthplaceofCountryMusic.org.
October 2014
Cash Museum Honors
SUN Legends Shovels and Rope
If you’ve ever had the opportunity
to visit the Sun Records location on Union street in Memphis, TN, you know how quaint and simple the iconic studio looks. But perspective is not reality. Began in 1952 by Sam Phillips, the Sun label was the launching pad for many hopeful musicians who went on to forever shape the world of music we know today. According to the Sun Records web site, “Phillips was patient and willing to listen to almost anyone who came in off the street to record. Memphis was a happy home to a diverse musical scene: gospel, blues, hillbilly, country, boogie, and western swing. Taking advantage of this range of talent, there were no style limitations on the label. In one form or another Sun recorded them all.” Artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich, Conway Twitty, and Roy Orbison
are notable stand outs, but probably none more famous than Elvis Presley or Johnny Cash. This past July 4th, 2014 marked the 60th anniversary of arguably one of the most famous recordings at the Sun studios. An aspiring singer from Tupelo, MS, Elvis Presley recorded the hit, “That’s All Right” – and it was what many agree the birth of Rock and Roll. Another Sun protégé was a young man by the name of Johnny Cash. Later commonly known as The Man In Black, Cash’s career spanned for decades before his passing in 2003. The singer-songwriter, actor, and author not only became a country music legend, his songs crossed many musical boundaries including rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel. www.JohnnyCashMuseum.com
The Legends On Display
In honor of the place and the artists that were there in the beginning, The Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville, TN has unveiled a new exhibit, The Legends Of Sun Records collection. It features artifacts that spotlight Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and drummer W.S. Holland. “I’m pleased that the Johnny Cash Museum is celebrating the achievements of these five legendary performers, and I know that Elvis would have been tremendously honored to be included in this exhibit,” stated Priscilla Presley. Jerry Lee Lewis said of the exhibition, “Johnny and I started at Sun Records over 50 years ago and worked together for decades. We were good friends and I’m proud to be involved in The Legends of
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Sun Records exhibit at the Johnny Cash Museum.” W. S. Holland said, “the drums that are currently on display in the Johnny Cash Museum are the same set that recorded ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ and the Million Dollar Quartet. They were also the first ever full drum set to be played at the Grand Ole Opry. At Sun Records, it wasn’t something that we thought would make history. It just happened. We never thought anyone would even know about it after a couple years. Those days seem like a dream, but they also seemed like they just happened a few weeks ago.” The Johnny Cash Museum itself houses the world’s largest collection of artifacts and memorabilia pertaining to Johnny’s life and career. The Exhibits, films and other items have all been officially endorsed by the Cash Family.
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October 2014
Preserving Rural American Music By Bob Phillips
Bob Phillips is a correspondent for National Traditional Country Music Association (NTCMA) - a non-profit corporation devoted and dedicated to keeping acoustic rural country music alive. www.ntcma.net.
When American Profile Maga-
zine did a story on two Iowan folks, Bob and Sheila Everhart, they started with an interesting analogy. “When Bob Everhart plays ‘Down In the Valley’ he hears the voices of pioneers. And those voices have inspired a museum, two halls of fame, and a festival to honor America’s traditional and rural music.” Everhart is quick to add, “The National Old Time Festival we put on is in its 39th year. That’s a record for Iowa, and for the kind of music we present, it’s a record for America. When I say the names of some of our presentations, like a guitar pull, or a harmonica howl, a banjo jamboree, a dulcimer do, an autoharp gathering, a poet’s corner, a fiddler’s jubilee, even a man-
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dolin pick-in, it fosters images, and in many cases definite memories, of what America’s music used to be like. Doing this for 39 years has created a situation where we now need seven days/ten stages to accommodate the over 600 performers,and what is even more amazing is where they come from.”
wonder it even still exists. When radio and recordings first came into being, the only licensing agency was ASCAP who refused to license the old-time mountain music for radio airplay because they felt it was unfit for human consumption. Perhaps they weren’t listening to America then, and in many cases, I think they don’t listen to America today. That’s why we work so hard keeping this particular event alive and well.”
Everhart and his wife Sheila work on the event the entire year. According to Sheila, “This is a monumental task for us, just scheduling that many performers can be a nightmare, but Bob has been doing it for a very long time now, and he enjoys each and every perfor-
mance, especially those that engender the continuation of what America’s early rural music was like.”
Not Listening To America
“America’s rural music is the most discriminated musical genre in America,” Bob said. “It has been under the gun so many times it’s a
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The Everhart’s formed a 501(c)3 non-profit agricultural exposition organization in 1976 to keep the event alive. “We’re kind of like a church,” Bob said. “Our religion is of many stripes, but the stars of our flag are the ones that still keep the light of America’s musical heritage unextinguished.” Bob and Shelia are recording artists for the prestigious Smithsonian Institution. Created by Moses Asch in New York City, it is now the most respected record label main-
October 2014
taining America’s musical heritage in the country. “We’ve recorded six albums for the Smithsonian, and that has led us to creating a program we call the Traveling Museum of Music. We
Additionally, special guests like John Carter Cash, Larry Cordle. Stephen Pride, (the younger brother of Charley Pride), and LuLu Roman (one of the stars of
have spent two years working on it, and researching it. This is a program of music that was popular in rural America. It’s historically accurate, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, most times very meaningful entertainment suitable for all ages, and especially appreciated by an older audience. That’s exactly how we continue our work saving America’s rural musical heritage.”
Hee Haw), are all making the trek to the corn fields of Iowa.
How It Goes Down
The music festival takes place August 25 -31, at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds in LeMars, Iowa. “LeMars is the ice cream capital of the world,” Everhart said, “so we are very pleased to be in a location that has air conditioned buildings that can accommodate all the stage. We have everything from a Log Cabin front porch, to a quiet little nook in front of an old wind mill in what we call a pioneer ghost town. That’s where the Carl Sandburg readings, poetry, autoharpists, storytelling, dulcimers, and zither playing and quiet music takes place. The main stage accommodates nearly 2,000 fans. Many professional performers come from around the world to make the festival international in scope.
A Piece Of History
“Agriculture was, and still is, one of the most important industries in America. That’s why we have the Mobile Museum containing displays relative to Iowa’s ancient agriculturists, right up to the present, with us. We invite schools in Plymouth County, and all counties surrounding Plymouth, to send their kids to us for a field day of incredible history as revealed in the old songs that Bluegrass legend Bill Monroe (who by the way, found his wife in Iowa) labeled this musical history the ‘ancient tones.”
For more information visit www.ntcma.net.
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October 2014
Along
and 78 RPM records at his stores, and those items were popular attractions in those days.
the Shenandoah Music Trail
By Don DePoy PhD
A
s I sit writing this in the great state of Maine, I am contemplating where our travels will take us next, including getting to meet many of you at the Shenandoah Music Trail’s booth at IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, NC this fall. I am also reminded of the Shenandoah Music Trail’s goal; to promote, preserve, and celebrate the great music traditions of the Shenandoah Valley. The SM Trail offers pickers and listeners an opportunity to experience music styles that date back to the 1700s; styles that shaped and set the standard for much of today’s Americana music also know as old-time, bluegrass, string, roots, mountain soul, and alternative country music.
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The history of the development of the Americana string music rightfulloy indicates that the historical moment of the Birth of Country Music was in Bristol, TN on July 25, 1927. However, did you know that before Ralph Peer’s 1927 visit to Bristol he had already begun bringing this hillbilly music to a fast growing audience? Here’s a brief back-story.
Talent Discovered
In a recent issue of Shenandoah Living magazine (www.shenandoahmagazine.com), writer Dave Nealon recounted the story of local resident John Evans who is credited for discovering some local talent. Evans operated two furniture stores in the Rockingham County area of VA. Evens stocked wind-up phonograph machines
By 1927, rural southern music had been growing in sales for a couple of years. A popular annual local outing was the Elkton, VA Field Day event. This event featured contests, food, and lots of live local music. One headlining act was a group from the Blue Ridge Moun-
the Lam group to New York to make records and offered to pay all their expenses as well as a 50-dollar per disc stipend. The Lams recorded 14 songs on July 7th and 8th, 1927, and Okeh released 12 of them that were credited to Bela Lam and His Quartette.” The records were moderately successful. Peer left Okeh soon after this event and went to work for Victor. He headed south to find more musicians to record for Victor, and the Bristol Sessions are now history. Peer did again recorded Bela Lam and his newly named Greene County Singers, this time for Victor, and these sessions were held in Richmond, Virginia in 1929.
Tune-book Roots
Here’s another interesting back-story. Sources such as Bill Monroe and a host of scholarly books written on the history of bluegrass all indicate the major role BapBela Lam and Green County Singers tist church singing played in the development of bluegrass mutains named Bela Lam and His sic, especially the harmony vocal Quartette. John Evans heard the style so closely associated with Lams perform and contacted Ralph bluegrass music. It is interesting to Peer, a record industry friend of learn that the most popular hymn Evens, who worked for Okeh book carried by early settlers down Records in New York. Peer invited
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October 2014
the Wagon Road and west on the Wilderness Road into Kentucky was actually published in Dayton, VA, a small town just south of Harrisonburg on Highway 42. This Ananias Davisson
book is the Kentucky Harmony. It is a shape note tune-book, published in 1816 by Ananias Davisson. This book is generally considered the first Southern shape-note tunebook in history. The first edition of the Kentucky Harmony was 140 pages long and contained 143 tunes. Unlike some books printed before and after this publication, the Kentucky Harmony always contained four part vocal settings for its tunes. The influence of the Kentucky Harmony can be seen in later tunebooks, even as late as Walker’s South ern Harm ony and B. F. White’s Sacred Harp. Irving Lowens considered the Kentucky Harmony”, One of the most important and influential collections of American folk hymnody ever compiled...”. Despite the name Kentucky Harmony, Davisson lived most of his life in the Shenandoah Valley and is buried in Port Republic, VA.
About The Trail
The Shenandoah Music Trail is a series of driving loops designed to showcase Valley music, promote the area’s rich history and natural beauty. The Trail covers 14 counties and is divided into three sections. The upper, central, and lower valley regions all feature easy driving, multiple-loop excursions and they extend from Winchester, VA to Roanoke, VA. These routes access current musical venues, trail stops featuring mountain music, historical places, and location markers for musicians that have had significant impact on American music. Currently, there are over 75
Music Venues with over half offering weekly programs; 27 jam sessions (many weekly); 46 festivals; and over 20 historical event places. The Shenandoah Valley is also home to the first bluegrass day (Berryville, 1960); the first bluegrass festival (Luray, 1961); and the first bluegrass multi-day festival (Fincastle, 1965). Whether you live in the Shenandoah Valley or are looking for some new travel destinations, we hope you might come visit us and experience all we have to offer: amazing natural beauty; rich history; diverse people; and most of all, our music. Come sing your way back home to Shenandoah and don’t forget to bring your instrument. And if you plan to attend this year’s IBMA, stop by our booth and say hello. The Shenandoah Music Trail is sponsored in part by Virginia Tourism Corporation, Virginia Commission for the Arts, National Council for the Arts, and our faithful sponsors and members. SMT is a Shenandoah Valley, all volunteer 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. See more at: www.svmmma.org. You can read more about the Bela Lam story here, http://shenandoahmagazine.com/ lam-family-musicians/ #sthash.FgHBRAFN.dpuf
SMT Grant Update The Shenandoah Music Trail recently received a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts to bring professional music programs to two of the most under-served populations in Virginia, senior citizens and veterans. Dr. Donald DePoy, Executive Director for the Shenandoah Music Trail states, “We are honored to be selected from scores of other applicants to bring Shenandoah Valley music to folks who have little or no opportunity to hear high artistic music performed live.” He goes on to explain, “This grant is specifically targeting non-profit senior and veteran facilities reporting that they have minimal or no money budgeted for music-life enrichment programs.” These facilities typically rely on local, non-professional musicians who graciously volunteer their time but have little, if any, professional training in life enrichment program development.
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October 2014
A
rm yourself with pen and paper and you can travel the world, live on the moon, fight wars long past, create heartache and find the love of your life; all for the price of a little time. For an extra added bonus, you can put those thoughts to a melody and sing your story ... Songwriting!
a song for the ages by listening and seeing what their imagination was unveiling and then acting upon it. Your imagination must
Here is a simple trick: try looking around you and picking out an object, any object, and with a pen or computer, describe what that object is, what it means to you and how it makes you feel. Go a step farther, and make up a fantastical tale about where it came from, for example, on a ship from Casablanca in the early 1600’s, given to your great, great, how ever many greats, grandmother as a memento to treasure after she was rescued from pirates - you get the picture.
“Weave it like soft cotton until it unfolds like a blanket.”
Let’s begin with the beginning, the inspiration. Where do those great songs that we’ve been singing since we could sing, come from? Someone’s imagination, that’s where. These songs were born from something a writer experienced, an experience borrowed, or a tale dreamed up. A songwriter can sit down and write
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be nurtured on a daily basis, so that, like any muscle in your body, it will be ready to go to work when you are in the place to write a song. There are any number of ways you can give your thoughts a workout.
Weave it like soft cotton until it unfolds like a blanket. You are accomplishing several things with this exercise. You are getting your
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creative juices flowing, stretching them and working them out. And you are also learning to write with images. Until the next time, I bid you to write about what you “see”! Donna Ulisse has been a two time nominee for IBMA Songwriter of the Year. She has bee n a si gned songwriter to Uncle Hadley Music (ASCAP) in Nashville, TN for fifteen years and has released seven bluegrass albums on the Hadley Music Group label. She has had her songs recorded by Claire Lynch, Nu-Blu, The Bankesters, Darin & Brooke Aldridge, Louise Mosrie, Diana Jones and also a song on the 2014 Grammy winning album Streets of Baltimore by Del McCoury Band, and she has just published her first book The Songwriter In Me: Snapshots of My Crea tive Pr ocess a vailabl e on Amazon.com.
October 2014
East Coast Piedmont Blues Written by UNC Asheville students enrolled in the Liberal Studies Introductory Colloquia, “The Art of the Blues” (Fall 2005) and “Jazz and Blues in American Culture” (Fall 2003) Supervised by Project Advisor: Bryan Sinclair.
Lesley Riddle By Cori Gross and Christia Aldridge , UNC Ashville Students
Lesley Riddle is considered by many to be one of the biggest contributors to country music as we know it today. Born on June 13, 1905, in Burnsville, North Carolina, Riddle received little education as a child and pursued manual labor as a career. One of his first jobs was at a cement plant, where an accident cost him his right leg at the knee. During his recovery period, Riddle focused his attention on learning to play the guitar. He developed his own unique picking technique and slide style. Throughout the 1920s, Riddle played and sang with small string bands at churches and neighborhood gatherings. In Kingsport, Tennessee in 1928, Riddle met A.P. Carter, founding member of the Carter Family country band. Carter learned the song “Cannonball” from Riddle, and Riddle began accompanying Carter on his “song-collecting” trips throughout the Appalachian region. Carter would write down lyrics he liked, and it was Riddle’s job to remember the music. Maybelle Carter, A.P.’s sister-inlaw and guitarist for the band, is noted as having learned much in the way of guitar technique from Mr. Riddle.
Like many blues men of his day, Riddle relocated to Rochester, New York, in 1942. He sold his guitar in 1945, either because he couldn’t find anyone to make music 13. with, or simply didn’t want to anymore. It was there that Mike Seeger hunted Riddle down to record him in 1963. Seeger and the New Lost City Ramblers played a concert with Maybelle Carter, who played several songs she had learned from Lesley Riddle. Seeger as ked her who she had learned the songs from, and upon finding out, Seeger searc hed Riddle down and persuaded him to continue playing. Between 1965 and 1978, Seeger made several recordings with Riddle on the guitar and piano. In 1993, Rounder Records released these recordings as well as recordings of Riddle playing with the Carter Family. Riddle died on July 13, 1980. He was a greatly talented musician who made an undeniable impact on the sound of the Carter Family, thus influencing country music as a whole. Unfortunately Riddle never received the recognition he deserved, and the only recording of his music available today is the album Step by Step
.
“Influenced by ragtime, country string bands, traveling medicine shows, and popular song of the early 20th century, East Coast Piedmont Blues blended both black and white, rural and urban song elements in the diverse urban centers of the Southeast and mid-Atlantic region. In contrast, the Delta blues style of rural Mississippi is believed to have less of a white influence, as it was produced in a region with a higher concentration of African Americans. Although it drew from diverse elements of the region, East Coast Piedmont Blues is decidedly an African American art form. The Piedmont blues style may even reflect an earlier musical tradition than the blues that emerged from the Mississippi Delta.” http://web.archive.org/web/20060208185500/http://facstaff.unca.edu/sinclair/ piedmontblues/riddle.html
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October 2014
AUGUST Blue Ridge Music & BBQ Fest August 23, 2014 Harrisonburg, VA www.blueridgemusicandbbq.com Shenandoah Valley Music Fest August 29 - Sept. 1 2014 Orkney Springs, VA www.musicfest.org Happy Valley Fiddlers Conv. August 29 - 31, 2014 Lenoir, NC www.happyvalleyfiddlers.com
SEPTEMBER Interlocking Music Festival September 4 - 7, 2014 Arrington, VA www.lockenfestival.com Grottoes Family Bluegrass Festival September 4 - 6, 2014 Grottoes, VA www.bluegrassingrottoes.com Rockbridge Mountain Music & Dance Festival September 5 - 6, 2014 Buena Vista, VA www.rockbridgefestival.org
Hoppin’ John Old-Time & Bluegrass Fiddlers Convention September 18 - 20, 2014 Silk Hope, NC www.hoppinjohn.org Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion September 19 - 21, 2014 Bristol, VA www.bristolrhythm.com Good Times Tastes & Traditions September 20 - 21, 2014 Staunton, VA www.augustava.com Arcadia Bluegrass Festival September 18 - 20, 2014 Upperco, MD http://www.bluegrassville.com/arcadia/ homepgfall.htm Edinburg Ole Time Festival September 19 - 21, 2014 Edinburg, VA www.edinburgoletimefestival.org Nothin’ Fancy Bluegrass Festival September 25 - 28, 2014 Buena Vista, VA www.nothinfancybluegrass.com
Jumpin’ Bluegrass & VA State Bluegrass Championship September 11 - 14, 2014 Chesterfield, VA www.vafolkmusic.org
Crooked Road Music Festival September 25 - 28, 2014 Abingdon, VA www.abingdon-crookedroadmusicfest.com
Carolina Bible Camp Bluegrass Fest September 13, 2014 Mockesville, VA www.cbcbluegrass.com
Watermelon Park Fest September 25 - 27, 2013 Berryville, VA www.watermelonparkfest.com
Beer & Music September 20, 2014 Harrisonburg, VA www.rocktownfestival.com
Outerbanks Bluegrass Festival September 25 - 28, 2014 Roanoke Island, NC www.bluegrassisland.com
(AMA) Americana Music Festival September 17 - 21, 2014 Nashville, TN www.americanamusic.org
Brew & Blues September 27, 2014 Front Royal, VA www.brewandblues.com
Email festival listings to info@americanarhythm.com
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Daily Vincent Land Fest September 18 - 20, 2014 Denton, NC www.dailyvincentfest.com
Misty Mountain Music Festival September 26 - 28, 2014 Crozet, VA www.mistymountainmusicfestival.com
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OCTOBER Aiken And Friends Fest October 3 - 4, 2014 Smithfield, VA www.aikenandfriendsfest.com Mountain Magic Bluegrass Fest. October 4, 2014 Buchanan, VA www.townofbuchanan.com Wide Open Bluegrass October 3 - 4, 2014 Raleigh, NC www.wideopenbluegrass.com Norton Wine & Bluegrass Festival October 4 - 5, 2014 Petersburg, VA www.chrysaliswine.com/ The Festy Experience October 10 - 12 , 2014 Nelson County, VA www.thefesty.com Shakorihills Grassroots Festival October 9 - 12, 2014 Pittsboro, NC www.shakorihillsgrassroots.org Richmond Folk Festival October 10 - 12, 2014 Richmond, VA www.richmondfolkfestival.com Rockahock Family Bluegrass October 16 - 18, 2014 Lanexa, VA www.rockahockbluegrass.com 40th Home Craft Days Festival October 17 - 19, 2013 Big Stone Gap, VA www.homecraftdays.org Blue Ridge Folk Life Festival October 25 , 2014 Ferrum, VA www.blueridgeinstitute.org
October 2014
Wide Open
Bluegrass
If you live in, near, or even
within driving distance of downtown Raleigh, NC, it would be worth your while to mark October 3rd – 4th on your calendar, and head that way. Why? This marks the second year that the International Bluegrass Music Association’s convention will be held in the city. It is the business side of bluegrass music for bands, promoters, labels, venues, and all things related to making and presenting music. However, the culmination of that is an amazing two days of what the IBMA says is “some of the best bluegrass lineups of the fall anywhere in the nation.”
The Wide Open Bluegrass, as it is referred to, is a free Street Festival from noon until 11:00 PM Friday and Saturday. It features four music stages, a youth talent stage, the North Carolina Whole Hog Barbecue State Championship, a dance tent, and a variety of food vendors and other street festival offerings. Scheduled performers this year include, The Gibson Brothers, Steep Canyon Rangers, Balsam Range, Lonesome River Band, Town Mountain, Ricky Skaggs & Bruce Hornsby with Kentucky Thunder, Del McCoury Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, Della Mae, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, The Grascals, and many others. For additional information about the IBMA, or the Wide Open Bluegrass schedule, visit www.wideopenbluegrass.com.
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October 2014
Music From The National Scene
Music From Your Neighbors
welcome to the latest edition of SPINS! How can these guys keep making such great music? Wow! Grab your iPad or Smart Phone and dial up some of these fine folks. We bet you love them all - we do!
Of course, soon you’ll be able to hear cuts from these groups featured on our Internet radio station, Americana House Party as well. You can turn us on from the home page of our web site at www.AmericanaRhythm.com. Uncle Woody, The Spin Doctor
Jack Clement For Once And For All www.jackclement.com “Cowboy” Jack Clement died in August 2013 at 82, not long after he finished recording this CD, only his third - but to call him a legend probably comes up short. He was “America’s whimsical maverick.” And this legacy collection is a poetic epitaph
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Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen Cold Spell www.dirtykitchenband.com Leading a new generation of grass flavored pioneers, Frank Solivan and his band, Dirty Kitchen, have been nominated as 2014’s Instrumental band of the year. If you like inovative string music, you’ll like this
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Mike Auldridge, Jerry Douglas, Rob Ickes Three Bells
www.johncowan.com
John Cowan got his start as the bassist for the New Grass Revival - 35 years later, known by many as the “Voice of Newgrass,” his latest, Sixty, is considered his most ambitious. And, it’s good! Newgrassers, check it out
www.flamekeeperband.com
www.concordmusicgroup.com
www.slambovia.com
With nine IBMA Fiddle player of the year awards, Michael Cleveland is on of the premier fiddlers of his generation. These guys knock it out of the park with this straight up drivin’ grass collection
Should read, Three Legends - Three dobro masters collaborate for this once in a lifetime set. Sadly, Mike Auldridge passed shortly after recording. This is one to grab for sure. Out Sept. 16
Dubbed the “greatest hits you’ve never heard,” The Slambovian Circus of Dreams brings a unique twist to Americana / alt. Folk - a cool 70s ish vibe - and a great musical expereince. Nice, guys
Sixty
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David Mayfield Strangers
Acoustic Sound Hounds
Dale Watson
Dolly Parton
ASH
www.davidmayfieldparade.net
www.acousticsoundhounds.com
The Truckin’ Sessions Trilogy www.lancecowanmedia.com
www.dollypartonentertainment.com
Prolific folk grass, singer/ songwriter David Mayfield had one goal with this new project, Strangers; “record a timeless alb um.” It’s a grass,celtic, folk, journeyman inspired collection well worth the spin. The imagery is vivid; timeless even. We like it
Texas Bluegrass band Acoustic Sound Hounds debuts it’s sophomore set with ASH. Every band seeks that signature sound they can call their own - ASH has done it catchy vocal harmony and finger snappin’ tunes. Traditional grass with a twist
Although the trilogy began back in 1998, this third in the series from classic Texas swingman Dale Watson is a blast to listen to. Think Merle Haggard meets Waylon Jennings meets Jerry Reed Bam! Bet you can’t keep still with this CD in the spinner
Who doesn’t know Dolly Parton - this country music, living legend returns to her roots with her grass tinged, Blu e Smo ke. As much Americana as anything, Dolly just knows how to make good music. You’ll like this
Larry Sparks
Seldom Scene Long Time
Wayne Taylor
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Doug Seegers Going Down The River www.rounder.com Self proclaimed, “Doug The Drifter,” Doug Seegers has had quite the life. The “frequently homeless” 62 year old got discovered at a Nashville food pantry by a Swedish country music star. The result, a darn good record and a cool story
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Lonesome And Then Some A Classic 50th Celebration www.larrysparks.com 50 years is a long time to do anything. But when you’ve been making good music that long, it’s worth celebrating Larr y Spar ks one of bluegrass’s early generation - still makes good music
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Blue Smoke
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www.folkways.si.edu
Movin’ On www.waynetaylorandappalossa.com
Profoundly influencial Seldom Scene’s early cutting edge, out of the box approach paved the way for what became the new grass movement. Their latest is a “family reunion” with current and founding players. It’s a must have
Carolina native, Wayne Taylor spent 18 years with the Navy’s outreach band Country Current, honing his musical chops. His latest solo project, Movin’ On, is yet another solid installment of his contemporary to traditional grass sound
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You can send new Americana CD releases for consideration to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812
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The Slambovian Circus Of Dreams A Box Of Everything
Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper On Down The Line
John Cowan
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Bringing Music To Your Home
October 2014
Greg Tutwiler with Andrew McKnight
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ten times, access to live music is not easy or accessible. That, and the changing seasons, curtail the availability of outdoor music festivals. Never fear. There is a viable solution; House Concerts. That’s right, a concert in your home. Perhaps the concept has not escaped you, but you’ve never considered the idea personally. Why not? Solo acts and smaller duet/trio acts are always looking for opportunities to share their craft. And most are very willing to entertain smaller audiences. If you think about where many of them find work, it’s often in 30 to 40 seat café’s and coffee houses. Well, I bet your living room or basement probably would accommodate that many folks. (Many artists will even play for 15 to 20 people.) My friend and long time contributor to AR, Andrew McKnight, shared some insights with me about this really neat social gathering. “House concerts make up a good percentage of my concert schedule these days,” he said, “Many folks do this as a special event when I come to town, for others it’s a monthly occurrence. They get the beautiful nuances of voices and strings, up close and personal.” Presenting a house concert is pretty easy he told me. “Once we arrange a date, the rest falls into place simply. You need to figure how many people you can comfortably fit, where you can procure sufficient seating (borrowing a few folding chairs from your church is common), and get emails, flyers or postcards out to interested friends, coworkers, and/or folks at other local folk/acoustic venues.” And it’s not as costly as you might think. House concerts are often underwritten all or in part by the host or sponsor(s) in combination with admission donations from attendees.
Here are a couple of tips Andrew offers for making your House Concert night a success. Get an audience interested in advance and in the seats at the show. Make and send your own invitations from companies like Postcard or Evite, or use an email list and make phone calls. Plan ahead for details like parking, house and bathroom access, seating, refreshments, and admission donation collection. Provide an attractive performance and listening setting; the right lighting and ambiance can bring the warmth and magic of Carnegie Hall to your living room “Make sure in addition to being a good host you can enjoy the show yourself, instead of running around like a maniac tending to details while everyone else is enjoying the show,” Andrew said. “The night of the show, you may want to have some refreshments ready, or specify a BYO if you prefer. Welcome your guests as they come in and point their way to the admission donation jar and refreshments. Consider introducing the artist and letting your audience know that it is a listening performance (cell phones on stun, please). Allow for socializing before and after the show and on the intermission, and perhaps encourage them to check out the CDs.” “Then at the end of the night, folks will thank you for a wonderful time; ask to find out when you’re doing it again; and say good night,” Andrew continued. “A few minutes of tidying up and rearranging the furniture and voila, back to your own house!” If you would like to speak to Andrew about a house concert, you can visit his website at www.AndrewMcKnight.com. To find house concerts to attend and support in your area, visit www.houseconcerts.com
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www.AmericanaRhythm.com
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