Americana Rhythm Music Magazine #66 by Americana Rhythm Music Magazine

January 2017

“Let life be like music.” ~ Langston Hughes ~ By the time you read this, you will likely have enjoyed a delicious thanksgiving meal. Yep, it’s that time of the year again—we turn our attention to thanksgiving, holiday celebrations, and looking towards a new year filled with new beginnings. In this year of changes and transitions, let’s all remember that we speak a common language; music. Through the centuries it has brought human-kind together. Langston Hughes said, “Let life be like music.” I couldn’t agree more. The melodies of life; the sounds, the rhythms; they have no agendas or boundaries. We can all gather around the same sounds and share the same spaces. Musicians are ambassadors and their music bring messages of hope for tomorrow. I urge you to listen for the melodies of life that call us together rather than the chaos of life that tries to divide. This season, celebrate; give thanks; and reach across boundaries with love and peace. We look forward with you to 2017. Keep up with us on our face book page and on our new magazine site, www.AmericanaMusicMagazine.com. See you out there! Questions, comments, suggestions: greg@americanarhythm.com PUBLISHER

Americana Rhythm is published six times a year. All corresponCONTRIBUTORS dence should be sent to PO Box 45, Bridgewater VA, 22812 or Ed Tutwiler email to greg@americanarhythm.com. Copies of Americana Wayne Erbsen Rhythm are made available free at various pick up locations within Donna Ulisse the publication’s region. Subscriptions are available inside the United Don and Martha DePoy States (only) for $16 US currency made payable by check or money Andrew McKnight order sent to, Subscriptions at PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812. Mark Whetzel Foreig n su bscrip tion req u ests shou l d b e sen t to Scott Perry greg@americanarhythm.com. Copyright 2016. All rights reserved. DISTRIBUTION Reproduction of any content, artwork or photographs is strictly Ed Tutwiler prohibited without permission of the publisher or original owner. All Zebra Media advertising material subject to approval. Associated Dist. PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Greg E. Tutwiler Associate Editor Ed Tutwiler MARKETING & PROMOTION Mark Barreres (GrassRootsNetworking.com) ADVERTISING Letters, Comments, Suggestions Business office 540-433-0360 greg@americanarhythm.com advertising@americanarhythm.com www.americanarhythm.com

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January 2017

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January 2017

I Hear Banjos All God’s creations have voice. The mountain speaks in silent grander, the flower in radiant beauty, and folks sing and shout. Stringed musical instruments have voice as well. The fiddle cries, the mandolin rings, and the guitar hums with soul. But the banjo, oh the banjo—he is so filled with joy he can’t help but laugh. His happy nature always prevails, and he must laugh out loud for us all to hear. Recently, while attending the IBMA conference in Raleigh, NC, I had the good fortune to speak with some folks from the American Banjo Museum and learn a bit about their organization. Let me tell you what I learned. The American Banjo Museum is a $5 million, 21,000 square foot facility located in Oklahoma City, OK. It houses a collection that contains over 400 instruments, recordings, film, video, printed music, instructional materials, and other artifacts associated with the banjo. Reportedly, this museum is home to the largest publicly displayed collection of banjos in the world.

Every Kind Of Banjo

While the core collection consists of ornately decorated banjos made in the US during the Jazz Age of the 1920s and 30s, the collection also houses a broad selection of banjo types that include replicas of primitive banjos developed by African slaves; instruments from the mid19th century that were used during the popularity of the minstrel performances; some classic instruments from the late 1800s; and newer instruments that were used by performers in bluegrass, folk and world music.

with the jazz age of the 1920s and early 30s and that version of the banjo was the one the museum founders originally focused upon.) Mr. Canine was a banjo player who believed that preserving and promoting the history of the banjo for future generations was important.

Exploring The Roots

It did not take long for the founders to realize that the banjo had been evolving for over 400 years in the US alone and that it had taken on many different forms and styles over that period of time. Thus, the museum needed to evolve into an organization committed to tell the entire banjo story—from its roots with enslaved African people to its most recent association with bluegrass and international folk music. Therefore, in 2009, the museum moved to Oklahoma City and developed a mission statement that reflected this new view. To that end, the museum curators have organized the 400 or so banjos and associated artifacts into the following categories: The Minstrel Era shows that by the 1840s banjo design shifted away from handmade folk instruments to the modern style we know today. The Classical Era illustrates that by the 1880s, the banjo became a legitimate classical instrument. The Jazz Age explains that during the 1920s and 30s, the design, style, and manu-

By Edward Tutwiler

facture of the banjo reached its highest level. Jazz age banjos are considered the best designed and produced banjos. Bluegrass and Beyond tells that after 1946, banjo popularity was driven primarily through its association with bluegrass music and the three-finger playing style that changed the musical sound of the banjo. Finally, the Folk Explosion shows that socially conscious urban musicians created a new voice for the banjo as part of the resurgence in the popularity of traditional folk music. This collection that the museum has amassed is a must see for banjo players of any genre of music; however, that is only one part of the story. I recently spoke with Mr. Johnny Baier, executive director of

The museum originated as a nonprofit organization formed in 1998 in Guthrie, Oklahoma by Oklahoma attorney, Brady Hunt and Indiana industrialist, Jack Canine. They called their original creation, The National Four-String Banjo Hall of Fame Museum. . (The four-string banjo was the predominate stringed instrument associated

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the American Banjo Museum, about a research project that the museum folks have just launched, and this is an important project that you, dear readers, can help with.

Banjo Directory

The American Banjo Museum has just launched a new research project called TheBanjo Players Directory. This project encompasses both an interactive museum exhibit as well as an online research tool. The Banjo Players Directory is a project aimed at identifying and cataloging as many banjo players as possible—both past and present and of all skill levels and playing styles. It is very important to realize the museum staff wants all banjo players to be remembered in this directory not just the famous. Mr. Baier recently was quoted as saying, “You don’t have to be Earl Scruggs or Béla Fleck to be listed in the directory. Any banjo player at any skill level should be part of the

January 2017

directory. We want everyone listed from the big names to the unsung individuals across this country and around the world who keep the banjo alive through performances everywhere from clubs and churches to the front porch.” Mr. Baier told me, “The Banjo Players Directory is truly a ground up, starting project for us. We’ve just rolled it out. We’ve been collecting data for the project since day one of the museum but as to a place to store this data, that concept was recently created by one of our board members, Paul Poirier. Paul is a banjo player as was his father-in-law, and it was Paul’s idea that the museum create some type of identity file that would recognize banjo players of all skill levels and styles. Paul’s idea was specifically aimed at remembering people like his father-in-law to insure folks like him were not lost in the shuffle of the major names and pioneers of the different banjo styles. We want the directory to be for all banjo players.” It is important for you to understand that the name of any person

who plays a banjo can be listed in this directory, and those people or their fans can make the submission for inclusion. That player can

banjo players as possible. Mr. Baier explained it this way, “The term Self Populate is the term that we use. Even if you are not a banjo

name, location, playing style, and playing era.” If you want to see a more robust remembrance included in the directory whether that is due to fame or vanity, that level of information is tied to a fund-raising element of the project. For different levels of donations to the museum support, people are permitted to include photographs, extended biographies, and even links to You Tube® video performances that someone may have placed on line.

Ever Expanding

be you, a banjo band, or another player you may know or want remembered. You or your submission need not be famous—just be a banjo player. Do not think that submission is a nomination process. It is not an award or an honor to be earned or voted upon but rather a way of maintaining a legacy and identifying as many

player but you know banjo players who are not currently listed in the directory, you can send us their names, the type of banjo they play, where they come from, and the life span of the players and we will include that information in the directory at no cost. That level of the project fulfills our mission of indentifying as many banjo players as possible and preserving:

I asked if the directory is growing, and Mr. Baier told me that it is becoming a regular part of his staff’s workload to be adding names to this directory. He said that it has grown a great deal just in the last few months. Some of this growth is coming from existing information that the museum has amassed in its archives. They have different banjo related publications in their collection that cover over 100 years of banjo history, and they review these documents for names of players that they include in the directory. Baier said, “Quite honestly, continued

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January 2017

Medlin. Greasy, whose real name was Julian Leonard Medlin, had performed blackface comedy in medicine and tent shows as well as vaudeville. Also on the program that day were the Jones Brothers & the Log Cabin Boys out of Charlotte, North Carolina.

By Wayne Erbsen

The Lost Snuffy Jenkins Tapes © 2016 Starting in the early 1970s, almost every weekend in the summer I could be found going to an old-time fiddler’s convention or a bluegrass festival. Traveling from festival to festival in my 1964 Volvo sedan, I was rarely seen without a fiddle under one arm and a cassette tape recorder under the other. As the years rolled by, my collection of cassettes grew to be enormous. About a year ago I donated my trove of cassettes to The Southern Folklore Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This is a major repository of folk material, and I knew my tapes would not only be safe and secure there, but they would eventually be digitized and made available to the general public. Recently, while rummaging though a storage closet at my home, I discovered yet another box with about one hundred worn and battered cassette tapes that I had completely forgotten about. In starting to go through this box of forgotten tapes, I discovered one that said, “Snuffy Jenkins

Banjo

cont. from page 5

this project might have an end but it does not have any end in sight for us at the museum. This will be an ongoing project for years and years.” What are the museum folks doing with this directory, you might ask? The Banjo Players Directory is available to museum visitors through a dedicated computer kiosk loaded with a searchable directory data base. It is freely available to all who visit the museum. More importantly, you should know that this data base lives online so people do not need to go to the museum to access the data base of banjo players. The information available on the web site is the same information that is available at the museum. Plus, people can input banjo player data on the web site as well. The web site address is: www.BanjoPlayersDirectory.com. I asked Mr. Baier, to leave us with some thoughts about the directory

When I held the cassette tape of Snuffy Jenkins in my hand, I knew this interview was important because many people have pointed to Snuffy Jenkins as the man responsible for influencing both Earl Scruggs and Don Reno to play in a three-finger banjo style. Below is an exact transcription Snuffy Jenkins and Greasy Medlin (photo by Jim Car) of our conversation that day forty years ago.

Interview, 1/10/76.” Dang! I had all but forgotten about that. Thinking back, I remembered that forty years ago I visited with Snuffy Jenkins at a TV station near Hickory, North Carolina, where I was living at that time.

Snuffy was getting ready to record a TV segment for the local station with his old musical partner, fiddler Pappy Sherrill. Also on the program was another of Snuffy’s old sidekicks and a member of the Hired Hands, Greasy

Wayne Erbsen: Hey Snuffy, tell me how you got started.

WE: Who were the two guys?

Snuffy Jenkins: Well, I started with the guitar, I reckon, when I was about 12, 13, somewhere in that neighborhood. I’m from Harris, down there by the border. It wasn’t four or five miles from the South Carolina line.

WE: They didn’t start it, did they?

WE: Did your whole family play? SJ: Yeah, most of them were musically inclined. Of course, I was the youngest in the family. I heard these two fellows fr om down around

project and the museum’s mission. Here are his words: “The museum does not discourage any directory entries be they the most modest unknown player in the world to the most famous successful banjo players in the world. We want them all and feel that we would not be fulfilling our mission statement to do otherwise.”

Always Progressing

He continued, “From where we started with the museum and its various projects to where we are today has been a very long and deliberate process. We are quite pleased since we moved to Oklahoma City in 2009. This year has been gratifying in terms of attendance. We attribute that increase to the exhibit that we have up now about the banjo life of Steve Martin. To the general public this man represents the banjo in a way that is modern and palatable even if you are not a banjo player. Our hope is that we can present the knowledge to people that the banjo’s appeal is much broader that just a bluegrass music instrument.

We try to show how one banjo style bled over into another to influence and change the other. We feel that this knowledge is not well known. Meaning no disrespect nor wanting to minimize the value of anyone, but Earl Scruggs did not wake up one morning and invent how to play a banjo using the three-finger style. That style of playing existed 60 years before it became popular in bluegrass music. What really happened is those players

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Ellenboro and Mooresboro, North Carolina that were playing with three fingers, you know. I was playing guitar at the time. I liked the way it sounded, we had a banjo, I took to liking it. I tried it and liked it. I figured I could work three fingers as good as you could with two. At that time, most all of the people were frailing or playing two finger banjo. They put the third finger in there, you know, you could get a lot more notes and it made it that much easier. so that’s where I got started. I don’t think I started the three finger style banjo picking, but I do claim that I was about the first one to go on the air with it.

SJ: That was Rex Brooks and Smith Hammett. They lived 25 miles from me. They were closer to Earl Scruggs than they were to me.

SJ: I’ve heard so many tales...I don’t know where it got started. I’d be afraid to say. It caught on like a wildfire and went all over the country. WE: That’s probably because of you. SJ: I think Earl done more for it than I did because he was on a bigger stacontinued on page 7

that we remember as originating three-finger style were actually using elements of the classical refined style of playing using fixed steel strings that were popular in the late 1800’s. These playing elements influenced a next generation of players until Earl Scruggs introduced a form of that playing style to the world and helped create a new genre of music. This is an example of the evolutionary progression in banjo. It continues to this day. Mr. Jerry O’Conner, who plays a sort of hybrid Irish style on the four-string tenor banjo using a different tuning and a different picking pattern, achieves a different sound that has taken the banjo to a huge audience that did not exist before. Banjo players are creating new styles and creating new literature every day that never existed previously.” There is so much more to know about the museum and the directory project. To that end, point your computer browser to www.AmericanBanjoMuseum.com.

January 2017

tion in Nashville, while I was on a 5000 watt station in Columbia. WE: How did you meet Earl? SJ: We were playing shows all over North and South Carolina with the Hired Hands. Went under different names like JE. Mainer’s Mountaineers, Byron Parker and his Hillbillies, WIS Hillbillies. I started with JE Mainer in 1936 in Charlotte. I was playing banjo, J.E, played the fiddle, George Morris, and Leonard Stokes were in the band also. We went from WSOC in Charlotte to Spartanburg, We didn’t stay there too long. Byron Parker got with us and we went to Columbia in 1937 and we’ve been there ever since. I stayed on that station for about 26 years. Television come in and show business wasn’t too good so I got to doing something else, and picking on the side. WE: What have you been doing? SJ: Right now I’m a car salesman at a Chevrolet dealership, I’ve been down there about 18 years. WE: Let’s get back to Earl Scruggs. How did you meet him? SJ: He would come around where we were playing these shows. Me and him would get back stage. He was already playing. He had a brother, Junie, that played some too. He got a lot of his stuff from him, and of course, me and him would play some stuff together. I don’t claim to have taught him anything...or Don Reno. But Don says I taught him. I can’t claim that. I didn’t do too much teaching.

SJ: He listened to me on the radio. I noticed that me and him had about the same lick with the fingers. I don’t know whether he copied me. I guess he did, partly. I would love to play with him anyway. WE: When I would see Scruggs on stage, he never seemed to smile. SJ: He never did look like he was enjoying it too much, but he was. I like to look like I’m having a good time whether I am or not. That’s part of the game, you know. You can get by with a lot more like that. He’d just stand up there and pick and get more out of it than I can. WE: How did you meet up with Don Reno? SJ: He was about the same age as Earl. He was born and raised around Union, South Carolina. He’d come around when we was playing, He was using the two finger. I said “you can use three just as well as you can use two and get twice as much. Don can play more banjo than me or Earl, either one, frankly. He does a lot more stuff. Somehow I like it clean. If you play too fancy a banjo, why you’re going to shoot over most people’s head, except musicians. That’s about all I can tell you right now. WE: I notice you don’t use a capo. SJ: I never have. WE: Don Reno doesn’t use a capo either. Do you reckon he got that from you? SJ: I don’t know, he could have.

WE: What was Earl’s style like when you met him? SJ: Well, the same thing. He was playing with three fingers. He was just a young boy. WE: Was he a great musician then? SJ: No, he was just starting out. WE: How often did you get together with Earl? SJ: Just whenever we played in his territory.

WE: If you don’t capo up and play other chords, what do you do about the 5th string? SJ: I just don’t hit it. I just hit the string you want to bring out, you know. WE: Besides Rex Brooks and Smith Hammet, were there other people around who played banjo? SJ: That was about 1928 when I started. There wasn’t nothing happening back then. Just the depression.

WE: Did he ask you questions or did you show him anything? SJ: No, not too much because he was a little on the backwards side, you know. He was just a young boy and wouldn’t want to force himself, you know. He turned out real good. Laughing. WE: He claims that he learned a lot from you.

For information about Wayne Erbsen’s instruction books and songbooks for bluegrass and clawhammer banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar and ukulele, visit www.nativeground.com. If you would like to receive a free Native Ground Books & Music monthly email newsletter containing articles, tips, tabs and discount coupons send your name and email address to info@nativeground.com.

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January 2017

2016 IBMA Songwriter Of The Year

M y taste buds are gearing up for my favorite time of year! Holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas are guaranteed to tempt my appetite with all of the most delicious, hearty, fattening foods. I will not be able to help myself. I am bound by some code knitted into my DNA to consume the scrumptious holiday fare until I leave the table miserable and needing a nap. What would my turkey be like without gravy and dressing? If I’m putting those foods on my plate I must have mashed potatoes with a big well in the center to hold even more gravy, yum! Yam pudding is a must at our table too. Look, I have gained 5 pounds just writing about the anticipated fare. I suppose you are wondering how I am going to tie songwriting into this holiday dinner party? Well, each platter, bowl or baking dish included

in these family holiday meals will have a recipe to go by. I have a red box in my kitchen filled to bursting with cherished family secrets that my daughters, their husbands and my grandkids would walk over hot coals to eat. If I follow those recipes to the letter, I am assured that the meal will taste like my mother’s and both grandmother’s meals, yet I have found that if I add my own spin on these time honored delights, they become my treasures to pass down. Someday my loved ones will have my recipes in a red box and will embellish them with their own hand. Songwriting is the very same. There is a recipe one can use that will help create a song. The formula looks like a verse, chorus, verse, repeat chorus, maybe a bridge and then the repeat chorus again. An established rhyme pattern and syllable count will keep things nice and tidy. Add a melody that

the lyric fits snugly against and voila, there is a song. However, some song chefs might add a pinch of this or a splash of that to make it uniquely their own and that is what I am hoping you will do when you are composing so that it is undeniably yours, and made with a stamp so personal that you will be recognized for your own style. By using your own language; how you would tell a story to your friends; by finding interesting rhyme patterns; by shortening some phrases and lengthening others; by coming up with a melody that reflects the story; all of these examples takes a composition to a different level. There are countless ways a song can look and sound. There are no rigid rules in songwriting and that’s what makes music so interesting. Each one of us has different preferences and a songwriter can tailor a song for each

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of those preferences. To me, that’s what makes songwriting so much fun. You never have to be only one thing as an author. You can explore different genres just like you can explore different cuisines. You can enrich the body of your song with visual phrases just like a fancy chef will enhance dishes with rare spices. The end result will be a feast for the heart so write on my friends and Merry Everything! In September 2016, Donna won the IBMA award for Songwriter of the Year award. Her recent song, “It Could Have Been The Mandolin,” co-written with long time friend Jerry Salley, stayed in the #1 spot on the Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine chart for two months in a row. Find out more about Donna, and to connect with her directly, visit www.DonnaUlisse.com

Bluegrass Success

For the forth year in a row, Raleigh, NC played host to the 2016 installment of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s business conference and Wide Open Bluegrass festival. After a move from Nashville, TN in 2013, musicians and fans alike seem to feel quite at home in the host city.

January 2017 Fiddle Player of the Year – Becky Buller Dobro Player of the Year – Jerry Douglas Bass Player of the Year – Barry Bales Instrumental Recorded Performance Of The Year – Fireball – Special Consensus featuring Rob Ickes, Trey Hensley, and Alison Brown (artist), Long I Ride (album), Compass Records

Friday and Saturday brought about the hugely popular Wide Open street festival and the ever popular Red Hat festival performances. Folks and vendors from all over the country lined the street in downtown Raleigh for a massive street festival, with every side-street hosting a stage filled with bluegrass and Americana performances late into the evening, all free to

the public. You can easily get your grass fix at this well run event. For sure, if you’ve not attended recently, or never experienced the IBMA week, you should. As an entertainer, the connections, education, and opportunities are priceless. And as a fan, there is no where else that you can get the chance to see so many great acts all together in one location. The 2017 installment is scheduled for September 25th - 30th, again in Raleigh, NC.

For up-to-date information, visit

www.IBMA.org

Each year the association takes the opportunity to offer industry related seminars and workshops geared toward the bettering of the business of bluegrass. While traditionalists may argue that the lines have become blurred, one thing’s for sure; string music is alive and well, and growing in popularity regardless of what you call it. Roughly 2,000 attendees enjoyed, not only the official offerings each day, but also the numerous showcases throughout the Raleigh Convention center and the downtown Marriott and Sheraton hotels where many of the guests stayed. Reunions, networking, and new artist debuts crowded the walkways and stairwells deep into night time/morning hours, daily. The early part of the week featured the Bluegrass Ramble where multiple venues around the city featured nightly line-ups of established and up-and-coming acts. One ticket purchase gained you access to all the various venues and performances. Several taverns and even a vintage church revealed the most recent music from some of the industries hottest acts. Thursday evening brought the annual awards presentations that so many folks around the world eagerly await. Following is a list of some of the honorees. Album of the Year – Runaway Train – Flatt Lonesome (artist) Song of the Year – You’re the One – Flatt Lonesome (artist), Dwight Yoakam (writer) Entertainer of the Year – Earls of Leicester Vocal Group of the Year – Flatt Lonesome Emerging Artist of the Year – Mountain Faith Instrumental Group Of The Year – Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen Songwriter Of The Year - Donna Ulisse Male Vocalist of the Year – Danny Paisley Female Vocalist of the Year – Becky Buller Guitar Player of the Year – Bryan Sutton Mandolin Player of the Year – Sierra Hull Banjo Player of the Year – Charlie Cushman

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January 2017

Living The Dream

By Greg Tutwiler

Festivals, carni-

vals, county fairs, and outdoor gatherings have always been one of this country’s ways of relaxing and getting away from the routines of life. In recent years, for various reasons, there has been an increase in music festivals. Used to be, there was a good chance you’d have to travel several hours to find a weekend music festival. Now days, on any given weekend from early April well into early November, PHOTO - John Capps you can find multiple choices, all with good entertainment and atbe having a blast. While I hadn’t mosphere. heard them perform yet, I was inspired by their story of being on Some of these events are designed the road and chasing the dream of to attract and accommodate large being touring musicians. The Cogatherings of folks while others are teries, as they call themselves, were more like a friends and family everything I hoped they would be event. Neither one is really better on stage, and after their set, I knew than the other. It’s all in the manI needed to hear the rest of the ner of your liking. I find the smaller story. ones quite interesting from the stand point of you never know And So It Goes what the experience will be until As it turns out, a scheduled perforyou get there. That adds some exmance had postponed, and they citement to it. diverted their trip coming from the northern part of the states to make Late this past summer a young a replacement date at this event. couple contacted us about a small, They were in the midst of a cross start-up festival they were plancountry tour in their inaugural ning, and invited us to join in. year as a full time traveling band. Their event, Jam Fish Festival, was Now, with nearly 200 perforheld on a small farm in the counmances behind them, an EP, and try in the Shenandoah Valley of a new CD in the works, The CoteVirginia, and was expected to draw ries have carved a niche’ for themaround 100 attendees and feature selves that just might find them about a dozen, mostly local, bands. approaching the top of their game. Sounded like a treat – and it was. The Folk Rock trio of Emily (lead vocals/harmonica), Matt (guitar/ Additionally though, I was fascimandolin), and Ben (stomp box/ nated by a young trio that rolled guitar), have gone from farmers in about 45 minutes before their markets, sidewalks, and corners of set was to begin. Traveling in an bars, to playing major music festiold VW bus they lovingly called vals like Divide Music Festival, and Trusty Rusty, these kids seemed to Harmonium Music Fest, and play-

Emily was interning in NYC at a music publishing company and wasn’t going to be able to afford New York City living. Her boss had a home in New Jersey where he let Emily stay during her internship. Through a mutual friend, the three all met one evening and eventually conspired to play music together. “We made really terrible noise for about six months in an electric rock band,” she recalled.” It wasn’t really going very well.” “Everything kind of collapsed for us in New Jersey,” Matt added.

11,000 Miles To Go

ing along side artists like Edward Sharp, The Fray, and even Blondie. Inspired by their travels along the back roads and countryside of America, their music is creative, fun, bright, and enthusiastic.

Finding One Another

“Matt and Ben had know each other since high school,” Emily

They realized that band wasn’t getting them anywhere, and began feeling “pretty lost,” as Emily put it. So they pooled their resources. “We drained our checking accounts,” Emily said, “and bought this VW Bus together, and hit the road. We knew we had enough resources for about three months, and we knew we needed to do this.” They eventually traveled 11,000 miles through 25 states and three providences in North America. “It was more of a wanderlust trip where we were really trying to find our footing in life,” Ben said. “It was like we would wake up every morning and ask – where do we want to go today?” “We figured out a lot about ourselves, and we discovered some things about the country, but most importantly, could we stand each other in that way for an extended period of time, enough to maybe make a band out of it,” Emily said. “When we got back we really started writing, and putting everything we had into making our dream a reality.”

told me, “But weren’t really friends until their senior year in collage at Rutgers University. They were done with the college bar scene and started playing music together.”

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Making It Possible

The band has opted to do all of their own PR, booking, and marketing. It’s part of the self sustaining process, and obviously more affordable. But, it’s not a task for the continued on page 12

January 2017

Nashville, TN in late September, and the IBMA the following week in Raleigh, NC. I couldn’t resist the opportunity for a road trip – not exactly like a hard working musician/band, but at least similar in nature.

cluding the customary White Castle burger, and maybe slept six hours a night. Sunday morning we found ourselves up early once again heading to a Tennessee Titians / Oakland

My wife, Lisa, and I headed out at 5:00 AM on Wednesday morning for an eight hour drive into the heart of the music city. We had a scheduled appearance via By Greg Tutwiler way of an exhibit booth at the AMA exhibit hall behere’s nothing more intriguing ginning at 1:00 PM. The 530 mile to me than to watch musicians intrip down Interstate 81 was less vesting themselves into their craft. It’s one of my fondest memories, as a young kid, to have been able to play music in a high school and college rock band. We were never that great or terribly successful, but we were living the dream just the same.

On To The Next City

Raleigh is a different city, and this music is a different kind of music. Even son, the experience was equally entertaining and enjoyable. We met up with my parents who spent the previous week hanging out at the Outerbanks bluegrass festival in Manteo, NC, before heading to the Raleigh convention center. Once again, we were reconnecting with friends, congregating in the hallways, and wandering all over downtown taking in some of the bluegrass industries finest offerings. Late nights, early mornings, and greasy spoons in between seemed to be the norm. The week’s festivities were capped off with the hugely popular Wide Open street fest, drawing over 80,000 fans to a free, two day event full of local crafts and food, and multiple stages featuring a daily line-up of bluegrass acts.

From there, I was lucky enough to migrate into a life and business as a college and professional disc jockey, and while not the same thing, I was still able to enjoy a life of playing music for others. Over those years, I never lost my affection and fascination for the touring musician.

On The Road Again

Somehow, the idea of a perpetual road trip gets a hold of you – I understand why many musicians do it for a living. I also understand just how hard is can be. I’ve talked to so many of you over the years about it. When the opportunity arose to create a magazine about music; specifically about music often from the performer’s perspective, I knew it would be another way to keep my feet in the proverbial waters. This industry that we get to write about has set up several pivot points, if you will, for itself. Places where like minded performers can congregate, encourage each other, and award the top performers for the year. Held annually in the fall or winter, it’s not often that any of them line up in a way that you could attend more than one at a time. However, this past fall (2016), The Americana Music Association (AMA), and the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), were scheduled just days apart. The AMA conference was planned for

congested than expected, and thanks to the time change from Eastern to Central time, we gained the hour needed to arrive 10 minutes before the exhibit hall doors opened.

Let’s Do It Again

Hit The Ground Runnin’

From that moment, we spent the next four days having wonderful conversations with so many enthusiastic musicians; and the next four evenings dashing around Nashville from one performance to another as the Americana artists displayed their latest wares to packed halls all over town. Several customary jaunts down Broadway Avenue treated us to a plethora of HonkyTonks, t-shits shops, and boot stores. What would a trip to Nashville be without that! In between, we enjoyed lots of local dining in-

Great Smokey Mountains (in fog and driving rain), on our way to Raleigh, NC for the IBMA conference scheduled to begin the next morning. By then, we were already feeling the effects of information overload and the weariness of extended travel. But, we had another round on the way – and it was exciting to anticipate just the same.

Raiders football game. How could we resist? We just happened to be in town. Did I mention that it was the hottest day on record in that stadium – and at the end of September? We left that afternoon headed for an overnighter in Sevierville, TN, just outside Pigeon Forge. After playing tourist for a couple hours the next day, we set out across the

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Friday evening around 7:00 PM, we head for the five hour trip home where I was scheduled to play music for a wedding reception the next day. It was 10 days that in some ways felt like 30, and in others, felt like a long weekend. Packing that much music in one road trip was delightfully exhausting. And, in a small way, I understand why bands can only do it for so long. Now in my 50s, I don’t imagine it’s a lifestyle I could sustain for very long, but it’s certainly a experience that I would happily consider enjoying again given the chance. My hat’s off to the musical road warriors out there, everywhere

NJanuary 2017

Coteries Continued. from page 11

lazy minded for sure. “We travel with phones, of course, but we find local libraries when we pass through these small towns where we’ll go in and sit at their computers for countless hours doing research and emailing and making connections.” Ben said. “Collectively we’ve put in 100’s of hours just doing the business end of this.”

And it’s paying off for the Coteries. “There is a very large learning curve right now,” Emily said. “But this past year we’ve played in over 30 states and around 180 shows so far, at about 80 festivals and events, so it really is paying off.” “Without that aspect of it, we’d literally be sitting around in New Jersey playing restaurants and going into New York City paying to play places,” Matt said. “It’s that work ethic for us that makes this possible, it’s really allowed us to push forward the creative side and actually being able to play music and share what we do with a much larger audience. Without that, we probably wouldn’t be traveling and playing right now.”

Things Are Working

“We’re touring the same areas right now that we played through last year around the same time. The difference is that instead of breaking even, we’re actually able

to pay ourselves along the way. So it really feels like we’re growing as a band and that the return on that is showing up in the reception we are getting from previous engagements,” Matt added. “It’s become feasible to now to do this. The work is paying off.” “From a creative standpoint, while we do still play some restaurant/bar gigs, it’s nice not having someone yell our “Free Bird” all the time, and instead begin to

embrace and recognize some of our originals, and actually tune into to us as a band they really want to listen to,” Emily said. “It’s a confidence booster too,” Matt added. “We do feel like the hard work is paying off.” And we agree, Emily, Ben, and Matt, from where I sit, I see great things ahead for you guys. And what I see even more is a model for other young folks who wonder if they could possibly do this too. Talent obviously plays an integral part of the equation. You have to be able to deliver. But beyond that, The Coteries represent the dream so many have. Their dedication, investment, and determination prove that any dream is possible if you work at it hard enough. If you’d like to know more, you can visit their web site at www.TheCoteries.com, and watch for my full conversation with these guys out shortly on our iTunes podcast, Americana Music Profiles

By Edward Tutwiler

At the recent IBMA conference

and trade show in Raleigh, NC, amid the many displays of musical instruments, music promoters, ad agencies, music schools, musician’s and bluegrass bands from all over Appalachia and the world beyond, there was one display table that seemed a bit different that caught my eye. It was a display for The Foundation for Bluegrass Music. The Foundation was created in 2007 as a non-profit, charitable organization to serve as an umbrella agency where donors can place funds to support bluegrass music, through education, literature, art, historic preservation and other related activities. In other words, The Foundation for Bluegrass Music makes it possible for individuals and organizations to support the future of bluegrass music.

Not Like The Rest

The Foundation for Bluegrass Music is different from other major bluegrass organizations. The International Bluegrass Association (IBMA) is a trade organization. Its mission is to support artists and businesses engaged in the bluegrass music industry; however, the IBMA is not structured to receive tax-deductible donations. That said, there are three IBMA associated charities that can receive donations, They are: The International Bluegrass Music Museum, located in Owensboro, KY, that collects, displays and interprets the history of bluegrass music and houses the Bluegrass Hall of Fame. The Bluegrass Trust Fund that is tasked with making financial assistance available in times of emergency need to bluegrass music professionals.

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The Foundation for Bluegrass Music, which is the focus of this article, raises, manages and distributes funds to ensure the future of the art form. The Foundation for Bluegrass Music provides a method for people to contribute toward general funding or to fund specific programs to support the legacy of bluegrass music. The Foundation helps donors meet charitable goals by connecting them with programs and initiatives that serve their interests.

Dishing It Out

The Foundation makes grants to non-profit organizations and to qualified governmental agencies such as public schools and colleges. Grants are sometimes given to programs that are not non-profit depending on how well the program aligns with the Foundation’s goals. The Foundation does not award grants to projects which do not primarily involve bluegrass music, and the Foundation does not generally award multi-year grants. The Foundation is closely guided by an active board of directors composed of a diverse group of bluegrass and business community leaders. The board is responsible for all grant allocations made from the Foundation’s funds and provides overall direction and policy. Should you wish to be a part of this mission, you can learn more by reviewing the Foundation’s WEB site at www.bluegrassfoundation.org. You can contact Nancy Cardwell, Administrator, at (615) 260-4807, or email her at nancyk.cardwell@gmail.com. Finally, you can snail-mail the Foundation at: The Foundation for Bluegrass Music, 4206 Gallatin Road, Nashville, TN 37216.

January 2017

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

Eddy Mann

FEATURE ARTISTS The Eddy Mann today wasn’t always so secure in who he was. “I was brought up in a faithful home,” he recalls, “but I wandered as young people tend to do, just trying to find my way. It was during that time of searching that I looked in the wrong places for direction, for purpose and for comfort. Eventually the journey brought me back to my faithful roots, and it was there that the pieces started to fall in place.” Today, Eddy is a musician, songwriter, worship leader, teacher, speaker, coach, husband, and father, but most importantly, he has a love for life and people. Twenty years ago he made a decision to offer his creative gifts to God, and he’s been leading worship for over fifteen years now. He’s released seven CD’s and written countless songs for the church and the world at large. On any weekend you can find him in a coffeehouse, giving a concert, performing at a conference, or leading a worship service. Eddy picked up a guitar when he was in high school and “it immediately changed my life,” he said. He says he was a painfully quiet child that discovered an unknown confidence in himself through music. “It allowed me to find my voice,” he said. “And a date on Saturday night,” he laughed.

domestic (which can vary quite a bit from day to day), as in being a husband, father, and homeowner. The afternoons and early evenings are usually dedicated to studio blocks. I always leave an hour or so at the end of the day to relax and reflect before blowing out the candle.” His two recent awards, a 2016 IMEA Award for Adult Contemporary Artist of the Year, and the 2015 Kindred Award for Worship Leader of the Year help remind Eddy that he’s on the right path.

New Music

Born and bred in Philadelphia, Eddy grew up listening to all kinds of music. His father was a pianist and his mother shared her culture through songs that she sung to him. “It’s that varied library of music that helps define my genre-defying songs,” he said.

Living The Life

“I live a writer’s life,” he told me. “I find inspiration everywhere and because of that I write on a daily basis. What I see, what I hear, and what I feel often tends to move me in a way that I need to create. Actually, just living life is inspirational in itself.” Not only is Eddy a musician, he’s a teacher, speaker and coach – which expands his ability to reach new audiences. “I’ve been given a musical platform to share my thoughts,” he said, “and through that experience I’ve been presented with various opportunities to touch others who may be going though

difficult or searching times. I trust that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing so I feel confident in allowing those moments to develop and to play my part in them.” Although he loves what he does, Eddy says his greatest earthly joy is his family. Wife Susan, daughters Ashley and Maddy, recently departed beagle Molly, g-kids Joey, Layla and Lexi and his sponsored children Emerita and Adjoint, are all an inspiration to Eddy and his music.

Discipline Is Key

Although it can be a tough job at times, Eddy feels like his approach helps him stay focused. “I’m naturally a very disciplined person,” he said, “so I normally follow a pretty familiar routine. My day starts with a time of spiritual and physical formation, followed by a period of creativity and instrumental practice. I then allow a few hours to be

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His new CD, The Consequence, is the follow up to the previous, Dig Love. “The songs continue down the peaceful path of a loving believer, a believer with a child’s mindset where anything is possible,” Eddy told me. “You see even though we may strive to live a loving and compassionate life, we will be challenged at times. Each day’s opportunities and barriers are different, but the power of love is unmatched, and there in lies the journey of the album. Yes, we have dark days, but love will see us through them. I wrote all the songs while supporting the Dig Love album over the past year and a half.” This is not the first, obviously. Eddy has “a season” of albums that we’re actually written for the church. “They continue to be sung in worship around the world each week,” he said humbly, “but two years ago I found myself being called to reach a different audience. So 2014’s Dig Love was a departure of sorts where my writing was still spirit led, but the settings were more secular friendly. These were songs about everyday life; the trials, the disappointments, along with the blessings ”

www.eddymann.com

January 2017

Americana Outsells Country

For several years now, dissatisfac-

tion has been growing over the musical direction the genre’ called country music has been taking. To many of us baby boomers, what is now called country music sounds quite similar to the 70s AM rock music we grew up with. It’s certainly traveled far from George Jones, Johnny Cash, and Merle Haggard. While the younger generations seem to be embracing this new style, those still spending money on music seem to have about had enough. As reported on the Billboard Magazine charts for the week of October 22nd, Americana music outsold Country. Specifically, four full length albums listed on the Americana/Folk Album chart, — BonIver’s 22, A Million, Bob Weir’s Blue Mountain,Van Morrison’s Keep Me Singing, and Drive-By Truckers’ American Band were in the top ten highest selling albums overall in the tracking week ending on October 6th (according to Nielsen Music). Not to mention, earlier that week, For Better Or Worse, the most recent record for long time Folk artist John Prine, landed at #2 on the Country Albums chart.

word in the dictionary, there is a Grammy Award, [now] there is a place for these artists who don’t necessarily fit in the mainstream commercial boxes, but do have artistic similarities can call home.” In 2010, the Grammys awarded the first-ever Best Americana album, went to Levon Helm, who passed away in 2012, for his Electric Dirt album. Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance were added to the Grammys in 2014 and 2015, respectively. In August of 2015, Webster’s dictionary officially added the word Americana, calling it, “a genre of American music having roots in early folk and country music.”

Billboard Takes Notice

In May 2016, Billboard magazine announced the rebranding of the Folk Albums chart after long conversations with industry insiders. They announced the chart would “spotlight the middle ground bridg-

ing country and rock: organic, roots and acoustic-based groups and solo singer-songwriters.” This move likely contributed to the shift in sales reporting, but more importantly, signified that the music industry understands the popularity of Americana music to the masses of music listeners.

Dirt In Your Ears

Hilly went on to say, “Americana is a funny genre, because in some ways it can be very inclusive because it spans from blues to gospel to bluegrass influences, and it’s a grittier style that crosses genre boundaries in some ways. I think all genres are expansive; I don’t see any point in arguing. I just see it as a bigger conversation in the evolution of musical styles. What is rock today? It’s not Chuck Berry and the foundations of rock and roll.” Hilly added a nice compliment to the Webster’s assessment, “If you can taste the dirt through your ears, that’s Americana ”

Thanksgiving begins one of our favorite times of the year. The trees are changing colors, and the weather is crisp and beautiful. We usually take a little time off from our busy touring schedule to relax at home and enjoy time with family and friends. It seems like the fall and winter months is when we really buckle down and start planning the details of our next album. We use this time to get away, in a sense, and give the upcoming project our full attention. It’s exciting to learn new songs to add to our set list. Another thing we really enjoy about the holidays is being in the kitchen! We all love to cook and bake at our house, so the kitchen is especially crowded during the holidays. In the fall, usually before Thanksgiving, we have a lot of messy fun making caramel apples and other goodies. We’ve included one of our favorite recipes below. Make yourself a cup of coffee or hot chocolate, turn on some bluegrass music and make a batch of these caramel apples for your family and friends! Ingredients: 1 cup butter 2 cups brown sugar 8 oz. sweetened condensed milk 1 cup Karo Syrup 1 tsp. vanilla 7-8 medium sized apples Popsicle sticks

Ready For Change

It’s reflective of the latest trend in music. Music lovers are growing tired of manufactured music. In a world that seems growingly less predictable, people are looking for something that feels authentic. Although the term Americana has been around a while, it is increasingly becoming a more legitimate classification of music and is growing to represent a cadre’ of artists seemingly more interested in roots oriented music.

Directions: In a medium heavy sauce pan mix all of the ingredients together, except the vanilla. Stir continually over medium heat and bring the mixture a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until the caramel reaches a simi-firm ball stage. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla. Wash apples and insert the popsicle sticks. Dip the apples in the caramel. Make sure to cover the entire apple. Place apples on a buttered platter to set. Enjoy!

Jed Hilly, executive director of the Americana Music Association, commented recently on the Chart Beat Podcast: (Dave Cobb & Jed Hilly on the ‘Melting Pot of Honesty’ That Is Americana Music) “I think it’s burgeoning in the commercial marketplace for a community that already existed in a non-commercial marketplace. I think that the fact that there is a

A Holiday Treat From The Gold Sisters

*You can use the leftover caramel for a dipping sauce or to drizzle in a cup coffee!

Blessings to you and yours this holiday season! ~Gold Heart www.goldheartsisters.com facebook.com/goldheartband

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January 2017

not a competition, but we must keep up.

The Three Relationships Every Advancing Guitarist Needs to Cultivate Are You an Advancing Guitarist? A true musician (or artist of any type), must be a lifelong student. Whatever level of mastery we think we’ve achieved, there’s always more to learn (not to mention lessons worth revisiting). Learning moments come from mentors, bandmates, fellow travelers, critics, rivals, fans and hecklers. Are we open to them? Can we put our ego aside to listen, learn and improve? We better! As Ryan Holiday points out in an Ego Is the Enemy, “If we’re not still learning, we’re already dying.” The more accomplished we become at our craft, the more likely we are to allow ourselves to feel accomplished. We avoid challenges to or reconsideration of what we know, or think we know. We are quite

happy to sit in our comfort zone where we never feel inept or stupid and where we are never called out or upon. I frequently catch myself enjoying this false sense of achievement. Happily ensconced in the warmth of familiarity, complacency and safety. But this is delusion and it’s dangerous. What’s more, this is not life of a professional artist. These are the habits of amateurs, dabblers and dilettantes. So I ask myself, “Is that what you are? Is it what you want to be?”

The Way Forward for People Like Us For the advancing guitarist (or any creative), we must be perpetual students. We mu st cultivate a beginners mindset (what Buddhists

call Shoshin). To do so, these are the kinds of relationships we must nurture. Those Who Are Better Than Us These are the teachers, mentors and coaches we should seek out. The musicians we should jam with and, when we can, perform with on stage. They will elevate our playing level, challenge our a ssumptions and provoke us when we are complacent or stagnant. Those Who Are at the Same Level as Us These are our peers, bandmates and jamming buddies who are rising up through the ranks and developing alongside us. They help keep our skills sharp and let us know when we’re falling behind. Music is a collaboration,

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Those Who Are Not Yet at Our Level These are the people we teach. Teaching others cultivates empathy. It is also the best way to clarify and cement what we know and assists in unveiling our shortcomings and the holes in our knowledge or skills set. Teaching reminds us that knowledge is a gift to be shared, not a weapon to wield against others nor a treasure to withhold. To be an advancing guitarist or artist of any type requires us to be continually leaning in, learning and leaping. Seeking, stretching and striving. Reacting, remembering and reflecting. Generously giving and gratefully receiving feedback, questions and criticism. It’s all so simple; however, simple does not mean easy. Like anything, this all becomes easier through practice. Scott Perry Stoic Guitarist & Fellow Traveler www.guidedguitarlessons.com

January 2017

Listen to the expanded interviews at www.spreaker.com/show/ americana-music-profiles, or search Americana Music Profiles in iTunes!

After relocating to West Virginia in 2006, Robert Mabe (Banjo) joined the bluegrass band, Drymill Road, in 2010. There, along with band members Sean Loomis (Guitar), Doug Ross (Mandolin), and David Hurt (Bass), they beca me an international touring band, mixing old and new sounds with surprising twists and turns of musicality and phrasing. They’ve performed at Carnegie Hall, The Canadian Embassy, and private events including one for Secretary Madeline Albright. Robert grew up in North Carolina, where he says, “there was no shortage of banjo players.” He recalls as a kid, on Wednesday nights, going to an old lawn mower repair shop for weekly jams fill with old timers picking the classic bluegrass and old time favorites. “My grandparents were into bluegrass as well,” he recalled, “and one day my folks bought me a banjo, and as they say, the rest was history. I fell in love with it and have been enjoying playing the banjo ever since. People would bring in food and it was just a big party every week based around bluegrass music. It was a huge influence on me,” he recalled. As a songwriter, like many, Robert says he has a wide group of influences when it comes to writing songs. “Of course, I like Bluegrass music,” he said. “But I like pop, and jazz too, and every bit of that comes out in my music. I’ll have songs that are half way done for years before I get the right piece to come to me to be able to finish it.” Robert says for him, “it’s more of a practice that I work on all the time rather than a flash and it’s done.” More recently, Robert has chosen to focus his attention on his new solo project, Somewhere In The Middle, that he showcased at the 2016 IBMA conference in September 2016. His new album is a collection of songs written over the last two years and features an all-star cast of musicians; friends that Robert has both worked with and admired during his career as a banjo player. “It is heavily bluegrass, but you’ll hear other flavors and note coming through as well,” Robert commented. “There are some ballads, and some Irish infused tunes too.” To find out more, visit www.robertsbanjo.com

Violinist, Annie Savage grew up learning to play via the Suzuki method from the age of two. By age 10 she was jamming in bluegrass circles in southeastern Iowa, and Missouri. She went on to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy and eventually pursue an active classical music career on the east coast. After years of recitals, auditions and academic music study , she developed a passion for jamming and creating music in the moment, by ear. “Jamming was the skill that allowed me to not only enjoy music to its fullest extent, but it’s what even the great composers had done when they were writing all of the classical pieces I’d been playing,” Annie says. “Even more interesting, more often than not, it was reading chords and playing by ear that allowed me to actually make a living as a musician.” Annie eventually crafted a new learning style called the Savage Fiddler Method that combines playing by ear first, learning to read music next, and then jamming with others. She sees her mission as a “total world domination through small, vibrating wooden boxes,” recently releasing her second instruction book, Join The Jam, during the annual World of Bluegrass convention and festival in Raleigh, NC where she was a featured workshop presenter. Along with her band, The Savage Hearts, Annie has just released her new recording project, Playing It Forward. In October of 2016 it reached the number one spot on the international folk charts, and the single release, “Age,” a Jim Croche classic cover, reached the number two spot. “It just seemed a fitting look at how life changes and progresses,” she said while referring to a pivotal moment in her own career. “I reached a point in my career several years ago that I would have called a pinnacle while I was playing with Jeff Scroggin’s band, Colorado,” Annie said, “I thought that is where I would finish my career and for various reasons, it didn’t go that way.” To find out more, visit www.thesavagehearts.com

Check out

Holly Norman

Annie Savage

Robert Mabe

Nashville, TN based singer Holly Norman’s newest CD, Taking Care Of Blueg rass, is a tribute to one of the world’s favorite, iconic singers, Elvis Presley. Her first single, “Moody Blue,” a tasteful interpretation of one of Elvis’s last hits, is already gaining national attention. Holly grew up in East Tennessee, just outside of Knoxville in a family that was centered around music. “I feel like Country and Bluegrass run through my veins because it’s been a whole generational thing with my family,” she recalled. Her granddad, Phil Norman played in Roy Acuff’s band when Roy first started in music. “Roy and Phil met as teenagers, and Phil joined Roy’s first band, The Tennessee Mountain Boys,” Holly said. Roy eventually moved to Nashville and Phil stayed behind to raise a family, missing his opportunity to be part of what became a very influential band in Country music. “I really feel like I’m continuing on the dream that my papaw didn’t get to fulfill,” Holly said. “I feel like I’m carrying on his legacy.” Holly began singing in her uncle’s regional bluegrass band when she was in high school, before college took her to UT at Knoxville and put music on the back burner. “As soon as I knew I was ready to graduate, I decided to give music another go,” she remembered. An audition at Dollywood landed her a singing gig that lasted several years, and solidified her desire to be a life long singer. When it came time for Holly’s second album, the focus was an easy one for her. “Elvis; I’ve been a huge fan my whole life. My entire family just adores his music. It’s just always been a big part of my family.” The CD features a dozen of Elvis’ songs and one original written by Holly. Special guests James Burton, Elvis’s legendary guitarist, and Elvis backing quartet, Terry Blackwood & The Imperials, and many other top notch players are featured musicians on this delightful tribute. To find out more, vivit www.hollynorman.com

on iTunes www.AmericanaRhythm.com www.AmericanaRhythm.com

January 2017

Michael & Jennifer McLain Husband and wife, Michael and Jennifer McLain, have performed in 27 states from New York to California. They’ve appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, Kentucky Educational Television, Iowa Public Television, The Nashville Network, Country Music Television, RFD Television, National Public Radio, and the PBS show, Song of the Mountains. Michael and Jennifer both grew up in musical families touring and performing. And they both just happen to be banjo players by choice. As part of the McLain Family Band, Michael, the youngest of six siblings, toured across the United States playing in 49 of them, as well as Mexico, Canada, Japan and Brazil, and concerts at Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Museum, Lincoln Center, and Chicago’s Orchestra Hall. Michael also toured and recorded toured as part of the Claire Lynch Band as well as with Dale Ann Bradley. Michael and Jennifer have been married about 20 years, and they’ve been making music together “since their first date,” he told me. They started a band together with Michael’s brother, Raymond, and toured as the McLain’s for quite a while. Their new band, the Michael and Jennifer McLain band, featuring Dan Kelly is their latest focus. “We’ve been growing the band for several years now, and things are very exciting,” Michael said. “Dan played with Roy Acuff for many years, so it’s exciting to get to play with such a talented musician.”

TheirlatestCD,Hit The Road And Go. Officially released on November 4th, 2016, Michael said, “this is the first project we’ve had out in a long time. We’ve been working on this for several years. We’re so excited that it’s come to fruition. It feels really good.” Michael said there’s a good variety of material. “Of course we’re influenced by bluegrass,” he said. “But you’ll hear blues, and gospel, and even rockabilly in there too.”

y Tw o Holid a Only Years G ift $30 l! SpeciaWe’d love to show up in your mail box year round! The rich culture of Americana music is the fastest growing music today! Let’s stay in touch subscription to Americana Rhythm. Holiday special! It’s only $30 for two (2) full years! Send us this form with your name and address along with your check or money order for $30 made out to Americana Rhythm, to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812. (PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY) This offer only valid with this subscription form. Name: Address: City:

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To find out more, visit www.banjocats.com

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January 2017

Music From The National Scene

Music From Your Neighbors

welcome to this edition of

SPINS! Check out all this wonderful ear candy (in no special order)! This collection will keep you busy for hours - Grab your iPad or Smart Phone and dial up some of these fine folks. And please let them know we sent you. Need Christmas ideas - we got some right here! All of these make great stocking stuffers. Get two - so you can keep one! www.AmericanaRhythm.com Uncle Woody, The Spin Doctor PO Box 45 Bridgewater, VA 22812

Caleb Klauder & Reeb Willms Innocent Road

www.balsamrange.com

www.dalewatson.com

Since they began in 2007, Balsam Range has steadly risen to the top of the Bluegrass charts behind powerful vocal lead, Buddy Melton. Their new CD, Mountain Voodoo, is more progressive, but still top chart stuff

This is a tribute album for Dale - tipping his hat to those who’ve influenced the most from Elvis Presley to Ray Price. His music is often dubbed “Ameripolitan.” He just calls it “real country music.” We call it real good

St. Louis’ music scene certainly comes out in Jack Grelle’s latest record, Got Dressed Up To Be Let Down. It’s honky-tonk infused, but not pigeonholed. There’s hints of Cajun, Tejano, and even folk rock

Brendan & The Strangeways Deep Waters

Rhonda Vincent & The Rage In Concert Vol. 1

Courtney Granger Beneath Still Waters

www.strangeways.com

www.rhondavincent.com

Songwriter Brendan Shea returned home in 2016 after a seven year musical journey that took him around three US coasts. Those experiences helped fuel his latest project, Brenda n & The Strange Ways. We think you’ll like it

She’s been called “The New Queen Of Bluegrass” by the Wall Street Journal. Everyone knows Rhonda and her music. She’s a constant at festivals all over - and now fans can enjoy that live experience any time at home

Portland, Oregon is home for these two country singers. Their latest, Innocent Road, features some rare country tunes mixed with a few originals for a fresh new counrty/ Americana sound

Made In Brooklyn www.johnmceuen.com

www.silaslowe.com

This is Silas Lowe’s second record, a tribute to his father, the late Roy Michaels, founding member of the 60s band, Cat Mother & the All Night News Boys. This Americana songwriter has penned some gems on this latest CD

It’s the sixth solo project for Grammy-award winning producer and songwriter, John McEuen. As well as being a prominent member of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, John is also known for his eloquent pen. Lovers of John’s music will not be dissapointed

www.jackgrelle.com

Michael Johnathon The Dream

Kenny And Amanda Smith Unbound

www.larrystephensonband.com

This Changes Everything www.jimlauderdale.com

www.michaeljohnathon.com

www.kenny-amandasmith.com

Larry has spent the last 25 years fronting his own band, keeping the traditional bluegrass sound alive and out front for his many fans. His new CD features the title cut by songwriter of the year, Donna Ulisse. This is a must add CD for all traditionalists

Since 1986 Jim has created a catalog of music that spans 28 albums. The two time Grammy winner’s latest, This Changes Everything, is pure Jim Lauderdale. It features an all star cast of Texas musicians - Outstanding music. Watch for our story in AR67

Folk musician and Woodsongs founder Michael Johnathon is always pushing boundries. His latest, The Dream, is a wonderful 13 track CD “that started out as one folk song.” He said. “It’s an original song about the Earth at peace.”

Kenny and Amanda Smith were the IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year in 2003. Since then, they have collected a few more awards, and started a family. Their first CD in a while, Unbound, shows they haven’t missed a beat. Good stuff

Larry Stephenson Weep Little Willow

Jim Lauderdale

You can send new Americana CD releases for consideration to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812

Jack Grelle Got Dressed Up To Be Let Down

www.calebklauder.com

John McEuen

Silas Lowe Wandering Father Forgotton Son

Dale Watson Under The Influence

Balsam Range Mountain Voodoo

www.valcourrecords.com

Courtney Granger grew up in the juke joints of Southern Louisiana. “I learned to sing in bars,” he said. He’s also in the Grammy nominated Pine Leaf Boys. His new solo project pays homage to his Americana roots

Slim Butler Bad Intention www.slimbutler.net

This self produced second album from blues rocker Slim Butler contains 10 original cuts from this cutting edge musician. You might not get to hear him live, since he lives in Finland, but you sure can check him out on line, and get his latests CD, Bad Intention. We think you’ll like it

January 2017

Along

the Shenandoah Music Trail

While recently touring in Maine, local music duo Me & Martha (aka Don DePoy and Martha Hills) found time to participate in a music contest where they found themselves on top of the winnings. The contest, held in North Anson Maine, offered over $11,000 in prize money. Promoter Bill Owens indicated, “What makes us different is that we are a Bluegrass and Folk festival with the spice of competition thrown in. It’s a festival that’s geared towards musicians, where talented artists can win some cash just for doing what they love. And the audience gets to be dazzled by something new and exciting!” Don placed first in bluegrass banjo and mountain dulcimer. Me & Martha teamed up with Bernie Staples, a well-respected Maine musician, and won third place in bluegrass band. Martha Hills is also the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Shenandoah Music Trail. She reports that Music Trail was recently awarded a $5,800 Project Grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. The grant is scheduled to bring 45 concerts featu ring music popular in the Shenandoah Valley mountain music traditions to some of Virginia’s poorest residents. Specifically, the grant targets senior citizens living in areas

along the ridgeline in South West Virginia, South Side, Northern Neck and Eastern Shore. There are rules indicating that the grant requires matching funds from the SMT, “So far our portion of the grant has been raised from proceeds from house parties, private individual and corporate donors,” Martha said. “It is quite an honor to bring live professional entertainment to folks who would never have the opportunity.”

John Prine

Hills went on to report that the Music Trail is sponsoring a free ukulele program to bring music to children living in homeless shelters in Rockingham and Augusta counties of Virginia. Children between the ages of five and 12 years old wanting to participate in the program will receive an ukulele, instructional book, instructional DVD, and unlimited instruction, as long as they are at the shelter. Hills explained, “The children will be able to keep the Ukes even as they leave the shelter. The benefits of the program are many and we hope to help these children improve social and educational expectations.” For more information about the Arts Grant or the Uke program contact Martha Hills at 540-209-3540.