The Bluegrass Standard - February 2024 by The Bluegrass Standard

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OUR CHOICE

20 CONTENT KEN WHITE SCYTHIAN THUNDER & RAIN DEEPER SHADE OF BLUE SHAWN LANE TIM O’BRIEN FULL CORD VAULT MAIN FAN FOTOS

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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.

and other professionals who provide probono legal assistance. This includes things vital to artists, such as contract review, contract creation, intellectual property questions, etc. “We think of ourselves as the fuel for the creative engine,” she explained. “We want to make sure all the administrative, legal and business end is taken care of so they [artists] can focus on the creative process.” McMillan Palm said she has “dabbled” in music, dance, and theater herself in the past, but since she studied business in by Richelle Putnam school, she found herself in an art career that was more behind the scenes instead It is well known that business acumen and of in the limelight. It was a perfect fit that aligned with something she has always creative sensibilities don’t always coexist been passionate about. in the same person. In fact, these two things are often strange bedfellows. Most “I’ve been a lover of the arts my entire performers are more oriented toward creative expression and consider business life,” she said. “I realized I could be that – whether marketing, promotion or legal person behind the scenes that helps artists make their art happen.” issues – one of the most dreaded parts of choosing a career in the arts. Just as she gives huge amounts of time to For artists in Tennessee, however, there’s a ABC Nashville, she said artists can also resource that provides exactly the support join her in helping to create a support many musicians lack. The nonprofit Arts community. In addition to taking advantage of what the nonprofit offers, & Business Council of Greater Nashville participants can also give back through lends a helping hand so creatives – the organization. In a sense, they can pay ranging from musicians to visual artists to everything in between – can focus more it forward when it comes to goodwill. on what they are passionate about. “We have opportunities all the time through our education programs, “We exist to provide educational especially for musicians, to lend their resources and opportunity that artists expertise,” McMillan Palm said. need to survive and have a sustainable career,” summarized ABC Nashville She specifically highlighted mentorship of Executive Director Jill McMillan Palm. other musicians, participation in expert panels, and speaking opportunities. Funded primarily by donations and ABC Nashville also offers an “Arts Board corporate sponsorships, what McMillan Palm calls the “flagship” program of ABC Matching Program,” which she said, “trains folks to be good nonprofit board Nashville consists of volunteer lawyers 8

members if they’re interested in serving on an arts board.” “We want to be the hub for creatives in the Greater Nashville area,” she summarized. That being said, the geography covered by this group isn’t strict; ABC Nashville also helps connect artists to legal and business resources and opportunities in more rural communities with less accessibility and in places such as Memphis and Chattanooga. Every May, the organization puts on its biggest fundraiser event to support the charity’s volunteer lawyers. The “Arts Immersion” event includes pop-up performances, a silent auction, “local fare and lively libations,” and more. McMillan Palm said while many charities faced hard times during the pandemic, the opposite happened here; the downtime caused many artists to re-evaluate the level of support they required, and those who believed in the mission saw, even more, the need for the work ABC Nashville does. “We really kicked it into high gear during the pandemic,” she said, explaining how they grew from having just two full-time staff members in 2017 to a staff of six fulltime employees, one part-time, and several additional contractors. McMillan Palm said collectively, they serve approximately 8,000 artists and arts administrators annually.

Arts & Business Council Staff: Photo by Tiffany Bessire Photography Pictured Left to right: Kate Formway, Volunteer Services Specialist; Darrius Hall, Marketing Coordinator; Jonathan Harwell-Dye, Director of Programs; Jill McMillan Palm, Executive Director; Jackie Johnson Tidwell, Director of Operations & Strategic Initiatives; Jennifer “Ennie” Brosius, Program Manager; Synthia Hogan, Development Coordinator.

“I hope we are serving in the right way,” she said, “and serving in the way artists need.” If the success and growth of the Arts and Business Council of Greater Nashville is any indication, what this group is striving for is precisely what Nashville-area creatives need. 9

Panel discussion at the CMA discussing legal issues in the music industry Photo by Arts & Business Council

Periscope: Artist Entrepreneur Training - Class day Photo by Arts & Business Council

Periscope Pitch 2023, Ariel Bui presenting Photo by Tiffany Bessire Photography

Today in Nashville, WSMV featuring Alison Brazil and her band Photo by Arts & Business Council

KEN WHITE by Susan Marquez

With a background in music and business, Ken White brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role as executive director of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). The Kentucky native was selected by the IMBA Board of Directors and assumed his duties on October 2, following the completion of the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Raleigh, North Carolina. Making the move from Belle Plaine, Kansas, to Nashville, Ken says he has fond memories of his “starving artist” days living in Nashville when he was in his 20s. “I had a friend who worked behind the bar at Station Inn. I would stay until the end of the night and help restock the bar in exchange for free nachos and pizza.” That was thirty years ago, and Ken says he barely recognizes today’s bustling Nashville. “It is comforting to recognize the old landmarks, including the Ryman and Station Inn.” He also enjoys discovering “East Nash Grass,” saying discovering so many young artists is a fun scene. Ken was raised on a steady diet of Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley, and Tony Rice, falling asleep many nights during his childhood with his ear next to the family hi-fi. Perhaps that is why he won the Kentucky State Banjo Championship when he was just 14 years old. He went on to study guitar with the jazz icon Jimmy Raney at the University of Louisville Music School while continuing to record, perform, and tour with Bluegrass and Americana artists. Ken had the opportunity to play in such acclaimed venues as the Grand Ole Opry, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, RockyGrass, Walnut Valley Festival, The Station Inn, and the IBMA World of Bluegrass in Owensboro, Kentucky. Ken has written for and performed with the Louisville Mandolin Orchestra, the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble, and the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. Ken’s multiinstrumental talent can be heard on many recordings, including a recent catalog of music he co-wrote with his wife, Robin Macy, inspired by their home of 22 years in Kansas. Also an astute businessman, Ken teamed up with award-winning designer Nicole Howerton in 2002 to form Howerton+White, an integrated marketing agency. Under their leadership, the company has become a multi-million-dollar business with ongoing integration of marketing and media platforms for a variety of clients. Combining his technological expertise with his passion for music, Ken has played an active role in several community organizations. He has served as president of the Wichita Jazz Festival and serves on the Board of Directors of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. For 17 years, Ken has co-produced a popular seasonal concert series at the Bartlett Arboretum. He is also a non-voting member of the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. While he has established roots in Kansas, Ken says he is excited about his return to Nashville and its vibrant music scene to assume leadership of the IBMA. “Nashville is an exciting city, and the IBMA is an important organization with a mission of honoring tradition while encouraging innovation in the bluegrass community worldwide while helping to connect, educate, and empower bluegrass professionals and enthusiasts. I’m excited to rekindle relationships and to create new ones.” 13

Ken says the time was right for him to make the move. “My son is finishing up his master’s in Ohio, and when I saw this position listed in Bluegrass Today, I realized that my music background and my background in business made me a perfect candidate for the job. Now that I’m here, I’m looking at the organization and thinking about how we can recreate ourselves. Moving the World of Bluegrass to a new location in 2025 is a start.” The decision about where it will take place has yet to be made. “We are exploring our options.” Ken says he still plays enough to keep his chops up. “I have been to a few bluegrass jams and played a jazz brunch recently with Isaac Eicher.” But his main focus is on the IBMA and promoting all things bluegrass. “Everybody loves bluegrass, but many don’t know it yet.”

Scythian by Kara Martinez Bachman

Washington DC-based folk rock band Scythian loves getting up close and personal with fans. Each year, they take to the roads of Ireland with a huge group of fans, hoping to give their devoted followers a cool experience. They also enjoy themselves, adding another layer of meaning and life experience to their own careers as musicians. “Our ‘Scythian in Ireland’ trip has become a yearly tradition, and we just returned from our 10th trip,” explained Dan Fedoryka, who plays guitar and accordion with the band. “We chose Ireland to do our fan tours because this is where it all started, with my brother Alex, busking on Grafton Street in Dublin by day and learning fiddle tunes in the pubs by night.” This time, the event consisted of three tour buses with 135 fans. During the tour, the bandmates traveled with the group and played three shows in Ireland (Cork, Killarney, and Galway). Fedoryka said the trip has “grown organically over the years.” “Now we have something called ‘The Whiskey Fairy,’ who leaves a bottle of whiskey at the front of the bus, and we all bust out our ‘Scythian in Ireland’ shot glasses, make a toast, and sing from our songbooks,” Fedoryka said. “The Whiskey Fairy has turned the trip into an impromptu whiskey-tasting trip, and attendees who buy the bottles spare no expense. This creates a lighthearted spirit of generosity, which makes time off

the stage almost as much fun as time on the stage.” Other performers considering a similar tour might want to know that Fedoryka was once unsure about it, but his fear faded quickly. “We initially didn’t know what to expect, riding on the same buses as our fans,” he explained, “but quickly learned how special this trip would be for us. The music business is geared towards fame, creating a divide between artists and fans. In a sense, this idolic divide is good for business. But we found that by traveling on the buses with our fans, this divide disappeared, and we were back to our early days as a pub band… ALL in it TOGETHER!” Fedoryka suggested that anyone interested in getting a feel for the dynamic should check out the band’s YouTube channel, where Scythian has uploaded “daily video diaries which give you a sense of how magical the trip is.

“It is our great joy to see friendships which started over this trip continue back stateside,” he added. Fans appreciate the unique sound of Scythian music, which needs to be more easily classified and reflects a range of influences. “Initially, my brother Alex and I started out playing just Irish music,” Fedoryka reminisced. “We were buskers playing for gas money while in school, and as the crowds grew, we started playing some bluegrass since we grew up in the Shenandoah Valley.” They eventually started dabbling in Ukrainian music since their parents had immigrated from Ukraine, and both brothers had learned Ukrainian as their “first language.” 17

“It took a while because it felt vulnerable playing such an eclectic mix,” he confessed, “but we found that since it was an authentic representation of who we were as people, it really resonated with our listeners. We’ve been tempted for the sake of marketing to narrow things down – since it’s genres, not eclectic, which sell – but we decided that it wasn’t worth sacrificing representing who we are.” He explained that “because of this, we have so much fun onstage, and that is our hallmark.” The band will be touring less than usual this spring; for now, they’ll be focusing instead on writing and recording. There are also “a couple of new babies” expected among band members during February, so it’s a good window of opportunity for spending time at home before the busy schedule resumes in March. As headliners on the Irish fest circuit, Fedoryka joked that “March is kind of like a Super Bowl for us.”

Scythian will follow up the St. Patty’s season with an April event they always look forward to. “We’re pumped to be at MERLEFEST, where we’ll play the Main Stage the same day as Turnpike Troubadours,” Fedoryka said. “MERLEFEST is always a highlight of our year since we get to be fans as well as performers.” Scythian – who has released a whopping 16 albums to date – is composed of Fedoryka and his brother, Alexander Fedoryka (fiddle, mandolin, bass, vocals); Ethan Dean (electric and upright bass, vocals); and Johnny Rees (drums). The band offers a deal for new fans; instead of purchasing all 16 albums individually, the entire catalog can be purchased on a USB thumb drive in the shape of a bottle opener. “The cost is roughly the equivalent of a tank of gas,” Fedoryka said, “so if you buy us a tank of gas to keep us on the road, we’ll give you over $275 worth of music for free.”

ALCHEMY A TRANSFORMATIVE FORCE

Each year, our conference has a central theme, directing the variety of panels and programs you'll experience, reframing the conversations around our industry, and inspiring our community. FAI 2024's theme is Alchemy: A Transformative Force. Alchemy, like folk music, is an ancient, global tradition, with varied beliefs and practices throughout history. At its core, alchemists of the past

36th Annual Conference February 21 - 25, 2024 ® Kansas City, Missouri believed it possible to transform one form of matter into something else entirely – something precious and powerful. Lead into gold. We ask you, alchemists of the present (and future): it's real, right? folk.org/conference use code FOLK4EVER for $100 off your registration

Thunder & Rain by Jason Young

While catching up with Thunder and Rain lead singer Erinn Peet Lukes to talk about their up-and-coming EP Storybook Sessions, she spoke about their two new singles, “Ash and Rain” and “Wendigos Wandering.” The Nashville Indie and Bluegrass songstress and her band are among today’s rising bluegrass acts. With their decade-long career, Thunder and Rain have shared bills with flatpicking sensation Billy Strings and bluegrass legend Peter Rowan, among others. Balancing her solo career, Lukes has opened for Rachel Baiman and John Paul White of the Civil Wars and has won numerous awards, including Floyd Fest On The Rise Artist 2021 and 2022 and the 2023 IBMA Songwriter Showcase. Set to drop in its entirety in the early spring of 2024, the EP’s singles Ash and Rain and Wendigos Wandering are already available on Spotify, Band Camp, and the band’s website.

said, praising her band. Filled with suspense, the song “Ash and Rain,” about a young maiden whose heart filled with vengeance leads to murder, captures the imagination much like a romance novel would. When asked how she came up with the idea, the singer recounted her real-life romantic struggle that inspired the ominous seafaring lyrics. “I had a crush on someone already in a relationship and knew I couldn’t have them,” she sighed. Detailing how her newly purchased mando guitar (hybrid) from Carter Vintage music shop inspired the melody, “With that [mando guitar], I started writing this 6/8 (musical time signature) sea shanty. I sang words that came to mind. It’s a murderous, cheating, high seas kind of thing, and I like murder ballads. I just think they are fun. It’s the ultimate murder ballad song.” “Wendigos Wandering,” the band’s second single, is yet another masterpiece among the songs in Storybook sessions. Fascinated by Southern Appalachian folklore, the Redondo Beach, California native recalled what she felt was an eerie encounter.

Lukes chatted candidly from her home in Nashville, where the story-telling lyricist described the recording sessions for the EP as a series of single takes with no overdubs. “I think for any performer that is a nightmare situation, but they handled it with grace. They are so talented,” she “While walking in the park, I just got the 20

creepiest feeling. You know when your hair stands on end, and it feels like something is watching you?” She learned about Appalachian skinwalkers through social media. “I thought, man, this would be a cool song about skinwalkers warning people not to go in the woods. I went home and wrote the song right away.” Ever since Lukes can remember, she’s loved to sing and write songs. She left California at age 18 to attend Seattle’s University of Washington, where she describes her time as doing more busking (playing music on the street) than schoolwork. Lukes credits the Emerald City as the place where she discovered bluegrass. “I didn’t have any bluegrass in my life until I left California. It was Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dog. It wasn’t until I went to Seattle when I first heard old-time music and bluegrass music.” After college, she left for a stint in the New York City folk scene, finding city life distracting. “My one dry spell was when I lived [there]. That was the only time I didn’t write songs. I think it’s because I didn’t have space to write songs.” Leaving the Big Apple behind, the Indi-styled singer-songwriter drifted to Denver, Colorado, where she fell in with kindred bluegrass musicians, forming Thunder and Rain in 2013. By 2014, they released their debut album, Holler Out, followed by Start Believing (2017) and Passing in the Night (2020). After touring for eight years across the US, Canada, Ireland, and the UK, the 2020 pandemic hit, causing the group to disband. With no end to the pandemic in site, Lukes relocated to Nashville where, at the suggestion of friend and Della Mae bassist Vickie Vaughn, she reformed Thunder and Rain with Amelia Ransom on Fiddle/Vocals and Laura Ray on banjo/vocals. Erinn remembers asking Vickie to put together an opening band for her solo album release show. “[Vickie] couldn’t, so she suggested Laura to put together a band, who was her roommate.” Becoming good friends, Laura then introduced Erinn to Amelia. “We just started hanging out.” Lukes expressed her happiness working alongside Amelia and Laura while performing with a new version of Thunder and Rain. Describing the previous lineup as losing enthusiasm, she explained, “With this lineup, I feel that fire when we play. Amilia and Laura’s ability to process music and perform it without a mistake is unlike anything I have ever seen.”

by Susan Marquez

For 22 years, Deeper Shade of Blue members have been entertaining audiences across the central United States and along the eastern seaboard. “We’ve played from Texas and Arkansas and up to New York and Maine,” says Troy Pope, the lead vocalist and guitar player for the band. Based in North Carolina, Deeper Shade of Blue has been a passion project for its members. “We have been doing this for so long. All of us except Frank Poindexter work fulltime. Frank is retired and does what he wants.” A lot of work and time goes into the band, and it shows. They play anywhere from forty to seventy dates a year, and they’ve put out six albums and counting. “We are fortunate that we have gotten a lot of radio play in the past,” says Troy. “We are actually in the process of going into the studio for our next album.” Troy and Frank are the two long-time band members who live in Monroe, North Carolina. “Frank is Tony Rice’s uncle,” says Troy, who says that the band members make up one of the best mixes of musicians found anywhere. “We love what we do, and I think it shows when we are on stage. I would describe our band as a traditional, hard-driving, harmony bluegrass band.” Troy says their strong suit is harmony, and they strive to start each show with a tight harmony on the first song to catch the audience’s attention. “We like to think we have Doyle-Lawson-like harmonies, and people seem to like that.” About half of the songs the band performs are originals. “Every project we do, some more than others, has at least half original tunes. We do even more original tunes in our live shows – songs that have not yet been recorded.” They also play cover songs, but not those that have been worn out. “We find songs that bring back memories and put our own spin on them. One thing we love to do is pick.” The band will play songs by the Eagles, the Gatlin Brothers, Vince Gill, and Clint Black. “We look for songs with good harmony and a good tempo.”

The band plays a lot of festivals. “There are some we play each year and others we’d like to,” says Troy. They always liked to play the Denton, North Carolina, festival because it’s close to home. “Doyle has always been supportive of us. He has complimented us on our harmony, and that means a lot coming from him.” Other festivals they play include the EMS Festivals produced by Ernie Evans and Evans Media Source. “We have a lot of respect for Ernie. We worked with him during Covid and did a lot of online shows. We even did an entire festival online with bands in different states playing.” Those online shows were a lifesaver for the band. “The virtual shows were important to keep the music alive and helped us continue doing what we love.” Troy, with a strong background in Gospel, is joined in Deeper Shade of Blue by mandolin player Milom Williams II, who has been playing in a bluegrass band since age 14. Before joining Deeper Shade of Blue, he played with Cuttin’ Edge, Skip Cherryholmes Quintet, Nu-Blu, and The King James Boys. Frank Poindexter plays dobro with the band. He has played on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry with artists including Dickie Betts, Vassar Clements, Larry Rice, and Brothers Leon. He’s released two solo projects in addition to recording with the Rice Brothers. Rounding out the band is Scott Burgess on bass and Chad Day on banjo. Scott’s parents were bluegrass musicians, and he grew up playing in churches with them. Chad has been playing banjo since he was 14, and his style is explosive and hard-driving. “We love playing this music,” says Troy. “We are lucky and blessed to get to do what we love to do.”

SHAWN LANE by Brent Davis

As one of the founding members of Blue Highway, Shawn Lane has nearly 30 years of experience playing in one of the most acclaimed modern bluegrass bands.

play better to have rhythm like that behind you. It’s just like a crosscut saw. Two men sawing a tree down. It’s kind of like you’re working with one tool.”

But now the multi-talented singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist is exploring a very different, pared-down, and powerful sound working in a duo with Richard Bennett, an equally respected and compelling musician.

Blue Highway is still a concern, but the band has cut back on touring. Last October, the band released a single, “The North Side,” written by Lane with his brother Chad Lane and Gerald Ellenburg. “And we had Grayson, my oldest son, sing tenor on it. That’s the third single from this album we have done with the band, and that will probably be the last one before the whole record is released.”

“You can just hear every nuance of the song and the music because there’s only two instruments,” Lane says. “And because there’s only two of you, there’s nothing to hide behind. You can have a closer relationship with a song if there’s fewer of you.” Lane and Bennet began writing together in 2017. Their 2019 EP, Land and Harbor, was well-received and encouraged the collaboration. A new song is scheduled for release in 2024, and a seven-song EP will follow. “We’ve always been good friends, but we started talking more on the phone and writing a few songs here about four or five years ago,” Lane recalls. “And we like playing with one another. His rhythm is like a wall of good music coming at you, so it makes you 28

Lane’s remarkable career includes stints with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and he’s performed with The Earls of Leicester. Bennett was on the road at age 15, performing with Flatt and Scruggs fiddle player Benny Sims. After a regular spot at Dollywood, he joined J.D. Crowe and The New South. He also toured with Mike Auldridge, Bobby Osborne, and Jimmy Gaudreau. Lane’s first instrument was the fiddle, and his primary instrument during his long tenure with Blue Highway has been the mandolin. But he turns to the guitar for writing

and performing with Bennett. “We write the songs on guitars to get the chord structure. So I just thought, ‘Well, I’ll just stay on here because that’s the way we wrote them. But they feel good this way, and there’s no need to change it.” Lane and Bennett’s songs might be described as introspective, evocative, and textured. Lane says the elegant chord structures have several influences. “That comes from the piano of Michael McDonald (of the Doobie Brothers) and Bill Labounty. As a songwriter, he’s kind of unsung. He didn’t really have a glamorous career, but he’s done a trainload of stuff and put out a bunch of good records. And I guess Tony Rice is our number one influence. If it wasn’t for Tony’s records, I wouldn’t be in music. And it’s not just his guitar playing, but his song selection and the way he made those records.”

Rice Unit and The Bluegrass Album Band. “Richard’s also a great singer,” Lane explains. “He just doesn’t care about singing all that much. He’d rather just play and support the song. So I do most of the singing when we perform. He’s a great person, too. That’s one of the main reasons I play with him. And we hang out together because he’s just a fantastic human being.” Lane enjoys playing in a duo after years in a full-blown bluegrass band and appreciates that this configuration can work in different venues. “You can play in more places and in quieter rooms. And, of course, you don’t have to make as much money to go out and have a good show. It takes less for two people to go through all the overhead out here than it does for five or six people. So you can work smaller rooms and more intimate places, which is good for acoustic music.

Richard Bennett’s credentials as a Tony Rice devotee are impeccable. He performed with “You don’t have to play at ‘ten’ the whole Rice and filled in for him with The Tony time, and then you have nowhere to go after 30

that. You can play softly, and you can play a little harder. And both things get noticed in a duet situation where they don’t so much in a four or five-piece band. It really fires you up to do more because you feel that. You feel you’re deeper into the song, you feel more from it. I love it.”

Tim O’Bri 32

ien by Susan Marquez

Tim O’Brien grew up in a family that appreciated music. “My parents sang in church, but my sister and I were the only ones in the family who were musical. We were the two youngest, and we were red-headed and left-handed. She played the piano, and about the same time, I started playing guitar. While our parents didn’t play musical instruments, they always encouraged us.” Tim grew up in Wheeling, West Virginia. “I played guitar all through high school. I guess I was mostly into folk music, like the Peter, Paul, and Mary sphere, but I also got caught up in the British invasion and all things Beatles.” He left home at age 18 to go to college, but after a year, Tim left to play music. “I ended up in Colorado, which became my base of operation.” Around that time, Tim discovered bluegrass. National Public Radio was a new thing, and bluegrass festivals were springing up across the country. “I heard Doc Watson playing on television and liked what I heard.” That led him to become a lifelong devotee of old-time and bluegrass music. Tim started a bluegrass band called Hot Rize with banjo player Pete Wernick in 1978. The Hot Rize website quotes Tim as saying, “I got a call in the fall of 1977. It was Pete on the line, and he had a proposal. Since we each had solo recordings coming out the following year, and since we’d helped each other record them, he thought we should join forces and form a bluegrass band to play our music to folks. He even had a name for the band – Hot Rize.” The name was a way to connect them to the bluegrass community since Flatt and Scruggs sang on radio and television about Martha White Self-Rising flour with its special leavening ingredient, “Hot Rize.” The band began booking gigs in 1978. “We had a pretty good production run for about a dozen years.” Hot Rize indeed had a “pretty good production run.” They were presented with the International Bluegrass Music Association’s first-ever Entertainers of the Year award. They were nominated for a Grammy, had a four-star review in Rolling Stone, and toured the world, playing on four continents. “It was like being in school,” he says. “We learned how to make music, how to record, and about the music business in general.” Kathy Mattea recorded a couple of songs Tim wrote for Hot Rize. “Walk the Way the Wind Blows” and “Untold Stories,” both of which were Top Ten hits. He left the band in 1990 and had a record contract, continuing with his music on his own. He pursued songwriting more, and little by little, he carved out a career for himself. Songs he wrote for his solo projects have been covered by artists including Nickel Creek, Garth Brooks, and The Dixie Chicks. He has also collaborated with his sister, Mollie O’Brien, songwriter Darrell Scott, old-time musician Dirk Powell, Mark Knopfler, Steve Earl, Sturgill Simpson, and Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. “I moved to Nashville in 1996 to plug into the system here,” he says. Tim enjoys the process of writing songs. “To me, writing songs is like a little puzzle. You have to find a way to arrange the words to put them in a frame. It’s kind of subjective, just 34

September 12 -15

IN ROSINE, KY FROM THE

Bill Monroe Homeplace

like any other work of art. But it’s exciting when it works out.” Songwriting has become the most important part of what Tim does today. “I studied up on how to play various instruments and other aspects of music. When you are writing a song, however, that is unique to you.” Tim still has a busy schedule performing and playing music. He performs with his wife, Jan Fabricius, who plays mandolin, sings, and collaborates with him on songwriting. The couple has been performing together nationally and internationally as a duo or as part of the Tim O’Brien Band. A new album, Cup of Sugar, was released last June and features original songs co-written by Tim and Jan. Awarded Grammys in the Folk and Bluegrass categories, Tim was inducted into the West Virginia and the Colorado Music Halls of Fame. Tim says he’s slowing down a bit as he looks at 70. “Keeping busy helps me stay healthy.” He and Jan enjoy traveling, and it’s easy to hop in the car and go as a duo. ”We have made traveling one of our hobbies. I read up on the places where we are going to play. I like history, and I like to read. I also enjoy cooking, and I like to get out and walk. It seems that most of my leisure activities are somehow tied into my life in music.”

Full Cord

by Kara Martinez Bachman As winner of the 2022 Telluride Bluegrass Competition – AND winner of the IBMA 2022 Momentum Band of the Year Award – up-and-coming bluegrass group Full Cord has clearly showcased their talent in a way that has wowed crowds. Even folk superstar Billy Strings recognizes the solid menu of traditional offerings Full Cord brings to the table. Having someone like this as part of the band’s support network undoubtedly helped put Full Cord in front of listening audiences. “Billy has been a friend of ours for quite a while,” explained Full Cord bass player Todd Kirchner. “I met Billy when he first moved up to Traverse City, Michigan. I think he was around 17 back then. My folks live up there, and my dad was playing banjo with us at the time. Not long after Billy moved up there, he and my dad started a band.” “Needless to say, we all Kirchner recalled. our previous album, if he’d write a few words really meant a lot. He our tunes at one of his

became fast friends,” “When we released Hindsight, I asked him for the liner notes. It even covered one of shows in Atlanta.”

According to Kirchner, magical happened jammed. He could just good was afoot.

something almost when these musicians tell that something

“We’ve kind of known that we had something special when we first started playing music together,” he said. “Everything just clicked, and we kept thinking...man, other people need to hear this!” Much like Billy Strings, the band tries to bring the genre forward. There’s perhaps a loosening of some of the “strictness” that still exists in some bluegrass quarters. Full Cord is part of the movement with a clear objective: Sustaining a musical form that deserves to be promulgated instead of letting it be lost in the shuffle of forward progress. Full Cord wants bluegrass to stick around and thrive. “We’re a little different in that we really try to take a fresh approach to the music and try to find a way to bridge the gap between traditional bluegrass and the more progressive stuff,” Kirchner explained. “We really love the music and have thought for a long time that if we aren’t trying to bridge that gap, we may lose the genre.” Kirchner’s brief summary statement of what Full Cord is about further shows the 38

band’s idea of how they want to be seen: “I often say that we’re a bit progressive, but solidly grounded in traditional bluegrass. The comment I hear most often, though, is that it’s refreshing to the ear.” Joining Kirchner with his bass are bandmates Eric Langejans (guitar), Brian Oberlin (mandolin), and Grant Flick (fiddle). Kirchner said the band is just now hitting its stride; they’re making new music and touring across the U.S. “We’ve all got bucket list venues we want to try to play,” Kirchner said, of where they’d love to see themselves in coming years as Full Cord further inhabits its place in the bluegrass world. “Hopefully, by then, we will have performed at the Ryman, the Opry and be back at Telluride a time or two.” Last year came the band’s latest recording. Dropping a record during a year of incredible accolades is always a good time, and it has been satisfying for Full Cord. The record is called Cambium. Although they had several records already under their belt, this 12-track release was their first on the Dark Shadow label. “It was recorded at the Dark Shadow Recording Studio in Nashville,” Kirchner explained. “We try to get our inspiration for our music from real life experiences. Brian Oberlin wrote quite a few songs on the album. Eric Langejans and Ricky Mier contributed as well. We also leaned on some of our musician friends and included some of our favorite tunes from them as well.” He said Stephen Mougin from the Sam Bush Band served as producer and “really helped us pull together what turned out to be a great album.” While he said all the recent notable success and accolades for Full Cord has been “a bit overwhelming,” Kirchner is excited about the new opportunities that have come along with so much attention. From all indications, Kirchner thinks it’s not just the core band that led to this success, but it included many contributions. “We all feel extremely lucky to be connected with such great folks in the bluegrass scene,” Kirchner assured. 39

Good Food You Can Bank On by Candace Nelson

Locked away in a bank vault are typically bundles of cash, valuable heirloom jewelry or essential legal documents. In Summersville, West Virginia, one particular bank vault contains fries and mussels in a garlic and white wine broth and a bone-in pork chop brined in cider and served with risotto, roasted Brussels sprouts and a smoked apple and cranberry chutney. At least, that’s the case at The Vault on Main - a former local bank turned restaurant in the center of town. It has repurposed the marble lobby into a dining room, the charming wooden dividers into a bar, and the main vault into a wine cellar. The architecture of the landmark building, coupled with Chef Libby Nolle’s unique culinary background, helps shape The Vault’s dishes. “When I was 4, I put a bunch of plastic play food in a pan, turned up the heat and made breakfast for my mom. Needless to say, she didn’t like the surprise, and I ruined a good pan,” Nolle said. “Though that wasn’t the last pan I ruined, my choice of ingredients improved.” Ingredients like garlic, shrimp, fresh basil, sundried tomatoes, goat cheese, grass-fed beef and marinated artichoke hearts highlight the menu in dishes inspired by Nolle’s globetrotting. “My parents were ‘foodies’ before ‘foodies’ were a thing. They lived in Paris in the late 1960s, where my dad was finishing his degree at the Sorbonne. He then got a job with the federal government and traveled extensively for work, always seeking out local places to eat. We joined him when possible, but even when we couldn’t, my dad always brought his culinary adventures home,” she said. “All of these experiences have had a huge influence on the flavors I use and the ingredients that I seek out.” Her travels throughout Europe have inspired dishes like the Italian “Pasta Allo Scoglio,” with clams, mussels, shrimp, garlic, white wine, and pomodoro, and the Belgian “Les Moules Frites,” with fries, mussels, and butter. 41

Nolle’s dishes have helped create a one-of-kind dining experience that curates global flavors in a landlocked state. And the community can’t get enough. “I love to eat good food. I love thinking about food, shopping for food, and cooking food. Often, when I am eating lunch, I am thinking about dinner. So, food makes me happy, and I love to see my food make other people happy.” RECIPE: Ramp Kimchi This ramp kimchi dish is a signature of Nolle’s, who usually serves it with pork belly tacos. “I am not a native West Virginian. I transplanted when I came here for college, and now I never want to live anywhere else. When I first moved to Elkins to attend school, I was introduced to the Ramp Festival,” she said. “When I figured out that we were not celebrating highway ramps or skateboard ramps, I was intrigued. Ramps were my first introduction to native Appalachian cuisine; the first time I tried them was in a ravioli with a ramp pesto cream sauce. So, I love creative ways of using ramps as much as I love the traditional way of eating them with fried potatoes. I think I do bring a different perspective on how to use the flavor with my kimchi, and it’s something I’m really proud of.” Yield: Makes 1 quart Ingredients: • 1 medium Napa cabbage, about 2 pounds • ¼ cup plus 1tb sea salt • 6 cloves of garlic • 1 tsp ginger • 1 tsp sugar • 2 TB Fish sauce • 3 TB Samb olek • 8-ounce Daikon radish Julienne • 2 carrots, peeled and Julienne • ½ pound early ramps. If later in the season, cut off the tops. Directions: 1. Cut the cabbage in half through the stem, cut each ½ in 1/4s, then slice crosswise 42

into 1-inch slices 2. Put the cabbage in a large bowl. Sprinkle ¼ cup salt on the cabbage and mix well, rubbing the salt into the cabbage. Then add enough water to cover the cabbage, cover and set out at room temp for 2 hours 3. While the cabbage rests, put the garlic, ginger, some olek, fish sauce, and sugar in a food processor and blend to a paste. 4. Peel the carrots and Julienne (matchstick) 5. Chop the daikon radish Julienne (matchstick) 6. Clean the ramps under cool water, removing the roots and all dirt and debris. If using late-season ramps, cut the tops off 7. After the 2 hours, drain and rinse the cabbage under cold water and let sit for 15 to 20 min 8. Add all veggies to the cabbage bowl along with the spice paste. Mix well with your hands 9. Pack kimchi into a quart jar, layering the salt 1 teaspoon at a time and press firmly till the brine comes to the top and covers the veggies 10. Cover set in a bowl and set in a cool, dark place for 1 to 5 days, checking daily for flavor.

FAN PHOTOS