THE AMAZING BASS STAND
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THE AMAZING DBL BASS BUGGIE®
We’re home of the original double bass transport.
STUDIO G STAND
A versatile option for guitarists in the studio or on the stage. Protection for your instrument and comfort for the performer.
THE AMAZING MINI X STAND
Unique hinged “x” format for smaller stringed instruments such as violins, violas, mandolins, and most ukuleles.
Richelle Putnam holds a BS in Marketing Management and an MA in Creative Writing. She is a Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) Teaching Artist, two-time MAC Literary Arts Fellow, and Mississippi Humanities Speaker. Her fiction, poetry, essays, and articles have been published in many print and online literary journals and magazines. Among her six published books are a 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards Silver Medalist and a 2017 Foreword Indies Book Awards Bronze Medal winner. Visit her website at www.richelleputnam.com.
Rebekah Speer has nearly twenty years in the music industry in Nashville, TN. She creates a unique “look” for every issue of The Bluegrass Standard, and enjoys learning about each artist. In addition to her creative work with The Bluegrass Standard, Rebekah also provides graphic design and technical support to a variety of clients. www.rebekahspeer.com
Susan traveled with a mixed ensemble at Trevecca Nazarene college as PR for the college. From there she moved on to working at Sony Music Nashville for 17 years in several compacities then transitioning on to the Nashville Songwritrers Association International (NSAI) where she was Sponsorship Director. The next step of her musical journey was to open her own business where she secured sponsorships for various events or companies in which the IBMA/World of Bluegrass was one of her clients.
Susan Marquez is a freelance writer based in Madison, Mississippi and a Mississippi Arts Commission Roster Artist. After a 20+ year career in advertising and marketing, she began a professional writing career in 2001. Since that time she has written over 2000 articles which have been published in magazines, newspapers, business journals, trade publications.
Singer/Songwriter/Blogger and SilverWolf recording artist, Mississippi Chris Sharp hails from remote Kemper County, near his hometown of Meridian. An original/founding cast member of the award-winning, long running radio show, The Sucarnochee Revue, as featured on Alabama and Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Chris performs with his daughter, Piper. Chris’s songs have been covered by The Del McCoury Band, The Henhouse Prowlers, and others. mississippichrissharp.blog
Brent Davis produced documentaries, interview shows, and many other projects during a 40 year career in public media. He’s also the author of the bluegrass novel Raising Kane. Davis lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Kara Martinez Bachman is a nonfiction author, book and magazine editor, and freelance writer. A former staff entertainment reporter, columnist and community news editor for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, her music and culture reporting has also appeared on a freelance basis in dozens of regional, national and international publications.
Candace Nelson is a marketing professional living in Charleston, West Virginia. She is the author of the book “The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll.” In her free time, Nelson travels and blogs about Appalachian food culture at CandaceLately.com. Find her on Twitter at @Candace07 or email CandaceRNelson@gmail.com.
A Philadelphia native and seasoned musician, has dedicated over forty years to music. Starting as a guitar prodigy at eight, he expanded his talents to audio engineering and mastering various instruments, including drums, piano, mandolin, banjo, dobro, and bass. Alongside his brother, he formed The Young Brothers band, and his career highlights include co-writing a song with Kid Rock for Rebel Soul.
by Susan Marquez
Angela M. Wellman, Ph.D., had the good fortune of growing up surrounded by music. From the time she was in elementary school until she earned her Ph.D., she studied in music conservatories. Wellman has been a performing musician, a music educator, and an activist, now following in her family’s footsteps as an institutionbuilding village woman. “I grew up in a family of institution-builders who worked to illuminate and lift people up through music.” Wellman plays the trombone and uses music as a way of educating people about the gift of music unwittingly brought to the Northern Hemisphere through the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
She founded the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music (OPC) twenty years ago. “I was an artist-in-residence at a school in Oakland, and I noticed a lot of kids who needed to be in my after-school classes who weren’t there. Instead, they were being tutored on other subjects so they could pass the school’s standardized tests. It is my belief that children must have similar access to music.” Multiple studies have shown that music students score better in math, science, and English than their nonmusical peers.
To remedy the problem, Wellman founded the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music twenty years ago to provide all interested students with
a music education. The conservatory is a project of Music is eXtraordinary (MIX), a non-profit Wellman founded in 2001. She consulted with area schools to develop music programs that reflected each school’s culture. The OPC followed in 2005 with a mission of “opening the world of music to all through access to quality, economical instruction in a nurturing environment in a quest to preserve the musical traditions of Oakland.” Wellman says that the public conservatory speaks to roots music in this country.
In 2023, plans were made for a Black Banjo and Fiddle Fellowship (BBFF), the first of its kind at OPC.
A collaboration with the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, the project aims to repatriate old-time music in African American communities and illuminate the Black experience in creating old-time music. A call went out for BBFF applications, and the first Fellows were selected from the applicants for the program.
The two-year paid fellowship program trains Black musicians on the rich history of old-time music. Recognizing the historical and cultural ruptures that erased the Black origins of fiddle and banjo musicians, the BBFF works to ensure the tradition is sustained by also offering a teacher-training program where apprentices are trained to pass down the knowledge they gain about
old-time music on banjo or fiddle. They also gain skills in leading jam sessions. Three Fellows were selected for the first “class” of Fellows. Darcy Ford, a fiddle player, is a trained violinist and educator who has taught strings in public schools for twenty years. She co-founded Stockton Soul, a non-profit soul orchestra “dedicated to educating, empowering, and inspiring audiences through the performance of Black music.” A multi-instrumentalist, art educator, and Black music researcher, Joe Zavaan Johnson, is pursuing a Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology at Indiana University-Bloomington. Rounding out the Fellows is Patrice Strahan, who cultivated her love for music in a common starting place – the church. She has also played in bands and is driven
by her passion for “engaged spiritual social justice” and “communal music at the intersection of land stewardship/ kinship.” She is dedicated to ensuring Black old-time music is learned and passed on to future generations.
The goal is for the Fellows to learn to play banjo and fiddle tunes, cultivating a historical context of Black banjo and fiddle origins and their contributions to old-time music. They will then create educational content for teaching banjo and fiddle music at the OPC and curate and lead old-time jam sessions.
The BBFF has now completed year one of the first two-year fellowship. “The first year went very well,” says Wellman. “This is our first time doing something like this, and with that came a few
bumps, but we have learned from those. The first year was a time to go deep with the culture-bearers. In this second year, the Fellows have begun teaching a few free classes to get people involved. The response has been overwhelmingly positive – we have had to add more classes.”
Faculty for the BBFF includes Earl White, a renowned fiddler who has been performing and preserving Appalachian music and dance for over 50 years. He is accompanied by Jake Blount, who is an award-winning musician and banjo player. Blount has performed at the Kennedy Center, Newport Folk Festival, and on the National Public Radio’s Tiny Desk series. Tony Thomas, a leading historian on banjo origins and American banjo playing, will be facilitating the program’s history seminar.
Dom Flemons, a co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, is quoted on the BBFF’s website: “The Black Banjo and Fiddle Fellowship is a missing link in the propagation of the influence of the African American role in the development of American music. The African American experience touches every genre of music created in America…and the knowledge of this fact must be cultivated in the African American musical community.”
by Susan Marquez
When the town of Fort Fairfield, Maine, was looking for entertainment for its annual Potato Blossom Festival in 2004, someone suggested bluegrass. “I didn’t know much about bluegrass music,” says Steve Rogeski. “I’m an electrician by trade. My son and I volunteered to set up the electrical connections to the campground and work in the fields. My wife, Nancy, worked at the check-in for the festival.”
By 2008, the music had grown beyond what the festival organizers could handle. Stev and Nancy didn’t want to see it go away, so they took matters into their own hands. “I gave the town 40 acres of my own land so that we wouldn’t lose the festival.” A 100’ x 100’ pole barn that seats 1200 people was erected on the land, and a campground was installed. “That all happened in July, and by Labor Day, we did our first show,” says Stev. “We then did a winter show by request.”
They had come to love bluegrass music but knew little about presenting a music festival. Before they knew it, Stev and Nancy were festival promoters, seeking talent and coordinating a bluegrass festival held three times a year. They planned the festival around other local festivals. “During the summer months, there are a number of local festivals in
small towns all over northern Maine,” Stev explains. “We planned ours at different times of the year.”
That was all fine until the great Covid pandemic hit. “We are very close to the Canadian border,” explains Stev. “About 90% of our audience is Canadian. When the pandemic hit, Canada had very tight border restrictions. That changed what we were doing. Before Covid, we would have about 300 people at each festival. That’s not a lot compared to some of the festivals in Canada, where there is more bluegrass music in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick than there is in Tennessee.”
The County Bluegrass Festival is scheduled for Labor Day Weekend, August 2831, at 119 West Limestone Road in Fort Fairfield, Maine. This year’s lineup includes Carson Peters & Iron Mountain, Serene Green, Nick Chandler & Delivered, The Grass Messengers, Mike Mitchell, The Ruta Beggars, High River, Blistered Fingers, Dirigo Strings, and more to be announced.
Stev and Nancy visit other festivals to find talent for the festival and attend the IBMA World of Bluegrass, where they observe as many artist showcases as possible. “I love to hear new talent,” he says. “It is always exciting to find – and book – an up-andcoming band. I remember when we first heard Carolina Blue at IBMA. It was 2:30 in the morning, and it was the first time I had ever heard them. I only heard three songs and asked them to play at our festival.” The same happened with Flat Lonesome and Nick Chandler. “We typically offer them a three-year agreement.”
Stev says he has specific criteria he looks for in a band. “I like it if they write their own music. If they don’t, they typically don’t last too long. I watch how they participate with the audience, which is very important. And I want them to be entertaining. They get bonus points if they jam with people in the fields, but we don’t require that. But those that do tend to have a very loyal following.” Stev says he also follows bands on social media. “They don’t need to spread their personal business on their band page,” he says.
The festival’s motto is “Just ask.” That came from an exit survey the Rogeskis asked each guest to complete before leaving. “We always want to know how we can make their next visit better. We tell everyone that if they need something, just ask.”
The festival campground has spaces for recreational vehicles and campers and ten campers for rent. A few cabins are also on-site, and one big cabin is just five miles down the road.
by Susan Marquez
Kenny Feinstein began busking at the age of 12 in Santa Cruz, California. “It was the 1990s, and I was heavy into punk.” Kenny says he didn’t grow up in a musical family. “I just liked music—the Beatles. Blink 182. Nirvana. Also, gangster rap. All the stuff I watched on MTV. I grew up in the culture of skateboarding.” Kenny spent first through seventh grade in Singapore, then eighth through tenth grades in Mexico City before moving to Portland, Oregon. “But I say Santa Cruz is where I’m from because it’s the only constant throughout that period.”
He played in punk bands during his teens, but when he was 16, Kenny went to a square dance and was exposed to bluegrass music for the first time. “I was mesmerized – I like bluegrass because of its improvisational nature.”
Kenny attended the University of Oregon, where he earned a jazz guitar degree. “I was on tour much of the time and missed a lot of school. I was playing bluegrass music and then practicing jazz guitar. I remember practicing outside from 2 am to 3 am in a sketchy part of San Francisco because I didn’t want to wake anyone up. Fortunately, I had friends who would spot me so no one would steal my guitar.” Once he earned his degree, Kenny says he went “full hillbilly,” playing old-timey and bluegrass music, adding, “I did play it a bit jazzy and improvisational.”
Going back to his busking days, Kenny had the idea for the bluegrass band he was in to play at the farmer’s market in Portland. “We took fifty CDs with us that we had burned ourselves and sold them all in the first three hours. We loved that we could make money with music. It was a punk rock ethic and attitude, real D.I.Y.”
The first iteration of Water Tower, the band he fronts now, was called Water Tower Bucket Boys, formed in 2005. That morphed into Water Tower String Band. The band first recorded as Water Tower in 2012 before Kenny spent seven years “getting in trouble.” He moved to Los Angeles in 2018 and connected with Tommy Drinkard, who, while already an accomplished electric and acoustic guitar player, took banjo lessons from Kenny. Within a year, Tommy took the first-place prize for intermediate banjo at the Topanga Banjo and Fiddle Competition. Tommy and Kenny began collaborating on songwriting while forming their unique sound. Jesse Blue Eads joined the group after a chance meeting while busking on the Hermosa Beach Pier in 2021. The 19-year-old jazz bassist had just received a jazz award from the Berklee School of Music but held his own on the banjo. Taylor Estes joined the band, and soon the “family” was complete.
“We do think of ourselves as a family,” says Kenny. “We also have auxiliary members for the band – those who come in to join us or sub for other band
members from time to time.” The band also has a strong core of fans, with multiple Facebook groups. “They call themselves Owls, or some variation of that, which began during Covid.” When the pandemic hit, the band was forced to move indoors. “We had never been much into social media, but we did an about-face and began doing daily live streams at noon and five daily from our house in downtown Los Angeles. It was not uncommon for us to have 150 people watching us. We did it for a year, and it was so much fun.” The shows were interactive, with viewers singing along to some of the songs. “For some reason, I had a few owls on a shelf in the background, and at the end of each show, we’d do a closeup of an owl light, and everyone would say ‘owl out!” People began sending owls to our house, and we started putting owls on all our merchandise. Then it became a whole thing about how owls perch on the top of the water tower to protect the water supply from additives or other contaminants.”
The fan groups for Water Tower include the Tower Heads, the Tower Ladies, Dudes of the Tower, Juice’s Mustache, Kenny’s Shoes, Drinkard’s Denims, Drinkard’s Hair, and other fan-created groups. There are even fans with tattoos of Water Tower song lyrics. “That’s a pretty big affirmation for us,” Kenny laughs. “It’s also very inspirational. It just makes me happy because our band’s mission is to contribute to the lessening of suffering. I have a lot of gratitude for our fans.”
Water Tower’s unique sound is influenced by Foghorn Stringband, an old-time string band from Portland known for their intense dedication to the old-time tradition. “We are also heavily influenced by Bill Monroe, Clarence White, and Don Reno.” The band’s debut album, Fly Around, was released in 2020. The concept album is designed to listen all the way through (at least, the first time) from beginning to end. The album pushes boundaries, blending old-time and bluegrass sounds with rock, pop, punk, and psychedelia for a unique and captivating sound. The members of Water Tower attended the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh for the first time last fall. “It was absolutely worth it,” says Kenny. “Because of that, we got some amazing gigs, including the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado and the Strawberry Bluegrass Festival in Grass Valley, California.”
www.watertowerband.com
Caleb Malooley delivers guitar, harmonica, and lead vocals for Michigan-based group, The Gasoline Gypsies. The Americana-steeped four-part harmonies – and melding of rock, folk, bluegrass and country –have gotten them noticed; they’re eight-time Detroit Music Award winners and appear both in intimate settings and at larger venues.
Malooley said he thinks bluegrass fans would really enjoy what The Gasoline Gypsies are doing. In particular, he mentioned the latest EP – Gravel Roads – and the upcoming EP, Hard Livin’.
“These tracks are deeply steeped in the roots of American music,” he explained. “We feel as though we have finally found our sound. We’ve come back full circle to our beginnings in American folk and bluegrass music.”
As is the case with many Americana groups, the band’s sound allows for meanderings and blendings that span genres. There are quite a few influences at play.
“I was brought up on classic rock, bluegrass and folk,” Malooley explained. “My biggest influences being James Taylor, Van Morrison, CSNY and the like. For 32 of my 34 years, I have attended the Wheatland Music Festival, a staple of the Michigan folk and bluegrass scene, and I can honestly say that the festival is the reason I started a career in music.”
He said for the rest of the band, there’s a wide variety of musical tastes: “Between the five of us, we appreciate pretty much any genre of music, with one thing in common…we just like good music.”
The band’s musicianship and lyrical quality are showcased in a recent release, “Mud in the Water.” It’s a simple analogy, but these words from the thoughtful song clearly describe a life transition we all pass through: “There’s mud in the water, and the magic’s gone.”
Malooley explained that “Mud in the Water” is about the gradual transition from childhood to becoming an adult. “When you’re young, especially in times before
memory, everything is fresh, new and exciting…as you grow older, all those exciting things become mundane. Work, relationships, and the responsibilities of life in general are a constant distraction from the magic that still exists and becomes increasingly harder to find. Eventually, most of us start to lean more and more towards instant gratification and creature comforts just to try to feel some of that magic again.”
He said it was one of the easier songs to record on the EP.
“It all just kind of fell together and was wrapped up in a day or so, which I always think is the sign of a solid song. We recorded it right in our hometown of Port Huron.”
Malooley said there’s a core group of devoted fans vital to the band’s success so far. In continuation of the gypsy motif, they’re called The Vagabundos.
“The Vagabundos really are the backbone beginning, something like 14 years no egos, just a bunch of great people where any new fans feel comfortable huge part of our recent growth.”
As for the future, Malooley said The expanding the band’s presence online.
This year, they’ll release at least four
“I know I can speak for the whole yet,” he said. “We are incredibly excited
backbone of this band,” he explained. “Some of these folks have been with us since the very years now. We can honestly say we have the greatest group of fans out there. No drama, no jerks, people and true music lovers. That attitude translates to our live shows, creating an environment comfortable immediately. They are also the front line in getting our music out there and have been a
The Gasoline Gypsies will be focusing on recording new songs, making music videos, and online.
four to five new songs from the Hard Livin” EP.
whole band when I say this group of songs and the title track in particular are by far our best work excited to get it out to the world.”
by Jason Young
It’s a rarity to be able to speak to a musician with ties to old-time bluegrass, such as Larry Sparks. The one-time Stanley Brothers and Clinch Mountain Boys guitarist, now 77, still hustles for gigs like a young man in his twenties. Sparks and his band, The Lonesome Ramblers, care about preserving the old-time bluegrass legacy for future generations.
“There were three names that really put this music on the path,” says Sparks, a Bluegrass Hall of Fame inductee, “and of course, that was Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers and Flat and Scruggs—and we all come after that.”
The bluegrass legend hopes younger musicians start their journey by learning from the past.
“You have a lot of young people getting into bluegrass, which is good. We need it!” explains the elder musician, who says learning the music’s roots is important. “I hope they will learn the old ways and old paths and stick to them.”
Sparks is happy that a younger generation of musicians is discovering his music. “I think they’re taking to it, but it has to be presented in the right way. We need to teach them where the music originated.” Sparks went on to name blues, country, and gospel music as essential ingredients to bluegrass.
Sparks admits the younger generation of fans is growing. “If you have one hundred people at a show, you’re probably going to have fifty percent of those who are middle-aged and up with some a little younger. Then you’re going to have a percentage of an even younger generation. A lot of kids are catching onto this music and learning it.”
Sparks values being one of a kind.
“Originality is important. After you learn the basic stuff, you have to have your own voice.” Along with Jim and Jesse, The Osborne brothers, and Jimmy Martin, he explains, “We all have different sounds. We don’t sound like nobody!”
He describes himself as a guitarist who chooses melodic notes over flashy licks: “I play words on the guitar more than notes,” he adds, “Ralph Stanley said that I have a talking guitar.”
Spark’s fans may also recognize him by his trademark Martin guitar.
“I was with Ralph Stanley at the time, and we were playing at the Ken Mill Tavern in Cincinnati, recalls Sparks. “The guy that owned the tavern had the guitar and wanted to sell it. I bought it in 1967, and it’s a 1954 model guitar. I have been playing the same guitar for fifty-seven years.”
Still drawing crowds, Sparks doesn’t care about the size or kind of venue. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a chicken house, I’ll make it work. You have to be a scout and route things out.”
Going on, “Fill-in dates are important. You can’t drive a thousand miles for one show. A lot of shows I do myself. In this business, if a show isn’t booked and I need it booked, then I book it myself. I have a bus to take care of, fuel to take care of, and motels to take care of. I have a company to pay-- a lot of expense out here!”
Sparks has a new album coming out soon.
“I should have it done sometime in February. It will be released in April on Rebel Records.” The bluegrass legend says he plans to name the release Way Back When. It kind of relates to years ago and how people lived back in the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s,” adding, “When a buck was still silver, not paper. I think it’s gonna turn out pretty good!”
The musician shares the secret to his longevity.
“I’m a believer in my God and Jesus Christ, and I follow that. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I don’t want to indulge in anything when I go onstage—no alcohol—no nothing else. I want to be clear-minded with everything.”
Sparks jokes about his age, “I tried turning it around backward, but I’m still seventy-seven!” He laughs.
He feels the power to promote bluegrass is in the hands of radio stations. “You gotta have program directors for it. I want to see it played on all the big stations that play modern country and rock. Give bluegrass some respect. Let it have some time on there, too. It would help our music so much —I want to see that happen!”
“I was with Ralph Stanley at the time, and we were playing at the Ken Mill Tavern in Cincinnati, recalls Sparks. “The guy that owned the tavern had the guitar and wanted to sell it. I bought it in 1967, and it’s a 1954 model guitar. I have been playing the same guitar for fifty-seven years.”
Still drawing crowds, Sparks doesn’t care about the size or kind of venue. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a chicken house, I’ll make it work. You have to be a scout and route things out.”
Going on, “Fill-in dates are important. You can’t drive a thousand miles for one show. A lot of shows I do myself. In this business, if a show isn’t booked and I need it booked, then I book it myself. I have a bus to take care of, fuel to take care of, and motels to take care of. I have a company to pay-- a lot of expense out here!” Sparks has a new album coming out soon.
“I should have it done sometime in February. It will be released in April on Rebel Records.” The bluegrass legend says he plans to name the release Way Back When. It kind of relates to years ago and how people lived back in the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s,” adding, “When a buck was still silver, not paper. I think it’s gonna turn out pretty good!”
The musician shares the secret to his longevity.
“I’m a believer in my God and Jesus Christ, and I follow that. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I don’t want to indulge in anything when I go onstage—no alcohol—no nothing else. I want to be clear-minded with everything.”
Sparks jokes about his age, “I tried turning it around backward, but I’m still seventy-seven!” He laughs.
He feels the power to promote bluegrass is in the hands of radio stations. “You gotta have program directors for it. I want to see it played on all the big stations that play modern country and rock. Give bluegrass some respect. Let it have some time on there, too. It would help our music so much —I want to see that happen!”
by Kara Martinez Bachman
Lauded folk singer, humorist, songwriter and guitarist Steve Poltz is perfect for lightening the load of those who feel the heavy burden of the world. For decades, he’s been touring, writing songs, and basically going around cracking people up.
“I’m excited for the upcoming tour,” Poltz said. “I guess it’s a never-ending tour…I’ve been on it since the 1980s.”
The pickin’ is strong, and the songwriting is great, but Poltz is unique because one of his sets also feels like a stand-up routine. It makes you want to dance. Smile. Laugh. Cheer. It makes you love Steve Poltz.
“Some people are drawn to just staying home and writing songs for other people. Others are road dogs,” he said, describing his life.
Don’t be fooled. Poltz loves barking down that road, but he’s also sat down long enough to pen songs for – or with – some of the biggest names in roots music. Jewel. Billy Strings. Molly Tuttle. Sierra Hull. Mojo Nixon.
Perhaps his most notable songwriting credits are numbers on Jewel’s debut album,
“Pieces of You,” including the hit song “You Were Meant for Me,” which hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
He loves collaborating with others but is most driven to explore every nook and cranny. It’s what keeps him going.
“I’m a true rambling folk singer,” he explained. “I just remember, as a little kid, looking at a map and thinking, ‘What are people like over THERE?’”
He’s discovered that despite the continued homogenization of the American landscape, where the same Cracker Barrel appears everywhere, “every town has its own special funky vibe.”
He said an “energy exchange” happens between audience and performer—a kind of synergy. He dishes up humorous folk with a rebellious spirit—almost punk-folk, if you will.
Between songs, he tells engaging, side-splitting stories. In return, the audience gifts Poltz with genuine, uproarious laughs. In addition to thriving on this change of place, he thrives on changing up what he does every single day. Each performance is a one-of-a-kind experience of
humor and heart.
“What I love about travel is I’m anonymous every night in a new town,” he said. “I can be who I want.”
“I think what keeps it fresh for me is, for better or worse, I never use a set list,” he said. “It’s just unadulterated thoughts coming out of my head. It’s kind of shambolic and haphazard. I know it’s gonna be like a science experiment, and I hope the energy causes an explosion onstage. I hate to overthink it,” he added. “It’s a magic trick, and the magic involves energy.”
Poltz said he strives to create a space where people might “forget how awful the world can be.” He wants to manifest a “short sonic journey” where he and the audience can “throw our worries out the window.”
Poltz said he has “17 or so records.” Once, he was signed to Mercury Records, but it sounds like he’s more about doing exactly what he wants as an artist.
“I think they wanted me to be more serious,” he said. Talk to the thoughtful but lighthearted Poltz for even a few minutes, and it’s clear that playing it “serious” would be an unreasonable, perhaps even impossible, expectation.
“One of my superpowers was sort of the gift of gab,” he explained when asked what makes his personality so much fun. “Humor has always been a part of who I am.”
He said he was picked on a lot when he was a kid and could somehow talk himself out of trouble by being verbally sharp.
Combined with an interest in music – and discovery of songwriters, storytellers and performers who influenced him – people such as Bob Dylan (“I became a Dylanologist!”), Jerry Garcia and Louden Wainwright III – his talents eventually coalesced onstage to create something rare.
“It’s hard to find your voice as a performer,” Poltz explained, but he said he took some cues from these guys. (“Loudon…he had humor and pathos.”)
Poltz said he might put another album together soon. It will consist of songs he recorded live in Nova Scotia.
“I’m still excited that I get to do this…I can’t BELIEVE I get to do it,” he said of his hilarious, decades-long tour.
by Stephen Pitalo
14-year-old Phoebe White from London, Kentucky, is currently captivating audiences with her commitment to cowboy and western music traditions, but with her stamp. Cowgirl’s Delight, her latest album, fuses those traditional treatments - one might even call the sound “vintage” - but using Phoebe’s interpretations, collaborating with veterans such as Riders in the Sky, Susie Bogguss, and even folkpop icon Janis Ian. For Phoebe, music is not just a passion but a way to connect generations and keep a part of American history alive.
“So, at first, I did gospel music, and I liked to listen to gospel singers and Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey and all the 80s stuff,” Phoebe shared. “Then I started diving into western country music. I started listening to LeAnn Rimes, Patsy Cline, and Patsy Montana. And then after that, I went full-on western. I started listening to Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Riders in the Sky, Dale Evans, all of that.”
Phoebe first encountered yodeling – now an essential part of her repertoire – through a popular country crossover hit. “When I first heard it, it was done by LeAnn Rimes. She sang a song called ‘Blue,’ and I heard it, and she had a voice flip yodel in it. I thought it was really cool,” she explained. “And the next day, I was like, ‘I’m going to try doing that.’ I went down to my basement and just worked on it until I could get it.”
Her dedication led to memorable encounters. “When I met Riders in the Sky and opened for them at the Kentucky Castle, they told me to learn the version by Suzy Bogguss, which she did, and it was ‘Cowboy Sweetheart’ also,” Phoebe added. “So I changed my yodel, and that’s the one I do nowadays.”
Phoebe’s second album, Cowgirl’s Delight, showcases her growth as a musician. The title track, created in collaboration with her mother, Tiffany White and songwriter Corey Lee Barker, has a remarkable backstory. “I was playing this tune. It was the ‘Cowgirl’s Delight’ tune. And I had no idea what would work with this song,”
she explained. “So, I gave it to my mom, and she wrote some of the words for it. And then we went co-writing with Corey Lee Barker in Nashville. He’s phenomenal. I love him so much. And so we just mixed up the song and added stuff to it.”
The album also features “The Color of Me,” written by the iconic singer-songwriter Janis Ian. While Phoebe has not yet met Ian, she was inspired by the song’s depth. “Woody Paul knows Janis Ian and came up with the idea. She wrote everything else, and then they gave it to me,’” Phoebe said. “And I listened to it and tried to understand the song. And then, after you get to understand the song, you add your own twist to it.”
Phoebe describes performing at the Grand Ole Opry as an unforgettable experience. “A couple minutes before I was on, I was literally shaking. I don’t get nervous, but I get really excited,” she said. “So, they’re like, ‘Are you good?’ I’m like, Yeah, I’m just so excited. I can’t wait to be on stage. When I got on stage, I felt really happy, and because Riders in the Sky performed with me, it was so cool. I loved it so much. It was an honor.”
Despite her accomplishments, Phoebe stays grounded, thanks to her family’s guidance. “We keep it very real,” her mother, Tiffany White, explained. “She has chores to do, and we don’t go in for this diva stuff. So, I don’t know. Personally, on the ‘mom’ side of things, if it’s a contest where she’s singing and gets a trophy, she knows that. But on the management side, she doesn’t see a lot of the publicity or the coverage. I keep it for her, but I don’t think she needs to see it all the time.”
Phoebe’s passion for Western music is tied to a sense of preservation. With Cowgirl’s Delight, Phoebe White honors a rich tradition while carving her path. Her music is a bridge between generations, proving that the stories of the American West still resonate today.
“I feel like people forget about the Old West, and it makes me really sad sometimes,” she said. “So, I’m trying to bring it back by doing music, like originals, to introduce this music to a younger generation.”.
by Brent Davis
How to be Elderly in the modern era?
Surely, that’s the question that’s always on the mind of Lillian Werbin, CEO of Elderly Instruments, one of the nation’s best-known sellers of fretted and stringed instruments. At any time, there are upwards of 1600 guitars, banjos, mandolins, and other instruments at the store, which fills a rambling, repurposed Masonic lodge in Lansing, Mich. And while a pilgrimage to purchase an axe at Elderly is on the bucket list of many a devout acoustic musician, about 14,000 online orders are fulfilled each year.
More than 50 years ago, Stan Werbin, Lillian’s father, began collecting and bartering vintage and using string instruments along with a partner. “They got good enough at it that they felt like they should open a store. So, they found a spot that eight by ten feet,” Lillian Werbin explains. “In ’75, we started a catalog that went worldwide. We got website in ’94, and we kind of just kept growing, building our expertise, and building our workforce.”
That workforce now has
forty-some employees, including a sales team, luthiers, shippers, video producers, and social media experts. Though she was in and out of the store growing up, Werbin didn’t really get to know the operation until later.
“I started at Elderly in 2014 part-time in the warehouse. And I just fell in love with the products and the people and the way we interact with the music community. So, after a year, I went full-time, and I split my time in the warehouse and in the sales department. After maybe another year of that, I tried my hand at purchasing and marketing and from there, found myself in management and kind of restructured the workforce. My role here now is to really foster community and to make sure that the whole ship is sailing smoothly.”
And then the pandemic hit just as Elderly was about to reach a milestone.
“We hunkered down and made it through, and I think we came out better for it,” Werbin says. “And so, we had a 50th birthday party in 2022 to celebrate not only the current Elderly but also the former Elderly. We had two different stages and bands playing from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and they were all staff bands from all throughout the decades.”
Elderly Instruments was named America’s Top Small Business by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last year. Werbin believes the store’s several qualities distinguished it among the 14,000 applicants.
“What they really liked was our community involvement and the longevity of the business. It certainly helped that I am a Black woman. But ultimately, it goes back to people. We really pride ourselves on not only our current employees but our past employees and on the hard work that they’ve put out to get us to this point. So, our application really focused on our camaraderie and our operations and how we work together to get the job done.”
The metrics Werbin tracks reflect the staff’s dedication. “We respond to online chats within four minutes. The average of the top 10% of the industry is 46 minutes. There’s a ‘net promoter score,’ which, on a scale of one to ten, asks, ‘How likely are you to recommend this business to a friend?’. That’s a one-question survey, and Amazon has a 69, and Costco has a 70, and we are sitting at 90.”
Besides being responsible for all aspects of the store, Werbin plays an active role in many organizations, including Bluegrass Pride and the International Bluegrass Music Association. Werbin is a recipient of IBMA’s Momentum Award. At last year’s IBMA conference, Werbin was an organizer for Roots Revival: A Black Stringband Symposium.
“The goal was to amplify and highlight the Black contributions to bluegrass and old-time music,” Werbin explains. “We managed to bring in 20 experts from various backgrounds-scholars, musicians, historians--to really speak to the overlooked contribution of Black musicians.”
Now, after years of organizing festivals, serving on panels, and coordinating countless activities on-site, Werbin has expanded with Sturdy Roots, an event planning and consulting business.
“It allows me to support the community through my own work rather than Elderly’s name,” says Werbin. “I’m able to do work that might not represent all of my staff or our customers but work that I feel really passionate about.” In recent years, Werbin has helped direct The Banjo Gathering, The Midwest Banjo Camp, the Midwest Ukulele Camp, and community events.
Many music stores began over 50 years ago when Elderly Instruments was launched, but only a handful are thriving. Werbin says the company stays true to its roots while embracing new technology and internet sales.
“I really think the secret sauce for us is the way we ‘people.’ Sometimes, we joke around and say that it’s the people’s music store. It’s a fine line on how to be Elderly in the modern era because we’re not gonna sacrifice the way of old-fashioned service. So, it’s a delicate balance modernizing without losing that old school feel.”
by Susan Marquez
Kevin Denney grew up surrounded by bluegrass music. “Some of my family members, Clyde and Marie Denney, toured in a bluegrass group called The Drifting Kentuckians from the 1960s through the 1990s, so I grew up around music. I suppose it came naturally to me.”
A native of Monticello, Kentucky, Kevin began playing guitar when he was old enough to hold one. “I played banjo for a while, but the reality is that I am a guitar player.” His first memories of playing and singing in front of others besides his family were at church. “I started playing in public around town when I was somewhere between 12 and 14 years old. By the time I was 15 or 16, I was playing on stage with my parents. I learned so much from watching how they did things.” That experience also allowed Kevin to see some of his favorite artists perform. “I got to see Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Larry Sparks, and others when I was a teenager. That had a huge influence on me.”
Seeing the artists he grew up listening to was like a dream come true for Kevin. “I’ve heard my parents tell the story of my dad listening to weekend bluegrass shows on the radio when I was very young. They said that when Larry Sparks played, they said I ran to the radio, listening to his music by standing as close to the radio as I could. I was drawn to that early on and still love it today. I remember hearing him play and thinking that’s what I wanted to do someday.”
Years later, Kevin had the honor of recording with Sparks. “I played on the song “Tennessee 1949” with him, which was recorded in Tom T. Hall’s studio. That was something very special for me.”
While growing up, Kevin would tune his radio dial to country and bluegrass music. “I listened to a little rock ‘n roll from time to time, but I was mostly drawn to traditional country and old-time bluegrass. We had some George Jones records at home, and that was also a big influence for me.” And fast forward again, Kevin has great memories of opening for George Jones a couple of times.
While he did a few odd jobs as a teenager, he knew early on that he wanted to make music the focus of his career. “I have been fortunate to make a living primarily with music all my life.” At 21, he signed on as a staff writer for a publishing company in Nashville. “I moved to Nashville in 1999 and spent the next twenty years there. I learned from some great writers, and that led me to a publishing deal as a songwriter within a year of moving to Nashville.” Kevin says living in the music city was new, fresh, and fun. “I was young, and it was all very exciting. I caught the tail-end of the old-school writers and singers. I was so fortunate to have been a part of that. And today, I still consider myself fortunate -- I am able to do what I love for a living.”
Kevin was on Lyric Street Records from 1999 through 2004 as a country artist and had a couple of hit songs during that time. Now back in Kentucky, Kevin recently signed a deal with Turnberry Records. “I’m proud to be a Turnberry artist. I started out writing country songs when I was in Nashville, but bluegrass never left me. I’ve come full circle now, working on a new bluegrass album. That is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a kid.” Kevin says everything is recorded for the album and is now in the mixing phase. He wrote about half the songs on the record; the other half are some of his favorite songs he has always wanted to record. “When I first moved to Nashville, I worked with singersongwriter Harley Allen. He became a mentor, taking me under his wing when I was just
21 years old. Some of the songs on the album are Harley’s. I think he’d be proud to know I am using his songs.”
The album’s first single to be released was “Chasing Old Memories Down,” which did fairly well. The second, “Let Me Be Lonesome,” was recently released. When the album is released, Kevin plans on playing a few festivals “when the time is right.” In the meantime, he fronts a band called Organic Country every weekend. “We have been playing together each weekend for ten years,” Kevin says. “We play about five to ten road gigs a year, then every Saturday at The Local in Nashville.”
His musical influences today include Keith Whitley, Larry Sparks, Harley Allen, Tony Rice, and George Jones. “I’ve been very fortunate to have experienced so much, all because of music. I try to be good to the music because it’s been so good to me.”
by Kara Martinez Bachman
Perhaps as long as humankind has made music, its spiritual, mental, and physical health benefits have been clear. Music as a means of healing isn’t a new idea.
When it comes to music and mental health, Carl Jung, a notable Swiss psychiatrist who had a considerable influence on his field decades ago, really nailed the therapeutic value of music. According to Jung, “music should be an essential part of every analysis.”
More recently, the late British neurosurgeon Dr. Oliver Sacks – who spent a significant part of his career researching and writing about the power of music to heal the human mind – explained yet again why music can soothe pain. In his book, Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain, Sacks asserted: “The power of music to integrate and cure…is quite fundamental. It is the profoundest non-chemical medication.”
As a former Music Therapist and current mental health counselor, singer-songwriter Diane Coll shares similar sentiments. When she creates music, she hopes it will help listeners better explore emotions often hidden away.
“We can listen in private and go through whatever thoughts and feelings we need to go through,” Coll said about music as a healing aid. “It can reach people who don’t want to talk.” She continued, “I think it’s important as human beings that we really feel what we’re feeling, and music is good for that.”
For Coll, music isn’t always about being cheery and uplifting. Sometimes, it’s about unlocking the darker aspects of our feelings. Her music reflects that; she aims to address issues that are both “dark” and “light.” She believes people should be encouraged to delve into their more uncomfortable ideas and thoughts.
“I’ve known people that don’t do that; they just want to live in the light all the time,” she said.
As a mental health specialist, Coll said her job involves travel to work with “women, and some men, who have experienced some form of abuse or violence.” She said, “Where there’s abuse, there’s shame,” and music helps because it lets those suffering know that others have been in their shoes and “it’s okay, you’re going to make it through.”
Coll knows the benefits of music; she’s had a first-hand appreciation of this.
“For me, music has always been a safe space,” she explained. “As a little girl, that’s what I turned to.” She eventually realized she expressed herself better through music, so it became a passion.
Dealing well with life – which Coll described as a combination of “messy and beautiful” – is about allowing oneself to have moments of vulnerability. As a songwriter, Coll said observing those vulnerable moments in other performers helped her to find her voice as a musician.
“It was modeled to me that it’s safe,” she said, citing Joni Mitchell as just one songwriter from whom she learned. “I can’t think of another example of a female singer that digs down that deep.”
Coll’s music isn’t easy to define; the broad genre of Americana might be a good try. It sometimes emits a singer/songwriter folk vibe in the spirit of performers such as Joni Mitchell but also pulls inspiration from the ambient music genre or has similarities to dreamy, eclectic British art-music creator Kate Bush.
Coll’s newest release – the 14-track album Up From the Mud – is her fourth solo record. It is meant to give hope to anyone who has experienced “relational trauma.” She coproduced the record with Grammy-nominated producer Daniel Groover, who she said
has been “a great musical partner.” She also brought on board guest musicians such as guitarist Jonny Daly.
“Music has always been my therapy, and as a lifelong music lover, I truly honor the sacred connection between the musician and listener,” Coll summarized. “It’s a beautiful dance where change is inevitable.”
By Candace Nelson
Throughout history, food has been shaped by labor demands, and some of the most iconic dishes in American culinary culture were born out of necessity and ingenuity.
These meals weren’t designed for fine dining but to sustain workers through long days in fields, factories, mines, and on the road.
From the pepperoni roll of West Virginia to pasties in Michigan and kolaches in Texas, these humble yet hearty creations are a testament to the resourcefulness of working-class communities and their lasting impact on our collective food heritage.
West Virginia’s pepperoni roll is a shining example of a necessity-driven invention. Created in the early 1900s by wives of coal miners and commercialized by Giuseppe “Joseph” Argiro, a baker in Fairmont, the pepperoni roll was designed with Italian immigrant coal miners in mind. These workers needed a portable, shelf-stable meal that didn’t require refrigeration or reheating deep underground.
The roll—a soft bread stuffed with pepperoni sticks or slices—was perfect for this purpose. While baking, the oils from the pepperoni seep into the bread, creating a savory, flavorful snack. Today, the pepperoni roll remains a beloved symbol of West Virginia’s coal mining heritage and a favorite regional treat.
The pasty (pronounced “pass-tee”) is another dish forged in the mines—this time in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where Cornish miners brought the recipe from England in the 19th century. These sturdy hand pies, traditionally filled with a mix of beef, potatoes, onions, and rutabagas, were a practical solution for miners who needed a meal they could carry into the depths of the earth.
The thick, crimped crust acted as a natural handle, allowing miners to eat the filling while discarding the outer edge, which could be dirtied by coal dust. Pasties became synonymous with Michigan’s mining communities and remain a cherished regional specialty, now enjoyed cleanly with every bite.
A Baker’s Gift to Texas
Kolaches are a nod to the cultural melting pot of America’s industrial history. Brought to Texas in the 19th century by Czech immigrants, these sweet or savory pastries became popular among workers in the state’s burgeoning farming and oil industries.
Traditional kolaches are pillowy dough pockets filled with fruit, cream cheese, or poppy seeds. But in Texas, the dish evolved to include savory fillings like sausage and cheese, creating what is often called a “klobasnek.” These grab-and-go pastries were ideal for busy workers who needed a quick, filling breakfast before a long day in the fields or factories. Today, kolaches are a Texas breakfast staple, sold in bakeries and gas stations alike.
In the 1930s, Pittsburgh’s Strip District—a hub of warehouses and wholesale markets— was bustling with truckers and laborers who needed fast, hearty meals. Enter the Primanti Brothers sandwich, a culinary marvel that packed a full meal into one handheld masterpiece.
The sandwich featured bread piled with meat, coleslaw, and French fries, combining convenience with calorie-packed sustenance. Workers could eat it on the go, making it a perfect solution for those with tight schedules. Today, the Primanti Brothers sandwich remains an iconic symbol of Pittsburgh’s industrious spirit.
Chicago-Style Hot Dog: During the Great Depression, vendors offered this “meal in a bun” for just a nickel, loaded with mustard, onions, relish, pickles, tomatoes, sport peppers, and celery salt, making it a hearty and affordable meal for Chicago’s working class.
Fried Bologna Sandwich: In Appalachia and the South, this twist on the classic bologna sandwich became a staple for factory and mill workers. A quick fry added flavor and texture to an otherwise humble meal.
Bierocks: German-Russian immigrants brought these stuffed bread rolls to Kansas, where they became a popular meal for wheat farmers. Bierocks are filled with ground beef, cabbage, and onions—simple, hearty ingredients that reflect the prairie lifestyle.
The foods born out of industry tell a story of survival, creativity, and adaptation. Whether it’s the pepperoni roll tucked into a coal miner’s pocket, a pasty warming in a lunchbox, or kolaches fueling a farmer’s morning, these dishes embody the spirit of the workers who shaped America.
Today, these meals have transcended their utilitarian roots and are celebrated for their rich history and timeless flavors. Each bite is a taste of resilience, a reminder of the enduring connection between food and the hardworking communities that built our nation.
