Minnesota Bluegrass Magazine March 2018 by Minnesota Bluegrass

March 2018

The Grascals Headline Winter Bluegrass Weekend Inside:

March 2018 Vol. 44 No. 2 Newsstand: $3 Subscription: $35

www.minnesotabluegrass.org

MBOTMA Hot Line

(to subscribe and for other information) 651-456-8919 info@minnesotabluegrass.org P.O. Box 16408, Mpls, MN 55416 Twitter: @mnbluegrass Facebook: minnesotabluegrass

MBOTMA Board of Directors

President: Laura Cooper - president@minnesotabluegrass.org Vice President: Nic Hentges Treasurer: Robbi Podrug Secretary: Shane Zack Board Members: Term expires 2018: Dale Gruber - dalergruber@me.com Brett Day, Philip Nusbaum Term expires 2019: Alan Jesperson Bill Lindroos - welindroos@gmail.com Rudy Marti - rudolphmarti63@gmail.com Joe Hallman Youth Representative: Theo Hougen-Eitzman - theohelbg@gmail.com For meeting minutes and other Board business, go to: www.minnesotabluegrass.org/board-minutes

MBOTMA Staff

Events Manager: Matt Johnson eventsmanager@minnesotabluegrass.org Office Administrator: Darcy Schatz info@minnesotabluegrass.org

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Minnesota Bluegrass Magazine

Editor: Doug Lohman, editor@minnesotabluegrass.org Contributors: Rick Anderson, Bob Douglas, Laura Cooper, Wayne Erbsen, Nic Hentges, Adam Kiesling, Jed Malischke, Jana Metge, Philip Nusbaum, Rina Rossi, Loretta Simonet Coming Up: Loretta Simonet, John Brandberg Y’All Come: Bill Lindroos Wordmark: Katryn Conlin Photography: Loretta Simonet Cover image: Jason Smith Back: Joe Flannigan Deadline for submissions: The 1st of the month preceding publication Submit content or request advertising guidelines at: editor@minnesotabluegrass.org. Minnesota Bluegrass is published monthly by The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association™, a Minnesota nonprofit corporation, P.O. Box 16408, Mpls, MN 55416. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for the loss or return of unsolicited photos, recordings, or manuscripts. ©2017 Minnesota Bluegrass. All rights reserved. ISBN 0891-0537. 2

Thank you, MBOTMA members Membership as of March 1, 2018: 958

Patrons:

Peter & Bridgit Albrecht Tony & Ann Anthonisen Lenny & Colleen Baltus Gary & Karen Bartig Ron & Kathy Blade Barry & Annie Brooks Doug Chasar Paul Christianson Gary & Janet Cobus Laura Cooper Bob & Marilyn Dodd William Fancher Jennifer Faulkner Mark & Kathleen Fisher Darrell & Marilyn Fuhr Tom & Jill Furrer Jon & Sharon Garon Art Geffen Gary & Jae Germond Paul Gille David Glatt Dale & Diane E Gruber Tom & Marlys Gustafson Lyn Hauger Michael & Paula Hildebrandt Mabel Houle Ann Iijima & Myles Bakke Jim Johnson

Sustaining:

Vicki Andersen Rod & Barb Anderson Daryll & Mary Arntson Vaughn Asselstine Mariltn Bergum & Melvin Rupprecht Kenneth Bloch Susan Christensen-Wichmann Jane Conger Katryn Conlin Brian Cornell Bob & Vicki Dalager Hal Davis Doug Duncan Mary DuShane Matt Edwards Leon Evans Nathan Fjeld Jim Franczyk Warren Gumeson Timothy & Ginger Haaland David Holm Dick & Sue Hopperstad David & Laurette Hougen-Eitzman Mark Johnson

David Johnson Roger & Maggie Jorgenson Janine Kemmer Jim Lally Russel Lane Loren Laugtug James Lee Douglas Lohman Richard Luckeroth Bob Lundeen Rudy & Jeanne Marti Rodger McBride Bill & Ella Merrill Douglas & Georgene Nesheim Milaca RecFest David & Betty Pfeiffer Brian Ronning Tom & Cathy Schaefer Thomas & Barbara Schommer Thomas & Maragaret Schuveiller Penelope Scialla Denise & Tony Stachnik David Tousley & Margaret Brandes Donna Velasco Jane & Dobson West Jim Whitney John Wilcox

John Johnson Chris Juettner David Lang Bill Lindroos & Rebecca Reifler Rolf & Lisa Lund Mac McKay Mary & Bob McSorley Karla Menzel Susan & Joe Meyer Corey Mohan Jerry Nelson Dennis & Jan O’Brien Linda & Tony Omann Dominic Orrico Bob Ostlund Gary Peterson Marty & Carol Schirber Wendy Schoen Howell Smith Rory & Marian Thompson Lynn & Carolyn Thorson Ross & Elizabeth Vaughan Rebecca Wagner & Dan Forsythe Tin Wankel David & Bonnie Warner Carole Wilson March 2018

From the President

March 2018

open to everyone. Our members include people who love to listen to music and people who love to make music. As a member, you’ll be invited to participate in bluegrass and old-time music events and celebrations. You’ll receive discounted prices on admission to events and merchandise, and you’ll receive a subscription to Minnesota Bluegrass magazine. Becoming a member of MBOTMA is easy and affordable. Your membership will not only nurture your own interests, but help to ensure that the bluegrass and old-time music tradition is sustained and grows in Minnesota. Individual $35

Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, events discounts for one person, and a free classified ad.

Family $50

Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, events discounts and a free classified ad.

Band $75

Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, advance booking information for MBOTMA events, a free classified ad, and listings in the MBOTMA member band directory in print and on our website.

Sustaining Level $100

Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, first-class postage, events discounts, and a free classified ad.

Patron Level $150

Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, first-class postage, events discounts, and a free classified ad.

Add $18 for First Class or foreign postage to individual, family or band membership.

Go to minnesotabluegrass.org

and select the Membership tab to join online. Or mail in your personal information and payment to: MBOTMA, P.O. Box 16408, Minneapolis, MN 55416 Call 651-456-8919 for details or if you would like to join by phone. Funding for MBOTMA provided in part by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and private donors

Inside:

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

A word to the wise, MBOTMA offers health-giving and lifeprolonging elixirs. Let me explain. A number of years ago I took a graduate level course “Creativity and Holistic Health.” The bottom line: research shows we not only reap health benefits from participating in creative endeavors such as playing music, woodworking, drawing, etc., but we also derive health benefits from exposure to the arts, such as listening to music, going to an art museum, seeing snow and ice sculptures, or appreciating quirky street art. Have you noticed how the quality of art work has improved in hospitals and healthcare facilities? Providers have paid attention to the research. I recently listened to a TED Talk (http://t.ted.com/nMk9fKb) that explained an extensive research study (involving over 10,000 participants) with the goal determining which factors contribute to a longer life. Surprisingly, staying fit and lean, not smoking or drinking, and flu shots were not at the very top of the list. That said, I’m not advocating for abandoning those practices. Coming in second from the top was having close relationships. We all understand the need for having dear friends and family. However, the number one protective factor against dying was high levels of social integration/engagement. This can be as simple as actually seeing and greeting your server at a restaurant, participating in a book club, chatting with your neighbor across the fence, interacting with folks at gym, and so on. Who knew that MBOTMA’s primary components--creativity and socializing--may contribute to our overall health and longevity? Many folks I’ve talked to over the years have indicated it was a love of traditional music that brought them to MBOTMA but it was the sense of community that ultimately was the main attraction. It goes without saying, MBOTMA contributes to our quality of life. In just a few days you can imbibe in MBOTMA’s elixirs at the 2018 Winter Bluegrass Weekend (WBW). You won’t want to miss one of the Grascals Saturday night concerts. Their musicianship is spectacular and they are entertaining to boot. The Freight Hoppers, incredible purveyors of Old-Time music, will get your toes tapping and your feet dancing in the Dance Parlor. Continuous concerts by member bands donating their time and round the clock jamming will also contribute to your health and well-being. Come on down to the WBW and take your medicine. While you’re at it, please invite friends and family (real and virtual) to this great event that’s good for body and soul. The WBW is our premier indoor festival and it raises considerable revenue for MBOTMA thanks to the generous contributions of our member bands and other volunteers. Volunteering is great gateway into our warm and wonderful community, so sign up for the WBW on MBOTMA website. Also of note, the Flannel Fundraiser was a success because of the generous contributions of the Fred Babcock VFW, the bands and volunteers. We also appreciate all of you who attended the Flannel Fundraiser and helped spread the word.. Laura Cooper

Become a Member The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association is

Grass Clippings

The Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers to showcase at SXSW

SPBGMA Honors Barb and Darrel Ottman Rochester residents Barb and Darrell Ottman received the Promoter of the Year Award presented by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music in America on Jan. 13 in Jefferson City, MO. Darrell Ottman is president and Barb Ottman a board member of the South East Minnesota Bluegrass Association (SEMBA) that puts on two bluegrass festivals each year — one in May and one in August — at Cushon’s Peak Campground located outside Houston. Congratulations to Barb and Darrell.

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Becky Buller releases new CD: Crêpe Paper Heart, February 14 Becky Buller has just released a new album “Crêpe Paper Heart”; featuring The Becky Buller Band with special guests: Sam Bush, The Fairfield Four, Rhonda Vincent, Claire Lynch, Frank Solivan, Erin Youngberg, and Rob Ickes! In 2016 Becky became the first person EVER to win in both instrumental and vocal categories by winning both Female Vocalist and Fiddle Player of the Year at the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) awards. She is an awesome songwriter (2015 IBMA Songwriter of the Year) and, on this album, she wrote or co-wrote eleven (out of twelve) songs. In addition, she co-wrote Freedom, the first track on The Infamous Stringduster’s Laws Of Gravity, which just won the 2018 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album Of The Year! Editor’s note: I just listened to a few tracks and this is just another step in Becky’s career that is evidence that she is at the forefront of bluegrass music today. 4

It’s a long trek from the tiny hamlet of Soldiers Grove, WI to Austin, TX. But Nikki Grossman and Joe Hart, both former Minnesotans, have good reason to make the trip from their rural cabin to the “live music capital of the world:” The couple, who form the old-time country duo The Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers (www.sapsuckersmusic.com), have an official showcase performance at the annual March South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival and conference, one of the world’s largest music-industry gatherings. More than 8,000 bands apply for a chance to perform in front of industry professionals and music fans at the conference; the Sapsuckers are one of under a dozen Wisconsin bands to make the cut. “It’s an honor and an opportunity,” says Grossman, “especially for an unsigned, independent band. We’re pretty excited to have this kind of recognition.” Grossman and Hart bill their band as a brand-new take on old-time country and perform original songs inspired by classic hillbilly, country-duo, and oldtime musical traditions. They’ll be releasing a new album, “Don’t Think About Tomorrow Tonight,” with several concerts, including their official showcase. This is their third release, but their first studio album of all-original music, and their first time working with a producer—the celebrated John Wood, who made records with the likes of Richard and Linda Thompson, Nick Drake, The Incredible String Band, and Cat Stevens. The project was recorded and engineered by Tom Herbers (Trampled by Turtles, Charlie Parr, Low) at Minneap-

olis’s Creation Audio, and enlists the talents of some of that city’s top trad country musicians, including Liz Draper (Okee Dokee Brothers, Davina and the Vagabonds), Chris Hepola (Cactus Blossoms), Randy Broughton (Gear Daddies, Trailer Trash), Toni Lindgren (Reina del Cid), and Patrick Harison (Patty and the Buttons). Grossman and Hart are both Minnesota natives, and play frequently in their home state. Their CD release party will be held at the Hook & Ladder. The new record is an evolution of their sound, explains Grossman, who plays fiddle and guitar and sings. “When we started out, we were a square dance band,” she says. “Now, we feel that our songwriting is at the heart of our work, so that’s our focus on the new album.” Hart plays guitar, mandolin, and also sings. “Don’t Think About Tomorrow Tonight” builds on their acoustic country roots with songs that range from the silly (a song about forgetting the words to a song) to the sublime (for instance, the dreamy, 1950s-style “Fools Were Made to be Broken”). The couple recently settled on a small homestead in rural Soldiers Grove, WI, where they live in a tiny cabin and a trailer, along with their daughter and Hart’s children. “Our home has a huge impact on our songwriting and style,” says Hart. “We are ‘country,’ literally and musically, and we are proud of it.”

The Biscuit Boys Celebrate 5 years together

Help the Biscuit Boys celebrate five years together at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Plymouth, MN. Visit them at the Nechville Stage (Auditorium) at 9:10 p.m. on Friday, March 2. March 2018

Grassland Jam now on the air!! Grassland Jam videos of the 2017 Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival are on line now at http://video. pioneer.org/show/grassland-jam/. Grassland Jam is produced by Pioneer Public Televison located in Appleton, MN. Go on-line and relive your favorite memories of the 2017 festival!

LaPlant Instruments maker of fine mandolins & guitars

Buy - Trade Sell - Repair (stringed instruments)

31751 LaPlant Road Grand Rapids, MN 55744 218-326-4456

Letters to the Editor “Run Mountain” We, too, long were puzzled about the chorus of “Run Mountain.” J. E. and his Mainer’s Mountaineers played in 1963 or 1964 at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Wayne Erbsen’s excellent article on Mainer (Jan-Feb 2018) reminded us of when we asked J.E. what the words were. “Check a tree, check a rock, check a little hill,” J. E. said. We were also amused when J. E. wanted to trade fiddles with a member of our band. Later we heard that J. E. often carried a not-so-good fiddle around to trade with admiring young musicians. Marcia & Jon Pankake

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

March 2018

Every Musicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Second Home

Get Ready for Summer Festivals We have what you need! New & Used Martin Guitars

Protective Cases

Gigbags

Capos Strings Picks Straps Tuners Harmonicas Tin Whistles Jaw Harps Even Hats!

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

www.elderly.com Family Owned and Operated Since 1972

Toll-Free in the USA 888-473-5810

March 2018

All’s Fair in Love & Bluegrass By Nic Hentges

I have heard it said on many occasions, in reference to any number of techniques on any number of instruments, “Just do what works for you.” Although this is comforting advice and on some occasions innocuous, it can also spell danger. Incorrect technique in certain areas can halt progress and in the long run cause injury. How do we know the difference between our harmless cheats and the sinister kinds? If we are not sitting down with an instructor on a regular basis, this can be a true challenge. Make sure you are paying attention to what other instrumentalists are doing. If you’re a guitar player, watch other guitar players. Talk to them about their technique and really dissect what they’re doing and how they accomplish it. Everything from how

you hold an instrument, how you hold a pick, how you strum, bow or pluck your strings, and how you position and use your fingers on a fretboard are skills that we need to be thinking about and practicing. Whether you believe these skills are black and white, have wrong or right methods, or you believe there are a few ways to accomplish these tasks makes no difference. No matter how you dice it, poor technique can ultimately lead to joint pain and chronic injury. We play our best when we are relaxed, and it is much easier to be relaxed in natural body positions, which almost all playing techniques are based around. It is amazing what you can learn on the internet, in a magazine, or from a fellow instrumentalist these days, so do some research in between practice sessions. There is no magic key

ARMADILLO SOUND & DESIGN

to unlocking the next musical door, there is only persistence, hard work, and your love of music. Keep on picking, and keep on the sunny side! Yours in love and bluegrass

MBOTMA Needs a Trailer

Serving the acoustic music community for over 35 years.

Complete production services, sound and lights.

Complete studio and live multi-track recording with Protools©.

612-306-3490 douglohman@aol.com

Can you help out? Donate one? Donate funds? eventsmanager@minnesotabluegrass.org

March 2018

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

You know Doug’s attention to detail in the live concert… Let him help you craft your next recording project.

MBOTMA’s Winter Bluegrass Weekend A Festival of Old-Time and Bluegrass Music and Dance By Phil Nusbaum, Rina Rossi, Adam Kiesling, Rick Anderson, Jana Metge

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

The Minnesota Winter Tendency

We Minnesotans tend to accept “getting by” in winter. However, you get into trouble when you start thinking that “getting by” is the same as “doing well”. Minnesotans know the daily drill. You wake up and pull on your boots. You go to a job. Negotiate detour, enter highway, and allow time for the inevitable delay. The job? It’s an elaborate set of relationships with computers, devices, tools, and then, eight hours later, you retrace your road steps. By March this is all done during so-called daylight hours, though there is no actual light from the sun. Nor heat. The landscape is a color of drab, the workspace is drab, the commute is drab. While there is no actual color “drab” in your Crayola box, every color you see is a version of drab. You are lulled into thinking this is “doing well.” But it is not. It is merely “getting by.” On the contrary, at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend, held March 2-4 at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West in Plymouth, drab does not exist. There is music playing all the time, you keep running into friends, and if you get tired, you go to sleep and wake up in the middle of it again. Everyone needs an alternate reality every once in a while, something to break apart one’s “same old,” something to lighten up the drab and put you into the “doing well.” The Winter Bluegrass Weekend gets you there. Every time you do the Winter Bluegrass Weekend you re-discover the joy of life in a bluegrass atmosphere. 8

The National Bands

orated, long-time Grascals; lead singer Terry Eldridge, banjoist Kristin Scott Benson, mandolinist Danny Roberts and bass player Terry Smith. The band formed in 2004 and was quickly recognized as first class in the bluegrass industry. A Grascals show is funny, and can cover traditional bluegrass, classic country songs, cutting-edge original music and uproarious treatments of pop songs. The Grascals possess both the experience and the chops to satisfy bluegrass audiences and bring others into the bluegrass experience. We also have a great old-time group coming, the Freight Hoppers. One of the group’s formative experiences together occurred in 1992 when it performed four hours daily, seven days a week at the Great Smoky Mountain Railway, located near the group’s home base in North Carolina. That type of performing experience will teach you how to play together, and as a result the group has played widely ever since. At the Winter Bluegrass Weekend, old-time musicians have the T-Sirt design - Lester and Earl, ready to jam! opportunity to jam with the Linocut block print by Marie Stier Freight Hoppers on Saturday from 2-3, and listen to the group’s concert from 3:30-4:45. cert every Saturday night at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend. In 2017, we had LauThe Local Bands rie Lewis. In 2018, the Grascals will perThe Winter Bluegrass Weekend is form, and the Grascals exude a vibe that MBOTMA’s first multi-day bluegrass differs greatly from that of Laurie Lewis. event of 2018. Every band wants to show The Grascals played this event in the world what they’ve been working on 2010, and it also played at our August over the winter, and they all get their Festival in 2009. However, the bluegrass chances on multiple stages. Local band geeks among us know that the 2018 Winperformances frequently reflect bluegrass ter Bluegrass Weekend concert is our first trends before they become trends. Shows chance to see the Grascals with lead singcan be wild and crazy, and they can also er John Bryan and fiddler Adam Haynes. be traditional as could be. The other bands members are much decIf you study the Winter Bluegrass Weekend, you can see that the event presents great national bands. You might remember that there is a big bluegrass con-

March 2018

Spotlight On

Each year, Spotlight On stages some aspect of local music. This year, from 5 to 6:45 on Saturday, Spotlight On presents Fiddling Communities. The more one researches traditional music in Minnesota, the more one realizes the strength of Scandinavian musical communities. Spotlight On 2018 is an opportunity for music fans to listen to and get to know musical entities that claim parts of our region’s Scandinavian fiddle landscape: Art Bjorngjeld and Char Bostrom, The Dahlin Family, The Elmo Wick Project of the Minnesota State Fiddlers Association and Clawhammer Mike and Friends. I serve as the MC of Spotlight On, and part of the job is talking to the groups about the traditions represented. The main thing about the Winter Bluegrass Weekend is that it is not the “same old.” It’s the kind of total immersion celebration that does a body well. And it’s coming right up, March 2-4.

Workshops

March 2018

Dancehall Stage

We have a fantastic weekend lined up in the Old-Time Music & Dance Hall this year! First off, we are trying something different on Friday night and will be having four different member bands playing showcases. Music starts right at 6:45 pm and will run up until 10:00. The four bands playing are String Beans, No Man’s String Band, The Common Ground Company, and The Grit Pickers. Saturday, as always, is our big day. The Minnesota Fiddlers Association (http://www.fiddlemn.com/) will be holding court in the morning from 8:30 am until 11:30 am and will be offering workshops on fiddle technique and backup, teaching waltzes, and talking about fiddle contests. At noon perennial favorites The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers (http://wildgoosechasecloggers.org/wordpress/) will take the floor to show off some of their fancy footwork and intricate dance choreography, and will also lead a brief clogging workshop (no clogs required!). The rest of the afternoon belongs to The Freight Hoppers (http://thefreighthoppers.com/), a fantastic high energy old-time string band from North Carolina. Starting at 1:00 pm with some instrumental workshops, you’ll also have a chance to jam with the band before taking a seat for their concert (which will run

Showcase of Bands

After volunteering to do this job for several years now, I still love scheduling the Showcase of Bands for the Winter Bluegrass Weekend. It can be challenging at times scheduling 40+ bands with some musicians playing in multiple bands or also conducting workshops, but it’s totally worth it! These are all MBOTMA member bands representing Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Related music categories. I’m sure you’ll be happy to see some of your favorites returning and always fun to see new bands join and showcase their talents! The showcases will begin at 6:00pm Friday night with the last one ending at 12:45pm Sunday and will take place on the Nechville Stage (Auditorium), the Willie’s American Guitars stage (Europa Room), and we’ve added four showcases Friday night on the King Wilkie’s Dream Stage (Old Time Music & Dance Hall). Enjoy the Show!! Rick Anderson-Showcase Coordinator

from 3:30 to 4:45). At 5:00 Phil Nusbaum will present his Spotlight On music series, and this year’s topic will be Fiddling Communities. One of the bands involved, Hoof on the Roof, will play a couples dance (waltzes, polkas, schottisches) immediately following the presentation. At 7:30 The Freight Hoppers will take the stage yet again for a no-holds- barred square dance, guaranteed to give you your daily dose of fun (and then some!). Calling will be provided by the very able Sarah York, one of the finer callers in the midwest. Finally, to close out the night, Twin Cities-based honky tonk band Hello Heartache, fresh from the successful release of their first EP, will be be playing nothing but the finest in old country music for all of your two-steppin’ pleasure. Come on down and shake a boot! 9

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

There will be a plethora of workshops, sure to appeal to all levels of players. In addition to the usual banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and bass, there will also be workshops for autoharp, Appalachian dulcimer, and ukulele. There will also be some specialized workshops and here are some of them. Upper Midwest Tunes Jam 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 3, Studio 5 Bring your fiddle, accordion, banjo, mandolin, guitar, or bass and bust down on some Minnesota and Wisconsin waltzes, schottisches, two steps and polkas with founder of the Minnesota Fiddle Tunes project, Clawhammer Mike. There is some beautiful repertoire in the upper Midwest, so join in and keep it strong. Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced level players welcome. Is it Bluegrass or is it Old-Time? Missouri Fiddle Tunes of Lyman Enloe and Gene Goforth 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 3, Studio 5 You are in for a treat with this workshop! Fiddler and guitarist Al Murphy will be teaching this workshop alongside local fiddler AJ Srubas. Lyman Enloe and Gene Goforth are two Missouri fiddlers

whose musical styles straddled the line between old-time and bluegrass. Both grew up learning old-time tunes from elder relatives but spent lots of time at bluegrass festivals playing with fiddlers like Kenny Baker. Al Murphy has been named a Master Musician by the Iowa Folk Arts Council multiple times, and in 2001 he received the first annual Harry Oster Award from the Iowa Friends of Old-Time Music for his work in preserving acoustic music. Al visited and recorded both Gene and Lyman and played guitar on Gene’s album Emminence Breakdown. AJ Srubas is a longtime appreciator of Enloe’s and Gofoth’s fiddling and is an experienced teacher who currently offers lessons through the West Bank School of Music. This workshop will be Intermediate/Advanced level.

Winter Bluegrass Weekend Staff by Jana Metge

MBOTMA events cannot happen without volunteers, and for each MBOTMA event there is a festival staff. For Winter Bluegrass Weekend, this staff meets monthly throughout the year, to discuss and work on all event details. Each person on the team is in charge of one aspect of the event and will work on that task between meetings, reporting back to the group for discussion, feedback and finalization. Thanks to our fabulous Matt Johnson, MBOTMA’s Event Manager who pulls it all together, takes care of all administrative details, contracts the national performers and opening acts for the Saturday night concert and everything in between. Jana Metge Thanks to the fabulous Winter Bluegrass Weekend Festival Staff of 2018! Jana Metge -Chair Rick Anderson - Showcase Coordinator Bob Bayers - Europa Room Coordinator Jim Dostal - Green Room Coordinator Bea Flaming - Homestead Workshop Coordinator Brent Fuqua - Bluegrass Workshop Coordinator & Concert Manager Mabel Houle - Children’s Activities Coordinator Adam Kiesling - Old Time Workshop & Dance Hall Coordinator Rina Rossi - Old Time Workshop & Dance Hall Coordinator Addie Maass - Event Assistant Jed Malischke - Raffle Coordinator Philip Nusbaum - Spotlight On Coordinator Mark Peterson - Emcee Coordinator Marie Stier - T-Shirt Coordinator Aaron Tacke - Vendor Coordinator

The 2018 Winter MBOTMA T-shirt features a block print by local

artist Marie Stier. Marie specializes in linocut prints, where an image is handcarved out of a thin sheet of hard linoleum, coated in ink, and then printed on paper or cloth. The finished block essentially functions like a large homemade stamp. Block printing is an ancient art form (for example, it was used for Antonio Stradivari’s violin labels), and became an important aspect of American folk art. Marie focuses many of her prints on depictions of Old Time and Cajun musicians and their instruments and has drawn much inspiration from iconic instrument inlays. She frequently collaborates with local bands on album covers, posters, and other music related artwork. Having grown up attending MBOTMA events, she was particularly excited to create a print in honor of one her favorite Bluegrass duos, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs, with just a hint of Minnesota cold-weather culture thrown in for good measure. Make sure you swing by the merchandise table this year to check out this limited one of a kind T-shirt!

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

At the Historic Taylors Falls Memorial Community Center • 312 Government St., Taylors Falls MN

Sunday, March 11, 2-4 p.m.

Sunday, March 25, 2-4 p.m.

Sunday, April 22, 2-4 p.m.

THE DEAD PIGEONS

KING WILKIE’S DREAM

AMANDA OLIVER

www.thedeadpigeons.com

kwdream.com

& THE NEW PEDESTRIANS facebook.com/AmandaOliverAnd TheNewPedestrians

Tickets $10 at the door | Children under 12 free Sponsored by Friends of the Taylors Falls Parks & Recreation Commission and The Houdeks 10

March 2018

Grass Seeds 2018 Guitar, Fiddle, Banjo, Mandolin, Dobro and Bass By Eric Christopher

Grass Seeds and GS2 are MBOTMA sponsored youth workshops held in conjunction with the Winter Bluegrass Weekend, March 2-4, 2018. This will be our thirteenth year! We meet for one session Friday night, two on Saturday and one Sunday morning. The kids will then have the opportunity to show us all what they have learned with a concert on Sunday at 1:00. Some of the things we work on are jamming etiquette, ensemble playing, how to play back-up and take a lead break on your instrument, plus singing lead and harmony vocals. The kids have a lot of fun, but they work hard too. Grass Seeds is NOT just for beginners or “little kids,” nor are we only looking for those who are advanced players. While the kids will get a chance to show off a little bit onstage, if they’re so inclined, the focus of Grass Seeds is on group playing. So, whether you can play just a few common chords or fiddle a few tunes, or if you are a really “hot picker,” it doesn’t matter. Grass Seeds is about working together to make good music and have a good time. If you’re between the ages of 8 and 18 or so and you like playing music with friends, there is a place for you. We spend most of the weekend in

small groups, each one becoming a “band” for the weekend. We do our best to group kids according to their ability and comfort level, so a band can be as few as three or as many as seven or eight kids, in any combination of instruments. OUR FACULTY This year, longtime Grass Seeds favorites The High 48s (thehigh48s.com) will return as instructors. In addition to being one of the busiest bluegrass bands in the upper Midwest, the High 48s are also in demand as instructors, both in person and – more recently – online. They’ve also been a huge success as faculty at MBOTMA’s summer jam camp over the years. The High 48s are Clint Birtzer on guitar, Rich Casey on bass, Eric Christopher (ericonfiddle.com) on fiddle, Mike Hedding (mikeheddingmusic. com) on mandolin and Anthony Ihrig (anthonyihrig.com) on banjo. This year Chris Silver (chrissilver.wix. com) will teach GS2. If there are strings on it, Chris plays it -- and plays it well. Before the Chris Silver Band, he was a member of Stoney Lonesome and is also well known for his songwriting. Chris has firm roots in Bluegrass but has honed his own sound from many influences, making him perfect for GS2.

REGISTRATION Grass Seeds Schedule Fri: 7- 9pm Sat: 10am - noon and 1- 4pm Sun: 10am - 12:30pm The concert is at 1pm The registration fee for the 3-day workshop is $85 per student. Students can only register for one instrument. Be sure to register early, as space is limited. Fiddle tends to fill the quickest. To register, please call MBOTMA at 1-800-635-3037. If you have any further questions, please email Eric Christopher at eric@thehigh48s.com or 651-271-4392. Grass Seeds is a unique opportunity for the young people in our area; there are very few programs like this one. Our goal is to keep the registration fee as low as possible and the quality of instruction as high as possible. Tuition alone does not cover the cost of the program. Please consider making a donation to help keep this valuable program alive. You may do so by sending a check to MBOTMA at PO Box 16408 Mpls, MN 55416. Please specify that your donation is for Grass Seeds. All donations are tax deductible, and you will receive a tax receipt by mail.

The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association presents...

The Grass Seeds Music Academy 2018 faculty featuring the members of

THE HIGH 48s plus Chris Silver and Hannah Kalisch

March 2018

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

All musicians age 8 to 18 (or so) are invited to register for the Grass Seeds Music Academy during the Winter Bluegrass Weekend on March 2-4 at the Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West Hotel in Plymouth MN. You will learn jamming etiquette, ensemble playing, how to play back-up and take a break, lead and harmony vocals, as well as instruction on your own instrument. The workshop begins Friday night with registration and a jam to get ready for a full weekend of playing. Participants will also meet for two sessions on Saturday and one on Sunday morning, and will finish with an onstage group performance on Sunday. Registration fee is $85 and includes admission to the festival. For more information contact eric@thehigh48s.com - 651-271-4392 or www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org. To register: http://www.minnesotabluegrass.org/register-for-grass-seeds.html or call MBOTMA at 651-456-8919 or info@minnesotabluegrass.org 11

Headliners for the Winter Bluegrass Weekend

Great musicians will always find a way to make good music, but for great musicians to make great music, they must form a bond – one that, more often than not, goes beyond the purely musical to the personal. For The Grascals, that bond has been forged at the intersection of personal friendships, shared professional resumes and an appreciation for the innovative mingling of bluegrass and country music that has been a hallmark of the Nashville scene for more than forty years. Their cutting-edge modern bluegrass is delivered with a deep knowledge of, and admiration for, the work of the music’s founding fathers. Timely yet timeless, The Grascals make music that is entirely relevant to the here and now, yet immersed in traditional values of soul and musicianship. It’s a unique sound that has earned three Grammy® nominations and two Entertainer of the Year awards from

the International Bluegrass Music Association, as well as national media attention that seems to perpetually elude acts entrenched in niche genres. Such appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Fox & Friends, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and CBS’ The Talk. All the while, stages that represent the strongest bastions of tradition continually welcome them, as evidenced by the over 150 performances on the Grand Ole Opry. Honors also include performing twice for President George W. Bush and at President Barack Obama’s inaugural ball at the Smithsonian.

As their records prove, The Grascals’ rare musical empathy gives them an unerring ear for just the right touch to illuminate each offering’s deepest spirit – whether they’re digging into one of their original songs or reworking a bluegrass classic or a pop standard. Take for instance, fan favorite, “Last Train to Clarksville.” Non-bluegrass listeners enjoy a new take on a familiar song, while diehard bluegrass audiences who may have never heard the Monkees classic, respond inkind, not even realizing that the song has been Grascalized.

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

The Freight Hoppers The Freight Hoppers are a four-piece string band presenting hard-driving old -time music with an emotional, raw excitement that keeps one foot planted in the past and the other in the present. Of course that’s only when they keep their feet still! The band started presenting their energetic take on fiddle band music four times a day, seven days a week at the Great Smoky Mountains Railway shortly after forming in 1992. Their repertoire includes music that was first recorded in the late 1920s and early 1930s and spans 12

geographically from Mississippi to West Virginia. The heart of the band is the driving mountain fiddling of David Bass complemented by the clawhammer banjo and vocals of Frank Lee, with the rhythm section of string bass and Allie Burbrink on guitar and vocals. Based out of the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, The Freight Hoppers draw from a deep source of rural southern music for their inspiration, and they are proud to present this music that is still meaningful today.

March 2018

39th ANNUAL

A FESTIVAL OF BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIME MUSIC AND DANCE

MARCH 2-4 Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West Plymouth, MN

Headline Concert Tickets Start at

General Admission Tickets Start at

THE FISH HEADS 6 pm Opening Band

THE GRASCALS Saturday Concert Headliner

SWITCHED AT BIRTH 8:30 pm Opening Band

THE FREIGHT HOPPERS Old-Time Dance Band

3 Stages with 40 Bands | Jamming | Workshops

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

For more information and to purchase tickets visit our website or call 651-456-8919 THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

March 2018

Welcome to the 39th Annual

A Festival of Bluegrass & Old-time Music and Dance - March 2-4, 2018

Nechville Stage - Auditorium Friday, March 2

Saturday, March 3

MC: Margaret Brandes MC: Tom Pietrs 6:00pm The Double Down Daredevils 11:00am Rosby Corner 6:45pm Long Time Gone 11:45am Mary DuShane & Nick Jordan 7:30pm Sarah Mae & the Birkeland Boys 12:30pm Cousin Dad 8:20pm Roe Family Singers 1:20pm Sherry Minnick & Jackson Buxton 2:10pm Singleton Street MC: Kim Curtis-Monson 9:10pm Biscuit Boys Band MC: Ben Manning 9: 50pm Tony Rook Band 3:00pm King Wilkie’s Dream 10:40pm The Seldom Herd 3:50pm Brian Wicklund & Mike Cramer

Sunday, March 4

9:45-12:45 Gospel Show MC: Katryn Conlin 9:45am Four Mile Portage 10:30am Gloryland Gospel Band 11:15am Blessings Gospel Trio 12:00pm Mother Banjo 1:00pm Grass Seeds Recital

Headline Concerts - The Grascals 6:00pm/doors open 5:30pm with the Fishheads 8:30pm/doors open 8:15pm with Switched at Birth The concerts are held at the Nechville Stage. If you have a ticket for both concerts, you may keep your seat.

Willie’s American Guitars - Europa Room Friday, March 2

MC: Pam Kolupailo 6:00pm Now & Then 6:45pm Tom & Jed 7:30pm The Eelpout Stringers 8:20pm Bob & Lynn Dixon MC: 9:10pm Gypsy Sally 9:50pm Mark Kreitzer Band 10:40pm Def Lester

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Saturday, March 3

MC: Thomas Schrack 10:30am-11:50am Open Stage (sign up in Gathering Place starting at 7pm Friday) 12:00pm Timbre Junction 12:55pm Middle Spunk Creek Boys

Saturday, March 3 cont.

MC: Dan Fish 1:50pm Mash Tun 2:45pm Fine Line Bluegrass 3:40pm Blue Groove

Dinner Celebration

5:00 to 10:00pm entertainment by: MC: Soren Olesen 5:00pm The Good Intentions 5:50pm Curtis & Loretta 6:40pm Porcupine Creek 7:30pm Whippersnappers MC : 8:20pm The Hacklewrappers 9:10pm Laura & the Lagerheads

Thursday Early Bird Jam

Fireside Lounge - THUR Night 6pm

Exhibit Rooms

Conference Rooms B, C & D FRI 7-10pm | SAT 10am-7pm | SUN 10am-3pm

Saturday Open Stage Sign-Up

Saturday Dinner Celebration Europa Room Dinner service 5- 8:00pm

Sunday, March 4

7:30am to 12:00 Noon Sunday Morning Brunch

Thank You Sponsors!

March 2018

King Wilkie’s Dream - Music & Dance Parlor - Downstairs Friday, March 2

12:00-12:50pm Wild Goose Chase 5:00-6:35pm Spotlight On Cloggers (performance & clogging Presents: Fiddling Communities 6:45pm String Beans workshop) 6:45pm Couples Dance with 7:30pm No Man’s String band 1:00-1:50pm Old Time WorkHoof on the Roof (waltzes, two 8:15pm The Common Ground Company shops with The Freight Hoppers step, schottisches) 9:00pm The Grit Pickers 2:00-3:00pm Jam with The Freight 7:30 - 9:15pm Square Dance Saturday, March 3 Hoppers with caller Sarah York and The 8:30-9:45am Fiddle Contest Discussion 3:30 – 4:45pm Concert with The Freight Hoppers Panel of local fiddle champions will Freight Hoppers 9:30-10:30pm Honky Tonk share their expertise. Dance with Hello Heartache 9:45-10:45am Fiddle Contest Backup Up with Bill Cagley & John Wallace 9:45-10:45am Fiddle Tunes-Waltzes lead by Mike Hildebrandt The Freight Hoppers 10:45-11:30am Fiddle Technique1:00-1:50pm Old Time Workshops with The Freight Hoppers Rhythm and Phrasing with John Wallace 2:00-3:00pm Jam with The Freight Hoppers 3:30 – 4:45pm Concert with The Freight Hoppers

Gathering Place - Conference Room E Friday, March 2

10:30-12:30pm Kids Crafts with Mabel Houle Get Rhythm create and decorate a tambourine 1:00pm Beginner’s Jam/Bill Cagley Saturday, March 3 3:00pm Intermediate Jam/Bill Cagley 9am Gathering Place Opens 5-6:30pm Bill Cagley’s TLC Stage 9am-10am Beginning Ukulele with Rhon7-8:30pm Yellow Book Ukulele Jam with da Laurie & Tony Anthonisen (ukes provided) 6pm Gathering Place Opens 7pm Open Stage Signup Begins

Rhonda Laurie & Tony Anthonisen

Sunday, March 4

9am Gathering Place Opens 12:30pm Intermediate Jam/ Bill Cagley 4pm Gathering Place Closes

Old-Time & Bluegrass Workshops - Second Floor Saturday, March 3

Old TimeWorkshops - Studio 5 10am Upper Midwest Tunes Jam 11am Missouri Fiddle Tunes Workshops Presented by Homestead Pickin Parlor 1pm Beginning Autoharp-Karen Mueller 2pm Beginning Bluegrass Banjo-Bruce Johnson 3pm Beginning Appalachian Dulcimer-Karen Mueller 4p Beginning Mandolin-Bruce Johnson

Bluegrass Workshops - Studio 3 10am Advanced Banjo-Graham Sones 11am Bass Hang-Pat Loftus Noon Mando Hang-Nic Hentges 1pm Improvise a Bluegrass Solo-Brian Wicklund 2pm Bluegrass Fiddle-Brian Wicklund 3pm Advanced Bluegrass MandolinMark Kreitzer 4pm Swing Guitar-Mark Kreitzer

Hotel Map & Key N

T B F

E G

March 2018

1pm Master Guitar Workshop with Jon Garon and Clay Hess - Studio 2

WBW Event Staff B Bathrooms D King Wilkie’s Dream Music & Dance Parlor E Exhibit Rooms F Food Options Creekside Lounge, Creekside Cafe, Concessions

G Gathering Place M Merch Table WG Willie’s American Guitars Stage N Nechville Stage T Tickets

Jana Metge - Chair Rick Anderson Bob Bayers Jim Dostal Bea Flaming Brent Fuqua Mabel Houle Matt Johnson

Adam Kiesling Addie Maass Jed Malischke Philip Nusbaum Mark Peterson Rina Rossi Marie Stier Aaron Tacke

Follow MBOTMA on Twitter & FaceBook 15

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Ukulele with Tony Anthonisen - Studio 2 10am-11am Workshop with Mike Cramer-Good, Better, Best Bob Wills Noon-1pm Improve your playing with Chris Russell 3pm-4pm Expanding your uke skills with Ukester Brown

MBOTMA Winter Raffle really heating up! By Jed Malischke

For many years the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA) has held two raffles each year, one during the winter and the other in the summer. Both are important revenue sources for the organization, especially because the prizes have typically been provided at no cost to MBOTMA, so all your ticket purchases go directly to support your organization. And the 2018 winter raffle is really heating up with some great prizes on the docket. The really exciting development in this year’s winter raffle is that Willie’s American Guitars on Cleveland Ave in Saint Paul is providing MBOTMA with a Martin D-18 guitar for a top prize. The Martin D-18 has always been the quintessential bluegrass guitar, coveted by aficionados everywhere. Sure, there are many other great guitars, but every true bluegrasser wants at least one D-18 as part of their collection, with its

understated looks and timeless tone, the warmth of mahogany and authentic Sitka spruce, coupled with resonant scalloped bracing under the hood create a sound that’s honest, authoritative, and clear. And the vintage details like open-geared tuners and classic 18-style appointments pair with a modern, low profile neck for an old-soul sound in a brand-new body. It’s a classic, valued at over $3,000. But wait! There’s more! This is a “pick your bucket, pick your prize” raffle. That means there are really four separate raffles, and you are going to want at least one ticket in each prize bucket. The other prizes include: a Deering Goodtime Americana Banjo with gig bag (direct from Deering Banjos); an Audio Technica AT4033 Condenser Microphone (provided by MBOTMA member band King Wilkie’s Dream); and a Frost River Trading Curtis Flight Bag (handmade in Duluth by Frost River Trading).

Tickets will be $5.00 and you will have three opportunities to check out these prizes and purchase tickets. The first will be at the MBOTMA Flannel Fundraiser on Saturday, February 10 at the Fred Babcock VFW in Richfield. The second will be at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend on March 2-4 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Plymouth (come around the raffle table for the perpetual jam we’ll be having there). Your last opportunity will be at the Cabin Fever Festival on April 6-8 at the Radisson Harborview Hotel in Duluth (the drawing will be there on Saturday evening). And if for some reason you can’t make it to any of these events, but you still want to purchase a few tickets and support MBOTMA, you can contact me at jmalisch@centurytel.net or 715-6352479 and I will make arrangements to get tickets to you. Otherwise, I hope to see you there!

Friends!! Come Celebrate 5 Years with us...

The Biscuit Boys Dan (Buttermilk)

Tim (Buckwheat)

Join us Friday, March 2, 9:10pm Nechville Stage Winter Bluegrass Weekend Also see us at:

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

MBOTMA Homegrown Kickoff Northwoods BG Festival Lakes Bluegrass Festival Pioneer BG festival Nathan (Hotrise)

Mike (Sourdough)

The Biscuit Boys Band: biscuitboys.wixsite.com/bbwixsite To Book the Biscuit Boys: Dan Fish - 612-804-2389 - biscuitboysband@gmail.com 16

March 2018

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

March 2018

8th Annual

April 13-15, 2018 Downtown River Falls, WI

40+ Hours of Foot Stompinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Bluegrass Music ions Competit Sessions m a J n e Op s Workshop ing* ine Tast Beer & W more! and much

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

call .com or s s a r g e u 3 w.rfbl -425-253 Visit ww e at 715 c ffi o r e b the Cham ils. for deta

Premiere Event Sponsor

*Fees apply. March 2018

Apr 6-8 2018 Radisson Harborview Hotel, Duluth (505 W Superior St)

Presented by The MINNESOTA BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIME MUSIC ASSOCIATION and the TAMARACK DANCE ASSOCIATION

GEORGIA RAE FAMILY (Fri & Sat) COUSIN DAD (Fri & Sat) PATTY & THE BUTTONS (Fri & Sat)

THE FISH HEADS, TRUEGRASS TRIO, MAY NORTH, DOUBLE DOWN DAREDEVILS, TIMBRE JUNCTION, SELDOM HERD, SARAH MAE & THE BIRKELAND BOYS, ROSBY CORNER, COUNTRY GENTLEMEN

Plus: Friday Night Live! (open mic starts 6PM) NEW! Friday Night Swing Dance Saturday Old-Time Barn Dance w/Caller Workshops, Theme Jams, Impromptu Jam Sessions! You’ll want to be there the entire weekend, so order your tickets in advance, then book a room at THE RADISSON HARBORVIEW HOTEL at 218-727-8981. Tell them you’ve got CABIN FEVER!. BULLYAN RV, FROST RIVER TRADING CO, SAINT LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER, BENT PADDLE BREWING CHRISTIAN EGGERT VIOLINS, SIR BENEDICT’S TAVERN, REPUBLIC BANK, and BUILDERS COMMENWEALTH Sponsored by:

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Tickets: Advance $32Wknd, $29Memb; Gate $15Fri, $20Sat (teens½, kids free)

651-456-8919 or MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Advance tickets are available online or by phone. This event is presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA) and made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, and thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund.

March 2018

Oak Center General Store Definitely Worth the Drive

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

By Loretta Simonet

It’s obvious where Oak Center General Store is when you arrive in town. There are no other stores in the hamlet of Oak Center, so you park by the two-story vintage, weather beaten building, sandwiched in between U.S. Highway 63 and County Road 82 in southeastern Minnesota, about eleven miles out of Lake City. There are solar panels on the roof, and a sign that says, “Stop on in and Explore the Store.” You enter an old-time general store with a wood-plank floor and tin ceiling, wooden refrigerators that are still in use, organic produce, fair trade mittens and purses, bulk spices, and much more. You buy your ticket at the wooden counter, then head back through the area where volunteers are preparing food for the pre-concert potluck on a wood burning stove. In the back, you head up the (very) steep, time-worn wooden steps, to the concert hall. Owner Steven Schwen is stoking up the wood stove there, warming up the room for the evening’s concert. A MinnPost article described Steven as an “outspoken, yet gentle man, deeply-rooted in his independent, self-sufficient, non-materialistic, environmental, anti-war beliefs.” Raised in the country near Blue Earth, he dropped out of med school to get back to the land, starting a “hippie commune” in Oronoco. The Siewert Family built the general store in 1913, and ran it until 1970. In 1976 Steven bought the place. He told me, “It was abandoned and empty, and quite a project. I had to rewire it and put a new roof on the part that had caved in.” Besides the store and concert hall, Steven also does woodworking and has a fourteen acre organic farm out back. It was a real struggle to pay the bills in the very beginning, so a friend proposed having his band play a dance to raise money. Wild Oats would play the music and supply kegs of beer; Steven would supply the venue, and they’d split the profit. They charged $2 a head for mu20

sic and unlimited beer. It turned into a disaster, with beer spilled everywhere, fourteen broken chairs, and one person falling down the stairs. Steven and his then wife, Nan, made $150 that night, cleaned everything up, paid the bills, looked at each other and said, “Folk music.” Much more mellow square dances followed. MBOTMA members Bob Bovee and Gail Heil played at the very first one, with Pop Wagner calling. In the fall of 1978 the first solo concert featured hot banjo and pedal steel player Winnie Win-

Steven Schwen and Rosie

ston. (Winnie was a member of the New York Ramblers, with David Grisman and Jody Stecher). Winnie, also an international expert on homeopathic medicine, gave a workshop on homeopathy the day before too. For many years, “folk forum,” as the series is called, featured not only music, but also workshops on organic farming, canning, solar power and much more, plus speakers, including Paul Wellstone and Eugene McCarthy. Steven’s purpose in presenting the series is to serve to raise consciousness and build the local community. He’s always been adamant that “we’re not going to be just entertainment. We’re going to be more than that.” He looks for high quality, inspiring music with a message. Concerts over the years have featured folk, bluegrass, old-time, blues, and world, with many MBOTMA bands performing, including Monroe Crossing, Tangled Roots, Peter Ostroushko, The Barley Jacks, Becky Schlegel, the Buffalo Gals, and many more. On January 27, MBOTMA band Pushing Chain from northern Minnesota, is on the bill. We talk in the tiny greenroom at one side of the stage. The walls here and behind the stage are covered with signatures of past performers, like Greg Brown, Koerner Ray and Glover, Claudia Schmidt, Bill Staines, and thousands more. I ask how this venue is different from other places they’ve played. Boyd Blomberg tells me, “It’s got a whole lot of March 2018

ing matches. At the end of the night, Pushing Chain descends from the stage for their encore, singing and playing at eye level with the crowd, sans P.A. The rousing applause announces they’ve satisfied their old fans, and made plenty of new ones. Then the crowd slowly heads down the steep stairway, out into the crisp, silent blackness. The only sounds are an occasional car zipping past on Highway 63, crunching of snow underfoot, and comments like, “Wow, what a great show,” and “That was definitely worth the drive!”

Pushing Chain

March 2018

Twin Cities, Red Wing, and Rochester. In the early days of the building, this community hall hosted dances (old timers tell of arriving in horse drawn sleighs with warmed stones to heat their feet), poultry shows, community plays, and even box-

More info at www.oakcentergeneralstore.com

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

soul. And the vibe…it’s off the charts.” Adam Moe adds, “It’s like you’re adding yourself to a line of history that’s pretty impressive. You look back at the people who’ve played here…” When I declare it a true listening room, Adam says, “It’s even more true listening than a lot of listening rooms because this one you have to set out to get here. They commit to coming and listening to music.” Boyd says, “Yeah, we’re on a couple of country crossroads. It’s farmland all over the place!” Before the concert, Steven always addresses the audience, with a liberal leaning agenda. Tonight he speaks of the state of the world, and his hope that we can all help improve it. Then Pushing Chain takes the stage, giving us a fantastic evening’s worth of their “folky-tonk” music. Boyd plays guitar and is the main songwriter (my favorite is “Don’t Drown Yourself in Sorrows, because Sorrows Always Swim”). Adam plays tasty fiddle riffs, and their harmonies blend together effortlessly. Sad country-tinged songs give way to energetic hot fiddle-driven numbers. The concert hall holds 150 people, and it’s solid wood everywhere, from the walls, floors and ceiling to the stage and the chairs, giving it great, warm acoustics. The audience is a mix of “locals” from surrounding farms and small towns, plus many people making the drive from the

Upcoming shows at Oak Center General Store March 3 - The Sawtooth Brothers March 10 - Curtis & Loretta March 17 - Chris Silver and the Good Intentions March 24 - Katey Bellville

Man of Constant Sorrow

now know as “Man of Constant Sorrow.” Burnett taught the song to his neighbor, Emry Arthur, who recorded it on January 1, 1928. According to George Shuffler, Ralph Stanley learned it from his father, who “got it in Kentucky.”

by Wayne Erbsen

A brand spanking new book has just burst forth from Native Ground Books & Music – Painless Guitar – A Fun & Easy Guide for the Complete Beginner. This book is a collaboration between Ted Parrish and myself. Our total combined years of teaching the guitar total more than seventy, so we had fun working together to make this book both easy to use and affordable ($9.95). The book is so simple that virtually anyone can learn to play the guitar. It is packed with thirtyone familiar folk, bluegrass, gospel and blues songs along with easy to read chord charts, simple tab and painless strumming. Among the songs included in Painless Guitar is “Man of Constant Sorrow.” The tab below should be easy to follow. The horizontal lines represent the strings, and the numbers on a line tells you what fret to play on that string. The little lines below each line of the tab are the beats you count. The chords are shown above each line. Try it. It’s easy! If you would like a little background history on this song, I’ll tell you that Kentucky-born, blind street singer Dick

Man of Constant Sorrow I am a man of constant sorrow, I’ve seen trouble all my days, I bid farewell to old Kentucky, The state where I was born and raised.

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.

Dick Burnett Burnett had every reason to compose “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow.” An orphan by the time he was twelve, Burnett was almost murdered in 1907 when he was robbed and shot in the face with a shotgun. Though he survived, Burnett was now a blind man. To earn a livelihood for his wife and child, he took to the streets with a banjo, a fiddle, and a tin cup tied to his leg. To add to his income, he produced little song books, which he later called “song ballets.” In about 1913, he put out a little booklet entitled Songs Sung By R.D. Burnett—The Blind Man—Monticello, Kentucky. Among the four songs in this book was one called “Farewell Song,” which he wrote in about 1912, and that we

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

For six long years I’ve been in trouble, No pleasure here on earth I’ve found, For in this world I’m bound to ramble, I have no friends to help me now. You may bury me in some deep valley, For many years where I may lay, Then you may learn to love another, While I am sleeping in my grave. Maybe your friends think I’m just a stranger, My face you’ll never see no more, But there is one promise that is given, I’ll meet you on God’s golden shore

March 2018

CD Review:

Pamela Longtine - Saddle Old Kate [Leaf Lake Music CD 2018-01] By Tamara Baker

March 2018

of the American Swedish Institute’s ASI Spelmanslag. Longtine’s daughter Adeline plays a sturdy fiddle with her mother as Kimmel plays guitar.

Longtine learned the next tune, the peppy “Ducks on the Pond,” from Dick Kimmel, who in turn learned it from none other than Alan Jabbour. She fiddles, Kimmel plays mandolin. Fans of Bruce Greene’s version of the old standard “Frolic of the Frogs” will be pleased by Longtine’s take on this pleasant waltz and jam standby. Kimmel accompanies on guitar and banjo. Two old friends of Longtine’s, mandolinist and singer Jo Schubert and singer and citternist Roger Cuthbertson, appear on “Say Darlin’ Say,” They sing along with Dick Kimmel, who plays a nice loping banjo to Longtine’s easygoing fiddling. Dipping back into Scandinavian mu-

sic, we find Longtine playing “Al Capone’s Waltz” on viola, and in a lower register than usual, while Dick Kimmel backs her up on guitar. It’s a beautiful take on a tune with a colorful history. Next is a sprightly medley, “Old French” followed by “Here and There Hornpipe,” both of which are tunes Longtine picked up from Dick Kimmel, who learned them when he played in the F&W Stringband in New England. She fiddles, he plays mandolin. Then comes a fast-moving John Salyer tune, “Roosian Rabbit”,,which Longtine got from Bruce Molsky at a Bluff Country Gathering workshop several years ago. Bob Bovee plays guitar and harmonica while she sets the pace on fiddle. Closing out the CD is an Edden Hammons tune, “Queen of the Earth Child of the Skies,” Longtine plays this tune solo and in DDAD tuning, a sad yet sweet remembrance of her beloved Aunt Lucy, at whose funeral Longtine played it. Another solid effort featuring one of Minnesota’s best old-time fiddlers, abetted by a fine supporting cast.

Tamara Baker is a former music and equipment reviewer for The Absolute Sound. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota and is married to the accomplished traditional and Scandinavian music guitarist and mandolinist Eric Platt.

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Talented multi-genre fiddler Pamela Longtine, having made an excellent CD last year with frequent musical partner Dick Kimmel, now steps to the fore with her first solo CD, Saddle Old Kate. This CD shows the depth and breadth of Longtine’s talents. Leading off the album is the title track, played the way Longtine learned it from her good friend, the late and dearly missed Gail Heil, the founder along with her husband Bob Bovee of the great Minnesota old-time music festival, the Bluff Country Gathering. Bovee’s playing guitar and harmonica and Dick Kimmel’s plunking along on the banjo on this driving, rhythmic tune. “Wolf River” is next, a French-Canadian tune featuring Pamela’s feet as well as her fiddle, with Dick Kimmel on guitar and his son Ian holding down the beat on bass. Very danceable! The rhythm turns sweet and slow on the next tune, Arizona fiddler Kenner C. Karthchner’s “Black Hills Waltz.” Longtine tunes to AEAE while Kimmel backs her up on guitar. “Farewell to Trion” became an instant hit with the Minnesota old-time community when James Bryan played it at the Bluff Country Gathering in 2004. Here Longtine gives it Bryan’s clean, straightforward treatment while Kimmel plays guitar and banjo. Next Longtine plays “Edwin’s Polska,” a tune by Edwin Johnson, the great Swedish immigrant fiddler whose grandson Paul Dahlin is one of the founders

March 2018

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Bluegrass Saturday Morning By Phil Nusbaum

Weekly from 7AM till Noon

The Bluegrass Review may have faded into history, but KBEM-FM continues to present five hours of bluegrass music each Saturday. The station extended Bluegrass Saturday Morning to 12 noon while keeping the start time of 7AM. Those who tune in for the first half-hour segment get a little featurette about a bluegrass music artist. Later on in the 11AM hour, we’ll continue to present the Gems of Bluegrass features originally created for the Bluegrass Review. Each Gems of Bluegrass explores a bluegrass music topic through a combination of music clips and commentary, and typically run for about six minutes. Plus, Bluegrass Saturday Morning will continue to present occasional interviews with bluegrass artists and scholars.

The Winter Bluegrass Weekend

The Winter Bluegrass Weekend occupies the first weekend in March. The WBW would just be a nice event if all it provided was the concerts by local bands. The concerts always include groups that play old-style bluegrass and old-time music, and others that are grabbing portions of the cutting edge. However, the Winter Bluegrass Weekend does so much more than provide a snapshot of the Bluegrass/Old-Time music scenes in Minnesota. There will be concerts by two great bands, The Grascals and the Freight Hoppers. There are old-time dancing, instrument workshops, sales of instruments and other items, jamming all the time, and opportunities a-plenty for hanging out in a bluegrass atmosphere. It’s the first full-fledged MBOTMA bluegrass festival of the year, a foretaste of things to come, and a great way to spend a weekend.

The KBEM Fund Drive

March 2018

Weekly Playlists, Listen Online 1. PRX.org To locate Gems of Bluegrass and the Bluegrass Review online, type in the search box at www.prx.org and you should get many hits. Bluegrass Saturday Morning is streamed and, also, archived at the new url for KBEM 88.5 www.jazz88.fm. 2. www.bluegrassreview.com Bluegrass Review playlists are located at www. bluegrassreview.com. Just use the “programs” link you’ll find at the top of the page. Then look for the show for whichever week is current. The current week’s show should come to the top, and scroll down to view earlier playlists. Scroll down all the way to access a player enabling you to stream the show. 3. www.jazz88.fm To stream KBEM programming, at www.jazz88.fm, click on “listen live.” Bluegrass Saturday Morning playlists are located at www.jazz88.fm. At the top of the home page on the right-hand side, select “playlists.” Then click on the desired date. To listen to archived shows, at www.jazz88.fm, click on “on-demand.” Then click on the date and show.

The Bluegrass Review in Minnesota Check www.bluegrassreview.com for a complete station list. Station

Day

Time

KLQP-FM, 92.1 Madison

Monday

8 PM

KMSU-FM, 89.7 Mankato; 91.3 Austin

Sunday

10 AM

KBEM-FM, 88.5 Minneapolis

Saturday

11 AM

KSRQ-FM, 90.1 Thief River Falls

Sunday

11 AM

KQAL-FM, 89.5 Winona

Saturday

9 AM

KDDG-FM, 105.5 Albany

Saturday

9 PM

WTIP-FM, 90.7 Grand Marais

Thursday

10 PM

KUMD-FM, 103.3 Duluth

Saturday

4 PM

KRWC-AM, 1360 Buffalo

Sunday

5 PM

KOJB-FM, 90.1 Cass Lake

Sunday

6 PM

KSCR-FM, 93.5 Benson

Sunday

6 AM

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

One sure sign that winter is waning is the onset of fundraising by public media. Fund-raising affects Bluegrass Saturday Morning (KBEM-FM, 88.5, www.jazz.fm) on March 3 and March 10, 2018. KBEM-FM is Our Town’s major radio provider of bluegrass music and it has been for about a generation. The station presents five hours of bluegrass weekly, a time window considered large by the radio industry. All of those hours are on Saturday morning, a time of day convenient for most radio listeners. Plus, at www.jazz88.fm, KBEM now archives shows for two weeks after broadcast so listeners can catch Bluegrass Saturday Morning whenever it is convenient. During the fund drive, we’ll put out the message that KBEM-FM bucks the broadcast trend by presenting bluegrass music. Regardless of any trend, Bluegrass Saturday Morning has always been one of KBEM-FM’s most popular shows. It exists because listener support is strong. During fund drives, we always encourage those who have never financially supported

our show to call one of our phone operators to make a pledge of support. Contributions are tax-deductible, and there are some nice premiums available. But the greatest benefit is helping to continue the radio service that plays a large role in the bluegrass scene in the Twin Cities.

Don’t miss these future

MBOTMA Events

Presented by The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association The 39th Annual

A Festival of Bluegrass & Old-Time Music & Dance

March 2-4, 2018 Crowne Plaza Hotel I-494 & Hwy 55 in Minneapolis, MN

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Featuring

MBOTMA’s Winter Bluegrass Weekend is a Festival of Bluegrass & Old-Time Stringband Music & Dance. The Showcase of Bands features more than 50 groups on 2 stages all 3 days. The Saturday Night Headline Concert will feature: All at the beautiful Crowne Plaza in Plymouth, Minnesota (on the NW edge of Mpls). Call 763-5596600 for lodging and ask for the Minnesota Bluegrass Festival rate.

The 13th Annual

April 6-8, 2018 Radisson Lakeview Hotel 505 W Superior St., Duluth, MN A weekend long cabin fever reliever event including stage shows, old-time dances, draw bands, open stage, workshops, and jam sessions around the clock. Performers TBA. Weekend tickets are $29 in advance ($26 for members). Day of show $15 Friday and $20 Saturday. Teens are half price and kids are free. For more information call 651-456-8919 or visit www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org. For lodging contact the Radisson Hotel at 218-727-8981 and ask for the special Cabin Fever Bluegrass Festival rate.

The 26th Annual

June 1-3, 2018 El Rancho Mañana 20 mi W of St. Cloud, MN

A three day outdoor music and camping festival with stage shows by more than twenty regional performers of traditional bluegrass, old-time stringband, and related forms of acoustic music. Plus workshops, “Jam With The Bands,” the Gathering Place, and plenty of jam sessions. El Rancho Mañana is the largest campground in Minnesota and boasts horse back riding, a swimming beach, boating, fishing, showers, and other amenities. Join us for an intimate musical weekend with some of the friendliest folks you will ever meet!

For More Info: www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org or 651-456-8919 These festivals are presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA), a non-profit 501c3 organization, and made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board through appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Call and ask to be on our mailing list.

March 2018

MBOTMA Calendar of Events Concerts and events presented or supported by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association

The following events are presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA) or supported in part by MBOTMA, and made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

March 2-4, 2018 - Friday-Sunday The Winter Bluegrass Weekend: A Festival of Bluegrass

& Old-Time Music & Dance, Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West Hotel in Plymouth, MN (3131 Campus Dr, I-494 & Hwy 55). Some fifty groups will be performing bluegrass, old-time stringband, and related forms of acoustic music on several stages, including the Saturday Night Headline Concert and the Dance Hall. Plus workshops, dances, instrument exhibitors, and jam sessions around the clock. Early Bird Jam starts Thursday, March 1, at 6:30pm. For more information call 1-651-456-8919 or visit www. MinnesotaBluegrass.org. To book lodging contact the Crowne Plaza at 763-559-6600 or the nearby Residence Inn at 763-5771600. Ask for the special Minnesota Bluegrass Festival rate.

April 6-8, 2018 - Friday-Sunday Cabin Fever Festival: Duluth MN: Cabin Fever Festival,

Radisson Harborview Hotel (505 W Superior St). A weekend long cabin fever reliever event including stage shows, old-time dances, draw bands, open stage, workshops, and jam sessions around the clock. Performers TBA. Weekend tickets are $29 in advance ($26 for members). Day of show $15 Friday and $20 Saturday. Teens are half price and kids are free. For more information call 651456-8919 or visit www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org. For lodging contact the Radisson Hotel at 218-727-8981 and ask for the special Cabin Fever Bluegrass Festival rate. Presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA).

MBOTMA’s Website: www.minnesotabluegrass.org

March 2018

Richmond MN, El Rancho Mañana Campground & Riding Stable (27302B Ranch Rd 56368, 20 mi W of St Cloud, I-94 exit #153 at Avon, 9 mi S on County 9, L on Mañana Rd). Three-day outdoor music and camping festival with twenty regional groups performing bluegrass, old-time stringband, and related forms of acoustic music. Showtimes are 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM Friday, 12:00 M to 10:00 PM Saturday, and 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Sunday. Advance tickets are $55 for the weekend including camping ($45 for members) or $20 daily ($15 member). Gate prices are $65 for the weekend including camping and $20/Fri $25/Sat and $10/ Sun. Teens are always only $5 and kids are free. For information and tickets call 651-456-8919 or visit www.MinnesotaBluegrass. org. Presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association.

Get a PDF of Minnesota Bluegrass before everyone else... If you are already a member and want

to receive Minnesota Bluegrass in electronic form instead of by postal mail, it will be emailed to you directly before it is available to the general public. If you only want the digital copy or you have problems opening the file, please contact the Minnesota Bluegrass editor at editor@minnesotabluegrass.org.

Contribute to Minnesota Bluegrass Magazine. Write a Review of a favorite concert or CD. Write an article about your favorite jam. Tell us about how you came to like Bluegrass and Old-Time String Band Music. editor@minnesotabluegrass.org

ATTENTION BLUEGRASS JAMMERS!

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Info and news about our events. Buy tickets on line Donate History Complete calendar of Festivals Magazine, read past issues Links to Member Bands

June 1-3, 2018 - Friday through Sunday Minnesota Homegrown Kickoff Music Festival:

In the next couple of months, MBOTMA will be updating and converting its jam schedule to a link connected to our website. That way it will be available 24 -7 at your fingertips. If you head up a jam, attend a jam, or know of a jam, please contact Tony Stachnik at tdjejs@msn.com. Thank you and keep on jamming! 27

Coming Up Venue abbreviations

318: The 318 Café, 318 Water Street, Excelsior, 952-401-7902, www.three-eighteen.com 331C: 331 Club, 331 13th Ave NE, Mpls, 612-331-1746, www.331.mn AGr: Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe, 394 S Lake Ave, Duluth, 218-723-0075, www.amazinggraceduluth.com AST: Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main St, Mpls, 612-379-3138, www. astercafe.com BSC: Black Sheep Coffee Cafe, 705 Southview Blvd., South St. Paul, 651-554-0155, www.blacksheepcoffee.com BTC: Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, Bayfield, WI, 888-2448368, www.bigtop.org BoDD: BoDiddley’s Pub and Deli, 129 25th Ave S, St. Cloud, 320-252-9475 CED: Cedar Cultural Center, 415 Cedar Ave S, Mpls, 612-3382674, www.thecedar.org CJ: Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave, St Paul, 651-330-4685, www. thecelticjunction.com CrH: Creek House Concerts, www.creekhouseconcerts.com, 651-633-5353. MUST call and reserve for these events. DAK: Dakota Jazz Club, 1010 Nicollet Mall, Mpls, 612-332-1010, www.dakotacooks.com DuG: Dunn Brothers on Grand, 1569 Grand Ave, St. Paul EAG: Eagles Club, 2507 E 25th St, Mpls, 612-729-4469, www.Mplseagles34.org FITZ: Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E Exchange St, St Paul, 651-2901200, www.fitzgeraldtheater.publicradio.org

GINK: Ginkgo Coffeehouse, 721 N Snelling Ave, St Paul, 651645-2647, www.ginkgocoffee.com GKb: Grand Kabaret, 210 N Minnesota St, New Ulm, 507-3599222, www.thegrandnewulm.com HOB: The Loft at Hobgoblin Music, 920 State Hwy 19, Red Wing, 877-866-3936, www.stoneyend.com MER: Merlins Rest, 3601 E Lake St, Mpls, 612-216-2419 OAK: Oak Center General Store, 67011 Hwy 63, Lake City, 507753-2080, www.oakcentergeneralstore.com RIV: Riverview Café & Wine Bar, 3747 42nd Ave S, Mpls, 612729-4200, theriverview.com ROCK: Rockwoods, 9100 Quaday Ave NE, Elk River, 763-2224353, www.nograsslimit.com/RockwoodsCalendar.html SHL: Sheldon Theatre, 443 W 3rd St, Red Wing, 800-899-5759, www.sheldontheatre.org TAP: Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Ave S, Mpls, 612-722-2914, www.tapestryfolkdance.org UMC: Underground Music Café, 1579 Hamline Ave N, Falcon Hts, 651-644-9959, undergroundmusiccafe.com VC: Vieux Carre, 408 St Peter St, St Paul, 651-291-2715, vieuxcarre.com WmH: The Warming House, 4001 Bryant Ave S, lower level, Mpls, 877-987-6487, thewarminghouse.net ZUM: Crossings at Carnegie, 320 East Ave, Zumbrota, 507-7327616, www.crossingsatcarnegie.com

To post gigs and events to this calendar, request the link to our online submission form to editor@minnesotabluegrass.org

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS Winter Bluegrass Weekend March 2-4 Friday-Sunday

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Crowne Plaza Hotel Plymouth, MN presented by MBOTMA

2/25 – Sunday

Cherish the Ladies Cedar Cultural Center 415 Cedar Ave S, Mpls, MN 612-338-2674 www.thecedar.org 7pm

• The Irish Rovers, O’Shaughnessy Auditorium, 2004 Randolph Ave, St Paul, 7pm • Bill Staines, OAK, 3:30pm • Open Mic, WmH, 7pm • Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am

March 8 Thursday

2/26 – Monday

Rhonda Vincent & The Rage March 9 Friday

Sheldon Theater 443 W 3rd St, Red Wing, MN 800-899-5759 www.sheldontheatre.org 7pm

• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm • Jack & Kitty, Contented Cow, 302B Division St S, Northfield, 8pm • Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Guthrie Theater, Mpls, 7pm • New Riverside Ramblers, EAG, 7pm

2/27 – Tuesday

March 11 Sunday

Paramount Theater 913 W. St. Germain St. St. Cloud, MN 320-259-5463 3:30pm

• Rough Draft Singer/Songwriter Night, WmH, 8pm • 2/28 Wednesday • Lenz and Frenz, 331C, 9pm

3/1 – Thursday

• Scottie Miller, 318, 8pm • Granger’s Moonshine, UMC, 5pm • Andrea Sorum, UMC, 7pm March 2018

Classified Ads BlueGrass Quartet seeks fiddler, guitarist, banjoist or other instrument plus some harmony vocals. Have steady stream of well-paying commercial gigs. Contact: Steven Howard, bluedrifters@aol.com, 952-585-9819 Mandolin and banjo player,

new to the Brainerd, MN area, seeks people to play with. Mitchell Scott, 218-513-8642

Guild, 523 S 2nd St, Mankato, 507217-0408, 7pm • Live from Here with Chris Thile, Broadcast live on MPR from FITZ, 4:45pm • Morning Uke Jam, WmH, 10am • Willow Brae, Hastings Arts Center, 216. 4th St E, Hastings, www. lauramackenzie.com, 7pm

3/4 - Sunday

• Winter Bluegrass Weekend, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Plymouth, presented by MBOTMA • Corpse Reviver, 331C, 3:30pm • Bob Bovee, Sprakers House Concert, Sprakers, NY, 4 PM

• Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am • Vasen, CED, 7pm

3/5 – Monday

• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm

3/6 – Tuesday

• Devil’s Tea & Firewood, UMC, 6pm • Rough Draft Singer/Songwriter Night, WmH, 8pm

3/7 – Wednesday

• Lonesome Dan Kase, 331C, 9:30 PM • The Fish Heads, Clearwater Grille, 5135 N Shore Dr, Duluth, 218-5254826, 6pm • Dan Navarro, AST, 7pm

3/8 – Thursday

Acoustic bass for sale:

Brand-Lewis, plywood, decent shape, good tone, new adjustable bridge. $1000. Doug, 612-306-3490

• Open Mic, WmH, 7pm • Swamp Poppas, EAG, 8pm

3/2 – Friday

• Winter Bluegrass Weekend, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Plymouth, presented by MBOTMA • Debbie Anthony and Level Best, 318, 8pm • Sierra Hull, DAK, 7pm • Hootenanny Annies, GKb, 7pm • Purdy River Bluegrass, Steeple Center, 14344 So Robert Trail, Rosemount, TBA • Erik Brandt & The Urban Hillbilly Quartet, UMC, 7pm • Bob Bovee, The Roost at Topnotch, Stowe, VT, 4pm • Purdy River Band, Steeple Center, 14375 S Robert Trail, Rosemount, 612-272-0997, 7pm • Freight Hoppers, HOB, 7pm • Laura MacKenzie, Cannon Falls Library, Cannon Falls • Lucy Kaplansky, BoDD, 7pm • Lynn O’Brien, WmH, 8pm

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

3/3 – Saturday

• Winter Bluegrass Weekend, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Plymouth, presented by MBOTMA • Two Girls & A Boyd, 318, 8pm • Sawtooth Brothers, OAK, 8pm • My Friend Monty, UMC, 2pm • Alternate Route, BSC, 10am • Lisa Murphy, the Singing Cowgirl, Bothy Folk Club, Emmy Frentz Arts

March 2018

• • • •

Cherish the Ladies, CED, 7pm Open Mic, WmH, 7pm SouthSide Aces, EAG, 8pm The Lowland Lakers with Savannah Smith, AST, 7pm

3/9 – Friday

• Pushing Chain, 318, 8pm • Kirk & Low, Contented Cow, 302B Division St S, Northfield, 8pm • Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, SHL, 7pm • Bob Bovee, Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music, Unitarian Fellowship Hall, 420 Willa Road, Newark, Del., 8pm • Curtis & Loretta and Glenn Elvig, CrH, 7:30pm • Gaelic Storm, FITZ, 8pm • Mill Creek Irish, BoDD, 7pm • Moosejaw Dance Weekend with The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, The Canote Brothers, and Hello Heartache, Maplelag Resort, Callaway, MN, http://wildgoosechasecloggers. org/

3/10 – Saturday

• Dick Kimmel & Adam Granger, GKb, 7pm • Bob Bovee, Branford Folk Club, First

Wegen’s Guitar Picks ®

6625 Penn Ave. S. Richfield, MN 55423 (612) 861-3308

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

www.homesteadpickinparlor.com folkmuse@aol.com and you can find us on Facebook

Making the world safe for discerning fans of Traditional Music since 1979

Michel Wegen is a recognized Dutch model maker using sculpting and airbrush art techniques to meet the needs of clients such as theme parks, ad agencies and museums. In his search for new markets, Michel some years ago took on the design of the lowly pick. The results have been phenomenal. Wegen Picks endanger no animal species, and they are a fraction of the price of the illegal picks that do. We have eight models for guitar and mandolin on hand in a variety of thicknesses. Try one out on your next visit.

March 2018

• • • • • • • • • •

Congregational Church of Branford, 1009 Main Street, Branford, CT, 8 PM The Double Down Daredevils, Flat Earth Brewing Co, 688 Minnehaha Ave E, St Paul, 6:30 pm No Man’s String Band, Spilled Grain Brewhouse, 300 Elm St E, Annandale, 7pm Alternate Route, BSC, 10am Bob Bovee, Branford Folk Club, Branford, CT, Curtis & Loretta, OAK, 8pm Dan Newton & Pat Donohue, HOB, 7pm Dick Kimmel & Adam Granger, GKb, 7pm Live From Here with Chris Thile, Broadcast live on MPR from ASU Gammage Auditorium in Tempe, AZ The Northerly Gales, Merlins Rest, 3601 Lake St, Mpls, 8:30pm Willow Brae: Celtic Festival, Hjemkomst Center, 202 1st Ave N, Moorhead, 10am - 4pm

3/11 – Sunday

• Lunasa, CED, 7pm • Rhonda Vincent, Paramount Theater, 913 W. St. Germain Street, St. Cloud, 320-259-5463, 3:30pm

3/12 – Monday

• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm • Kirk & Low, UMC, 6pm • Bob Bovee, Southern Jersey Acoustic Roots Music Society, Community Center, Medford, NJ, 7pm • New Riverside Ramblers, EAG, 7pm

03/13 Tuesday

• Gloryland Gospel Band, Christian Glory Club, New Hope Church, 4225 Gettysburg Ave N, New Hope,7pm

3/14 – Wednesday

• Frog Island Digdown, 318, 8pm • Dan Israel, 331C, 9:30pm

3/15 - Thursday • • • •

Paul Creswell, 318, 8pm DL Cajun Band, EAG, 8pm Open Mic, WmH, 7pm Ring of Kerry, Newhall Auditorium, Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, 1000 Shumway Ave, Faribault, 7pm • We Banjo 3 with Talisk, CED, 7pm

3/16 – Friday

• Daisy Dillman Acoustic, 318, 8pm • Paddy Wagon, Excelsior Brewing Co, 421 3rd St, Excelsior, 8pm • The Fish Heads, Sir Benedict’s Tavern, 805 E Superior St, Duluth, 218-7281192, 6pm • Gloryland Gospel Band, Salem Covenant Church, Seniors Luncheon, 2655 5th St NW, New Brighton, 1pm • Broken Spoke, Charlie’s Irish Pub, 101 Water St, Stillwater, 7pm • Cry, Cry, Cry, Pantages Theater, Mpls, 8pm • Family Three (Gospel Folk), AST, 9pm • Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League with Dirty Romance Novels, Honey, 205 E Hennepin Ave, Mpls, 7pm • Jonathan Byrd & The Pickup Cowboy, Grassroots Concerts, At Journey Church, 5459 Cty Rd 18, Nisswa, 218829-4092, 7pm

• Ring of Kerry & Rince Nua Irish Dancers, Fillmore Auditorium, Unity Spiritual Center, 931 5th Ave N, Sartell, MN, 7pm • We Banjo Three, Paramount Theater, 913 W. St. Germain Street, St. Cloud, 320-259-5463, 7pm

3/17 – Saturday

• Michael Monroe, 318, 8pm • The Barley Jacks, Juniors, 100 Spring St River Falls, WI, 8pm • Chris Silver & The Good Intentions, OAK, 8pm • Greenwood Tree, River Falls Community Barn Dance, 211 N Fremont River Falls, WI, 7pm • Brian Wicklund/Dean Magraw, Juniors, 100 Spring St Rivers Falls, WI, 8pm • The Fish Heads, Clearwater Grille, 5135 N Shore Dr, Duluth, 218-5254826, 6pm • Alternate Route, BSC, 10am • Becca Donley, Roots Cellar Concerts, University Baptist Church, 1219 University Ave SE, Mpls, 612-3311768, 7pm • Boiled in Lead with Sister Tree, CED, 8pm • Broken Spoke, Kieran’s Irish Pub, 85 6th St N, Mpls, 9:30pm • Dick Kimmel, Crooked Lane Farm, Colfax, ND • Mary DuShane & Nick Jordan, Ingredients Cafe, 4725 Hwy 61 N, White Bear Lake, 651-426-6611, 6pm • Double Down Daredevils, Kinney

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

CMY

March 2018

“Learning how to express who you are on your chosen instrument is a life-long challenge and ultimately the most satisfying thing you could do for yourself and for those around you. I truly believe this with all my heart. I can think of nothing better than to share my musical knowledge and experience with others who are struggling with their own journeys of self -expression through music. Nothing tickles me more than to see that light bulb go on above my student’s head.”

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

SATURDAYS AT 7 P.M.

LEARN MORE AT PIONEER.ORG/GRASSLANDJAM. 32

March 2018

• • • • • • •

Creek Brewery, 1079 W 7th St, Rochester, 7pm Finn Hall, EAG, 7pm Laura MacKenzie, Mississippi Branch Library, 410 Mississippi St NE, Fridley, 1pm Morning Americana Song Circle, WmH, 10am RavensFire, Charlie’s Irish Pub, 101 Water St, Stillwater, 8pm Teague Alexy & Erik Berry with Ryan Young, AST, 9pm The Langer’s Ball, Hayes’ Public House, 112 1st St S, Buffalo, 8pm Willow Brae & Irish Dancers, Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave N, Faribault, www. paradisecenterforthearts.org, 7pm

8:30pm • High 48s, HOB, 7pm

3/25 – Sunday

• The She Shells, UMC, 11am • The Fish Heads, The Breeze Inn, 5168 Jean Duluth Rd, Duluth, 218-5252883, 4pm • Altan, CED, 7pm

3/26 – Monday

• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm

3/27 – Tuesday

• Rough Draft Singer/Songwriter Night, WmH, 8pm

3/28 – Wednesday

• Lenz and Frenz, 331C, 9:30pm • Open Mic, WmH, 7pm

3/29 – Thursday

• Rebel Fiddle, 318, 8pm • Greenwood Tree, Maple Grove Winter Farmers Market, 12951 Weaver Lake Rd, Maple Grove, 3:30pm • Billy Mclaughlin, AST, 7pm • Mary DuShane & Nick Jordan w/ Mikkel Beckmen, Dubliner Pub & Cafe, 2162 University Ave, St Paul, 651-646-5551, 5:00pm

3/18 – Sunday

• Lehto & Wright, AST, 8pm

3/19 – Monday

• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm • Utepils Third Monday Jam, Utepils Brewery, 225 Thomas Ave N, Mpls, 612-249-7800, 6:30pm • Bob Bovee, LaCrosse Public Library, LaCrosse, WI, 9:30pm • Dick Kimmel, Redwood Falls Public Library - History of Bluegrass Show, Redwood Falls, 6:30pm

3/30 – Friday

3/20 – Tuesday

• Monroe Crossing, Hopkins Center for The Arts, 1111 Main St, Hopkins, 7pm • Olive Sings, UMC, 6pm • Claire Lynch, CED, 7pm • The Uku Ladies, 331, 9:30pm

3/21 – Wednesday

• David Harland with Erica Morrow, AST, 8pm • The Northerly Gales, Dubliner Pub, 2162 University Ave W, St Paul, 9pm

3/22 – Thursday

• Andrea Sorum & Lynn O’Brien, 318, 8pm • Open Mic, WmH, 7pm

3/23 – Friday

3/24 – Saturday

• The Flour City Doughboys, TAP, 8pm • The Home Fires & Annie Mack, 318, 8pm • Martin Devaney, Contented Cow, 302B Division St S, Northfield, 8pm • Ace In The Whole, GKb, 7pm • Monroe Crossing, Hastings Middle

March 2018

3/31 – Saturday

• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am

4/01 – Sunday

• Mash Tun, Excelsior Brewery, Excelsior Brewing Co, 421 3rd Street, Excelsior, 952-474-SUDS (7837), 12pm

4/3 – Tuesday

• Gloryland Gospel Band, Christ For People Club, Wayzata Free Church, 705 CR101 North, Plymouth, 7pm

4/5 – Thursday

• Swamp Poppas, EAG, 8pm

4/6 – Friday

• Annie Humphrey, Grassroots Concerts, At Journey Church, 5459 Cty Rd 18, Nisswa, 218-829-4092, 7pm • Jack Klatt, Wiese Auditorium/KBEK Radio, 208 Broadway Ave S, Braham, 844-200-5235, 8pm • Jolie Holland & Samantha Parton (of The Be Good Tanyas), CED, 8pm

4/7 – Saturday

• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am 33

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

• Jeff Arundel & The Hammsmen, 318, 8pm • Mary DuShane & Nick Jordan, Family Night at Midtown Global Market, 920 East Lake Street, Mpls, 5:30pm

School Auditorium, 1000 11th St W, Hastings, 3:30pm • Quebe Sisters, Hopkins Center for The Arts, 1111 Main St, Hopkins, 8pm • Pigtown Fling & Crooked Willow, Leo & Leona’s, W1436 WI #33, Bangor, WI, 7pm • Katey Bellville, OAK, 8pm • Adam Granger, CrH • Alternate Route, BSC, 10am • Diane Jarvi and Dan Newton, Folk House, Golden Valley. For address & info contact Chuck at ccdericksen@ gmail.com or 651-274-6604, 7pm • Laura MacKenzie, LCAA Music Center, 220 Chestnut St, Lake City, 651-448-8665, lakecityareaarts@gmail. com, 7pm • Morning Community Sing, WmH, 10am • Songwriters Showcase with Le Bon, Dick Kimmel, Lori Jean, and Andrea Lyn, Springfield, MN, • Switched at Birth, Merlins Pub, 3601 E Lake St, Mpls, 612-216-2419,

• Jason Roberts w/ Lilly Rabuse, 318, 8pm • Bee Balm Fields, GKb, 7pm • Pat Donohue & the Prairie All Stars, CED, 8pm • Reynold Philipsek with Matt Senjem, BoDD, 7pm

Coming up: March Tour Dates

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Bluegrass on the Beach Friday, March 2, 2018 - 1:45 p.m. Lake Havasu State Park Site #4 Saturday, March 3, 2018 - 2:10 p.m. 699 London Bridge Road Tuesday, March 6

6:30 p.m.

Wednesday March 7

7:00 p.m.

Friday, March 9

6:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 10

7:00 p.m.

Sunday, March 11

7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 20

7:00 p.m.

Saturday, March 24

3:00 p.m.

American Lutheran Church Concert 17200 Del Webb Blvd Desert Gold RV Park 46628 East Highway 60 Turquoise Valley Golf & RV Resort 1794 West Newell Street Vail Theatre of the Arts 10701 East Mary Ann Cleveland Way Covenant Series Concerts Covenant Presbyterian Church 9315 Candelaria Road NE Hopkins Center for the Arts 1111 Mainstreet Hastings Concert Association Concert Series Hastings Middle School Auditorium 1000 11th Street West

Lake Havasu City, AZ

209-480-4693

Sun City, AZ

623-974-2512

Brenda, AZ

928-927-7605

Naco, AZ

520-432-3091

Tucson, AZ

520-879-3925

Albuquerque, NM

505-299-3621

Hopkins, MN

952-979-1111

Hastings, MN

651-437-9206

Go to www.MonroeCrossing.com for the latest information on all of our concerts. Booking: Derek Johnson, 612-720-3746 or derek@monroecrossing.com

March 2018

Tab: Allen’s Reel By Bob Douglas

It’s been awhile since I have posted a tune originating in Canada, so I thought I’d share with you the fine Webb Acheson composition, “Allen’s Reel.” We USA players are prone to lump all Canadian tunes into the same pigeonhole and that’s a big mistake. It would be like lumping bluegrass, New England, Texas, old-time, Cajun tunes, etc. into the same bucket. Tunes are more regional than national. Tunes from Canada are every bit as varied, coming from different cultural areas such as Cape Breton, Québécois, Métis, Acadian, Newfoundland, Down-East, Manitoba, and more. Webb Acheson is an Ottawa Valley fiddler who, to the best of my knowledge, is still actively fiddling and judging fiddle contests in Ontario (look him up on YouTube). He has

composed a number of excellent tunes. “Allen’s Reel” is maybe his best known and, probably, most often recorded. “Allen’s Reel” has often been misnamed as “Alfie’s Reel.” It was so recorded by North Dakota-Saskatchewan fiddler Joe Pancerzewski. Joe had learned the tune from North American fiddle champion Alfie Mhyre. When Joe recorded it in 1972 on The Fiddling Engineer, Voyager VRLP 306S, he didn’t know the tune’s actual name so he called it “Alfie’s Hornpipe.” Though misnamed, Joe’s recording helped popularize the tune, especially in the Pacific Northwest. “Allen’s Reel” has also been recorded as “Allan’s Reel.” It was thought by a number of well-known Canadian fiddlers such as Don Messer to have been a tribute

to Ward Allan, Canada’s well-known composer of “Maple Sugar.” Bill Hinkley taught this tune to me in my early years of mandolin playing. It has remained a favorite. While Bill was with us, it seemed to be more commonly played in our community than it is now. Hopefully more players will learn it and bring it back to our local sessions. Regardless, it’s a fun tune, moving from the key of A to E in the B part. And what aspiring mandolin player doesn’t need more tunes played in the keys of A and E? Enjoy!

Bob Douglas 651-778-1395

Allen’s Reel

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

March 2018

Non-ProямБt Org. U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities, MN Permit 343

MINNESOTA BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIME MUSIC ASSOCIATION P.O. BOX 16408 Mpls, MN 55416

TIME VALUE DATA

Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands, 2017 WBW - Photo by Joe Flannigan