0 1 e su s I N ~ O 2 I e T I m D u E Vol P O T K DES
Garrett Newton
Hot Rize
IBMA History IBMA Trust Fund PineCone
Manuel Cuevas
Turnberry Records & Management • Booking 2018–2019 •
Christian Davis soulful baritone
Brad Hudson dobro virtuoso
Bluegrass Outlaws
tight, melody-driven harmonies
The Kody Norris Show classic bluegrass showmanship
Phillip Steinmetz & His Sunny Tennesseans crowd-pleasing nostalgia
760.883.8160 • turnberryrecords@gmail.com 12168 Turnberry Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270 www.TurnberryRecords.com
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The Bluegrass Standard magazine is published monthly. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of The Bluegrass Standard or its staff, advertisers or readers with the exception of editorials. Publication of the name or the photograph of any person, business or organization in articles or advertising in The Bluegrass Standard is not to be construed as any indication of support of such person, business or organization. The Bluegrass Standard disclaims any responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Advertising rates are subject to change without notice. The Bluegrass Standard reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any advertising for any reason. It is our policy to publish any letters to the editor that are signed and verifiable by phone number. We reserve the right of anonymity upon request. Letters must be grammatically correct, clarity and original and free of libel. The Bluegrass Standard reserves the right to decline publishing or reprinting any letter. Please forward any letters to: editor@thebluegrassstandard.com The views expressed are not necessarily those of The Bluegrass Standard. Copyright Š2018. All Rights reserved. No portion of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the expressed consent of the publisher.
The Blu e gras s St andard St aff 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!
Richelle Putnam • Managing Journalist Editor 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. She writes for many publications.
Shelby Campbell • Journalist Editor Shelby Campbell is a writer and designer whose heart beats for creativity. A native of rural Livingston, AL, she found her passion in journalism and design at The University of West Alabama, where she received a Bachelor's degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. Shelby also has her own photography business.
Kara Martinez Bachman • Journalist Kara Martinez Bachman is an author, editor and journalist. Her music and culture reporting has appeared in dozens of publications and she's interviewed many performers over the years, from local musicians to well-known celebrities. She's a native of New Orleans and lives just outside the city with her husband, two kids, and two silly mutts. THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
The Blu e gras s St andard St aff Stephen Pitalo • Journalist Stephen Pitalo has been an entertainment journalist for more than 30 years, having interviewed everyone from Joey Ramone to Bill Plympton to John Landis. He is the world’s leading authority on the The Golden Age of Music Video (1976-1993), mining inside stories from interviews 70+ music video directors and countless artists of the pre-internet music era. GoldenAgeOfMusicVideo.com
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.
Emerald Butler • Journalist Emerald Butler is a writer, songwriter, fiddler, and entertainer from Sale Creek, TN. She has worked and performed various occasions with artists such as Rhonda Vincent, Bobby Osborn, Becky Buller, Alison Brown, top 40 radio host Bob Kingsley, and country songwriter Roger Alan Wade. With a bachelor’s degree in Music Business and a minor in Marketing, Emerald has used her education, experience, and creative talent to share the love of music with others.
James Babb • Creative Director James Babb is a native Californian, and a long-time resident of Palm Springs. Over the course of a 30+ year career, he has been involved in creative work of many types. In addition to his graphic design for The Bluegrass Standard, James also provides custom framing of paintings by artists from his local community. THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
IBMA PREVIEW
IBMA Pre vie w Showcases Hot Rize IBMA History IBMA Trust Garrett Newton PineCone Express THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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Manuel Cuevas Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars:
Addie Levy Bobby Osborne Byrl Guitars Citigrass GoodFellers THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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Larry Stephenson Band Beyerdynamic Headphones Nothin’ Fancy Rose Drake Carl Jackson
Home for Christmas
Festival Guide THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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SHOWCASES
Join us during IBMA as we Showcase talent across the bluegrass spectrum • Vocal artists, gospel, instrumental virtuosos, emerging groups and more! • Brought to you by The Bluegrass Standard, Turnberry Records and Beyerdynamic, makers of top-of-the-line audio equipment. Turnberry Records & Management 760.883.8160 • turnberryrecords@gmail.com 12168 Turnberry Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
www.TurnberryRecords.com
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• Booking 2018–2019 •
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SHOWCASES Tuesday • Chancellor Room
11:30 pm Christian Davis • Christian will also give a 10:30 pm pre-show, at The Rye Bar in the Marriott
11:00 pm Kody Norris Show
midnight Kristi Stanley & Running Blind
12:30 am Wood Belly
1:00 am Cane Mill Road
1:30 am David Davis & Warrior River Boys
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10:00 pm Jacobs Ferry Stragglers
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Wednesday • Ballroom D
10:00 pm Crying Uncle
10:30 pm Amanda Cook
11:00 pm The Price Sisters
11:30 pm Kim Robins
midnight Brad Hudson
12:30 am Kody Norris Show
1:00 am BBQ Bluegrass
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1:30 am Dewey & Leslie Brown
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SHOWCASES Thursday • Ballroom D
10:30 pm Baker Family
11:00 pm Rebekah Long
11:30 pm Barefoot Movement
midnight Christian Davis
12:30 am Nick Chandler & Delivered
1:00 am BBQ Bluegrass
IBMA PREVIEW
10:00 pm Jubilee
1:30 am Kristi Cox
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Friday • Ballroom D
10:00 pm That Dalton Gang
10:30 pm Brandon Lee Adams
11:00 pm Edgar Loudermilk
11:30 pm Carolina Blue
midnight Brad Hudson
12:30 am Good Fellers
8:30 pm BBQ Bluegrass also appearing at The Rye Bar in the Marriott 1:00 am BBQ Bluegrass
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1:30 am Hazy Ridge
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SHOWCASES Saturday • Ballroom D
10:00 pm Brandon Lee Adams
10:30 pm Crying Uncle
11:00 pm Christian Davis
11:30 pm Farmer & Adele
midnight Sugar & The Mint
12:30 am Claybank
1:00 am Bluegrass Outlaws
1:30 am BBQ Bluegrass
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9:30 pm Greg “Banjo” Donlan
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infectious NewGrass sound
seamless genre transitions
rock flavored vocals
award winning traditional bluegrass chops
GoodFellers expect the unexpected
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by Kara Martinez Bachman When Nick Forster and his fellow musicians got together and started a bluegrass band, they never really thought Hot Rize would last. “Our commitment to each other was to just play through the summer,” Forster reminisced. Now, 40 years later, the band – with a name based on Flatt & Scruggs’ longtime flour mill sponsor – is still picking out songs and singing out their feelings to the delight of fans across the globe.
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Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of one of the Hottest Partnerships in Bluegrass
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Since they started, the band has been recognized as IBMA “Entertainers of the Year,” has received a Grammy nomination, and even had the pleasure of seeing a four-star review of their music appear in Rolling Stone magazine. They’ve performed at venues that span four continents. Even though the trajectory wasn’t consistent – they stopped performing for a while and then reunited at various intervals – it’s been a real journey for the band, which has always remained in the hearts of fans. As the 40th anniversary of the beginnings of this magical musical partnership, Hot Rize celebrated big this year. With the bandmates living in both the states of California and Tennessee, it was essential the party happened in both places. “We wanted to honor the occasion of being a band for 40 years, because it does not happen that often,” Forster said. The first celebratory event was a special series of concerts held in January at the Boulder Theatre in Colorado. Forster (bass), Pete Wernick (banjo), Tim O’Brien (mandolin and fiddle) and Bryan Sutton (guitar) were joined by fellow musicians and longtime buddies Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan and Sam Bush. Forster said including Douglas, Duncan and Bush was a natural. “These are not only guys who are at the top of their game, they really are part of the Hot Rize family,” he said. It was sounding so good, they decided to record it, 18
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which was released at the beginning of August. It’s titled “Hot Rize 40th Anniversary Bash” and is available both in audio and video formats. Next came the second half of the big celebration, the half that acknowledges the band’s connection to Nashville. A pre-release party was held at the Ryman Auditorium. Forster said the recording is “really a culmination of 40 years,” as its music represents the “earliest days” on up to the present. “It’s every bit contemporary as it is nostalgic,” he added. In addition to Hot Rize, the guys are involved in all sorts of other things.
As for his outside activities, Forster is host of a syndicated radio show, called eTown. It’s recorded in front of a live audience and is aired on 300 radio stations every week. Forster discusses topics including climate change, volunteerism, and civic-mindedness. Even though his show isn’t specific to bluegrass, it’s a nice match for fans of his music. They’re often all about “community,” a concept Forster’s show really is focused on. “The best way to hear it is to get the eTown [smartphone] app,” he said, advising anyone who may want to join the ranks of his listeners. The overall idea of community is important to his show, but for Forster, people who make bluegrass music are uniquely special. “The community of musicians…we really are like family...it feels like Thanksgiving when we get together,” he said. He added that the music “cuts across socioeconomic boundaries.” It’s a music for anyone. “We are incredibly fortunate that we have been able to sustain a viable band,” he said, adding that it takes more than just the core members of Hot Rize to stick around for a full 40 years.
IBMA PREVIEW
“All of us have had leadership roles in the bluegrass community,” Forster explained, “and we believe in the power of music, and love these songs we get to play.”
“We have a team. A lot of people help make this happen, and we are the recipients and beneficiaries of all that energy.”
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Three Decades of Celebrating Bluegrass
by Shelby Campbell The International Bluegrass Music Association, or IBMA, along with its awards, festivals and organizations – is so intertwined with the culture of bluegrass music it is impossible to separate the two. Formed over three decades ago in 1985, IBMA established itself as a non-profit organization in the town of Owensboro, Kentucky to preserve and honor the bluegrass music tradition and to connect, educate, and empower lovers of our favorite music and provide resources through its artists and members. Three years THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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In 1990, IBMA founded the World of Bluegrass, a combo trade show, concert, and awards presentation where bluegrass artists and fans come to connect and discover new music at four main events—Wide Open Bluegrass Festival, IBMA Awards Show, IBMA Business Conference, and the Bluegrass Ramble. The IBMA Awards center around performance and recognizing outstanding achievement in bluegrass music. In September 1990, the first Awards show was held in Owensboro overlooking the Ohio River and was a historic night for bluegrass music, with a performance by The Bluegrass Album Band and awards going to Alison Krauss, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, and Del McCoury. The first show was named Best Awards Show of the Year by Billboard magazine. The World of Bluegrass was later moved to Louisville, Kentucky and then on to Nashville, Tennessee in 2005. Since 2013, the event has made its home in Raleigh, North Carolina. THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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later, the organization announced plans to create the International Bluegrass Music Museum alongside the RiverPark Center in Owensboro. The museum grew and developed into interactive exhibits, instrument demonstrations, posters, and a Hall of Fame. Existing as its own non-profit, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (established in 1991 as the Hall of Honor) & Museum works with famous musicians like Ricky Scaggs to raise funds. IBMA members choose Hall of Fame Inductees to recognize their lifetime achievements in bluegrass music.
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The IBMA Awards continue to be loved and supported by fans today – with any member of the IBMA able to vote for the winners of the awards. Members can also nominate up to five candidates for the various award categories: Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Instrumental Group of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year, Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, Recorded Event of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Female Vocalist of the Year, and Instrumental Performers of the Year. IBMA members continue to vote with two more selection ballots until the final nominees are chosen. Although the winner selection process for the IBMA Awards has changed over the years, the same dedication to the tradition of bluegrass and celebration of its artists still exists. In addition to the World of Bluegrass, IBMA Awards, and International Bluegrass Music Museum & Hall of Fame, the IBMA has created for its members and bluegrass fans the Bluegrass Trust Fund, The IBMA Foundation, Leadership Bluegrass, and The Bluegrass Album GRAMMY. Because the IBMA is a member-led organization, its board is selected by professional IBMA members. The dedication of the Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers make IBMA’s annual programs possible. IBMA members join a community of bluegrass professionals and fans from all over the world with one thing in common—bluegrass music—and have many opportunities to get involved, from Leadership Bluegrass to committee work to volunteering at the World of Bluegrass. Connecting passion with a purpose of celebrating and preserving bluegrass music, the IBMA plans to stay that way for decades to come.
For more information on IBMA and their activities, visit the website at www.ibma.org. 22
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Bluegrass Gives Back on Doyle Lawson–produced “Come See About Me” Single Forthcoming Album of Same Name Will Also Benefit the IBMA Trust Fund
The bluegrass community is experiencing its own "We Are The World" moment with the recent release of "Come See About Me,” the title track and first single release from the label's upcoming COME SEE ABOUT ME: A Benefit For The IBMA Trust Fund, with proceeds going to help bluegrass professionals in time of emergency need. "Come See About Me," originally penned by Conway Twitty, puts across its message with a solid mid-tempo pace, enriched with a weeping steel guitar, a lilting mandolin, a transitionary dobro and a fluid banjo line. Produced by Bluegrass legend Doyle Lawson, the single showcases his band Quicksilver, plus respected studio musicians David Johnson on pedal steel and Tony Creasman on drums. The vocals, rich with heartache, loss and longing, feature Lawson, Tim Surrett, Buddy Melton, Audie McGinnis, Terry Eldredge, Donna Ulisse, Rick Stanley, Darin Aldridge, Brooke Aldridge, Steve Dilling, Skip Cherryholmes, Troy Boone, Bailey Coe, Daniel Greeson, Terry Smith, Darren Nicholson, John Bryan, Kyle Cantrell, Becky Cantrell and Chris Jones. THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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By Stephen Pitalo
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The line-sharing approach and group chorus harkens to a style of many historic charity releases. Written by Conway Twitty (a.k.a. Harold L. Jenkins), "Come See About Me" epitomizes the Fund's purpose while striking a resonating chord. “‘Come See About Me’ is a cry for help for any person and their individual need,” said Lawson about the charity single. “I felt that it was the perfect song to use the cast of players the way I wanted to use them. I am a founding member of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IMBA) along with more than 20 others who met in Nashville at the request of the late Lance LeRoy. The goal was to promote as well preserve Bluegrass music. One of the main objectives for Sonny Osborne and me was to get a trust fund established to help our fellow bluegrass musicians in times of need. The aid given by the Trust Fund varies from year to year and so in looking for ways to generate funds I approached Mickey Gamble of Mountain Home Records with this idea. They immediately got on board and ran with it. They provided the studio and engineers and my label mates willingly gave their time and talents for the cause.” “Mountain Home Records has a great roster of talent,” Lawson noted, “and although I didn’t produce all of the album, I thoroughly enjoyed having everyone in for the title cut. It was a bit of a challenge getting the song to flow like I envisioned, but I had it all arranged when they came in to record. As you can hear, everyone stepped up to the task.”
Since its inception, the IBMA Trust Fund has given over $800,000 in direct aid to bluegrass music professionals in need. 26
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Young Heart, Old Soul
Eighteen-year-old young bluegrass musician Garrett Newton has already had the honor of singing onstage with artists like Kenny Ingram and James King due to Garrett’s Scruggs-style banjo picking that radiates from the stage. He may not have many years of bluegrass experience under his belt, but he’s backed by some of the finest pickers in the business, and, together, they highlight some of the best bluegrass music has to offer. Their latest album, Young Heart, Old Soul, was recorded on Pinecastle Records, and showcases how young talent paired with veteran musicians produce something that sounds as pure as gold.
IBMA PREVIEW
by Shelby Campbell
A gifted banjo player from North Carolina, Garrett began attending local bluegrass picking sessions at a young age and quickly became engrossed with the sound. “My love of bluegrass came in how I was raised and what I grew up listening to with my grandparents,” Garrett said. Devoting significant time to learning the history of bluegrass and listening to recordings, a truly traditional style of bluegrass music shows in The Garrett Newton Band’s sound and the drive of their banjo playing. THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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Several years ago, Garrett approached Lorraine Jordan of Carolina Road at a performance and asked to play banjo for her. Lorraine was so impressed that she took Garrett under her wing and eventually helped him form The Garrett Newton Band – playing bass and serving as Garrett’s agent and producer. Although Garrett is the focus of the band, bass player Lorraine is affectionately known in the bluegrass community as the lady of tradition. She grew up around bluegrass music on the coast of North Carolina and has been performing for over twenty years. Lorraine has won many awards, including 2015 SPBGMA Traditional Female Vocalist, IBMA Songwriting Showcase Finalist, and First Runner Up in the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at MerleFest. Daniel Aldridge, the mandolin player, was inspired to play bluegrass music by listening to IIIrd Tyme Out. At the age of fifteen, he first put his fingers to strings and never looked back. Daniel, just out of high school, joined his first band, Constant Change, in 2003 and has been a part of many bands and performances before joining The Garrett Newton Band. Lead guitarist Parks Icenhour began his journey in bluegrass as a young boy – playing guitar and mandolin with his dad, who played the banjo. In 1971, he met Glen Dyer – father of Allen Dyer, guitarist for The Garrett Newton Band – and they have been picking together as the Brothers N Bluegrass for over 45 years. Guitarist Allen obviously was introduced to bluegrass music at a young age by his father, one of the Brothers N Bluegrass. He spent a lot of time with his dad at bluegrass festivals and began playing himself at the age of twelve. Fiddle player Chris Hill recently joined The 28
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Garrett Newton band after twenty years with The Grass Cats, who had 4 #1 hits on the Bluegrass Unlimited Charts. Last year, The Garrett Newton Band and its members snagged six nominations at the IBMA Awards, solidifying their place among new bands and making a name in the bluegrass community with their first solo album release, Young Heart, Old Soul. This project is an impressive feat for such a young artist. The album offers some fine picking all around – but the banjo work truly shines. What’s next for this newly-minted bluegrass band, you might ask? They will be joining some of the best bluegrass bands in January of 2019 for Danny Stewart’s Bluegrass Cruise. The cruise will travel from Florida to the Bahamas and will feature bands such as Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers and Monroe Crossing.
For more information on how to book a spot on Danny Stewart's Bluegrass Cruise, call 570-721-2760.
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“The whole band is looking forward to the cruise, because it’s like a vacation!” said Garrett. “And it’s doing what we love at the same time. To visit different countries and play music with great friends is the best of both worlds.”
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Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, aka PineCone, Has Delivered the Local Roots Music Culture Since 1984
By Stephen Pitalo Down Raleigh/Piedmont way, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, also called PineCone, creates programs that highlight and celebrate the rich and diverse musical heritage of Raleigh and the greater Piedmont region. PineCone focuses on music traditions that have been passed down informally through generations within those various cultural communities, and bluegrass is a significant part of that musical family.
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PineCone Express
This nonprofit organization provides concerts and music programs celebrating the roots music of North Carolina and beyond, including concerts in Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Durham; Bluegrass Camps for Youth in Cary NC; jam sessions for bluegrass, Irish, and Shape Note music; a weekly radio show on Sunday nights on WQDR 94.7-FM also streaming online at QDR’s website; the Wide Open Bluegrass Festival in downtown Raleigh in partnership with the International Bluegrass Music Association and the City of Raleigh; and more. THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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Their programs educate the public about the depth and breadth of “home-made” music in the region and encourage people to engage with these art forms and embrace them as part of that shared cultural identity. PineCone presents more than 200 music programs annually, including concerts, festivals, radio shows, jam sessions, youth events, workshops, documentary projects, and more. And that’s quite a lot for once organization; just ask Jamie Katz Court, PineCone’s Communications and Programs Manager. “PineCone’s mission drives our booking and hiring processes,” said Court of the band selection for events. “The majority of the artists we hire live in the North Carolina Piedmont region, but PineCone’s programming mix also includes national and international touring musicians who are not residents of the Piedmont but whose music has connections to traditions and styles found here.” Performers include Grammy Award winners, Hall of Famers, National Heritage Fellows, North Carolina Heritage Award winners, and other important tradition bearers, as well as musical innovators and up-and-coming artists who represent folk music’s future. “Artists are involved in other aspects of PineCone's work as well,” Court explained. “They serve on our board of directors, committees, task forces, and Youth Council. They are active members, donors, and volunteers; they deejay our radio shows; they facilitate jams, sessions, sings, dances, and workshops; and they teach at camps and mentor younger musicians.”
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While bluegrass is certainly a major component of what PineCone does - between the PineCone Bluegrass Radio Show, Bluegrass Camps for Youth, bluegrass jams, concerts, and the partnership with IBMA PineCone is not solely a bluegrass organization.
Visit the Pinecone website at www.pinecone.org
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“We are interested in and involved with ALL forms of roots or folk music, including blues, jazz, singersongwriter, old-time, gospel, shape note, Irish, world music, and more,” Court emphasized. “We recognize, particularly in this day and age, that different types of music can and do influence each other, and we celebrate those different traditions in their own rights AND for where they overlap and connect. We believe that music has the power to bring people together, and that those shared experiences help foster community and make music so vital and special.”
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From Johnny Cash’s Jackets to Elvis Presley’s Jumpsuit, Manuel Cuevas Has Dressed the Icons of Music
by Kara Martinez Bachman If I tell you that you are already quite familiar with the fashion designs of Manuel Cuevas, of Manuel Couture in Nashville, you might argue with me. The argument wouldn’t last long, as within twenty seconds I’d win the debate and set you straight. I’d simply remind you that Cuevas literally invented Elvis Presley’s jumpsuit (He invented the Elvis jumpsuit!). Or, I’d ask if you’ve seen iconic celebrities such as Johnny Cash, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Prince, Little Richard, Marty Stuart, or even Lady Gaga wearing beautiful western jackets festooned in silken embroidery, sequins and images of animals, vincas, and roses. The debate would be over. You’d have to admit, yes, I’ve seen the work of Manuel Cuevas, the often over-the-top beautiful jackets and other apparel with a Mexicanwestern feel. And you’d have to admit, boy-oh-boy, is it cool. Really, sometimes his jackets are true art. Or, if I didn’t convince you with that, I could ask: Have you seen “The Lone Ranger?” A John Wayne movie? Have you ever seen “Gunsmoke,” or “The Rifleman”? Yep, Manuel Cuevas creates the clothing of country and bluegrass stars, of rock stars, of TV characters. He occasionally made full off-screen wardrobes – regular suits and such – for legendary and sharply-dressed actors such as Henry Fonda and Gregory Peck. Everyday clothes aren't his favorite, but when somebody such as Henry Fonda asks, you just do it. He created costumes for Marlon Brando, who he met on the film “One-Eyed Jacks.” Brando was a good friend for almost 20 years. Making beautiful – and let’s be honest, very, very cool – clothing has been Cuevas’ entire life. He is self-taught and started his fashion line many decades ago from a small village in Mexico. “I trained myself when I was 12 years old, when I was making prom dresses,” he reminisced. “The mercantile stores used to sell these dresses that were full of this kind of cellophane paper.” He said they were imported from places such as England and France. 34
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“I needed to do something different for the girls,” he said. “There were a lot of seamstresses in all those towns, but they all had the same idea, but to me it was so boring and I said, I’m going to do it different.” The child – and he was a child then, he wasn’t even a teenager yet – made an astonishing 70 dresses that year. “Then I went and bought like five Singer [sewing] machines and trained these old ladies in their houses to make dresses.” The next year, he and his ladies made 350 dresses, and they were making up to 500 dresses a year by the time Cuevas reached age 17. Soon, he found himself making costumes for Hollywood. His work appears in too many films to mention, but his first one was “Giant,” with James Dean. Cuevas said that job helped him later devise a "look" for a notable figure in country music: Dwight Yoakam. The singer reminded him of James Dean, so the image created was similar. “His look, I almost copied it from when I did ‘Giant’ in 1954,” Cuevas said. “It was my first movie in Hollywood.” As an artist and designer, he’s come far since those days. “I remember my trembling hand when I was trying to draw a rabbit or something,” Cuevas said, about the early days. “Now I can do it blindfolded.”
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Today, Cuevas dresses so many big-name performers, there’s no way to list them all. But he tried to name some more: The Beach Boys. Conway Twitty. Earth, Wind and Fire. Travis Tritt. Kris Kristofferson. His designs are admittedly very expensive, maybe too expensive even for some stars. But for his fans, it’s worth it to walk around wearing something that’s perhaps more about art than it is about fashion. Cuevas rambled off the types of people he’s dressed over the years. “Queens, kings, U.S. presidents…prostitutes… beggars…I just love to make things happen for people.” “I do crazy things for Kid Rock,” he said. Sometimes, the work is over-the-top, as with Elvis’ jumpsuit. Cuevas admits he’s always been a fan of really bright colors and doesn’t hold back when he wants the back of a jacket to have pizazz. “And then [I dress] sophisticated people, like Neil Young. I’ve been dressing him for 50 years.” He seemed to love talking about dressing some of the most beautiful women in the world, such as Sophia Loren and Raquel Welch. He’d always say when they came in for fittings: “You were born already with the most beautiful dress. You just need to put a dress on top of that dress.” Cuevas laughed. 36
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I made the mistake of referring to his jackets as “iconic” in the fashion business. He was quick to correct that impression. “They were the iconic people,” he explained. “They make me.” “I love what I do,” he said. “I do one-of-a-kind, and they feel so proud that it’s not one-of-a-kind in the United States, but a one-of-a-kind in the world.” When asked if he has a favorite creation, he says costumes he made for “The Lone Ranger” are among his favorites, for obvious sentimental reasons. But in terms of “the best” jacket, or clothing item, he’s ever made? Does he have something special that he feels proud of from an artistic standpoint? He shared his thoughts on this without even thinking, almost as if he says it to himself every day. “The best one is still to come,” he assured me.
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Addie Levy by Shelby Campbell THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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The Young Bluegrass Star with Something to Say Young teen bluegrass musicians seem to be taking up a lot of room in the media these days – and for a good reason. They are earning their stripes as the future of bluegrass. One teen bluegrass musician, Addie Levy, began singing with her dad in church at only three-years-old and hasn’t slowed down since. Only seven years after she sang her first song in church, she met Dolly Parton’s former band leader Gary “Biscuit” Davis at the Dixie Stampede in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The meeting inspired Addie and two days later she took her first guitar lesson. Now a talented multi-instrumentalist playing six different instruments, she desires to learn more. “I had always loved bluegrass music, but after attending the Dixie Stampede and watching the house band play, something in me knew that I wanted to do what they did,” said Addie. Addie’s love for music, specifically her favorite genre of bluegrass, continues to grow as she grows as a musician. She credits her success in bluegrass at this point in her life to God and her parents. She also looks to Steep Canyon Rangers, her all-time favorite band, because she loves their versatile sound and live shows. Addie also credits the bluegrass community and music scene. Over the years, she has seen the same artists and musicians at festivals and feels as if they truly are a family. “There are connections and relationships that you make in this industry, and it is like nothing you have ever seen. These relationships will grow and stay with you for longer than you every thought imaginable,” said Addie. One of her first friends in the bluegrass community, Liam Purcell, introduced Addie to the Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars program. He even spoke with John Colburn, TBS founder and president, about Addie joining as a member. At the time, Addie was only ten years old and joining TBS made her feel like a celebrity. “Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars does such a great job with focusing on making the youth feel like they are valued musicians and that they do have a shot in this industry,” Addie said. 40
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John Colburn has supported Addie and her bands over the years by helping her take advantage of opportunities such as playing the SPBGMA showcase and getting a spot at the Bluegrass Kind of Christmas. John continues to support Addie and other musicians in TBS while also giving advice and encouragement. The feelings of respect between Addie and John Colburn are mutual. “Back in time when Addie Levy was just a little thing, it was so easy to love her and watch her as she grew to become the amazing young woman she has become,” said John. “Addie is so special! I stand in awe and thank the Lord daily for placing so many wonderful youngsters and their wonderful parents in the TBS family.” “I just want to have a good time with the people around me and help other people feel the same joy that I do playing,” said Addie. “Bluegrass sounds so joyous and happy to me, and I feel like everyone should be able to enjoy some aspect of the music.” After a handful of years in the business as a musician, she is encouraging to young artists in their pursuit of a career in music – reminding them to always stay positive and have a good attitude. “Be kind to everyone you meet and understand that everything takes time in the business,” said Addie, regarding her advice to young musicians pursuing bluegrass or joining TBS.
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Currently, Addie has joined with five other young bluegrass musicians to form the band, Gate 10. The band recently started to take off with multiple appearances and competing in the annual Galax Old Fiddlers Convention in Virginia.
“I cannot wait to see what the future holds,” said Addie of her new band. “We have an amazing group of people in this band, and it is going to be awesome to see where God takes us. Stay tuned!”
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Preserving Bluegrass One Youngster At A Time! John Colburn & Maggie
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Tomorrow’s Bluegrass Stars continues to support the awareness of its many talented young members, and the preservation of yesterday’s bluegrass music for tomorrow.
Click the banner below to visit the TBS website:
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From Jamboree Tent to Grand Ole Opry, Bobby Osborne has Impressed for Almost 70 Years By Kara Martinez Bachman Speaking to Bobby Osborne is like speaking to your grandpappy. Despite being one of the longest-lived acts in bluegrass, and a 50-plus year member of the Grand Ole Opry, at age 86, the gentle-natured Osborne enjoys looking back nostalgically on an exciting life. Once he gets started, you’ll hear all sorts of interesting things, including stories of his first performance ever, which took place a very long time ago, outdoors and under a tent “way out in the country” in Middletown, Ohio. A whopping 700 or 800 people there to hear the Saturday Night Jamboree, which was also broadcast live on a local radio station. Remember, these were the days – back in the 1940s – when radios and jukeboxes were the way people found their entertainment. There were no computers, and no internet, in rural Ohio. There was no such thing as cable TV...
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And on that day, the high-school aged Bobby Osborne – and a few of his musician buddies – got up onstage and sang the one and only song they’d bothered to learn. It was a Bill Monroe tune he'd heard on one of his 78 rpm records, and Osborne’s high-pitched voice was obviously perfect for it. “We did that one song, and the people just stood up and hollered,” Osborne reminisced, about the very moment his long career got rolling. He said the guy from the radio station, who had been recording it, came over to the tent and said sternly: “Who just sang that song?” Osborne thought he might be in trouble, thought he’d done something wrong. He reluctantly admitted it had been his voice singing. As it turns out, though, the broadcaster wasn't upset; he’d loved it, and wanted Osborne to do more. They had only prepared that one song. Osborne said maybe, maybe, he could figure out how to sing a song he’d heard on the jukebox many times, a tune called “Ruby.” It might not work out, but he was willing to try. Even though it was being broadcast live, he’d try. So they started song number two, which he’d never practiced before. The band figured out how to follow along. “The people just acted like crazy people, hollering,” he said, remembering his surprise at the positive response to their impromptu jam. “It scared me to death.” Soon, the man from the radio station was back in the tent. “He said there’s people that’s calling in, wanting to hear that song again.” Osborne did it again. “They hired me regular to come down almost every weekend for that jamboree,” he said. A guitarist, mandolin player, and high vocalist inspired both by Ernest Tubb and Bill Monroe, Osborne has done so much in bluegrass.
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For instance, even at the young age of 17, he wrote a song – “With a Pain in my Heart” – that was performed by Flatt & Scruggs and included on their 1949 Mercury recordings. Not bad for a seventeen-year-old. He soon left the midwest and moved to Nashville, where he spent quite a while performing with his brother Sonny as The Osborne Brothers. They were booked at the Opry – he’s been a member since 1964 – and one memory from the golden years of the most venerated stage in Nashville is described at Osborne’s website: “Bobby shared the fabled ‘dressing room #2’ with Bill Monroe from the time that they opened the Opry House in 1974 until Bill’s last performance, March 15, 1996, on the Friday Night Opry.” He’s won awards, including numerous CMA nominations for The Osborne Brothers and a win in 1971 for “Vocal Group of the Year.” He was named SPBGMA “Male Vocalist of the Year” in 1990. He’s received accolades from the IBMA. He’s done good. What’s most interesting about Osborne, though, is that he has such a longstanding view of the music business. There’s not many 86-year-olds still performing regularly, and just before he spoke to The Bluegrass Standard, Osborne had been napping a bit, since he had yet another gig schedule for later that night. He does admit, though, it’s a rough business to get into, even for young people. What’s more, it’s quite different from how it was when he was a teen singing under that tent. “Show business is a rough business,” Osborne said. He was hesitant to give advice to any budding musicians who want to have a go at it, but did offer one tidbit. “It’s hard for me to tell somebody what to do, since it’s so different from when I got started,” he explained. “But I would see who I like, see who my favorite singer or player is. I would try to meet that woman or man and kind of follow them.” Kinda like what Osborne did as a young boy with Ernest Tubb. No doubt, today, there’s more than a few up-and-coming musicians who closely follow the accomplished Bobby Osborne.
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The Amiron Wireless High-End Stereo headphone by beyerdynamic may be a bit on the expensive side, but when it comes to top quality, durability, design, and sound experience, let’s just say you get what you pay for. As with all beyerdynamic products, the Amiron Wireless headphone is exquisitely designed, but don’t let the stunning industrial style fool you. Made from Alcantara®, a resilient, stain resistant material with the feel of suede, and high-quality plastic and aluminum alloy materials, plus optimized tesla technology, this solid, dependable product emanates precise, clear resolution of deep basses, full, natural mids, and clear highs in all music. The term tesla, as defined on the beyerdynamic website, is used by experts to refer to the unit of magnetic induction or magnetic flux density in the metre-kilogram-second system (SI) of physical units. This magnetic flux density is important for headphones, because it indicates the intensity of the magnetic field (magnetic field strength) in the air gap of the magnetic circuit. Because beyerdynamic acoustic transducers achieve a magnetic flux density of more than one tesla, the term “tesla technology” is used.
That’s not all. The Amiron Wireless headphone is circumaural, meaning the cups, which contain the speakers, completely enclose the ears. These large encompassing cups wrapped in high density padding create a seal to keep out outside noise and make long listening sessions comfortable for any user, from the audiophile music lover, to the musician and sound engineer. The headphones don’t fold at the hinges, making them less portable, but what is lost in portability is gained in exceptional reduction of outside noise. Plus, the sleek black carrying case allows for easy transporting and the battery runs 30 hours or more, meaning all day use is possible without a charge.
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The touchpad and Bluetooth connectivity (complete with almost all Bluetooth streaming codecs) delivers top sound quality without cumbersome wires, resulting in flexibility when you’re on the go and the option of plugging into a source when you’re not. Mimi Hearing Technologies developed the award-winning sound personalization features of the MIY (Make it yours) app that allows listeners to analyze and personalize their own hearing profile and then adapts that sound to that profile. This means the Amiron Wireless is also perfect for anyone with hearing impairment. The on and off switch and touchpad controls are located on the right muff, as well as a 3.5mm input for the 1.2m detachable cable with remote and handsfree microphone, and an input for USB charging. Double-tapping the touchpad with your finger will play or pause what you are listening to or answer and end a phone call. Touching and holding your finger to the pad summons the voice assistant. Sliding your finger up and down increases or decreases volume and sliding your finger left to right controls the tracks you are listening to. You can find complete directions on the beyerdynamic website. Beyerdynamic products “engineered in Germany” evidence the company’s desire for innovation and continuous technological development in a wide range of high quality and professional audio products, including microphones (See our review of the beyerdynamic microphone in the August issue), as well as headphones for professional studio, the stage, and at-home listening. Beyerdynamic conference technology is found in conference centers around the world. Why not have this superior technology in your home and studio?
Connect the Amiron wireless headphone to any smartphone or tablet that supports Bluetooth from Version 2.1. The following features are required for connection to laptop or desktop computers: • For audio playback: support for Bluetooth A2DP and AVRCP profiles • Headset with microphone function: support for Bluetooth HFP profile For and more information and FAQ, visit the beyerdynamic website: https://north-america.beyerdynamic.com Once, I followed directions and set up the headphones on my laptop and cell phone, the ease of use was incredible and the sound…wow… the sound. The headphones are wrapped around my ears as I finish this review and my husband is wondering when I’m going to give them a rest. Not anytime soon, my Dear!! — Richelle Putnam
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by Susan Marquez Byrl Murdock was known far and wide for his customized hot rods. He owned his own hot rod restoration shop in Lafayette, Indiana for eleven years and then had to give it all up due to health reasons. “I developed an allergic reaction to anything with hardener in it,” he explains.
Having to close a business and losing his livelihood could have broken Murdock, but instead, it got his creative juices flowing in a different direction. Today, he is a full-time luthier (a maker of stringed instruments). Murdock played a dobro-style guitar in a gospel group called Persuasions. People had told him that they couldn’t hear his instrument. With time on his hands, he set out to make his own instrument, not knowing if he had what it took. “I had worked on $75,000 hot rods, but I didn’t know if I could build an instrument.” The things he was most unsure about were making the neck and how to bend the sides. “One morning I began looking on You Tube and I did some more research and by noon that day I knew I could build a guitar.” Murdock got wood scraps from around his shop and other places. He had a two-by-four for the neck and he took apart an old laminated desk that had been in his father-in-law’s flooded basement. An old cedar fence post was used for inner structural bracing. “The only thing I bought was a piece of curly maple from a lumber yard. I got them to cut it to the right thickness for me.” The first thing Murdock did was to bend the first set of sides. “That’s still my favorite part, aside from hearing the first notes being played.” The finished guitar sounded great. 48
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“I really just wanted to build one to see if I could do it. When I first put a beard cone in it, I nearly fell over when I heard the sound! It wasn’t pretty to look at, but it was loud and sounded great!” After building the first one, he was bitten by the bug and had to keep building more. “I had a preacher friend who said to ‘remember your friends,’” and by the time Murdock made his third one, he was ready to sell it. “Each one I made seemed better than the one before. I was working on perfecting my craft, including learning how wood sings. It’s an awesome feeling to hear the sound that resonates out.” Murdock’s son, Benjamin Byrl Murdock, has already built a guitar as a school project. “He has learned how to use a drum sander and to do the bending and kerfing (adding the liner on the sides to give the instrument strength). He entered his guitar in a competition at school and won.” His guitars have taken him to a lot of different places, and Murdock says he’s enjoyed the ride. “I recently went to North Carolina with a test model. I’ve had the opportunity to sell guitars to some of my heroes since I was a kid. Even better, I’ve gotten to know them and call them friends. I’ll be featuring a new guitar in September at the International Bluegrass Music Association conference in North Carolina. It’s been amazing.” Murdock makes three models of his custom resonator guitars. The Standard D Model – ESD features the Byrl head, wood binding, ebony unbound fret board, mother of pearl inlay dots, bone nut, ebony capped maple saddles, a three-piece neck with chrome hardware, a Beard Legend cone, #14 Beard spider bridge, Grover tuners and a strap lock system. Wood options include cherry, flamed maple, mahogany, and walnut.
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The next step up is the RB-3 model, which has all the features of the Standard D model but the threepiece back is a blend of two different kinds of wood. For more flash, Murdock has come full circle with the Hot Rod model. Each guitar is “hot rodded” with a secret sound-reflecting hard wood back, side sound-forward holes, and F holes replacing the standard round sound holes to provide a more full and loud sound. Each one of the Hot Rod series is torched with a custom air-brushed flame job.
The original Byrl guitar still sits in Murdock’s office. “It’s named The Desk, and I play it on breaks from work or whenever I can.”
For more information, visit www.byrlguitars.com. 50
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Living for the Citi NYC’s Citigrass Tells its own Tales of the City Through Urban Bluegrass
By Stephen Pitalo Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Noah Chase, bandleader for New York Citybased Citigrass, didn’t come to bluegrass directly. He found it by way of rock and roll. “I grew up hearing Bluegrass around my house,” explained Chase, who plays guitar, mandolin in Citigrass but also plays banjo and percussion. “My dad played fiddle and banjo and would often have friends over and have bluegrass jams. However, in truth, I really was not that interested in playing that music I was much more into playing rock. I was an electric guitar player, so it wasn't till years later when someone left a Mandolin at my house that I picked it up and instantly fell in love with the instrument. I started learning bluegrass and Irish fiddle tunes and through that I rediscovered bluegrass music and became pretty obsessed with the genre and with the Bluegrass community of players. New York City has a great Bluegrass scene with lots of weekly jams to go to and some serious players. “When we started Citigrass we realized that while we all shared a deep love of bluegrass, none of us really grew up in the South. We didn't want to pretend to be a ‘hillbilly’ band. We felt that Citigrass should express our version of bluegrass which really draws from all the influences available in this wonderful city. This is where the term "Urban Bluegrass" came from. The band started with a bunch of us getting together for weekly jams at our original Banjo player's (Sandy Israel) home. after a few months, we realized, hey, I think we sound pretty good, let's book some gigs.” THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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Their sound blends rock, jazz and even classical influences with traditional bluegrass to create a fresh and feverish modern sound that casts a much wider net in the ocean of music lovers. Chase does see their place in the genre as rulebreakers, as well as contributors. “We felt that in a lot of traditional bluegrass, the subject matter didn't always resonate with us as city folk. We love singing about the hills of Kentucky, but in truth, none of us have ever lived there. We started writing songs about living in the city, and the ups and downs of our experience, while still respecting the tradition and style of the bluegrass greats.”
Check out the band’s song “Brooklyn Bound” on YouTube for a sample of their sound. Two of the founding members, Sandy Israel and Kenji Bunch, moved out to the west coast three years ago. Since then the lineup has included Chase (mandolin, guitar and vocals), Tim Kiah (upright bass and vocals), Ellie Goodman (fiddle), and James Kerr (dobro, banjo and vocals). Chase speaks of their releases modestly, despite critical praise of the band’s unique style and high energy delivery.
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“Our first album Citigrass was just us trying to make our first bluegrass album,” Chase said. “While we are proud of it and it has some cool tunes, you can tell that were a little new to the genre. “On the second album Serpent in the Grass I think you can really hear more of the band’s unique sound come through. Our most recent release is One Hit Wondering, which is mostly covers of pop songs.” New York City live music lovers can catch Citigrass’s weekly show at the Opry City Stage on 49th Street, a brand-new country music venue connected to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Chase said the venue is beautiful and the sound is great, and the band’s love of performing live truly delivers in that setting. “Lately, we have been really enjoying taking rock and pop songs and turning them into Bluegrass songs,” Chase said. “Especially when we are performing in New York City where the audiences, for the most part, don't know bluegrass music. It's really fun to give them a familiar song with an entirely new take on it.”
Find Citigrass on Facebook!
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“Traditional bluegrass music with an old-time country edge and a sound that’s very much their own...”
James Reams and the Barnstormers feature driving rhythm and hard-edged harmonies that take you back to a time before bluegrass was smoothed out for the uninitiated, the ill-prepared or the faint of heart!
Old-School Bluegrass
& the
Barnstormers Coast-to-Coast Barnstormin’ from Maine to South Carolina, Kentucky to Wisconsin, New York to California...
visit our website for more! JamesReams.com tell them you saw it in The Bluegrass Standard!
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by Susan Marquez “I’m sitting under a tarp in Galax, Virginia and the temperature has just dropped about 15 degrees,” says Ralph McGee. “We’re getting ready to go on stage in a little while at the Old Fiddlers Convention, one of the oldest and largest fiddle conventions. This, for me, is the closest place to Heaven on Earth!”
When it comes to GoodFellers, expect the unexpected. “We try to keep ‘em guessing,” says McGee, who plays mandolin in the band. With influences including New Grass, John Hartford, Seldom Scene and Peter Rowan, the group would best be described as “newgrass.” They play acoustic music with traditional folk instruments. “We’ll do any kind of song but do what we can to try to keep it in the bluegrass vein.” Other members of the band include Teddy Barneycastle on guitar, Hersie McMillan on banjo and Tim Hill on bass. They are often accompanied by McGee’s brother, Rex McGee on fiddle. Clay Jones guest starred on their recently released single, Blue Eyed Caroline. The song was written by Jason Shore, a cousin of Ralph McGee’s, and is on their new selftitled album which was released on July 4. GoodFellers is one of those hardworking bands that interacts well with the crowd and is always THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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working to expand their set list to make sure everyone has a good time. McGee says that at least half their set is original music. “We take it as far as we can with intricate solos, arrangements and harmonies,” explains McGee. When they play music along the lines of pop and rock-n-roll, they do their own arrangements. “We play songs by artists like Clint Black and Bill Monroe, as well as Journey and the BeeGees.” Any radio stars from the 70’s and 80’s are fair game. Their chords and vocal stylings fit right into their bluegrass approach as they move seamlessly through genres. “We can pull off almost anything with Teddy’s vocals.” McGee says the group once did a Halloween show and worked up heavy metal songs in the bluegrass style. “We did songs by Metallica and Twisted Sister and the crowd loved it!” The band’s name is a tribute to one of their favorite mob genre films, Goodfellas, which came out in 1990. The film stars Robert DeNiro, Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci. “It’s just a fun play on the name,” McGee says. The group has been together in one way or another for six or seven years, but McGee says that GoodFellers has been together as a group for one year. The North Carolinabased group calls Winston-Salem their home. “At least, it’s the biggest city we can latch on to.” Over the years, the band members have had experience opening for well-known national artists, they’ve provided music for motion picture soundtracks and they are in demand as studio musicians. “The bottom line is that we love what we do,” says McGee. “We cut up a lot on stage. Our favorite part of any show is when we can make people laugh and have a good time. And when we’re not on stage, we’ve really grown to love recording.”
Check GoodFellers out on Facebook!
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The Larry Stephenson Band Gets Ready to Release New CD by Kara Martinez Bachman Bluegrass and gospel performer Larry Stephenson sounds excited. A new CD is on its way, and it’s not just any old recording; it’s a special release that marks the 30th anniversary of The Larry Stephenson Band. “We just recorded a new CD,” he said. “It’s [now] in the mixing stages.” The band re-recorded six bluegrass songs that “did well” when originally released, plus added a few new numbers. Stephenson’s earlier recordings used to appear on Webco Records and Pinecastle Records, but the past three releases -- and soon to be joined by this fourth album -- were all recorded under Stephenson’s own independent label, Whysper Dream. He’s toured extensively, performed many times for the Grand Ole Opry, and has appeared on RFD-TV. He’s known by listeners in both the U.S. and Canada for songs such as “Patches,” “Yes, I see God,” and the hit tune “Clinch Mountain Mystery,” which reached #1 on the charts in 2004. He’s also recognized for his all-gospel album, “Pull Your Savior In,” which won 2014 Album of the Year from the SPBGMA and was featured on the Sirius XM Radio show, “Gospel Train,” and on the Solid Gospel Radio Network. Stephenson has also snagged the title of SPBGMA “Male Vocalist of the Year” an incredible five times and is included in the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame. THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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A mandolin player and tenor vocalist who lives north of Nashville but was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Stephenson has been making music since he was just a little boy. “My dad put a mandolin in my hand when I was five years old, in the ‘60s,” he said. “I realized I was in a major part of the country for bluegrass music and country music. I kinda grew up with the music.” Stephenson said he’s always enjoyed “everything” about bluegrass. “My dad took me to festivals and concerts,” he reminisced. “I’ve got a nine-year-old daughter, and we’re doing the same with her.” After graduating from high school, Stephenson said he got involved in the very active music scene that was happening at the time in Washington D.C. and Baltimore. By 1979 he began touring and recording with Bill Harrell & the Virginians, who he made music with for four years. Then, in 1983, he joined up with the Bluegrass Cardinals, where he stayed for over five years before branching out on his own. In 1989, he made the leap to start his own band and move to Nashville. He said he’s not afraid to do things differently, and to explore progressive experimentation. He thinks what sometimes seems “new” isn’t really all that unique. 58
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“This is nothing new...it’s been going on forever,” he said, adding that over the years, he’s recorded country, and even rock ‘n’ roll. The Larry Stephenson Band performs 60 or 70 dates per year. The lineup consists of Stephenson on mandolin; Matt Wright, on bass; Derek Vaden, on banjo; and Nick Dauphinias on the guitar. All members of the band also sing. Stephenson said some things about the music business have changed over the 30 years that he’s been around. “I didn’t think I’d make it this long,” he said, adding: “The music business is getting crazier every year.” One example he cited is the way people say things such as “the CD is dead.” He believes that’s simply not true. “Well, we’re still making them and selling them,” he said. “Our audiences are a little bit older, and they still have CD players.” Stephenson said he and the guys have “about 20 CDs” under their belts, and they aren’t interested in slowing down any time soon.
“We’re just gonna continue to plug along, and play our music that we enjoy,” — Larry Stephenson
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Nothin’ Fancy but Incredible Bluegrass Singin’ by Shelby Campbell
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Nothin’ Fancy, one of today’s most entertaining, traditional bluegrass bands, hails from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. With powerful voices known for smooth harmonies, they combine strong instrumental talent, an energetic stage presence, and light humor between songs to keep audiences coming back for more. Nothin’ Fancy works hard to carry on the tradition of classic bluegrass music while also carving a niche for themselves in acoustical music. The band was formed in 1994 to compete in a bluegrass competition, having no idea of the success that was coming their way. Since that moment, Nothin’ Fancy has been dedicated to bringing fans countless albums (11 full-length albums in two decades) and performances across the United States, Canada, and Norway at venues such as the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee and the Lincoln Center in New York City. They have also performed at Dollywood many times and consider themselves a regular of Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri where promoter D.A. Callaway described Nothin’ Fancy as “the act that America needs to see.” The band’s first album in 2002 with Pinecastle Records earned them a showcase at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Convention and a nomination for IBMA Emerging Artist of the Year. Although band members of Nothin’ Fancy have changed over the years, their sound and dedication to the music hasn’t. The current lineup includes: Mike Andes (lead singer/mandolin player); Mitchell Davis (head banjo player/multiinstrumentalist); Chris Sexton (fiddle); Caleb Cox (guitar); and James Cox (bass).
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Mike, a founding member of Nothin’ Fancy, began performing when he was age 14 and has the remarkable gift of playing by ear. He never had any lessons or training, but several family members influenced him by their ability to play. Mike formed his first band in 1994, the East Coast Bluegrass Band, but founding Nothin’ Fancy allowed Mike to fulfill his lifelong dream of making music a full-time career and him receiving many SPBGMA nominations, including Mandolin Player of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Individual Entertainer of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. Mitchell plays banjo, mandolin, guitar, and fiddle. Early in life, he learned to play the guitar and fiddle from his uncle and was influenced by grandparents who both played traditional mountain music. He fell in love with the banjo after seeing Earl Scruggs on TV. Naturally, that led Mitchell to teach himself to play the banjo with an Earl Scruggs banjo book. Mitchell, ironically, is an alumnus of a country band named Nothin’ Fancy, which inspired this band’s name. Multi-instrumentalist Chris can typically be seen with fiddle in hand. Introduced to bluegrass music by his father who played in the 1970s, Chris has a different background in music and journey that led him to Nothin’ Fancy. Although his first instrument was the mandolin, he grew up focusing his energy on the violin – while still staying true to his bluegrass roots. After college, Chris appeared in many orchestras and symphonies showing off his talents, and his violin work could be heard on several TV specials in the early 2000s featured on Discovery Channel, the Learning Channel, PBS, and National Geographic Channel. Chris debuted with Nothin’ Fancy at the 1998 Maury River Fiddler’s Convention where they won first prize. He also guest appeared on the band’s second and third albums before joining the band in 2000.
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Caleb grew up in Virginia playing guitar and went on to learn how to play the mandolin, banjo, bass, harmonica, and the resophonic guitar. Caleb had been a staple in his family’s band, Clearwater Branch, before his successful audition with Nothin’ Fancy. Caleb’s brother, James, the newest member of Nothin’ Fancy, has been winning over crowds with his solid bass playing and quiet demeanor. James plays both the electric and acoustic bass and is a member of a three-piece rock band with his other brothers when he’s not busy with Nothin’ Fancy. Nothin’ Fancy’s relentless annual touring schedule has earned them a devoted fan base, six prestigious SPBGMA Entertainer of the Year Awards, and their own Nothin’ Fancy Day dedicated to them by the Buena Vista mayor.
As if they don’t give enough to their fans already, every September since 2001 Nothin’ Fancy has hosted their own festival, an important event for the Shenandoah Valley bluegrass community, bringing to their home visitors and lovers of bluegrass from all over the world.
www.nothinfancybluegrass.com
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A Kiss From A Rose
Rose Drake’s Magic Touch & Decades of Experience Gives Creative and Dreams a Competitive Edge
by Stephen Pitalo Rose Drake has never played an instrument, made a musical recording or penned the words of a hit song, but without her, much of the national and international acclaim that Nashville musician Pete Drake enjoyed as a music legend might not have happened. Consequently, she may have never decided decades later to form Creative and Dreams, a boutique talent agency, with her partner Sir Fred Cannon. Rose went to work for Pete Drake’s Window Music Publishing Company when it was three years old [she was still Rose Trimble; the two eventually married]. During the first year of operation, Window Music scored a #1 record with Jim Reeves’ “Is This Me.” Over the next few years, Drake Music Group’s BMI Company Window Music recorded an average of one song per day — an unbelievable accomplishment in independent music publishing history. In her role with Window Music, Rose worked with the young writers and performers. She knew instinctively that their music needed to be nurtured and cultivated, which quickly became her passion and her life’s work. It is also where her story could have ended. Instead, Rose saw the opportunity in the 70’s THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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and 80’s to make the Drake companies a household name and a place for musicians, songwriters and music lovers as well. The Drakes’ studio and home were known as “The Drakes’ School of Music,” where musicians could hang out, record and listen to music any hour of the day. “Pete’s Place” Recording Studio was open 24-hours a day, giving an allnight studio home to new songwriters as they arrived in Nashville. It wasn’t unusual to run into Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, Billy Joel, B.J. Thomas, Tommy James, George Jones, David Allan Coe, Waylon Jennings or a group of Grand Ole Opry artists just hanging out and laying down tracks at Pete’s Place Studio. Some of Drake Music Group’s publishing successes include “Every Time Two Fools Collide” by Kenny Rogers and Dottie West, “Let It Shine” by Olivia Newton John, “Would You Lay With Me In A Field of Stone” by Tanya Tucker, “If Drinking Don’t Kill Me” by George Jones, “New Looks From an Old Lover” by BJ Thomas, and “Come On In” by The Oak Ridge Boys, a whole album of songs recorded by Ringo Starr and songs recorded by almost every country artist in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. Any time, if Pete’s Place studio wasn’t booked for major artist recording sessions, the Drake Music Group songwriters David Allan Coe, Linda Hargrove, Pam Rose, Mary Ann Kennedy, Rick Beresford and sixteen other staff writers were encouraged to be in the studio recording new songs and learning how to be session musicians and engineers. Later, Pete and Rose formed First Generation Records for Ernest Tubb and other Grand Ole Opry and traditional country artists they had been so proud to be associated with through the years. They would eventually record more than 350 masters with legendary country artists. After the death of her husband in 1988, Rose continued to pursue opportunities for Drake Music & First Generation Records. Fast forward into the new millennium, and in 2012, instead of considering retirement, she formed Creative and Dreams with Cannon. “Fred Cannon, my partner and I love songwriters and talented great voices,” 66
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Drake said. “I have worked in the country music world all of my adult life and Fred has worked mostly in rock and pop, but we feel a great talent or song fits all genres. Fred knew artists and writers from all over the world that needed some help with artist development and needed to improve their songwriting craft. We think with our backgrounds we can help accomplish that.” Drake understands what it takes to make it, but she consults with Fred extensively to see if an artist is the right fit for Creative and Dreams. “First, Fred has to believe in their talent because he's going to be on the creative end with them in the studio,” Rose explained. “The person has to prove to us by their work ethics, positive energy and clean lifestyle and that they are serious. If they are willing to listen to our advice and work extremely hard to accomplish their goals, we will try help develop them. Drake enjoys promoting artists rooted in bluegrass and Americana because their tales of life inspire her, and she doesn’t want to see that go unnoticed. “We see so many talents that have lost their way in this business through the years. It's a blessing to us when we take a great vintage talent and guide them to a new life with new music or a new budding writer/artist and teach them from the ground up and watch them grow into being professionals.” Drake’s frustration with the modern music business mirror her partner’s, but her team is up for the challenge. “Most music companies don't have music lovers working for them, and they don't know anything about the history of music or even the great artist on their labels. It's a money game now for the majors. It's a job, it’s not about the talent. Sometimes they break the spirit of a great new talented person that needs some development, but they don't take the time. Today, songwriters are encouraged to write songs like they hear on the radio performed by the latest star that were probably written between three and ten years ago instead of being a real creative songwriter and writing from their own soul. Today's music executives are too busy following social media and the latest fads. We strongly feel that originality is our goal.”
https://creativeanddreams.bandcamp.com/
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Home for Christmas Cancelled for 2018 Concert Announcement: The Red Hills Arts Foundation in Louisville has announced that it will not produce the annual “Home for Christmas” concert this year due to the renovations that are underway at the historic Strand Theater in downtown Louisville. RHAF has been the executive producer of the show for more than 20 years. Grammy Award winning Winston County Native Carl Jackson along with many of his superb artists and friends have headlined the event. In making the announcement, RHAF President Mary Snow said, “This was a really bittersweet and difficult decision by our board. It will be hard for many of us to feel like it is Christmas in Louisville without attending the concert. But the fact that work has begun on renovating the theater is a milestone RHAF has been striving to reach for years. We are elated. Have no fear — we will have the concert in 2019! And we hope it will be in the Strand,” Snow said. RHAF Executive Director Giles Ward said, “Last year the concert was staged at a temporary location. It is hard to describe the complexity of the technical logistics associated with producing this concert. Having it somewhere other than in the theater proved challenging resulting in the decision to have a one-year sabbatical.”
Home for Christmas 2017
In 2017, the City of Louisville acquired the theater from RHAF and announced the city’s plan to develop the building into an arts center. Mayor Will Hill said at the time that, after completion, few cities the size of Louisville would be able to boast of providing their citizens, children and youth exposure to the arts in a fully dedicated arts center. Although the time line for completion will be greatly affected by future funding, the first stage was begun in June. Red Hills Art Foundation is a tax exempt, all volunteer organization dedicated to preserving the historic Strand Theater. THE BLUEGRASS STANDARD
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October Festivals & Events
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Dates
Event
Location
Oct 3-6
Outer Banks Bluegrass Island Festival
Manteo, NC
Oct 4-6
Amelia Bluegrass Festival
Amelia, VA
Oct 5-6
Huck Finn Jubilee
Ontario, CA
Oct 5-7
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Music Festival
San Francisco, CA
Oct 10-13
Turkey Track Harvest Time Festival
Waldron, AR
Oct 11-14
Suwannee Roots Revival
Live Oak, FL
Oct 13
Lester Flatt Celebration
Sparta, TN
Oct 18-20
DeweyFest
Burlington, NC
Oct 19-20
Bloomin' Bluegrass Festival
Farmers Branch, TX
Oct 25-27
Anderson Bluegrass Festival
Anderson, SC
Oct 25-27
Honey Creek Resort Bluegrass Festival
Moravia, IA
Oct 25-27
Swampgrass Music Festival
Swainsboro, GA
Oct 27
Bluegrass for Hospice 2018
Great Mills, MD
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November Festivals & Events Dates
Event
Location
Nov 3
Bluegrass, Barbecue & Brew Festival at Patrick Henry’s Red Hill
Brookneal, VA
Nov 3
The Clayton Shindig
Clayton, NC
Nov 7-10
Altamaha River Bluegrass Festival
Hazlehurst, GA
Nov 8-10
Fall Palatka Bluegrass Festival
Palatka, FL
Nov 8-10
Mountain View Bluegrass Festival
Mountain View, AR
Nov 9-10
Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival
Wilmington, OH
Nov 9-11
Four Corner States Bluegrass Festival
Wickenburg, AZ
Nov 15-17
All American Indoor Music Festival
Fishersville, VA
Nov 22-24
South Carolina State Bluegrass Festival
Myrtle Beach, SC
Nov 23-24
Thanksgiving Weekend Bluegrass Festival
Marshalltown, IA
Nov 30-Dec 1
Balsam Range Art of Music Festival
Lake Junaluska, NC
For the complete list with links to full info, check out our Events tab at TheBluegrassStandard.com!
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Suits, Boots & Bluegrass
fan photos
Suits, Boots & Bluegrass
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