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Gold Tone is based in Titusville, Florida and I told myself the next time I was playing Florida I would stop in and get the Gold Tone back story.
Gold Tone: A passionate American family innovates for the working musician
One of the things I love about being
a traveling musician is the people I get to meet and where I get to meet them. About four years ago, while recording Wayward Troubadour, I started playing this nice, steel resonator that was one of the studio guitars. I would play it, put it down and keep going back to it. It felt and played great. I had brought my own big-name resonator with me to track but I kept going back to that one. We tracked and A-B’d them and the studio guitar was the keeper on all the tracks. It was an unknown name to me - Gold Tone. I couldn’t put it down. I finished the record, left the guitar in the studio, but never forgot it. Fast forward to the next winter NAMM show. Walking the floors I came
across the Gold Tone booth. There were walls and displays of banjos, guitars, short-scale acoustic basses and yes, resonators! I asked myself why am I not up on Gold Tone, what’s their story? During the next couple of days, I kept stopping to play the steel and wood, round-neck resonators and meet the folks in the booth. They were a very friendly, family-run operation. My big-name resonator company is neither. A month later I called Jack Ramsey, Gold Tone sales rep, and bought a wood, Paul Beard signature model resonator. I took it out on the road with me, played it hard and loved it. Next I bought a steel body resonator and did the same, put it through some wear and tear and it did great!
The history is much better than I imagined. It’s a great story of a hardworking, music-loving family that has been building and repairing stringed instruments for decades. Robin and Wayne Rogers, founders and owners of Gold Tone, opened their first music store in Titusville in1977 called, Strings and Things. Both Robin and Wayne were fixtures in the folk music scene and have roots and string music in their blood. Opening a music store seemed like the natural way to fuel their passion. Wayne started taking on repairs and found he not only has a natural ability to repair and build stringed instruments but he also has the ability to do so using innovative methods.
Backyard Build
In 1994, while repairing banjos in his backyard shed, Wayne designed and built his first instrument, a travel banjo. This banjo received rave reviews in an instrument newsletter, orders started flooding in, and in 2000 Gold Tone was incorporated. Fast forward to 2020, Robin and Wayne have developed a very unique family business. The next generation is involved in the hands-on, day to day business of building very good instruments at very affordable prices. Family involved include Wayne, Robin, daughter Amanda, son-in-law Justin, and Robin’s brother Brian. Gold Tone has a saying “love what you play” and when you walk through headquarters, from the luthiers in the shop to Robin in quality control, to Brian in shipping and the whole sales office, it is obvious to see that on the floor it’s “love what you build”. To get to their price point, I would not have been surprised to see Asian-made instruments being shipped out directly in the boxes in which they arrived. This is not the case! Every instrument is finished, and completely
set-up and adjusted, in Florida. It is a pretty impressive set up. When I ordered my resonators, for example, part of the process was to talk to a luthier about my personal preference of string gauge, set-up height, and style of playing so the instrument could be set up for me. I always, always take a new guitar to my set-up and repair guy who is very good, meticulous and knows what I want. (Larry Berwald - Rosewood Guitar Repair, Virginia Beach, VA) So I did what I always do, took these to Larry to do the finish set up, file fret edges, whatever was needed. I was very surprised when he called and said, “what do you want me to do? These guitars are on! Ready to go.” This does not normally happen.
Affordability On Purpose
Wayne explained his model to me. He knows that often a musician needs a different instrument for only a song or two a night. His goal is to provide an excellent instrument at a price the average musician could afford so as to have that different instrument on stage. He has much of the woodwork done overseas and the final set-up work done in their Florida facility. He went after the best of both worlds, lowering basic cost on materials while maintaining high-end fit, finish and the ability to do custom work. He went on to share his excitement about the future of Gold Tone as they develop the Folkternative line, the Zero Glide, Loop To Learn iPhone App, Micro Bass etc… In addition he said, “As the next generation comes into their own, Robin and I are slowly stepping back to let Amanda and Justin take over. After all, it’s time to concentrate on playing more with our own band, Robbin The Bank!” Personally, I was impressed to find an American family business with 20 skilled employees, creating fine instruments at affordable prices. Well done Wayne and Robin! Well done Gold Tone!
Americana Rhythm is published six times a year. All correspondence should be sent to PO Box 45, Bridgewater VA, 22812 or CONTRIBUTORS email to greg@americanarhythm.com. Copies of Americana Ed Tutwiler Rhythm are made available free at various pick up locations within Wayne Erbsen the publication’s region. Subscriptions are available inside the United Donna Ulisse States (only) for $24 US currency made payable by check or Mike Aiken money order sent to, Subscriptions at PO Box 45, Bridgewater, Andrew McKnight VA, 22812. Foreign subscription requests should be sent to Emily Kresky greg@americanarhythm.com. Copyright 2019. All rights reDon Brown served. Reproduction of any content, artwork or photographs DISTRIBUTION is strictly prohibited without permission of the publisher or origi- North River Publishing Integrated Music Media nal owner. All advertising material subject to approval. PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Greg E. Tutwiler Associate Editor Ed Tutwiler MARKETING & PROMOTION Mark Barreres (GrassRootsNetworking.com) Letters, Comments, Suggestions ADVERTISING greg@americanarhythm.com Business office 540-433-0360 www.americanarhythm.com advertising@americanarhythm.com
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May 2020
Appalachian Recovery Often we here at Americana Rhythm wax poetic about the romantic mystery of the Appalachian Mountain region; the music; and the people who reside there. Nevertheless, just like other places in the world have their sad parts, our beloved mountain region does as well. Anyone who pays attention to the news is aware of the pockets of poverty that exist as well as the hold that drink and drugs exhibit. Not long ago, at the IBMA gathering in Raleigh, a luthier had a conversation with our publisher about his mission to address these sad parts. That luthier’s name is Doug Naselroad, and he is director of the Appalachian School of Luthiery in Hindman, KY. The town of Hindman is tucked away deep in the heart of the hard-hit Kentucky coalfields. The folks in charge of survival in Hindman area have created The Appalachian Artisan Center (AAC) and have dedicated it to the promotion of the work of
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artists and craftsmen throughout the mountains of Kentucky. They do this by providing marketing and professional development assistance to those folks. The AAC works to build and strengthen an arts-based economic sector in the Appalachian counties of
Kentucky. Thus, a main purpose of AAC is to develop the economy of eastern Kentucky through its arts, culture, and heritage. AAC is dedicated to supporting artists by helping them create and grow successful businesses. The AAC provides assistance to artists in many ways
By Edward Tutwiler
such as business plan development, training and continuing education opportunities, studio space, and a venue to sell and exhibit their work. A big part of the AAC is the part played by that missionary, Doug Naselroad, who chatted with AR’s publisher last fall. He is Master Luthier and Lead Instructor, at the AAC’s Appalachian School of Luthiery. At the school, Naselroad teaches stringed instrument construction to students and apprentices of all ages. Doug Naselroad has been making stringed instruments since 1969 and has sold his signature line of stringed instruments and door harps to customers from around the world. Doug began his ACC association in 2013 when the center leaders selected him to be their Master Artist in woodworking. Soon after, Naselroad founded the
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Appalachian School of Luthiery to teach students the art of making fine musical instruments under the guidance of a master luthier. Folks from around the world come to Hindman to learn the craft of instrument-building at the Appalachian School of Luthiery. Here is where the true recovery part of this story begins. Naselroad recently co-founded, Troublesome Creek, a stringed instrument manufacturing company. Troublesome Creek is a nonprofit, commercially sustainable company that manufactures high-end custom guitars, mandolins and mountain dulcimers while helping local people earn a livelihood using Luthiery skills. The Appalachian School of Luthiery serves as the workforce development arm for Troublesome Creek by training skilled crafts-people to be capable of producing quality stringed instruments. Troublesome Creek provides meaningful jobs where these trained woodworkers create quality stringed instruments using traditional Appalachian continued on page 15
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May 2020 Donna Ulisse won the 2016 IBMA award for Songwriter of the Year, and the 2017 award for Song of the Year. Her single “It Could Have Been The Mandolin” from the album Hard Cry Moon topped the Bluegrass Unlimited chart at #1 for two months in a row in 2016 while the album topped the Roots Music Report chart at #1. Her 12th career album, Time for Love, released on November 1, 2019.
Donna Speaks with featured writer: Irene Kelley The soul of a songwriter shines in the body of their work. I teach songwriters all the time and even the most beginner songwriter has their heart and soul shimmer somewhere in their creation. When that shimmer comes out like the brightest sun, it could possibly be an Irene Kelley song. This incredibly talented songstress leaves a listener with no doubts about her expertise in telling a story. Not only does she sing like a star, her songs shine like one as well.
I got my first Nashville publisher, Gordon Payne, around 1984. I leaned on him a lot. Gordon was playing in Waylon & Willies band, had written lots of great and successful songs and knew what he was talking about. I really trusted his advice. 4 Name a songwriter that has influenced your writing style and give me an example of this writers composition that still greatly impresses today...a chorus or verse perhaps?
Kelley’s unwavering ability to write hit songs shows up in her own radio success and the success of other artists who have recorded her songs; Artists such as Alan Jackson, Ricky Skaggs, Loretta Lynn and The Osborne Brothers, just to name a few. I have had the very great honor to write with Irene, and she is the real deal; a great writer, a great singer and a great person. I could not be happier to feature her thoughts, heart and soul in this article. I present the great talents of Irene Kelley...enjoy! 1 How old were you when you wrote your first song, and what was the title and the story? I was 11 years old and it was a song called, “Don’t Talk That Way in Front of Danny”. It was from a mom’s perspective asking her drunk husband, “...don’t talk that way in front of Danny. He’s only seven and he wants to go to heaven without you teaching him to sin...!” My mom was horrified and feared that everyone would think my dad was an abusive drunk. I kept that song to myself & took a few years off of writing...haha. I guess I tried again at the age of 19. 2 Do you remember where you wrote your first song and why? Sure, I was probably in my bedroom at my parents house in Latrobe, Pa. That was my safe place to make up all kinds of stories and poems. It was my way to express whatever was weighing on my mind. Songwriting can be the therapy that pays YOU! That still holds true. 3 Did you have a great amount of support when you started writing and if so, will you elaborate on who and how? I would say other than that first attempt at 11, my mom was very supportive in spite of her initial reaction. I would ask her to read my poems and comment. She was good with the English language and helped me with my diction. When
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Dolly (Parton) of course. When I think of how she wrote, “Down From Dover”...omg! It is such a chilling story, and a situation that she herself had not even experienced. Now that’s some mind blowing writing. I know this dress I’m wearing doesn’t hide the secret I’ve tried concealing When he left he promised me he’d be back by the time it was revealing The sun behind a cloud just casts the crawling shadow o’er the fields of clover And time is running out for me, I wish that he would hurry down from Dover
It goes on to tell of her parents disapproval, her loneliness and fear throughout. And in the end the baby’s father never does show. The baby is delivered still born. Dolly reveals the baby’s gender and message in the song’s last line: “... and dying was her way of telling me, he wasn’t coming down from Dover”. Not to mention the melody! This song packs an emotional story from first line to last. In my mind, it is a real masterpiece!
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you’ve written come across the radio? Oh, this is some kind of thrill that never ever gets old. First I think of how I appreciate the person/DJ who decided to spin the record. Then I imagine who else might be getting to hear it. Are the lyrics moving someone? OMG, what if Bob Dylan is listening!!! Ha ha ha. My imagination runs wild most of the time.
5 How often do you write these days and is it still something you enjoy? I don’t keep a regular schedule for writing as much as I once did, but I think I enjoy it more. I have a great group of co-writers that really makes it fun. Writing for a specific project always motivates me, whether for my own or someone else. It’s good to have parameters. 6 What is the most difficult part in the writing process for you and why? When I don’t have an idea, I can freak myself out and into believing I’ll never come up with one again. Then pow! one appears. Thank you, God! 7 Who do you sing your new songs to before letting artists hear them, and do you heed suggestions for change when you get their feedback? My daughters, Justyna and Sara Jean, have good ‘ears’ for songs as they are both great songwriters. They are also good at letting me know if I should include a song on my record, or just give it to someone else as the style may not suit me. My good friend and co-writer, Terry Herd, has been paramount in helping me to choose songs for my last three bluegrass records. He is an architect of the genre so he knows his stuff. He is also a grammy award winning songwriter so he has more than the creds to back it up. 8 Where is the strangest place you’ve ever written a song? I’d say out on the road in some hotel room with no sleep. Seemed strange to me anyway:) 9 Can you describe what you feel when you hear something
10 I know songwriters have a catalog full of songs waiting to be recorded. What song in your catalog still surprises you, because it hasn’t been recorded yet? And would you mind giving us the lyric to display here? OOOoooo, that would be several songs but on different days. I am fickle that way. One day one of my songs will hit me and I get that slightly indignant thought like, “Why hasn’t this one been cut by someone.” Then on another day I might second guess that same song a bit. In the end, I do understand that some songs just don’t fit on a record or that artist’s narrative for whatever reason. It helps me to understand another artist’s decision to record or not record something of mine since, as a recording artist I too go through that process. Here is a lyric I had to revisit because of my friend and co-writer, David Olney’s recent passing. I think this lyric stands on its own.
“Things We Never Did”
Irene Kelley/David Olney/John Hadley Singing moonlight lull-a-byes, your laughter in the children’s eyes Counting stars adrift above the lake Side by side we would stand, face the future hand in hand Making plans that only lovers make *Memories and photographs Trips to the south of France/ Sometimes they make me laugh A world full of wonder and a house full of kids Forever me and you, nearly a dream come true You don’t know how I miss the things we never did Today I saw you on the street, it felt so strange our eyes should meet Although they used to do it all the time I just turned and walked away, I didn’t have the heart to say What was really running through my mind (*) Publishing info: Irene Kelley: Shiny Stuff Music, B.M.I. David Olney: Red Lily Music, A.S.C.A.P. John Hadley: Hadley Six Music, B.M.I. Admin., Sony/ATV
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Dressed For
Success
By Edward Tutwiler
did this art form originate? That is what we want to tell you about in this essay. Nudie Suits were the creation of a gifted fashion designer by the name of Nuta Kotlyarenko. However, just as it happened to many immigrants, his name was Americanized to Nudie Cohn.
Russian Roots
Country music fans of the 1950s can easily call up a mental picture of their favorite performers and visualize those folks in their glitzy stage garb. You may remember when singer Glen Campbell immortalized those fancy suited folks as Rhinestone Cowboys. During that era, anyone who was anyone that performed on the stage of the Nashville, TN Grand Ole Opry sported a glamorous stage costume. Somehow, it seemed to be a de-facto requirement to own and wear a custom designed Nudie Suit if you wanted to be noticed. What was that name you just read— Nudie Suit? Yes, that was the correct name of those costumes and they transcended country and western music and became a big part of the stage wardrobe for any semi-famous entertainer of the 50’s through the 70s and beyond. What is a Nudie Suit you ask? Nudie Suits are flamboyant, rhinestone-encrusted cowboy outfits worn by country/western singers beginning in the 1950s. The suits were first popularized by the Hollywood singing cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers and wife Dale Evens. Their popularity quickly spread to many of the most famous music entertainers of the day. Why that name and from where
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Kotlyarenko was born in 1902 in Kiev, Russia, to a Ukrainian Jewish family. To escape the oppression of Czarist Russia, his parents sent him, at age 11, along with his brother, Julius, to America. Cohn worked his way across the US working as a shoeshine boy and later a boxer. While living in Minnesota, he met and married Helen Kruger. The newlyweds moved to New York City and opened a fashion
clothing store specializing in custom-made undergarments for showgirls. In the early 1940s, the couple moved to California to take their fashion career to a next level and began designing and manufacturing clothing in their garage. Cohn became fascinated by the popular country/western films of the era but he theorized to himself that the stars of those
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a biography and official company website (http://www.nudiesrodeotailor.com). Cohn’s son-in-law, Manuel Cuevas, served as his head tailor for 14 years; and after Cuevas and Cohn’s daughter divorced, Cuevas moved to Memphis and launched his own brand with much success. His son, Manuel Cuevas Jr., has also designed custom suits for some recent musical personalities.
films were not flashy enough and could use a fashion make-over. In 1947, to test his theory, he approached Tex Williams, a somewhat popular western-swing music performer with a proposal. If Williams would buy a sewing machine for Cohn’s shop, Cohn would make clothing for Williams. Williams auctioned one of his horses and purchased the machine with the proceeds. Williams wanted his stage costumes to be so dazzling that no one in the audience could miss seeing him. This request prompted Cohn to handsew rhinestones onto every piece of fringe. Thus, Williams’ wearable art became Cohn’s first walking advertisement.
worn by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were designed by Nudie Cohn. John Lennon was a customer, as were Elton John, Cher, John Wayne, and even Ronald Reagan, among many other illustrious names. ZZ Top members, Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill, dressed in Nudie Suits for the cover photo of their 1975 album, Fandango!
End Of An Era
Cohn’s creations, particularly those with notable celebrity connection, remain popular with collectors of country/western and show business memorabilia. These creations continue to command high prices when they appear in the market place. Many of his creations are on display at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN.
As their creations gained a following, the Cohns opened a store in North Hollywood named Nudie’s of Hollywood dealing exclusively in western wear, which was a style in fashion at the time. Cohn’s designs brought the already-flashy western style to a new level of over-the-top glamour. He designed his suits with the liberal use of rhinestones and themed images in chain stitch embroidery.
Nudie Cohn died in 1984 at the age of 81. Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors remained open for an additional ten years under the ownership of Nudie’s widow Bobbie and their daughter Barbara and later granddaughter Jamie. Bobbie closed the shop in 1994; however, Jamie has carried on the designer’s legacy with
The desire to perform in attention grabbing costume has not disappeared as we discovered in the cover story about Kody Norris in our last issue (85) Check out www.nudiestooretaylor.com for more detailed information about Nudie’s life
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Porter And Elvis In early 1962, Cohn created a design for country singer, Porter Wagoner. The outfit was a peach-colored suit that featured rhinestones; a covered wagon on the suit back; and wagon wheels on the legs. Cohn offered the suit to Wagoner at no cost because he was sure this popular performer (just as Tex Williams) would serve as a live billboard for his clothing line. This theory proved justified and the business grew rapidly. In 1963, the Cohns relocated to a larger North Hollywood facility renamed: Nudie’s Rodeo Tailors. (According to an article on Nudie Cohn in Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, Porter Wagoner, stated in 2006 that since receiving his first outfit in 1962 from Cohn for free; he had accumulated 52 Nudie Suits each costing between $11,000 and $18,000.) Many of the custom designed Nudie Suits that the Cohns did for entertainers and other famous personalities became signature looks for their owners. Some examples of this are: Elvis Presley’s $10,000 gold lamé suit featured on the cover of his, 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong album; Hank Williams’ white cowboy suit with musical notations on the sleeves; and Gram Parsons’ suit for the album cover for, The Gilded Palace of Sin. (That suit featured pills, poppies, marijuana leaves, naked women, and a huge cross.) Cohn also designed the costume worn by Robert Redford in the 1979 film, Electric Horseman. By the 1960s, Nudie Suits had become an established part of the country music scene. If a star was performing at the Grand Ole Opry, odds were that she or he would be performing while wearing a Nudie Suit. These flashy suits weren’t just popular among country stars. Many of the film costumes
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May 2020
Keeping The Grass Blue In Carolina
By Greg Tutwiler
album. The regional radio station here started playing some tracks from it, and my phone started ringing with requests to book the band. We didn’t even have a band as we were still working for Roy.”
This summer marks 13 years since the band Carolina Blue first got its start. That’s when friends Bobby Powell and Tim Jones, together with the help from their friend Woddy Platt (Steep Canyon Rangers) went in to the studio to record their first record, Nothing So Blue. “I went by Woody’s house to pitch him some songs,” Bobby remembers. “He and I both had been working in a band for a guy named Roy Chapman. Roy had all these great songs that he’d written. Roy had recently been diagnosed with cancer, and had a lot of medical bills stacking up. Roy sent me to Woody to see if he’d be interested in cutting any of his songs. That turned into me singing for him some stuff that’d I’d written as well.” Woody liked the music but it wasn’t really the style he was playing at the time, so he encouraged Bobby to record them instead.
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Meeting The Demand
“I’d never made a bluegrass record before,” Bobby recalled. “So I got Tim involved. We cut the record and Woddy produced it for us. I think most all of the Rangers played on it at one point
or another. Roy even played on it with is. Woody pulled some songs from outside, and we also had several originals that Tim and I had written, along with a couple of Roy’s originals. It was a good
So Bobby pulled a band together to play these dates on the side while he was still playing for Roy. When his health began to cause him to slow down, Bobby and Tim started booking more dates as Carolina Blue, adding Reese Combs on bass. “It just grew from there. We spent the first seven or eight years just playing fairly local,” Bobby said. In 2011 they booked in at Reno Fest on a whim. “We’d never been to any kind of large festival, but we ended up winning the South Carolina state band championship, which was really a surprise.” “We still just kept doing regional stuff around our home for a few
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years, until around 2016 we decided we were going into the studio to cut another album.” It was still mostly private functions and small venues, like restaurants and social clubs. In 2015 they all sat down to evaluate where the band was headed. All in their 30s at that point, they wondered if they cut another record, how far could they go. “So Tim and I pulled together all the songs we’d written over the past few years. Everything was original on the album. When we got done with it, I pitched it to Rebel Records, but there wasn’t any real interest. But their one suggestion was that we needed to have a recognizable
song on it. So we went back to the studio and added Bill Monroe’s “Rocky Road Blues.” This time Bobby contacted friend, Tim Surrett (Balsam Range) to add some liner notes to the project for them. Tim was so enthusiastic about the project that he sent copies to Norman Adams (promoter) and Kyle Cantrell (XM’s Bluegrass Junction). “A week later I got an email from Kyle saying he liked the record and that he’d be adding our version of “Rock Road Blues” to the rotation. That was the first real air play we’d ever had. Another cut they played that Tim had written, “Detroit City” ended up in the top 10 on the charts that year. That exposure was crucial to the initial success of our band. People were starting to know who we were,” Bobby said.
Full Steam Ahead Their next record, Songs Of Kentucky Grass, saw increased success on the airplay charts as well as the festival circuit. With a
solid traditional bluegrass sound, their roots grounded in Carolina culture, and their solid faith in God, Carolina Blue has become what Bobby laughingly calls a “12 year overnight success.” This humble band from Brevard, North Carolina went from playing local BBQ joints in their hometown to playing venues and festivals country wide; “things we only dreamed about,” Bobby said. In 2019, they performed 120 shows all over the country following their top five hit record, I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me, and the chart success of the number one single, “Rusty Rails.” Three additional songs from that record also charted well. So well that the IBMA nominated them for three awards this past fall; New Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Instrumental Recording of the Year for “Fried Taters & Onions,” penned by the band’s banjoist, James McDowell. The band’s newest member, Aynsley Porchak (fiddle) was also the recipient of the 2018 IBMA Momentum Instrumentalist Award. Bobby says the band’s not a partying band, which helps them stay grounded from the hectic lifestyle that comes with a traveling band. “Most of us still have some sort of work at home when we’re not out playing,” he said. “We’re all conservative Christians, and we reflect that as a band, too.”
Image Matters The band also pays close attention to their image on stage. Porchak’s often changing headwear is a throwback to her interest in 1940s and 50s era clothing. So the male members of the band have continued on page 13
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May 2020
Thanks to our partnership with ReverbNation (www.reverbnation.com) we are honored to give you a peak at a few of the nation’s hardest working indie artists. Each month we select one entry to showcase for you here. Enjoy! THIS MONTH’S FEATURE:
By Greg Tutwiler
Camille Rae
FEATURE ARTISTS In 2015 Camille Rae released her debut album, I Need Me, with her single, “Shadows Dance Tonight,” charting to No. 55 on Nashville’s Music Row Chart. Her 2017 release, Come Fine Me, landed the single, “I Need Me,” at the number 26 position. This Mount Vernon, Kentucky born singer/songwriter began performing as a young girl in church. By the age of 12, Camille was crafting her own songs while strumming a sixstring. In high school, she was part of the Kentucky All-State choir. As a Music Education major, she earned her degree at University of the Cumberlands. Before settling in Nashville, Camille spent three years in Vancouver, BC, Canada where she began immersing herself in performing live and honing her songwriting craft. She returned to the states in 2012 to fully pursue a solo career as a country music artist. “I started singing with my Aunt Diane in church at the age of four,” Camille recalled. “I continued to sing throughout my childhood and eventually joined the choir.” After college, she actually returned home to teach high school choir and drama for three years. “I quit teaching to
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pursue my performance career in Canada before I moved to Nashville.” Camille got married to a Canadian and moved with him so he could pursue his Masters Degree. “I was actually into musical theatre at the time, so I spent the first two years performing in musicals and plays in Victoria, BC, then my third year, I spent getting into the singer-songwriter scene in Vancouver, BC,” she said.
Oh, Canada It was through those formative years that Camille began to develop the formula for her sound. “I would describe it is as country-soul,” she said. “I have always loved singing country and writing country songs, but have also loved singing gospel and R&B songs too, as they feature vocal versatility. So, I decided to combine those two things in my music and have found the perfect combination for me”
As a fulltime musician and songwriter, she says most of the time she writes by herself. “Most of the time when I write songs, I write them from start to finish, but sometimes I get a chorus or verse in my head and build around it.”
Pursuing Legendary Camille says she’s always wanted to be legendary. “I want to be famous, not for the money or luxury, but to have influence to change things and help people on a big scale.” Three of her songs have landed on radio, and one video on CMT was seen all over the world. “I’m not sure I’ve had my crowning moment yet though,” she conceded. “I’m very proud of my accomplishments, but I feel most of them were decided for me by others. I’m waiting for the moment that I can be fully proud of and more in control of, if that makes sense.”
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Camille’s most recent EP, This Time, is her new Americana/ country/blues project. “It has a very bluesy/funky sound that displays a lot of vocal versatility and lyrical complexity. This is the first project that I have recorded that I feel really represents me as an artist. I’m so very proud to get it out to bigger audiences. It is also a blast to play live with the full band,” she said. Although the world is in a kind of a mess right now, Camille says as soon as things get back to normal, she plans to hit the road again full force. “When things are back to normal, I plan to be on the road every weekend either solo, duo, or full band for the rest of the year. I’m very much looking forward to getting back on the road.”
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May 2020
Carolina Blue continued from page 11 audience. And we do. They really helped put us where we are.” In January of this year, SPBGMA honored Carolina Blue with eight nominations that culminated into five prestigious awards – Entertainers of the Year; Bluegrass Band of the Year (Overall); - Vocal Group of the Year; and Album of the Year for I Hear Bluegrass Calling Me. adopted the period style of dress with suits, ties and matching hats. “We try to dress nicely for our audiences,” Bobby said. “Tim and I had two mentors in North Carolina – Roy Chapman and Joe Byers. They taught us to try to dress better than the folks who are paying money to see us play. They told us to respect our
With a new record one the way and a new single already making the rounds, and a solid following for the band, Carolina Blue just might have the kind of wind in their sails that it takes to make this a next level band. They sure have all the ingredients that make that possible from our perspective
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May 2020
Listen to the expanded interviews at www.spreaker.com/show/ americana-music-profiles, or search Americana Music Profiles in iTunes!
Brandon Allen Although Brandon Allen, songwriter and lead vocalist for the Boxcar Junkies, hails from Indiana, his nomadic mind set has led him in many directions throughout his career, influencing not just his songwriting, but his view of life as a whole. He had extreme hearing loss as a child – not exactly someone you’d think would end up with a career as a singer/songwriter. But the chance to play drums and bass in his family’s band set the foundation. After receiving his first acoustic guitar at the age of 12, Brandon immediately gravitated to writing songs, and quickly found his voice and passion in life. That passion eventually led him to win Best Rock Vocalist at the Los Angeles Music Awards as well as Songwriter of the Year, Breakout Artist of the Year at the American Christian Music Awards, and Song of the Year at the Paramount Music Awards. He then signed a label deal with EMI, creating quite a buzz as an independent musician. The path with its bumps and bruises along the way took its toll though, and wore Brandon out. “A lot of people don’t realize how easy it is for circumstances to overwhelm you,” Brandon said. “Going from where I was, having what I felt was a degree of success, to nothing again, really put a perspective on my life of just how fragile our infrastructure can be.” Eventually he found himself again along with a renewed focus. He’s now dedicated his life and his art to being someone who tells the stories of the forgotten people he met along the way. “I wanted to do something with music this time that really mattered,” he said. “It’s a great tool and a platform to talk about things that people are dealing with everyday that you might not think about.” He and his band, The Boxcar Junkies, just released a new EP produced by Derek Hames. “My hope is that I become invisible and that people focus on the message.”
As long as there are groups pressing the boundaries of bluegrass music, the genre will continue to evolve. Groups like Fireside Collective bring their own interpretation to the mix with their unique blend, which is part bluegrass, part roots rock, and a good dose of funk-influenced danceable rhythms.
“I knew something important had happened here that was important to me. As I began to discover the music of artists like Mississippi John Hurt, Woody Guthrie, and The New Lost City Ramblers, I knew all those people had been where I was, but they weren’t here now. So I started to look for it. I tried to find some of the older musicians that were still in the area, and I gathered all the records that I could and started educating myself about the music. That really became the focus of my life over the last number of years,” he said.
This Ashville, North Carolina ensemble doesn’t mind blurring the lines while still holding true to their Carolina style b l u e g r a s s underpinnings. Their latest release, Elements, brings front and center, their tight harmonies and original material, along with their infectious energy moving their audiences to a since of instant familiarly and the desire to get up dance.
Eli believes we are in a new wave of Folk Music revival in the US. “That’s what I’ve tried to be a part of and make happen again in New York City,” he said. Eli says he tried to further his vision of this revival when he created the Brooklyn Folk Festival in 2008. “I was surprised there wasn’t already a festival here because there was so much talent already in that area. So, we create one.” Each year the festival is presented by the Jalopy Theatre & School of Music, which features a music venue, music school, instrument store, and a record label that releases festival recordings. The three day festival brings together thousands of music fans and hundreds of musicians to the historic St. Ann’s Church near Brooklyn Heights. More than 30 musical acts as well as film screenings, work shops, a square dance, jam sessions, and their famous “banjo tossing” contest, make up the much anticipated annual event. [The 2020 festival is rescheduled for November 6th - 8th. Some of the scheduled performers include The Cactus Blossoms, Che Appalache, The Legendary Ingramettes, Jerron “Blindboy” Paxton, and Nora Brown
To find out more, visit. www.boxcarjunkies.com
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Fireside Collective
Brooklyn Folk Festival
For Eli Smith, growing up in downtown Manhattan and Greenwich Village, the allure of Folk Music’s distant past was enough to inspire him to create The Brooklyn Folk Festival 12 years ago. “Of course many know in the 50s and 60s this area was big for folk music, but when I grew up here in the 90s there wasn’t much going on,” Eli said.
To find out more, visit www.brooklynfolkfest.com Check out
The band, formed by Tommy Maher (resonator guitar), and Jesse Iaquinto (mandolin), is celebrating its sixth year anniversary this year. The two met while in college at East Carolina University. Jesse said they were “just two buddies who bonded over roots music and jam bands.” They moved together to the mountains of North Carolina (Ashville) in 2009 and began recording music together. “We actually went our separate ways for a few years,” Jesse recalled. “I was traveling with another bluegrass band and really having a good time on the road. I called Tommy one day and said, ‘we’ve got to find a way to do this together.” Jesse, soon after, recorded a solo project called Shadows and Dreams that featured a bunch of his Ashville music friends. To release the record, he put together what became the beginnings of what would become Fireside Collective. Part of the appeal for many of the bands fans is the rhythm of their music, which Tommy says is influenced by their earlier days in Ashville. “We spent most of our early days there going out to the funk jams,” he laughed. “While we’re a bluegrass band, a lot of our music is influenced by the musical diversity you find on a nightly basis in Ashville.” To find out more, visit www.firesidecollectiveband.com
on iTunes www.AmericanaRhythm.com
May 2020
Recovery continued from page 4 hardwoods such as black locust and red spruce. The quality instruments produced by Troublesome Creek luthiers are warmly received and successfully marketed and sold.
Darren Nicholson Growing up in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Darren Nicholson grew up with music as a staple of life. “They taught music in the schools as a regular part of the curriculum,” he recalled. “Music and dance was just part of the culture here. Just about everybody in my family played bluegrass and country music; and this was long before it was referred to as Americana. It was all under the country umbrella.” “We would have music at our house on Friday and Saturday nights, and it was nothing to have 30 people there. There weren’t any labels, it was just country people getting together playing music and entertaining ourselves.” Darren started playing music for money in his early teens with different bands in the area where he grew up – weddings, parties, and barbeques were the normal fair. In 2004, at 19, he went to work for Alecia Nugent. “I was playing the Grand Ole Opry at 19, and I’ve never looked back,” he quipped. In 2006, Darren and singer Buddy Melton were each working on solo projects. A few other area musicians, Tim Surrett and Mark Pruitt, both helped with those projects – Those four guys would become the nucleus of what would become known as Balsam Range – one of the premier bluegrass acts on the road today. Balsam Range has gone on to receive 11 IBMA awards including Entertainers of the Year twice.
Sammy Shelor and The Lonessome River Band The Lonesome River Band is one of the bluegrass industry’s long standing pillars. Formed in early 1982, and heading into it’s 38th year as a band, it has seen its share of personal changes over the years, but the bands unmistakable, distinctive sound remains true to form. “It’s been through a lot of changes over the years,” said Sammy Shelor, band leader and banjo player for the band. “But it’s settled into a really good personnal format now. I’ve had the same band for five years – and two of the members have been with us almost 20 years.” Sammy joined the band in 1990 at a pivotal point in its definitive years. “The band had released three or four albums by the time I joined,” Sammy commented. About the same time Sammy joined, so did noted bluegrass musicians, Dan Tyminski and Ronnie Bowman. “In 1990, we went in to record an album that was the most traditional sounding album that we were capable of doing,” Sammy noted. “That was our goal, and in doing that, we ended up hitting on a sound that nobody had ever really done before. It caught hold, and that’s what’s kept me out here doing this for the last 30 years.”
When not in the studio or on the road with the Range, Darren fronts his side project, the Darren Nicholson Band, that has created three full length CD projects. His 2019 release, Fret A Spell, grabbed quite a bit of attention on XM Radio’s Bluegrass Junction. And the track “Any Highway,” from his forthcoming EP, is already gaining radio attention.
The band has earned numerous nominations and awards through the years including a 2012 International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Award for Instrumental Recorded Event of the Year for their song “Angeline the Baker” from their Chronology Volume One album. Sammy received his fifth win as the IBMA Banjo Performer of the Year in 2012. The group has also received other awards from IBMA including Album of the Year, along with numerous SPBGMA awards, including Bluegrass Band of Year. In 2011 Sammy won the Annual Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass.
At 36, Darren is the youngest member of Balsam Range, and knows there will be a day when his musical career will likely take a different path. “Regardless, I plan to play music the rest of my life,” he said.
The Lonesome River Band plans to release two new albums this year – One, a gospel album, which is a tribute to a band called the Easter Brothers – The other will be a new collection of bluegrass songs.
To find out more, visit www.darrennicholson.net
In February 2019, a federal agency, the Appalachian Regional Commission, announced a $12 million investment for addiction recovery and workforce development in Kentucky’s Appalachian counties. This investment included more than $867,000 for Troublesome Creek stringed instruments company. Plus, The Eastern Kentucky Concentrated Employment program is providing financial assistance for training and school tuition at the Luthiery school. Troublesome Creek is also partnering with both the Hickory Hills Recovery Center and the Knott County Drug Court to engage with people who are recovering from addiction and are interested in Luthiery. It is important to note that this effort is taking place in an area of Appalachia that contains some of the poorest counties in the United States. Doug Naselroad’s goal is to provide high-paying and highly skilled jobs to his neighbors who need them the most. Ron Pen, University of Kentucky, John Jacob Niles Center for American Music, is quoted as saying, “Master luthier Doug Naselroad has created a flourishing craft studio that has created innovative guitars and ukuleles as well as faithful reproductions of historical dulcimers. But this is far more than a studio. It is also a wonderful school that nurtures apprentices in life skills as well as the technical skills necessary to create beautiful instruments that will sing beautifully for generations.” In 2016, the National Endowment for the Arts recognized Appalachian School of Luthiery with an ArtWorks Grant. Also in 2016, the school’s Hindman Dulcimer Project also won the Governor’s Award in the Arts for folk heritage. Also that year, Doug won the Homer Ledford award for excellence in Luthiery given annually by Western Kentucky University. Bootstrapping one’s self is always a laudable effort; however, setting out to bootstrap members of one’s community who need a second chance at life by using skills-training and then creating jobs that use those skills is a Herculean effort. This latter effort is Mr. Naselroad’s legacy. Should a road trip through Appalachia be in your summer plans, consider including a sidetrip to Hindman, Kentucky and pay a visit to the Appalachian Artisan Center. If you have time, you might even indulge yourself a short training session at the Appalachian School of Luthiery.
To find out more, visit www.lonesomeriverband.com
To learn more about the recovery effort in Hindman, refer to the WEB sites: https:// www.appalachianluthiery.org/ and https:// artisancenter.net/
www.AmericanaRhythm.com
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May 2020
By Wayne Erbsen
Your Burning Questions Answered Since I started teaching music over 50 years ago, I’ve claimed that I could teach almost anyone to play bluegrass or clawhammer banjo, mandolin, fiddle, or guitar. Of course, my claim has drawn many students to me who have all but given up on being able to play their favorite instrument. But I’ve relished the challenge of working with these kinds of folks precisely because many of them have stared defeat in the face and have had the guts to persevere. From these students I‘ve been asked all kinds of intriguing questions, including, “Are my arms too short to play the banjo,” “How do I tap my foot?, and “Are my fingers too fat to play the banjo? These are the kinds of questions I answer in my recent book, Clawhammer Banjo – Tunes, Tips & Jamming. Perhaps you have wondered about some of these burning questions too.
yourself in the closet, since the very definition of jamming is playing with other people. I think the key is getting certain skills under your belt, such as timing and chords. After that, it’s a matter of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and finding a few sympathetic people to jam with. A good jam partner will accept your foibles if you accept theirs.
“How do I know when I’m ready to join a bluegrass or old-time jam?” Keep in mind that there are jams of all levels, from slow jams to professional. Before jumping into a jam, make sure your level of playing is about equal to that of the other jammers. It’s no fun for anybody in a jam to have widely divergent skill levels. As you stand on the sidelines itching to join the jam, remember that playing with other people requires that you have a fairly tight grip on several vital skills. First, you should be able to change to the right chord at the appropriate time, at least most of the time. Next, and most important, you need to be able to play with good timing. That means you have to be constantly on alert to keep from speeding up or slowing down.
“How can I find local jams?” Before the internet, finding a jam often meant visiting the nearest music store and pinning a note to the bulletin board saying that you’re looking for a jam. In fact, many music stores commonly host weekly old-time jams. Nowadays, the internet can help you locate regional or statewide old-time associations which can point you to an open jam nearest you. Other valuable resources include online groups such as Banjo Hangout and https://oldtime-central.com/jams/.
“Should I use a metronome when I practice?” Some people find it very useful to use a metronome to help them keep steady time. In order to jam, you absolutely need to keep a constant tempo. A metronome can help. Remember that the main difference between noise and music is that music must have rhythm. If you’re having trouble playing fast enough, a metronome might help grease the wheels. Gradually increase the speed of the metronome until you can make a lightning bolt look like it’s backing up. “How can I get good at jamming if I’m not yet good enough to jam?” Good question! It’s definitely challenging to practice jamming by
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“I live so far back in the woods that there’s no one to jam with.” This is a problem shared by pickers everywhere, even city slickers. It’s often hard to find pickers with just the right combination of talent (or lack thereof), compatibility and availability. If you can’t find a guitar player, for example, I suggest you learn a few guitar chords and be prepared to train a friend or spouse to play with you. Presto! You’re jamming.
“How can I kick my addiction to reading tab?” After you take the first puff, they say it’s really hard to quit. Seriously, if you become “paper trained,” it’s very difficult to wean yourself off of reading tab. My best advice is to get the melodies of the songs you want to play firmly planted in your head, so you can sing or hum them. Once you have the melody of a song in your head, use scales to help you find those melody notes on your banjo. After you figure out where to find the melody notes of a tune, you just need to add your clawhammer lick. Finally, if you spend more time trying to play by ear than you do reading tab, you’ll surely whip your addiction to that wicked stuff. “What is a ‘jambuster,’ and how can I keep from being one?” A jambuster is a person or a song that’s so inappropriate that it makes people want to pack up their marbles and go home. If you carefully observe an oldtime jam before you jump into it, you’ll
May 2020
be aware of the kinds of tunes the group is used to playing and you’ll be accepted like you were bringing in a homemade apple pie, hot out of the oven! “How do I keep from deadening the strings with my fat fingers? Your fingers are NOT too fat to fret the strings cleanly! Using proper lefthand technique is the key to playing clear, crisp notes. Be sure to use only the tips of your fingers. Bend your wrist slightly so that your fingers are not leaning over and touching the next string. Keeping your nails short also helps. Is it wrong to use a bluegrass banjo in an old-time jam? Heavens no! If anyone scowls at you for playing a resonator banjo, tell them that many of the greatest old-time banjo players favored banjos with a resonator. If they need further convincing, rattle off such names as Charlie Poole, Obray Ramsey, Bascom Lamar Lunsford, Clyde Davenport, Dock Boggs, Wade Ward and Clarence Ashley. That will fix them. The main difference between a bluegrass and an open-back banjo is that the bluegrass models have a resonator, and the open-backs do not. The only problem I can see with playing a bluegrass banjo is that the resonators make the banjo louder and heavier. You really don’t need either of those qualities, so in the long run, an open-back banjo is probably your best bet. However, I wouldn’t necessarily rush out today in your stocking feet to get rid of your bluegrass banjo and replace it with an open-back. Keep in mind that it’s pretty easy to remove the resonator, so you may just want to try that option before you spring for a new banjo. “I’ve always wanted to learn to play bluegrass banjo. Should I feel guilty about this and seek therapy? Your urges are entirely natural. In fact, many old-time banjo players harbor the secret desire to sound like Earl Scruggs, but are afraid to admit it. If you’ve got time to practice both styles, by all means, go for it. “If there’s already a banjo in a jam, can I join in too?” That depends. The ideal old-time jam generally consists of one fiddle, one clawhammer banjo, one guitar and one bass. Recently, mandolins, ukuleles and banjo ukes have been welcomed into many old-time jams. If you approach a jam, and there’s already one clawhammer banjo player, personally, I would sit out.
However, if there are already two or more banjo players, you’re probably safe in playing along too. A lot has to do with the attitudes of the advanced players. If they’re real sticklers, then I would move on to another session. However, if they seem to have a relaxed attitude, it might be worth asking, “Can you put up with another banjo player in this jam?” “If someone is singing an old-time song, is it OK to play the melody right along with them while they’re singing? Although the practice of playing the melody when someone is singing is strictly forbidden in bluegrass music, it seems to be an approved practice in old-time music. However, when someone is singing, you should lower your volume so the vocal can be heard, and then bring it back up for the instrumental part of the song. “What old-time banjo players should I listen to?” Here’s a partial list: Uncle Dave Macon, Stringbean, Lee Sexton, Roscoe Holcomb, Clarence Ashley, Ralph Stanley, Wade Ward, Fred Cockerham, Kyle Creed, Hobart Smith, Tommy Jarrell, Grandpa Jones, Oscar Jenkins, Matokie Slaughter, Gaither Carlton, Sidna Myers, Mike Seeger, Trish Fore, Cathy Fink, Chris Coole, Victor Fertado, Richie Stearns, Seth Swingle, Frank Lee, Jason Romero, Steve Arkin, Emily Spencer, Brad Leftwich, David Holt, John Cohen, Kevin Fore, Tina Steffey, Dirk Powell, Joe Newberry, Bob Flesher, Riley Baugus, Rick Good, Bertram Levy, Adam Hurt, Nancy Sluys, Dan Gellert, Dan Levenson, John Hermann, Mac Benford, Clarke Buehling, Leroy Troy, Mary Z. Cox, David Winston, Paul Brown, Kirk Sutphin, Sheila Kay Adams, Bob Carlin, Ken Perlman, Laura Boosinger, Ben Townsend, Reed Martin, Bruce Molsky, Walt Koken and maybe even Wayne Erbsen
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Wayne Erbsen is a music historian, musician, author, educator and radio host. His instruction and songbooks for clawhammer and bluegrass banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and ukulele can be found at
www.nativeground.com.
www.AmericanaRhythm.com
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May 2020
Music From The National Scene
Music From Your Neighbors
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elcome to the Spring edition of SPINS! What a different season this one is shaping up to be! We’ll all be back out there soon though. In the mean time, we’ve done our best to grab a few CDs out of the mail bag that we think you might enjoy. If you do, please tell ‘em we sent you. And, support your favorite musician so they can keep making the music! Got one you want us to consider? send it to: Uncle Woody The Spin Doctor PO Box 45 Bridgewater, VA 22812
Marcus King
Tribulation
The Legendary Ingramettes
The Barefoot Movememnt
www.theappalachianroadshow.com
Take A Look In The Book
Rise And Fly
www.marcuskingband.com
With two 2019 IBMA nominations in their first year as a band, this cast of award winning musicians take their talents to a whole new level in this Appalachian music themed ensemble. Come sit a spell and enjoy the music
www.virginiafolklife.org
www.thebarefootmovementofficial.com
This all female, African-American, gospel quintet has been singing vintage style harmony gospel for six decades. What a story they have too. This latest iteration shows they still have more soul to give
This IBMA winning band traces its roots to the teen years of friends (singer) Noah Wall, and (mandolist) Tommy Norris. Their musical chemistry is the driving force behind this energy driven grass band.
It’s hard to believe the musical licks and the vocal chops that come out of this 24 year old Blues phenom. Fourth generation musician Marcus King’s debut CD, El Dorado, is smokin’ hot. Keep your eyes on this kid! wow
Appalachian Road Show
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El Dorado
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The Fly Birds
Aaron Bibelhauser
Bradley & Adair
The Band Is Causing Problems https://www.facebook.com/ thoseflybirds/
Lovin’ and Leavin’: A Bluegrass Tribute to Mickey Clark
www.pinecastlemusic.com
Vocal harmony has an appeal all of its own - and the Winchester, VA based, The Fly Birds, are no exception. This trio has their own style of original folk music, charming stage presence, and catchy song writing
www.wilsonpickins.agency
Kentucky songwriting giant, Mickey Clark, left behind a legacy of songs. His friend Aaron Bibelhauser pays tribute here, along with folks like Sam Bush, Balsam Range,
Albert Cummings
Jason Lee McKinney Pieces
The King James Boys Living On A Promise
Trout Steak Revival
www.drewfish.com
Believe www.albertcummings.com
www.jasonleemckinneyband.com
www.morning-glory-music.com
www.troutsteakrevival.com
Country singer Drew Fish knotches it up with his third release, Wishful Drinkin’. If you miss that honky-tonk flavor in your country music, the Drew Fish Band will scratch that itch. This Texas musician will make you wanna get up and dance
If classic blues is your thing, you’ll want to check out the latest release from 20 year veteran blues guitarist Albert Cummings. The new project festures orginal cuts, as wells a classics like Sam and Dave’s “Hold On.” It’s a good clean does of uptown blues
Bonfire Records recording artist Jason Lee McKinney’s latest CD, Pieces, captures the pure spirit of Americana. It’s a little bit country, a little bit blusey, and a little bit folk all tied together in a neat 70s summer vibe. If you’re into that, you’ll dig this.
The King James Boys have been making classic faith driven bluegrass since their formation in 1994. Their rich gospel harmonies blended with modern bluegrass sounds make anything from these guys well worth the listen. This is no exception
The Light We Bring is the fifth CD from this Colorado based string band. What started as a group of friends exploring mountain bluegrass, has turned into a free-form exploration of indie, folk, and roots music that even features several wind instruments
Circa Blue Footprints In A Song www.circa-blue.com
Formed in 2012, Circa Blue is the passion project of guitarist/singer Steve Harris. Although the supporting cast seems to change often, their music is always strong. Boasting their own anual festival, Circa Blue never disappoints their fans
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Drew Fish Band Wishful Drinkin’
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andShawnCamp
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Michael Johnathon
Oh’Darlin’ Five time IBMA Female Vocalist of the Year Dale Ann Bradley connects with Sister Sadie (2019 IBMA group of the Year) band mate Tina Adair on this collection of bluegrass, featuring several classic penned songs like Hank Williams Sr.’s The Long Train”
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You can send new Americana CD releases for consideration to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812
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Legacy www.michaeljohnathon.com Heralded as “the American Pie of the 21st century,” “Legacy” is the title cut from a new 10 track project by Michael Johnathon - producer of the folk/string music variety show; Woodsongs. The CD is a creative journey of original and classic tracks
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The Light We Bring
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May 2020
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