The Bluegrass Standard - December 2023 by The Bluegrass Standard

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CONTENT BIG BEND DELAWARE VALLEY EVANS MEDIA SOURCE GREG BLAKE GREG COLE HOBA KEYSTONE OPRY MARK MONTGOMEREY TELLURIDE TERRY BAUCOM THE CAVERNS MARTY FALLE STARVY CREEK STEEL DRIVERS FAN FOTO

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Keith Barnacastle • Publisher The Bluegrass Standard is a life-long dream of Keith Barnacastle, who grew up in Meridian, Mississippi. For three years, Keith brought the Suits, Boots and Bluegrass Festival to Meridian. Now, with the Bluegrass Standard, Keith’s enthusiasm for the music, and his vision of its future, reaches a nationwide audience every month! Keith@TheBluegrassStandard.com 5

Our Staff Richelle Putnam • Executive Editor/Writer

Richelle Putnam is a Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) Teaching Artist/Roster Artist (Literary), a Mississippi Humanities Speaker, and a 2014 MAC Literary Arts Fellowship recipient. Her non-fiction books include Lauderdale County, Mississippi; a Brief History, Legendary Locals of Meridian, Mississippi and Mississippi and the Great Depression. Richelle@TheBluegrassStandard.com

Rebekah Speer • Creative Director

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.

Susan Woelkers • Marketing

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.

Brent Davis • Contributor

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.

Mississippi Chris Sharp • Reviewer

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. https://mississippichrissharp.blog

Susan Marquez • Journalist

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.

Kara Martinez Bachman • Journalist

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 • Journalist

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.

By Kara Martinez Bachman

To showcase the culture and lifestyle of the region, some folks in far West Texas decided to start a new bluegrass association. Part of that involved firing up a new fest.

to keep that event going in his memory and were able to do so for two more years “until Covid shut everything down.” “I moved to Alpine, Texas, during that time, and you can say that the Big Bend Bluegrass Festival is a spin-off of my dad’s festival in Wickett,” she said. “I formed the Big Bend Bluegrass Association and haven’t looked back.”

Now that the second year of the twoday Big Bend Bluegrass Festival has successfully come and gone, organizers are looking forward to year three of what will hopefully become a flagship bluegrass event of the region. The most critical As a 501C3 charity, the association and

of those organizers is Cyndi Perdue, a musician with a lot of heart invested in this event. “My relationship with this festival goes back many, many years,” Perdue explained. “My family and I played and performed bluegrass. My dad started a small festival in Wickett, Texas, because he loved the music and wanted others to experience the same. He held the festival for many years and passed shortly after the 19th year. Dad had wanted to see the festival have a life of at least 20 years.” Perdue said she and her mother decided

its fest are tasked with perpetuating the bluegrass genre. “This is in an effort to preserve bluegrass music while introducing bluegrass to new audiences and working to grow the interest in the genre in far West Texas,” Perdue said. In those parts, Perdue said there is no lack of talent. She mentions performers hailing from that region, such as Lynn Morris and banjo player Alan Munde. She also notes Joe Carr, who “had a music store in Levelland, Texas, that I visited now and then. I bought some of Joe’s 9

books and CDs to teach myself mandolin and guitar.” At first, she wasn’t too interested in making that music a big part of her life, but it just…happened. “Playing bass in a band was not something I dreamed of doing,” she recalled. “I wasn’t real crazy about being in front of people. My parents came to me once asking if I would play bass for their band since the bass player they had quit. I said, nah…not interested.” About a month later, they asked again…only the asking had turned to begging. Okay, she said. Okay. “I took three lessons. I was put on stage, and the rest is history,” she said. “We initially played for country dances but migrated into the bluegrass/gospel scene. You can say that I’ve played music my entire life, starting out with piano, school band, and then our family band.”

“After the loss of my dad,” she added, “I haven’t played or performed much. When I moved to Alpine, I had the opportunity to start playing again and saw an opportunity to rekindle the bluegrass festival scene. Playing and performing bluegrass has been one of the best things I have done! It brought our family closer and eventually boosted my self-confidence.” Perdue said one of the reasons she wants to be a part of keeping the genre alive is she had worried it might be waning. “When I was younger, bluegrass was being played much more than it is today in our region,” she explained. “I would like to see bluegrass grow more and thrive in my immediate and surrounding areas, which is what we are working hard to do!”

Even with the inaugural event, Perdue could already see that her work was making a difference. “For the first year, it was surprising to see a younger group in attendance, which is awesome,” she said, describing the first year as “a breeze.” For the second year this past October, they homed in even more on promoting and raising the level of volunteer involvement. Both years, the performers were wellreceived, and the fest will continue to include local talent in the lineup. Perdue said they will look at “rotating” bands/acts yearly “to keep the lineup from getting stale.” She also said they “want to showcase young groups to get them exposure.” Now is a good time to mark calendars and plan transportation and lodging for the next Big Bend Bluegrass Festival, which happens October 4 and 5, 2024. The event is held indoors, where various artists performing at the fest also host free songwriting, guitar, fiddle, and mandolin workshops. Perdue said it is simply two days of “jamming, food and fun.” “There are several lodging facilities, Air BNB rentals, and RV campgrounds in Alpine and the surrounding area,” Perdue said. “Our area boasts the Big Bend National Park and many other outdoor activities to do while you are here to participate in the festival. Downtown has several art galleries and shops to visit, too.” Once all is said and done, Perdue spearheads this labor of love because it sounds like she … well …LOVES everything about the traditional ways of bluegrass and its people. “Bluegrass fans are different and fiercely loyal in their following,” she said. “Friendliest people one can meet! You become part of a tight-knit community, and they all know who you are. They do have old-time or traditional values, and it is refreshing to see and experience.”

Delawar By Susan

Carl Goldstein has been promoting and presenting bluegrass music for most of his life. The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) has recognized his efforts with a Distinguished Achievement Award, presented at the IBMA 2023 World of Bluegrass Awards luncheon. For over fifty years, he has demonstrated passion, determination, and integrity in presenting bluegrass music as Chair of the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music. In addition to helping coordinate or oversee hundreds of bluegrass and old-time shows, he has maintained a radio program at WVUD on the campus of the University of Delaware for the past 46 years. Carl has been interested in music since his days in high school in Chester, Pennsylvania and on through college. He followed Ralph Stanley and Bill Monroe and got to know the musicians personally. In 1972, they approached Carl about starting a festival in the Northeast. Carl formed the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music to get the ball rolling on the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival. “It started as an allvolunteer, non-profit organization,” he explained. Carl did the work as the founder, chief executive officer and festival director when he wasn’t busy at his job as a Superior Court Judge in Wilmington, Delaware. 12

re Valley Marquez

The Delaware Bluegrass Festival, as it was then called, was a hit from the start. Like many festivals, the audience became family, jamming with the other festivalgoers and the musicians playing at the festival. “It is like a reunion each year,” Carl says. “The fans return year after year, and many artists return every other year or so.” In 1990, the festival moved to the Salem County Fairgrounds in Woodstown, New Jersey, and became the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival. For many artists, the festival is a place to start on their rise to success. “Alison Krauss played here three times before the year 2000. She played here when she was just 17 years old.” Others who have played the festival in their early days as musical artists include the Colorado-based band Front Range and Laurie Lewis of California. “Ours was the first festival she ever did east of the Mississippi,” says Carl. Plans were made to celebrate Carl’s fifty years at the helm of the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival in 2022. “I think fifty years is the term limit,” he jokes. But the celebration didn’t happen because Carl ended up in the hospital. Still, he turned the reins of the festival leadership over to Debbie Durant and Brian Duffy of the Tuesday 13

Mountain Boys. “They have done a really good job,” Carl says. Carl continues to play music for fun. “I played with a band called Southbound for a few years, and I play a little old-time music. My wife, Judy, is a wonderful oldtime fiddle player and plays with a band called Tater Patch. She is on the board of Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music, and through the years, she always assisted me in my duties.” The couple met at a concert forty years ago. Debbie Durant started going to the festival in 1995. “I found some people to go with me. I didn’t grow up listening to live music, but I listened to the Will the Circle Be Unbroken album, which was my gateway to bluegrass. It was an album that other kids at school listened to, so it was cool.” Debbie first went to one set a day at the three-day festival, and by 2000, she was camping at the festival. “I was asked to be on the board in 2004 or 2005,” Debbie says. Brian Duffy is now the Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music chair, and Debbie serves as vice chair. They co-direct the festival. “The quality of the music is different from a lot of other festivals. Many have a big headliner band, a few OK bands, and some local bands. Almost

all of our performers are national quality performers. We have a good selection of bluegrass, old-time and traditional American music.” One of the distinctive features of the festival is that all the workers are volunteers. “We do that to keep our ticket prices reasonable compared to other festivals with similar quality acts,” says Debbie. The festival also introduces musical artists from different related traditional genres. “We have had French Canadian and Cajun music and related country acts like Patty Loveless and Kathy Mattea,” says Carl, “but our strength has always been traditional bluegrass and old-time music. We have had Tuba Skinny from New Orleans and the Red Stick Ramblers from Baton Rouge. Folks enjoy the variety.” As the festival grows, new things are added. The Kid’s Academy has been very popular, and this year, they added a songwriter workshop with Vincent Cross. “We also have a jam class and clogging class. We also have a better vendor selection. We want to build community. We are known for our excellent campground jamming, and anyone can go into the campground and jam. The Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival is like Christmas for me, seeing all the people I’ve gotten to know over the years.”

Even though Carl is no longer running the show, he is making himself available to answer questions and troubleshoot. According to the IBMA, Carl Goldstein “is one of the most impactful individuals in the history of bluegrass music in promoting, preserving, and presenting our beloved music for all to enjoy.”

Evans Media Source By Kara Martinez Bachman

Carving out a place in the music business is difficult, and landing gigs on the festival circuit can be a “make-or-break” task. Ernie Evans – who operates family-owned event company Evans Media Source (EMS) alongside his wife Debi – is an expert in what it takes to get a lasting foothold in the biz. Based in Florida, EMS produces concerts, music cruises, and almost a dozen bluegrass music festivals. From Florida’s Palatka Music Festivals to the Cherokee Bluegrass Festival in the Smoky Mountains, this company keeps music fans busy with options for live performances. Ernie Evans knows perhaps more than anyone what it takes to “make it” on the circuit. The base of his knowledge comes from his experiences as a performer himself. “In my early touring days, I always felt like I had the best seat in the house, and while reading an audience, you could tell if they were having a good time,” Evans said. “It was our job to keep them excited while they were watching us, but it wasn’t long before I noticed many of the same people in some regions that went from festival to festival.” He realized it was a good idea to change things up from show to show. “That drove the band nuts,” he reminisced, “but I tried to put myself in the audience’s shoes. This opened my eyes to how important it was to give loyal festival-goers a different experience from festival to festival.” Creating a roster of acts for an event may seem daunting, but years of experience have given Evans a knack for knowing what will work. He attempted to deconstruct it all and outline what he and Debi discovered as the recipe for success.

“I first ask myself: Is the band entertaining, between and during songs, on and off stage?” He stressed that marketing is as important as the music itself and seeks out personas that stand out from the crowd. “Notice I have not mentioned the quality of sound,” he added, explaining that sounding great is the bare prerequisite to even be considered at all. “This is a given for all festivals. You should not put anything on your stage that doesn’t belong there because it is cheap.”

Evans shared thoughts on mistakes artists make, and most involve not investing the time to get immersed in the music community or not understanding reciprocity and teamwork. “There are many worthy bands that do not play for us much,” he explained, “and part of the reason is that as a promoter, loyalty, integrity, and a good relationship is a twoway street.”

“We have to be loyal and really help performers as much as we can. We as promoters need to elevate them and help In terms of the “extra” he seeks, much of it further their development,” he continued, – at least in today’s day and age – includes on the type of relationship he offers to having a bit of business sense. performers in which he has faith. “This means give them more work, and if they “If a band has a website that looks are doing well, have them back more professional, it is a plus,” he said. “If a often. The downside is that it does not band dresses well and separates their leave many openings for new bands. The look from the audience, it, too, is a plus. window of opportunity may be more If a band does not have a Facebook page narrow.” dedicated to their band, there is a good chance they will not be considered unless He added, “We do try to refresh as much there is a special reason. If a band does as we can while also practicing what we not promote themselves, they will never preach.” promote our event.” EMS will soon begin offering even more While he looks for performers who resources to performers. conform by taking advantage of marketing tools, he stresses that “Please be watching for a series of originality is a primary trait he values. courses on these topics that will soon be announced regarding career paths in “Don’t try to imitate anyone. Learn from our industry,” Evans said, with a teaser the greats, but do not imitate them,” he of upcoming offerings. “I have teamed advised. “Taking a page out of their book up with some very knowledgeable people does not mean ripping off the cover; it who have observed this industry from the means digging deeper into the book to best seat in the house. This new venture find out what made you love them.” includes Master of Ceremonies Sherry Boyd, Cindy Baucom, Gabriel Acevedo “Be original, innovative, and develop your and others. It will be free and covers own sound,” he said. “That is what the everything from the beginning of a band pioneers did. to booking, marketing, Meta, recording, Today, too many sound alike.” radio, publicity and more.” 20

The kind of advice these experts might give may mirror some of what Evans shared about the role of social media. In the past, successful bands had a publicist and agent. Now that social media is in the mix, some rely on it solely and forget these other types of marketing. “Today, more than 50 percent of the bands spend nothing and rely on free social media to get their music out there and use it as a calling card,” he said. “In some cases, it has made bands lazy yet feel ‘legit.’ We look for the bands who invest in themselves.” “If a band has great content and markets it well on social media and does all the above, there is a good chance I will be calling you first because you are good for both of us, and your fee will reflect that,” he added. An example of the type of support the company gives to artists is exposure via productions such as the EMS LIVE Sherry Boyd Show. “This is a one-on-one session with Sherry that takes people on a 15-minute journey of learning fun facts about the artists making this music,” Evans said. “She is the best at getting information never shared before.” He said info about the show and all the company’s events can be found at either Evansmediasource.com or the Facebook page. “We care about the success of our performers, just ask them,” Evans asserted. “They will tell you that we work with them, making sure they have the info they need and the social media tools to help spread the word on their performance with us. This makes them more visible to other promoters as well. Plus, we have added co-op programs where we help subsidize their advertising about their band or new release.” He said they might also help bands with publicity photos or include them in the company’s ads or videos. “We are doing more to help them grow as an artist in all facets,” he summarized.

Greg Blake by Susan Marquez

“It’s still sinking in.” Greg Blake is still trying to wrap his head around being honored by the International Bluegrass Music Association as its Male Vocalist of the Year. “That was so not expected. I didn’t prepare a speech or anything!”

Greg’s love for music probably came from singing to records on his grandparents’ front porch or living room. “I sang to Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, Loretta Lynn, and Lefty Frizzell, to name a few, all while I was busy playing with my Tonka

when he got older, which he credits as a more formal music education. After high school, he left West Virginia and moved to Overland Park, Kansas, just across the border from Kansas City, Missouri.

“I went to a Ketch Secor (Old small Bible Crow Medicine college there, Show) and Moland I continly Tuttle hosted ued studying the 34th annual music.” To help IBMA Bluegrass pay for college, Music Awards Greg sang in a Show in Raleigh, Gospel quartet North Carolina, that representon Thursday, ed the college. September 28, in “We traveled the Martin Maall over the rietta Center for United States, the Performing raising money Arts to a nearly for the school sold-out house. and recruiting The event was a students.” Greg long time coming met his late for Blake, who wife, Tracey, grew up “in the holler,” a trucks, G.I. Joes, and Match- while they were both in colgood fifteen-minute drive box cars. I would sing at the lege. Two other important from town. top of my lungs, and folks things happened in Greg’s pointed out that I could ac- life while living in Overland “I was born and raised in a tually carry a tune.” Park: he entered the minissmall community called Datry and met some bluegrass vis Creek,” says Greg. “Our Greg asked for a guitar when folks in Kansas City. “I got mailing address was South he was age seven. “It was into a band called Bluegrass Charleston, West Virginia.” just a little $10 guitar from Missourians. The band startHe managed to make it out the local five and dime, but ed in the 1970s and is still of the holler, and his music I loved it. I picked at it all going strong. I joined them now allows him to travel the time and taught myself about 30 years ago. I played around the world. to play.” Greg sang in church with the band for 15 years. 24

We played at festivals throughout the Midwest on weekends. We all had nine-to-five jobs during the week.” Greg had an offer to join The Special Consensus, a band formed in 1975. “They wanted me to come on board full-time, but I was a young husband and father. Their touring schedule would have meant too much time away from my family.” While living in Colorado, Greg met Jeff Scroggins and joined his band, Jeff Scroggins and Colorado. “His son, Tristen, was 14 at the time,” recalls Greg. “He was getting really good on the mandolin, and we had a great time playing together.” By then, his children were older, and Greg saw an opportunity to go full-time into music. Greg had opportunities to travel around the country, Canada and 18 other countries, playing with both the group and as a solo act. He recalls an interesting meeting at a festival in Denver. “Claire Lynch and Mark Schatz were playing. It was a big indoor festival at a Ramada Inn. All day and well into the night, there were jam sessions in every nook and cranny of the hotel lobby. As Mark was headed back to his hotel room, he said he heard a voice float above the others in the various jam sessions. He sought me out, and during a break, he said, ‘I like how you sing. Let’s get together and jam.’ Claire and the rest of the band came down, and we jammed for several hours. About six months later, they came through Colorado, and they took the time to tell me they thought I had what it takes to have a solo career.” That was the validation Greg needed to pursue on his solo LP. Released in September 2015, Songs of Heart and Home featured several strong musicians, including Claire Lynch and Mark Schatz. “That was the deciding mark for me. I stepped away from the ministry and into full-time music.” After over thirty years, Greg retired from the ministry, and the family moved back to Overland Park. Greg has been doing solo work and assembling a Midwest band for festivals with smaller budgets. He successfully pulled together a band of all-stars for larger festivals and released an album, People, Places and Songs, on Turnberry Records in early February 2021. The last few years have been rough for Greg. Covid slowed things down, and Greg had to say goodbye to his best friend and soul mate, Tracey, who passed away in February 2022. Now things are looking up for Greg, who admits the Male Vocalist of the Year win has helped him realize he has “arrived” in his musical career. “I think things will begin moving at a much faster pace now. I’m just grateful that I have the opportunity to do what I love.” Next July, he’ll walk down the aisle with his new bride, Joy Sue. “We look forward to having all our picking friends at the wedding.”

GREG COLE SLAW DAWG PRODUCTIONS by Susan Marquez

For over twenty years, Greg Cole has produced records in Nashville. For a kid from Ohio, it’s been a dream come true. Nicknamed “Slaw Dawg” by his childhood friends due to his last name (Get it? Cole slaw), Greg grew up in a family of four brothers and a sister. He had extended relatives who were musical, and Greg played drums and piano. “I was in a few bands in high school.” When he was 21, he moved to Nashville from his hometown, close to Akron. “I traveled with a few country bands playing drums,” he says. Recording music was something Greg enjoyed. “I always had a home studio, and over the years, that expanded into something pretty big.” As his family grew with children, it became harder for Greg to be out on the road. “When I was home from being on the road, I found myself spending more and more time recording and producing. I realized I could stay home and do that all the time. The studio was in our home, so I was more present for my family.” Over the years, Greg’s studio, which he calls Slawdawg Productions after his nickname, has expanded into all sorts of recording and mixing. “I’m working on a television show right now, The Dailey Vincent Show for RFD-TV. I am doing the sound mixing for the show.” Back in 1991, Greg was involved with a short-lived early-morning television show. Jimmy Capps, Stu Basore, Larry Barnes, and Greg were in the band, and Melvin Sloan and Johnny Carver manned the hosting duties, often joined by Leon Rhodes. Greg also does a lot of recording for bluegrass artists. “I am working on Danny Paisley’s album right now. I also do a lot of Gospel work. I worked on Jeff and Sheri Easter’s new album, Treasure, and their song, ‘One Name,’ from the album was the number one recording on Southern Gospel Radio for the month of September.” And, of course, being in Nashville, Greg also works on a lot of country music. “I have worked on five albums for Daryle Singletary.” Greg toured with Singletary from 1995 to 2002. Then, he left the road to run his recording studio full-time. “My daughter was five years old at the time.” Greg says he feels he has seen more of the country since leaving the road. “My wife likes to travel, and traveling with her is much different than touring with a band. We never really saw anything in a town other than the venue we played in.” Slawdawg is a state-of-the-art facility with all an artist needs to sound their best. The assortment of mics alone is impressive: Neumann U87, AT4060, AT4050, AT4033, four AT4041s, Townsend Sphere, four Sennheiser 421s, Royer 121, Royer 122, two AKG D112s, lots of SM57s and others. Greg also has a Neve 1073 DPX, six API512c, UA6176, an Antelope MP32 and others. He has Focal Twin 6 Be, Avantone Cubes and Mackie 824 MKII monitors and Apollo 16x, two Apollo 16 MKII, two Apollo Quad and an Apollo Octo Satellite interfaces. What do all those letters and numbers mean? It means that Greg has invested in his production company over the years to obtain the best results for his clients.

While he works to record other artists, Greg keeps his toe in the music world by playing drums on the weekends with a band in town. “We call ourselves Organic Country and play regularly at The Local in Nashville.” The band represents Nashville with a well-balanced lineup of musicians, with Kevin Denney as the lead singer, Joe Spivey on fiddle, Steve Henson on steel guitar, and Rick L. D. Wayne on guitar. In addition to drums, Greg also plays the steel guitar and piano. “I have a good-sized collection of guitars that I enjoy playing as well.” Greg’s children are now grown with families of their own. His son is a fireman who plays guitar, and his daughter is a graphic designer. He says if he had more time, he’d love to spend it fishing and being outdoors. But for now, he’s happy behind the control board of his thriving production company, working with artists to share their music with the world.

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Turnberry Records is pleased to announce the Kevin Prater Band has been added to its roster of artists. Based in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, Prater and his band have delivered over 15 years of toe-tapping, spirit-lifting music, and Prater himself has been a talented multi-instrumentalist for over four decades.

The Kevin Prater Band 36

Heart of Ozar

by Dan

Twelve-year-old Teresa Romans was sitting in math class in West Plains, Missouri, when she received a note from Ethel Willard, an elementary school teacher. Willard spent her summer vacations traveling around Missouri and playing bluegrass festivals with her husband, Jim. Willard had caught wind that Romans came from a family of bluegrass players and pulled her out of class to compile a list of local musicians and invite them to a jam night at the Howell County Courthouse. Shortly after, they began hosting regular gatherings and laying plans for their own festival. But that was in 1979. Over forty years later, Heart of the Ozarks Bluegrass Association (HOBA) has grown into an educational nonprofit dedicated to preserving and celebrating bluegrass music in West Plains. These days, HOBA hosts biannual 3-day festivals on their property in addition to their weekly jam sessions. Attendees can camp overnight during the festivals. Located in the center (or “heart”) of the Ozark Mountains, West Plains has an active music scene that is well aware of its historical roots. Settlers from Southern Appalachia came to the region in the early 18th century, bringing their music and storytelling traditions. As years pass, traditions like these tend to be lost or otherwise forgotten. 38

rks Bluegrass

niel Sheehan

Communities lose sight of what once brought them together. HOBA’s mission is to keep the bluegrass tradition in the Ozarks alive and bring people together to celebrate the region’s history. The key to preservation, according to HOBA, is investing in the youth. HOBA offers a variety of workshops that focus on teaching the history of bluegrass alongside musical lessons. The latest iteration of these educational projects is the Bluegrass in the Schools program. Several association members visit nearby schools where they perform small concerts, followed by an “instrument petting zoo,” as Teresa Romans calls it. “The kids touch, hold, feel, and play on the instruments,” Romans says. “Then they pick what they think they might be most interested in and sit down with some of the board members, and they have the very extreme beginner’s lesson. They are open to new ideas and learning and soak it up like a sponge.” For many students, it is their first time interacting with any instrument. Providing this avenue into the bluegrass world is the first step in HOBA’s mission to expose the musical tradition to a new generation of potential players. HOBA currently has programs in two high schools, one of which has produced a band that went on to 39

compete against musicians from across Missouri. “I’m not sure the judges knew exactly what to do with them, but they were impressed,” Romans remarked. The association aims to take this introduction one step further by loaning donated instruments to kids to allow them to see if they are interested in pursuing music. HOBA partners with local music store West Plains Music to make necessary repairs to donated instruments. “Instruments are expensive, and a lot of parents can’t afford them, especially if the child isn’t going to keep playing,” Romans explains. HOBA’s origin story and objective speak to the intergenerational, family-centric nature of bluegrass customs. “Most of our volunteers are second and third-generation pickers,” Romans says of the workshop instructors. “Most of them were raised with bluegrass in the home and even church. Hardworking, kind, decent people who get excited to share with the kids.” Vice President Sharry Lovan, who runs the Bluegrass in the Schools program, believes that appealing to the younger audience is vital to sparking their interest in the association. Teaching kids how to play mainstream songs they are already familiar with, such as Old Crow Medicine Show’s “Wagon Wheel,” opens the door for conversation about the genre’s history. “If we can teach these children that this type of music is worth preserving, that it is our heritage and their heritage, then we can rest assured the music will go on long after we are gone,” Lovans elaborates. Romans also sees music as a cornerstone of the human experience. “Much in the way our Daddy taught us how to change the oil on the car, or how Momma showed us how to make bread. It’s part of our heritage and upbringing, and I would hate to see it disappear.” Preservation is crucial for a community that is built on music and storytelling. From the 1979 courthouse jam sessions to today’s festivals, HOBA ensures that the heart of the Ozarks keeps beating for years to come.

When Zach Rearick was looking for a venue for his band, Middleground, to play with another band, The Country Strings, they approached the local community theatre. The Butler Little Theatre in Butler, Pennsylvania, is a small, intimate venue where six or seven shows are produced annually. The organization is one of Pennsylvania’s oldest continuously active theatre groups, tracing its origins to the 1920s. “They were super interested,” says Zach. “We had one month to put together the show and market it.” To his great surprise, the show sold out. Granted, the theatre only has 155 seats, but tickets to all 155 seats were completely sold out. The theatre group was thrilled with the show and encouraged them to do more shows. Knowing they were on to something, Zach and his wife, Tricia, went to work looking for a couple of bands to do a second show last year. “I grew up playing in a family band,” Zach says, “and I am in a band now, so I’m pretty connected to the local bluegrass music scene in Pennsylvania.” The second show was also sold out, which gave Zach an idea. “We worked with the theatre group and went all in on planning shows for this year.” Branding the shows as Keystone Opry: An Unforgettable Evening of Music, Zach drew from Pennsylvania being nicknamed “The Keystone State” while also giving a nod to the Grand Ole Opry. “It may not be that creative – after all, I’m an engineer from Pennsylvania. But I think it works. We got our state and the ‘mother church’ in the name.” Zach says he grew up listening to the Grand Ole Opry with his grandparents. “It’s a pretty classic story.” He also attended the many bluegrass festivals in the area. “And, of course, I began going down the rabbit hole of watching music videos on YouTube.” While he didn’t set out to create a music series, Keystone Opry has morphed into a full season of shows. “At first, I thought it would be hard to find enough bands, but we have seven shows this season with two bands at every show, even more for our Christmas show. We have had to start turning bands away.”

Susan Marquez

Zach says that it’s all been pretty smooth so far. “I’m still amazed at the turnout. I always had an idea of doing something along these lines, but I thought about going the festival route. There aren’t as many festivals now as there once were because the promoters are aging out, and no one is replacing them.” When this opportunity presented itself, Zach jumped at the chance to provide something he saw lacking in his community. The shows have become much more than mere musical performances. For Zach, they celebrate traditional bluegrass and the connections it creates between the artists and fans. “It’s such an intimate experience, and the best part is that the performers and the audience can share in the joy of live music.” Focusing on authenticity, the shows feature both established acts and rising stars. “We want to foster a sense of community. Music has the power to pull people together. The Keystone Opry provides the experience of live bluegrass music in a welcoming environment, where audiences can experience unforgettable performances and discover new artists.” By day, Zach is a testing engineer with robotics, but he tries to play music whenever he can. “I used to be a semi-professional bass player, but now I play guitar and sing. I really love playing, and I love this music.” He and Tricia have one son, Waylon. “We are excited about this season, and we look forward to Keystone Opry being a part of the community for a long time to come.”

Jeff Autry With this new release, Jeff Autry will be added to the quality roster of Turnberry Records, which includes heavy-hitting, top-charting artists such as 2023 IMBA Male Vocalist of the Year winner, Greg Blake; Darren Beachley; Caleb Bailey and Paine’s Run; Mike Mitchell; Prairie Wildfire; and more.

Mark Montgomery by Brent Davis

Mark Montgomery’s art has done something no one could have imagined. It put Little Roy Lewis, the legendary madcap, frenetic banjo player, at a loss for words. Lewis studies the details of Montgomery’s pitch-perfect caricature of him: a possumlike grin, unruly white hair, one hand on the banjo, the other stretching his trademark red suspenders. “That’s funny!” Lewis finally declares. Montgomery’s striking caricatures of bluegrass and country stars such as Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, and Jimmy Martin--elaborately researched and imaginatively detailed-- speak volumes about their subjects. “I kind of like being able to wrap up someone’s whole life and career into one image,” Montgomery says. “In the back of my mind I want to show respect for these people by doing a picture that can kind of tell their story.” Montgomery often incorporates “Easter eggs” in his work. It’s a term to describe a hidden message, image, or feature included in a movie, video game, or work of art. For example, in the background of Montgomery’s portrait of Doc Watson, there are images associated with many of his most loved songs--a Tennessee Stud, John Henry’s hammer, and a shady grove. Montgomery draws Jimmy Martin alongside Pete, his beloved coon dog. There’s a blue moon in the sky behind Bill Monroe. Johnny Cash, his exaggerated hair and eyes making him immediately recognizable, wears a nametag reading “My name is Sue. How do you do?” It’s an homage to one of his great songs. “I have really loved adding in those Easter eggs into the portraits,” Montgomery explains. “I found so many for Doc Watson in the folk songs he was known for that I created a key that I include with each print. Same for Flatt & Scruggs. The whole idea started with the Bill Monroe portrait and hearing people react and pick out song titles as they looked around the image.” Montgomery grew up in Northern Missouri in a family that loved art. “My dad’s mom was a schoolteacher, artist, and writer, and his brother and sister are retired art and music teachers,” he says. “My family get-togethers were full of music, laughter, and 49

discussions about art. They were really encouraging and supportive when I would bring artwork to show.” A high school teacher had been a student of the noted artist Thomas Hart Benton, whose “Sources of Country Music” painting is the centerpiece of the rotunda at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Benton’s layered and richly detailed approach impressed Montgomery. “I really learned how to tell a story in one picture. And that’s what I loved about Thomas Hart Benton. He’s one of my favorite artists.” Though he’s always loved art, his connection to bluegrass music came later, after he moved to Springfield, Mo. “I didn’t know about bluegrass until I came down to college, and right about then, the O Brother, Where Art Thou movie came out.” Around the same time, Montgomery 50

Kara Martinez Bachman

discovered Nickel Creek and was amazed by mandolinist Chris Thile. His wife got him a mandolin, and he began taking lessons from Jeremy Chapman at The Acoustic Shoppe in Springfield. Chapman and his brothers and father, who toured for many years as The Chapmans, have championed Montgomery’s work by displaying it and selling it at The Acoustic Shoppe, which they own. They featured the caricatures in their extensive booth at the 2023 International Bluegrass Music Association convention in Raleigh, N.C. “They bought a portrait of Bill Monroe I did, and they hung a painting of Steve Martin with his banjo that I did that showed up in the background of their TV show in several episodes,” Montgomery recalls. “I was collecting names of who they thought I should draw next, and I got deeper into this world of bluegrass.” Montgomery works in various media, including pencil, ink, watercolor, colored pencils, and acrylic paint. Sometimes, he creates caricatures on the computer. But researching his subject is always a crucial step. 51

“When I start working on a portrait, I sort of go into ‘method actor’ mode. I try to listen to all their music I can find, watch interviews and documentaries and live performances. I don’t use any one photograph to make the portrait but find a recognizable expression and pose and go from there. I watch how their mouth moves if they have an underbite or sneer when they talk. I try to find clues from their life or song titles that I can represent with objects to incorporate into the scene.” Montgomery is especially excited about the opportunity to design the artwork for Excelsior, a new album by one of today’s great banjo players. “I was able to connect with Alan Munde through The Acoustic Shoppe. A photographer had taken the cover photo, so I used that photo and then kind of worked around it, adding some of the little elements around the text that Alan had given me.” Montgomery is excited about additional bluegrass projects. He’s created images for singles releases and podcast covers for the Chapmans. And he’s eager to use his talents to help musicians get noticed. “Every musician I know is so talented, and they work so hard. And I feel like they need graphic support to send them to more audiences. If I can make somebody buy a bluegrass album based on the artwork, then the work is done because once they hear the music, they’ll be sold. So that’s where I see this going.”

TELLU by Susan

URIDE Marquez

Held in a breathtaking setting – a magnificent canyon surrounded by majestic mountains – the Telluride Bluegrass Festival has drawn bluegrass fans to the San Juan Mountains in Telluride, Colorado, for fifty years. “It’s such an ethereal place, and coming here is a commitment,” says Grace Barrett, the festival’s director of communications and partnerships for Planet Bluegrass, the folks who present the festival. “It requires some effort to get there. But people return, year after year, looking forward to the next festival. They come early and camp and reunite with friends they’ve met at previous festivals. For many, it’s the highlight of their year. People have been coming to this festival for over forty years – longer than I have been alive.” Part of that appeal is, of course, the beautiful setting. But there is something special about the Telluride Bluegrass Festival that has such an incredible appeal. It could be the artists who play at the festival year after year. While primarily a bluegrass festival, other genres of music can be heard at the festival. It is a favorite festival for many artists. “Sam Bush’s 50th consecutive festival will be this coming year, 2024. He played the second annual festival and every one since. He really is the king of Telluride, which I think is incredible.”

It is not unusual to hear traditional bluegrass followed by new grass, rock ‘n roll, or international music. While many artists return regularly to the festival, Grace says they like to keep the music fresh. “We always have a few wild cards, especially for the fans who return year after year,” Grace recalls one couple who biked the front range, got married, and made a two-week trip that included the festival. “They now come back to celebrate their anniversary at the festival.” “Fans don’t have to decide which stage to watch because our festival only has one stage.” The Fred Shellman Memorial Stage honors the founder of the festival. “Everything happens on that stage, so there is no choosing between acts,” says Grace. “There are other events around time, including music and workshops. Education is an important component of the festival.” Grace joined the Planet Bluegrass staff in early 2021. “We weren’t even sure there would be a festival that year,” she recalls. “I came in on the heels of a canceled 2020 season. We didn’t have a single event because of Covid. It was an interesting position to be in.” She had been to the festival only once before she took her job, and that was as a toddler with her parents.

“My first real festival was the 2021 ‘Covid festival.’ We ended up having a two-week long festival that year with a smaller crowd - about 2000 people per day when we were used to having 11,000 people per day. We had to work on social distancing and other state guidelines.” Grace worked on the magazine-quality program the festival is known for. “I’m just so proud of how long this festival has been in existence, and I’m so privileged to help present it.” By 2022, the festival was back to normal. “It was a challenge for us because a lot of our sponsors had taken a financial hit during Covid. We had to change our business model a bit. The festival takes place in Telluride Town Park. “It’s such a beautiful park,” says Grace. “We have a great relationship with the town of Telluride. The amazing thing is that the population of the town year-round is 2,500 people, but they welcome the festival and the fans. Everyone seems to have a mutual respect for one another.” The date of the festival is by design. Summer solstice, June 21, is the longest day of the year and the first day of summer. “It’s just a great kickoff to the summer season.” To add to the festival atmosphere, there is a great partnership with creative vendors who offer quality handmade items, including dresses, fairy wings and more. Kids twelve and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult to encourage a family atmosphere. “There are a lot of kids who were raised coming to this festival,” Grace says. Next year’s festival will take place June 20 – 23, 2024. “It will be our 51st festival. There aren’t many festivals with that kind of longevity. It’s something we are very proud of.”

Terry Baucom by Susan Marquez

Like many kids who grew up on The Beverly Hillbillies, Terry Baucom was drawn to Earl Scruggs and his banjo-playing skills. In 1962, when he was ten, Terry asked his parents for a banjo in 1962. “He still has that banjo,” says his wife, Cindy Baucom. “Instead of trading up like many musicians do, Terry kept each of his instruments. He says they were like his children.” Terry first played on stage with his father’s band, The Rocky River Boys. “They played local festivals and fiddlers conventions near his hometown of Monroe, North Carolina. When he was 14, Terry began playing the fiddle. After graduating high school in 1970, Terry played fiddle professionally with Charlie Moore and the Dixie Partners. “They played the Grand Ole Opry and for Ernest Tubb’s Midnight Jamboree radio program on WSM in Nashville. That was a pretty big way to start his music career,” says Cindy. In 1975, Ricky Skaggs formed Boone Creek and recruited Terry to play fiddle. Jerry Douglas played Dobro, and Wes Golding played guitar. Marc Pruett was slated to play banjo, but he and his brother had recently purchased a music store in Ashville. “Marc said he couldn’t go on the road and leave his brother alone to run the store, so he backed out,” Cindy explains. “Terry stepped up and said he could play banjo.” The plan was to let Terry play banjo until Ricky found someone else. “Once they heard Terry play banjo, that’s where he stayed. They did the Holiday Inn circuit,” Cindy says. “Six days a week, they would play in a Holiday Inn lounge, and on weekends they would play festivals.” Terry played on Boone Creek’s first album, a self-titled LP on Rounder Records. He also played on Boone Creek’s second album, One Way Track, on Sugar Hill Records. “It’s the first number in the Sugar Hill catalog,” says Cindy. Terry was a founding Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver member in 1979, playing banjo and singing bass in the quartets. He stayed until 1985 and appeared on Quicksilver’s first five full-length albums. He then formed The New Quicksilver with Alan Bibey, Jimmy Haley and Randy Graham. The New Quicksilver album from the mid-1980s was later released as Baucom, Bibey, Graham and Haley on Rebel Records. In the early 1990s, Terry joined Russell Moore, Mike Hartgrove, Alan Bibey and Ray Deaton to form IIIrd Tyme Out. He was on the first two releases that included some of the band’s signature songs like “Erase the Miles” and “Lower on the Hog.” Immediately following his departure from IIIrd Tyme Out, Lou Reid, Terry Baucom and Carolina was formed. Two more ground-breaking albums followed, as well as the first-ever Emerging Artist Award presented by the International Bluegrass Music Association. The band BlueRidge followed a partnership with Alan Bibey.

Terry taught banjo and fiddle in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area when he wasn’t touring. As a freelancer, he worked with Kenny and Amanda Smith, Dale Ann Bradley, Mashville Brigade, Mark Newton Band, Mountain Heart with Tony Rice, Josh Williams and more. Terry met Cindy at various festivals. “My dad played, and I was in his band. Terry and I just got to know each other over the years. It has been so nice that we both have a passion for bluegrass in common.” The couple married on March 21, 2003. “It was the first day of spring, and Terry says that was the ideal day for new beginnings.” Due to health concerns, Terry was forced to leave the stage and road in May of this year. For the last decade of his career, he led his band, Terry Baucom’s Dukes of Drive and has six recordings on his own Driving Duke Record label, with multiple songs reaching number one on the Bluegrass Today weekly, monthly, and year-end charts. Well recognized for his musical abilities, Terry has been inducted into the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame and has a dozen IBMA awards on his shelves. He was presented with the Distinguished Achievement Award at the 2023 IBMA Awards Show. “Terry is just the most laid-back, likable person,” says Cindy. “It is such a pleasure for me to be his wife and to have helped him with his career for the past twenty years.”

The Ca

by Kara Marti

We all have our favorite places to hear live music, but a music venue is occasionally more than experience.

Sometimes, the location adds a new dimension to the performance by magnifying and enhan be difficult to pinpoint, but these places are undoubtedly easily recognized by audiences. Con almost mystical atmosphere come away from a show noting not just the music but the SPACE Some say Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver, Colo., is just that kind of magical place. For

Another landmark offers a unique sonic experience and should be added to that list: The Cav there, will already be familiar with what makes it special. Just as Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a elicit mystique – and atmosphere – for many of its year-round music offerings. Some events, s

“What makes an underground concert so special is that the guests and the artist have a shared for The Caverns, Jeff Meltesen. “This contributes to the energy at the shows. We often hear art

“It’s special, and that’s not lost on anyone, whether you’re in the audience or on stage,” he add alive with natural reverb. By no means is The Caverns your typical night club, from the sound

General Manager Joe Lurgio seconds those sentiments about this unique performance space.

“We are the only cave venue in the world focused on presenting touring artists regularly, with

averns

inez Bachman

n just a building. Sometimes – and these are rare– the PLACE ITSELF changes the

ncing what it already is or providing contrast. This sound-place-atmosphere alchemy might ncert-goers fortunate enough to take in an event held in a beloved physical space with an ES that momentarily embraced that music. others, it’s the Sydney Opera House, Radio City Music Hall, or Royal Albert Hall in London.

verns in Pelham, Tenn. Those familiar with the PBS Series “The Caverns Sessions,” filmed a venue created out of the earth itself, this hidden gem in Tennessee uses a cave system to such as large fests, are held “above-ground.” Other, most intimate shows are “underground.”

d experience that’s amplified by the subterranean setting,” explained the marketing director tists say, ‘I can’t believe we’re playing in a cave!’”

ded. “What’s more, we get lots of compliments on the acoustics of the cave, which are very d to the surroundings.”

h world-class audio, lighting and production,” Lurgio said. He also stresses that the caves are

not solely for music; they’re first and foremost for exploring. “While we are focused heavily on presenting high-quality concert experiences, we also have wild cave tours that take people deeper into the cave system to learn about subterranean ecosystems, geology, history, cave lore, and to take a behind-the-scenes look at the music venue,” Lurgio explained. “Humans have been connected to caves since the beginning of time, with some of the first art ever drawn found inside a cave,” he continued. “The section of limestone our cave is in stretches all the way up into Kentucky, and folks in these areas have a deep connection to caves, including playing music in caves.” One of those people was a foremost bluegrass patriarch. “Bill Monroe was so enchanted by the sounds of bluegrass in caves that he actually recorded a record inside a cave not too far from ours,” Lurgio explained. “There is something magical about hearing the ‘high lonesome sound’ deep inside a cave, almost a connection to the ancient tones that Mr. Monroe often spoke about.” He added that many on the crew are bluegrass lovers at heart, “and we strive to present bluegrass shows every year, both traditional and newgrass.” In addition to the underground space, The Caverns has a 6,000-person capacity outdoor amphitheater, an on-site campground, and a yurt village. In addition to daily cave tours and “caving expeditions,” a kid’s camp – Camp Caverns – is held in the summer for children aged eight to 14. While there’s a regular schedule of performers from various genres (check the website at Thecaverns.com for current offerings), two big yearly events are sure to interest bluegrass fans. Now is the time to mark calendars and start making plans. The Big Mouth Bluegrass Festival date has not yet been decided but is expected to happen during the summer of 2024. CaveFest will take place on October 11 through 13, 2024. “As a destination venue in rural Tennessee, The Caverns is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the suburbs and the city – it’s even an escape from the Earth’s surface,” Meltesen said. “Perhaps that’s why the venue resonates with fans of bluegrass, folk and Americana.” Those who can’t plan a trip to The Caverns can get a taste of the experience by taking in an episode or two – or three – of the PBS series shot onsite. “Formerly known as Bluegrass Underground, The Caverns Sessions is the longestrunning music series on American television after Austin City Limits,” Meltesen explained. “With 12 years of episodes, many Grammy winners have appeared on the show, which airs nationwide on PBS stations, on the PBS website, and through the PBS streaming app. New episodes are available on Wednesdays this Fall, and we’re hard at work on the next season.” 64

MARTY FALLE by Lee Zimmerman

Marty Falle is on a roll. He’s found remarkable success worldwide since beginning his pursuit of bluegrass with his last two albums. His new album, the aptly named Born Again Bluegrass, follows suit. Released on November 18th at 4 am (!), it immediately shot up to the Number One slot on several worldwide album charts of all genres, including the APD Global Album Chart. Bluegrass radio programmers in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy, and the UK jumped on the new album on day one. Granted, Falle’s decision to release a new record so closely on the heels of his last album, My Farm, My Bluegrass, may seem somewhat unusual, especially considering that the previous effort still reigns high in the charts of many major bluegrass and roots publications. To be sure, it defies the usual popular protocol. However, unlike other artists, Falle places his emphasis on writing entire albums rather than focusing solely on singles. He’s an extremely prolific songwriter who eschews cover songs in favor of his original material. So, too, he isn’t dependent on the major label machinery to share his efforts with the world, ensuring that he continues to produce his music strictly on his own terms. The new album offers ample evidence of that philosophy and finesse. Once again, Falle varies the template while staying true to the cultural components that inform and inspire each of his efforts. All 15 songs match quality with quantity, from the upbeat exuberance and rousing revelry of “Blue Blaze Breakdown, “”Bluegrass Boogeyman,” Hillbilly Stomp,” and “Lost Creek Revival,” to the sweet serendipity found in such songs as “Colorado,” “Ohio” and “Fades.” According to Lee Zimmerman, author of Americana Music — Voices, Visionaries & Pioneers of An Honest Sound, a respected book that documents the paths taken by traditional American music, “My Farm, My Bluegrass offers reverence for the roots, while maintaining contemporary credence. Few musicians tap such varied sources so well.” Here again, hope and happenstance find equal footing. The measured tones of “Long Long Road” offer an ideal example: “Spread my wings and shatter air, This is where I come aware, At the end of this long, long road… And all my fears and all my sins, I just whistle down the wind, At the end of this long, long road…” The touching, tender “Appalachia Blue” shares similar sentiments.” 66

“Appalachia Blue Oh Appalachia Blue Blessings so Bountiful!!! Appalachia Blue”

these feats all on his own. His studio standbys consist of a list of the who’s who of Americana, Appalachian, roots, and bluegrass. The players he’s worked with include producer Jonathan Yudkin Falle believes that a well-crafted song is an playing fiddled mandolin, guitarist artist’s most important asset. He recently Carl Miner, veteran bassist Michael told Cashbox Magazine, “I needed to find Bub, solo stalwart Rob Ickes on dobro, out who I was as a 100% original artist. Josh Matheny only steel, Matt Menefee Good, bad, or ugly, this is who I am.” and Tim Carter on banjo, and multiinstrumentalist Sam Hunt. Falle himself He’s proved his point. Falle wrote, plays guitar, lead and backing vocals. recorded, and produced no less than three top-charting albums in 2023 alone. Yet Charts and Triumphs it’s not that he hasn’t had his challenges. He was diagnosed with advanced prostate Critics quickly took notice. Falle cancer, but his faith in God allowed him graced the cover of The Bluegrass to persevere. Nevertheless, his struggles Standard Magazine this past June, and continued. He underwent radical surgery, he was spotlighted in feature stories but the cancer returned. He then had to in Americana Rhythm Magazine and deal with an ensuing series of tragedies — Bluegrass Today Magazine, which the loss of his college roommate, as well described him as “an artist well worth as one of his best friends and his brother- your attention.” The kudos continued in-law. It all seemed insurmountable, from there. He was designated and it left Falle wondering about his own as “Artist of the Month” by Ohio future… and if, in fact, he had a future Bluegrass deejay Michelle Lee and at all. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever record featured in an article in Country Music again, yet he continued to write. International in Europe. More recently, Falle was singled out in Germany’s When he finally got news that his cancer CountryMusicNowInternational after was in remission, he went back to work, hitting Number One on its chart. recruiting a team of Nashville session players and setting a date for returning Any number of media appearances to the recording studio. Three albums followed, including guest appearances on followed in rapid succession — Kentucky David Pugh’s Bluegrass Show, Mountain Bluestar, My Farm, my Bluegrass and his Bluegrass, with featured guest spots on latest offering, Born Again Bluegrass. the popular radio show Annette in the Morning, and on All Around Bluegrass w/ All three have been greeted with the Jos in the Netherlands, and Bluegrass CZ. excitement and anticipation that usually accompanies a new release by a veteran Meanwhile, the Kentucky Bluestar album superstar. He’s taken the bluegrass world reached Number Eight on the Top 50 by storm and launched a career bringing APD Bluegrass / Folk Albums for April him the acclaim that clearly suggests his 2023, while the title song itself broke superstardom is all but certain. into the Top Ten of the Bluegrass Today singles chart, debuting at Number Six. To be sure, he hasn’t accomplished In addition, the song climbed to Number 68

One on the Bluegrass Jamboree Top 100 and charted at Number Seven on the Bluegrass Borderline Top 10. My Farm, My Bluegrass, found similar success. It reached Number One on the APD Global Radio Indicator Chart for All Genres on the day of its release! In fact, an astounding eight out of the Top 10 singles for the APD Bluegrass Global Radio Indicator Chart were born from My Farm, My Bluegrass. The album reached Number One on the APD Global Radio Indicator Chart for all genres the week of 8/20 – 8/27 and entered the Top 20 Album Roots Music Chart at Number 19. My Farm, My Bluegrass continued its reign at Number One on the APD Global chart for over a month, clearing the way for Falle’s last two albums to enter the Top Five. At one point, Falle had three records in the APD Top Five. An earlier Marty Falle album, 2021’s Virgin on the Bluegrass, hit Number 29 on the APD Global Radio Chart of Top 50 Bluegrass Albums for August 2023. The singles culled from My Farm, My Bluegrass also found continued success. “Praise the Lord and Pass the Gravy” charted at Number 34 on the APD Country Singles chart and then reached Number Six for August on APD’s Global Chart, while its follow-up, “The Calling,” hit Number Seven. Another song from My Farm, My Bluegrass, “Ode to Ale 8,” debuted at Number Eight on the Roots Music Top 50 Contemporary Bluegrass Song Chart and went on to climb to Number Five. It also debuted in the Top 20 — at Number 13 — in the August edition of Bluegrass Jamboree’s Top 100. Then, it was singled out on the Mountain Bluegrass radio show, courtesy of David Pugh’s weekly Top 12 songs. “Ode to Ale 8” also made the Top 10 on Pugh’s

program as well. Meanwhile, “Praise the Lord and Pass the Gravy” entered the Top 10 in the APD Gospel charts and eventually hit Number One on the APD Singles Chart, while “The Calling” scored at Number Two on that same chart. “Praise the Lord and Pass the Gravy” also hit Number One on the Mountain Bluegrass Gospel Chart. That led to another round of media appearances, including Bluegrass Breakdown on 88.1 FM, St. Louis, the syndicated Rick Dollar Show, the Danny Hensley Show on 91.7FM Knoxville, and the popular Netherlands radio program Countryland. He was selected for the cover of Americana Rhythm Magazine’s October 2023 edition and featured in an article for The Bluegrass Standard that same month. Falle was also the subject of another story in Bluegrass Today in October. Kentucky Bluestar joined My Country, My Bluegrass in the Top 50 APD Bluegrass/ Folk Albums for September 2023, one of the two of his albums in the Top 50 for all genres. Falle would finish September with 13 songs in the Top 50 APD Bluegrass/ Folk Singles. “Praise the Lord and Pass the Gravy” then charted as the Number One Country single. It also reached Number Three on the Mountain Bluegrass Gospel Chart. Meanwhile, “Ode to Ale 8” continued its climb. It reached number three on the Bluegrass Jamboree Top 100 for September, number six on the Bluegrass Today singles chart, number two on the Mountain Bluegrass chart, and charted at number 16 on the Roots Music Chart. It would eventually hit Number One for October 2023 on the Bluegrass Jamboree Top 100. 71

Two singles charted in the Bluegrass Jamboree Top 50 — “Ode to Ale 8,” which climbed to Number Two, and “Praise the Lord and Pass the Gravy,” which hit the Top 50. In addition, another song from the album, “Kentucky Proud,” also entered the chart. The latter also made the Roots Chart’s Top Twenty. Bluegrass Today went on to rank Falle at Number 20 for the entire month of October 2023. The album scored successfully on the Roots Music Chart, the All Genres Chart and the Bluegrass/Folk Chart on APD. Bluegrass in his blood It could be claimed without any exaggeration whatsoever that this singer, songwriter, and musician has always had bluegrass in his blood. It was infused early on when, after watching re-runs of The Andy Griffith Show as a youngster, he became fascinated by the show’s “house band,” a fictitious group called The Darlings, who was played by The Dillards, a real-life group responsible for transitioning the archival echoes of mountain music into a sound that could be admired, appreciated, and enjoyed through populist appeal. Falle’s fondness for the form was further nurtured while living in Athens, Ohio, where he frequented a local record store that featured live bluegrass on an ongoing basis. Having dabbled in music while in high school, he relocated to Eastern Kentucky after college, and it was there that he immersed himself in the traditional template so essential to the music of that particular region. Much of his music has been rooted in those Appalachian origins, specifically, the various stylistic strains and archival influences in Irish, Scottish, and English folk music. They’re sounds that eventually found their way into American country and mountain music through those early pioneers who ventured overseas to resettle in Appalachia. History and happenstance evolved from there. “Kentuckians have been wearing out shoe leather at informal jamborees since the state was settled over two hundred years ago,” Falle notes. “A Rosine barn dance helped launch Bill Monroe’s career. Even today, Appalachian cloggers and square dance callers celebrate the unique musical culture of Kentucky.” Ultimately, Falle digs deep into that heritage and faithfully follows a musical route that combines bluegrass, roots, and Americana music. In the end, his is a journey well worth sharing. 72

STARVY C by Kara Martinez Bachman

Back in 1986, a bluegrass fest gave the locals of Conway, Missouri, a way to connect over old-fashioned music and culture. A few years later, a similar festival by the same organizers was added to the calendar. These two events remained an important focus of local life for decades. Even for something so beloved, however, the saying “all good things come to an end” seemed an inevitability…until Aaron McDaris and his family stepped up. Just as the Starvy Creek Bluegrass Festival was set to shut down last year, these lifelong event fans took up the mantle of keeping it going. When they intervened, there was an outburst of joy that they’d saved something so important to this community. “I grew up coming to this festival,” McDaris explained. “I grew up about 30 minutes from here.” The people who had owned the fest for decades – the Day Family – had announced via Facebook that they were closing it down due to the burden of a family illness. The feedback people left in the comments section emitted a tone of communal grief. “When it shut down, you could just feel the sadness and the air deflating out of everyone who commented,” McDaris said. In reaction to this, he “met with the [Day] family, and prayed…and the rest is history.” There are two Starvy Creek festivals: One in July and another in September. After 74

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reviving it all, a new weekend was selected for July: The second weekend of the month, instead of July 4th when it had always happened. That’s the only big change that was made. Now is the time to mark calendars for Starvy Creek 2024; it’s a great option for any bluegrass fan who wants to experience this slice of genuine American life. McDaris said the reason people loved it all so much – and the reason he and his wife and kids decided to pour their hearts and resources into keeping it going – is because festivals such as Starvy Creek are in short supply in this day and age. What makes this one special is how old-fashioned and family-oriented it still is. “There’s no alcohol. No drugs,” he said. “We fry catfish succotash and have a pie shack. It’s a family-run festival with one stage and a beautiful campground. The stage area has shade…there’s a lot of shade in there. It’s one of the old-school family-style festivals.” With a focus on the simple things – comfort food, family, and music that enlivens the soul – McDaris clearly has a grip on everything people had always loved about the Starvy Creek festivals. He wants to make sure it retains the same vibe under his watch. “As for now, I felt it was best to keep it like it was,” he explained. “I think people come there for that very reason because it still is traditional.” 76

This event sounds quite different from the massive, corporate-owned festivals. Those events fill a need and have their place, but they don’t offer the understated, natural Starvy Creek vibe. The way McDaris described it, the scale and feeling sound oh-so genuine. It’s a community thing. McDaris guesses that 2,500 to 3,000 fest-goers attend each year. McDaris had a great lineup of notable acts for his first year at the helm in September. There was The Grascals. High Fidelity. Joe Mullins. Lonesome Road. Rhonda Vincent. He promises a lineup of similar quality for the 2024 fests. Speaking of Vincent, McDaris said the well-known bluegrass musician was a driving force behind him taking the Starvy Creek leap. He said he had always wanted to start his own thing and even still owned land locally he might someday use for that purpose. He’d moved away some time ago to Nashville, but the siren song of music in his home state always called out to him, and the dream of running his own fest never died. He jumped when the opportunity came to take over two events that had shaped his life. It seemed…right. “God opened that door for me, and I believe he pulled us back to our home state for that purpose,” he said. “Rhonda [Vincent] was truly a big help to me.” “Her family did festivals,” McDaris explained, of how she gained such a breadth of knowledge about music and event planning. “She basically led me through all this.” 77

He’s a professional banjo player and knows her well due to pickin’ and strummin’ as a Rhonda Vincent & the Rage member. He’s also quick to credit the many people involved yearly. Once he took over, that didn’t change. “The people that attend are like family,” he said. “People are so willing to jump in and do anything to help.” McDaris said bluegrass and its associated festivals have been near and dear to his heart since childhood. “It’s my life,” he reminisced. “It’s truly been my life since I was 12.” It all started with his first, the bluegrass festival in Dixon, Missouri. He had just begun to play banjo himself, and seeing all of that happening onstage significantly impacted him. “Other kids my age were playing, and from that moment on, I went to every bluegrass festival I could.” His experience reflects why he sees his work with Starvy Creek as valuable. “It keeps kids out of trouble,” he said, “when they have something they can pour their hearts into.”

The SteelDrivers by Susan Marquez

“The secular and the sacred have always gone hand in hand in Bluegrass music,” says Tammy Rogers of The SteelDrivers. “If you go back and historically look at the early Bill Monroe records or the early Flatt & Scruggs, they always featured gospel music. So, to me, they are like first cousins.” While past albums have been sprinkled with a few gospel songs, the group felt it was time to do a full gospel album. Tougher Than Nails was released in early September via Gaither Music Group. Almost all the band members grew up playing bluegrass in that Southern Christian heritage. “We were out playing festivals and shows on Friday and Saturday nights, but we got our butts up and went to church on Sunday mornings,” Tammy says that she grew up in those churches and has three or four versions of the Baptist hymnal. When talking with the guys in the band, Tammy says they got excited about it because it’s in their DNA, too – it’s the music they grew up with. “We realized that our most requested song is a Gospel song, ‘Where Rainbows Never Die,’” says Tammy. “It’s a spiritual song about going to heaven. It’s really a beautiful song and very poetic.” The new album features six originals. “They let us choose the songs we thought most fit our style,” Tammy says. “I really love how it turned out and am proud of it.” To choose which hymns they would record for Tougher Than Nails, each member weighed in on their favorites. A list was sent around and everyone in the band put their heads together. Several songs were in common, so they began picking them and working on arrangements. The band was diligent in interpreting the classics in a way that was true to The SteelDrivers’ sound. “It was a real team effort.” The band co-produced the record together. Their creative energy can be felt in each track. Two singles from the LP have also been released, “Have a Little Talk with Jesus,” an old standard, and a song Tammy wrote with Leslie Satcher, “Somewhere Down the Road,” which is the lead-off track on the album. Also to be released is a third single, “Magdalene.” Tammy says that the songs fit seamlessly into their sets. “That was the only way the project could be a success. We had to put our stamp on it.” The band has a distinctive sound, with excellent musicianship, compelling songwriting and stellar vocals. Formed in 2005, The SteelDrivers’ self-titled album was the first of two albums released on Rounder Records with former lead vocalist Chris Stapleton. Two more albums on Rounder Records followed. Gary Nicoles took Stapleton’s place in 2010. The band received the GRAMMY for Best Bluegrass Album for The Muscle Shoals Recordings in 2015. Nicoles also sang lead on the album Hammer Down. Kelvin Damrell assumed the lead vocal duties in 2018 and is featured on the 2020 release Bad for You. Matt Dame joined the band as lead vocalist in 2021 and now completes The SteelDrivers’ lineup. “The band is all Mike Henderson’s fault,” says Tammy. “He was the mastermind. Mike and I had been writing together, and we worked together in the 1990s in a band called Dead Reckoners. Mike Flemming and Mike Henderson were college roommates and 82

played together very informally. They played once a month or so at the Station Inn in Nashville. With a voice like Chris Stapleton’s in the band, people took notice.” The name of the band came to Henderson in a dream. “He said he thought it was harddriving music, and we use metal strings.” Tammy says being the only girl in the band has never been an issue. “I wouldn’t know anything different. They are like my brothers. I always have four big guys who have my back. We have a real respect for each other.” The band tours 60 to 70 days a year and appears frequently on the Grand Ole Opry. “We have been fortunate – we have built an incredible fan base. We are excited for fans to hear Tougher Than Nails. If I can play a gospel song to a crowd that maybe isn’t all believers, I don’t have to stand up there and preach and hit them over the head with the message. I can just put that music out there, and it may hit somebody who really needs to hear it. What a great opportunity to have that platform.”

FAN PHOTOS