Minnesota Bluegrass Dec 2014

Page 1

December 2014

Inside: Executive Director Report 5 | Jack Lawrence 7 | Phil Nusbaum 13 | Holiday Picks 17 | Coming Up 22 |


MBOTMA Hot Line

December 2014 Vol. 40 No. 12 Newsstand: $2.50 Subscription: $30

(to subscribe and for other information) 612-285-9133 or 800-635-3037 info@minnesotabluegrass.org P.O. Box 16408, Mpls, MN 55416 www.minnesotabluegrass.org Twitter: @mnbluegrass Facebook: minnesotabluegrass

MBOTMA Board of Directors

President: Gary Cobus, 763-428-2394, garycobi@charter.net Vice President: Jana Metge, 952-996-6490, singdancesavetheworld@gmail.com Treasurer: Peter Albrecht Secretary: Mary DuShane Board Members: Term expires 2014: Alan Jesperson, Philip Nusbaum, David Smith Term expires 2015: Marilyn Bergum, Gary Germond, Greg Landkamer, Sandi Pidel Youth Representatives: Sarah Cagley, Catie Jo Pidel For meeting minutes and other Board business, go to: minnesotabluegrass.org/as_Board

MBOTMA Staff

Executive Director: Jed Malischke, 715-635-2479 Administrative Assistant: Bea Flaming, 612-285-9133

Minnesota Bluegrass

Editor: JoAnne Makela, editor@minnesotabluegrass.org Contributors: Ann Iijima, Alan Jesperson, Mary Pat Kleven, Jed Malischke, Phil Nusbaum, Catie Jo Pidel Coming Up: Loretta Simonet, Rick Swanson Y’All Come: Bill Lindroos Wordmark: Katryn Conlin Photography: Martin Chvatal Cover photo: Martin Chvatal 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. ©2014 Minnesota Bluegrass. All rights reserved. ISBN 0891-0537.

Thank you, MBOTMA members Patrons: Tony & Barbie Andreason Lenny & Colleen Baltus Art & Teresa Blackburn Ron & Kathy Blade Kenneth Bloch Doug Chasar Paul Christianson Laura Cooper Bob & Marilyn Dodd William Fancher Jerry Frank Daniel & Maggie Freese Darrell & Marilyn Fuhr Jon & Sharon Garon Gary & Jae Germond Michael & Paula Hildebrandt

Howie & Maggie Jorgenson Linda Kjerland Maxine Larson Richard Luckeroth Rolf & Lisa Lund Rodger McBride & Mabel Houle David Rogers Tom & Cathy Schaefer Thomas & Barbara Schommer Penelope Scialla Carri Scott & Bryan Trappe Jane & Dobson West Jim Whitney John Wilcox

Sustaining: Rod & Barb Anderson Mary Arntson Lee Bjorndal Ann Crawford Brooks & Barry Brooks Bill & Ann Bushnell Dan & Marilyn Cook Brian Cornell Bob & Vicki Dalager Hal Davis Mary DuShane Garry & Linda Elfstrand Jim Franczyk Art Geffen Warren Gumeson Timothy & Ginger Haaland James Helig Dick & Sue Hopperstad

Ann Iijima & Myles Bakke Alan & Geriann Kagan Jim Lally Lloyd & Beverly LaPlant Jim Miller Ben Monk James Natwick Dominic Orrico / Rhapsody Design Bob Ostlund Leo & Ann Rosenstein Marty & Carol Schirber Wendy Schoen Tom & Margaret Schuveiller Howell Smith Roger Sweet David & Bonnie Warner Mark & Danelle Wolf

Membership as of December 1, 2013: 962 Funding 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.


From the editor

December 2014

us out of the red, or we might have that much more income to grow and expand the amazing programs and services we provide. Take the Member-Get-A-Member Challenge (p. 16), recruit your Facebook friends to join, increase your level of membership, give a one-time or on-going donation, buy tickets and attend our sponsored events. Any of these steps will help ensure the health of MBOTMA. But your continued participation, whether as a volunteer, audience member, or band member, is what will keep this organization relevant. For our January/February issue I invite all of you to contribute your fond memories of MBOTMA. I am looking for founding stories, humorous and heartwarming tales of musical successes and near-misses, family stories, festival stories, your stories. Don’t worry about your grammar or spelling or story-telling style (that’s what they pay me for). I will edit and send back to you an edited version for your approval. Please share your memories with me by December 15 at editor@minnesotabluegrass.org. And band members, please submit both your January and February events to Coming Up by December 15. This combined issue will not be out until mid-January, so we have included the beginning of January in this month’s Coming Up calendar. We are looking for solutions to provide more up-to-date gig information on the MBOTMA website. Until we work that out, I encourage you to post to the MBOTMA Facebook page and Twitter feed. Finally, I’d also like to encourage you to read Minnesota Bluegrass online. We have begun publishing to a service at issuu.com. Issuu is a reader format that provides a seamless and enjoyable interface for online reading (you can still download a pdf of the magazine from there as well as from the MBOTMA website). On the issuu.com home page, type Minnesota Bluegrass into the search bar for all past issues posted there. November 2014 can be found directly at: http://issuu.com/minnesotabluegrass/docs/ minnesotabluegrass_nov2014. December 2014 will be posted by the time you get this issue in the mail. I wish you all peaceful and joyful holidays. See you in 2015! —Jo About the cover: This photo was taken by Martin Chvatal at the 2013 August Festival. I do not know who the two young people are on our cover, but I loved this image because, to me, it embodies the legacy of MBOTMA. 3

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

As you most likely (hopefully) read in our November issue and will read again in this one (see the Executive Director Report page 5), MBOTMA has run into a financial deficit for fiscal year 2014. This is not unusual for nonprofit organizations. It happens from time to time as membership shifts, the economy adjusts, and missions evolve. Careful stewardship of resources, for healthy organizations, can usually correct deficits and set the nonprofit back on track. Fortunately, the members of the MBOTMA board of directors are such careful stewards. We will weather this. One cost-cutting measure we will take is reducing the number of issues of this magazine by combining the January and February issues. This will reduce printing, mailing, and prodcution costs for the beginning of the new fiscal year. Minnesota Bluegrass Jan/Feb 2015 will be a larger, commemorative issue to launch MBOTMA’s 40th anniversary celebration. An additional cost-cutting measure I have taken this month is printing this issue in black and white. I thought about this a lot. I’ve had terrific response from many readers about the full color covers and the layout of this magazine. I am proud of what I and my crack team of reporters and photographers have been able to do over the past two years that I’ve been editing this publication. This magazine has been the main information conduit to many of you. Even with the many social media channels and the MBOTMA website, I hear regularly that you rely on this magazine to keep you up to date on the goings on of the organization, regional events, and gigs of member bands. I want to take this opportunity to point out that your membership consists of more than a magazine subscription. Your membership supports the efforts of the board, its committees, and staff in producing five outstanding festivals per year, bringing traditional acoustic music to communities throughout Minnesota, teaching young people musical skills that have led many of them to musical careeers, and promoting and preserving old-time, bluegrass, and other traditional genres for generations to come. That’s an incredible mission. Your membership preserves this legacy. As of this writing, our Give to the Max Day donation total was $6,205.00, more than twice our original goal, and a great start to clearing the deficit. This number was posted on our Facebook page, where we have 3,616 followers. At this writing, we have 962 members. Imagine if even half of the people who ‘like’ us on Facebook were members? We might have much less need to push for last-minute donations to get



Executive Director’s Report By Jed Malischke

I would like to follow up on last month’s Letter from the President, about last year’s financial results for MBOTMA, with my own Report to the Membership. MBOTMA’s 2014 fiscal year ran from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014. Board President Gary Cobus mentioned in his letter that we were projecting a bottom line loss of nearly $30,000 for FY2014. Final expenses have been calculated since then and we can now expect a deficit of $25,000. Not quite so bad, but still a serious blow. This is still a preliminary number, as we have not yet closed the books for the year. However, they are very close to what the final numbers will be. This is the current balance statement as of October 31:

Community Concerts Lonely Pines Concerts State Fair Contests Donations/Fundraising Cabin Fever Festival MBOTMA Festival Grants Harvest Jam Kickoff Minnesota Bluegrass Magazine Membership Dues Merchandise Sales MBOTMA Underground Winter Bluegrass Weekend Administration Public Relations Misc/Other Total Surplus (Loss)

Revenue 9,114 2,737 5,155 3,699 9,402 152,212 28,417 15,090 22,207 9,909

Expense 7,967 6,129 8,433 250 8,950 157,775 0 16,248 21,999 29,159

Net 1,147 (3,392) (3,392) 3,449 452 (5,563) 28,417 (1,158) 208 (19,250)

39,412 14,625 1,257 45,906

0 9264 1,240 28,792

39,412 5,361 17 17,114

0 0 199

78,869 8,359 1,151

(78,869) (8,359) (952)

359,341

384,585 (25,244)

December 2014

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MinnesotaBluegrass.org

It is fairly easy to run down the column on the right and see where the losses are (the numbers in parenthesis). For example: the Lonely Pines Concerts and the State Fair Contests. Those line items are self-contained and the loss reflects a direct correlation of income minus expenses for those events. It is not always that simple for all items in the

budget, however. In some cases, there is not a direct match of revenues and expenses, as with the magazine. Magazine expenses can be offset in part by membership dues, as it is a cost as well as benefit of membership. And, because we are a nonprofit organization, some programs are expected to lose money (one of our missions is to support activities that are valuable but would otherwise be unaffordable on their own), while other programs are expected to be fundraising with large surpluses to support other activities and organization overhead. With those factors in mind, where are the big holes in this year’s results? Four places: the Winter Bluegrass Weekend (WBW), the Kickoff, the MBOTMA Festival, and the donations/fundraising line. Based on past years’ results, the WBW was expected to have a surplus of nearly $23,000. It is MBOTMA’s single biggest fundraising event of the year and in 2014 it came in about $6,000 short of that mark. In the same way, the Kickoff was expected to have another $5,000 in revenues, but those of us who were there know what the weather was like and what that does to an outdoor event. In 2013, the MBOTMA Festival had a surplus of over $17,000, but had a loss in 2014. And two fundraising events that were planned for 2014, the Endowment Fundraiser and the Spring Fling, had to be cancelled for a loss of another $3,000 in expected revenues. These four items alone add up to more than $30,000 we don’t see contributing to the bottom line. So what are we going to do about this? The MBOTMA Board has already taken a number of steps for 2015, and will likely be hotly debating additional measures as they plan for 2016. For starters there will be no Lonely Pines concerts in 2014, and at this time the state fair contests are being re-examined to either find a way to make them self-sufficient or cancel them. All the other event and program committees have been asked to find ways to improve their bottom lines by 10 percent. Other cuts include $2,000 from public relations, $1,000 on merchandise purchases, $1,000 from magazine expenses (we’ll have a combined Jan/Feb issue), and $2,000 from other miscellaneous expenses. In all, the 2015 budget has been slashed by over $25,000. You’ll likely see some cost saving changes at some of our events, as well as some higher


MinnesotaBluegrass.org

ticket prices (mostly for non-members). On top of all that, a one-time 40th Anniversary Party event is being planned for January 31, 2015, as an extra fundraising event (see the ad in this issue), and we have many wonderful bands to thank for stepping up and making their contribution for that. So, what can you do to help? Renew your membership and consider renewing at a higher level (before the rates go up March 1). How about an end of the year donation on our GiveMN website? Even small amounts will add up and make a difference. Encourage your social media friends to become members or attend our events. There are handy buttons for all these things right on the top of our homepage at www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org, as well as downloadable forms for the member-get-a-member challenge (included in this issue). Then join us at the fundraiser on January 31st, and plan to have a great time. Together we can make sure that MBOTMA’s 40th year is the best ever, and ensure that we’ll be around for another 40 years. Thank you for being a member of the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association.

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December 2014


Jack Lawrence: Following his muse By Ann Iijima

December 2014

to them on the radio every morning before school. When Jack’s father got a job at a 1,200-seat concert hall, which featured big country and bluegrass names, Jack had an opportunity to hang around backstage and receive informal lessons from the musicians. Leon Rhodes was very helpful (although Jack is not sure now whether Leon’s impact on him was more along the lines of molding or warping). Carl and Jack Lawrence (CD over for I Don’t Need the Whiskey Anymore Pearl Butler were jacklawrence.com) friends of his folks, just a few days after graduation. From and Jack stayed with the beginning, he was able to play with them in the summer. His family also great bands. The New Deal String went to the homes of Carl Smith and Band, a hippy bluegrass band, was Earnest Tubb. one of the first. At the time, the festiIn 1965, Jack heard Doc Watson, val circuit was very small, perhaps 10 his biggest early influence, and was each year, and the same core group completely “turned around.” He spent of musicians played at all of them. By a great deal of time in his room listhe late ’70s, he gave up on “making a tening to records by Doc, Clarence lick” in bluegrass and was itching to White, the Kentucky Colonels, and do something different, so he started Glenn Campbell. A few years later, he playing electric. He didn’t make any discovered Gypsy jazz master Django money doing that, either (although he Reinhardt. He was practicing six to came close to a major deal), but was seven hours a day, which he said wasn’t constantly learning − he had stopped easy, but didn’t feel like work. His using a capo, got out of his comfort mother says that Jack didn’t come out zone, and expanded his thought of his room until he was 17, but she processes. was supportive, reasoning that it beat In 1978, missing acoustic music, stealing hubcaps. Jack teamed up with Joe Smothers, Jack had begun playing with prowho first gave him the “flat-picking fessional musicians while still in high powerhouse” title. They became the school and began his musical career 7

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Last year, “flatpicking powerhouse” Jack Lawrence, Doc Watson’s long-time partner, was in the Twin Cities as part of a Midwest tour sponsored by Jon and Sharon Garon and My Favorite Guitars. I had the great pleasure of chatting a bit with him before he and a few local musicians began rehearsing. Jon Garon frequently appears with Jack, and Jon and MBOTMA members Mark Kreitzer, Tom Schaefer, Pete Mathison, and Tim Hennessey, joined him for the Twin Cities gigs. Jack started right off talking about how great it is that bluegrass is attracting a new crowd of talented young people. He praised the training and education being offered by programs like the Bluegrass, Old-Time, and Country Music Studies program at East Tennessee State University. Although he didn’t have an opportunity to attend a program like MBOTMA’s Grass Seeds Academy, which has begun feeding some of our most talented young folks to ETSU, his musical education was full-immersion and started early. This education started when Jack discovered a 1946 000-21 Martin under his father’s bed. His father discovered four-year-old Jack and an open guitar case. Warned never to touch the guitar, Jack did so every chance he got. (I don’t know what this guitar was worth in 1957, but they’re going for about 7 big ones, these days.) One of Jack’s first “teachers” was Earl Scruggs. Jack’s father was a TV repairman, so they had the tallest television antenna mast in town, and Jack watched Flatt & Scruggs two or three times every Saturday. He also listened


MinnesotaBluegrass.org

opening act for a trio composed of Doc and Merle Watson and T. Michael Coleman. Although Jack had played with Doc a couple of times before, this gave him a chance to play regularly, travel, and record with him. Jack’s partnership with Joe lasted until 1983, when Joe stopped touring to spend more time at home. That same year, Jack got a Friday morning telephone call from Merle, asking him to come to Chicago the next day for a dinner show with their trio. 30-year-old Jack and 60-year-old Doc partnered for the next 27 years, playing nearly 170 gigs a year. (I just did the math - that’s more than 4,500 gigs.) Jack arrived at that first gig just in time for the sound check, and Doc called the first three tunes in the dressing room, all of which Jack knew. As for the rest, his habit of playing frequently with other musicians had trained him to pick up tunes quickly. There was no time for a rehearsal that evening, and Jack soon learned that there never was a rehearsal. To add to the challenge, Doc sometimes called a song that they’d never played before. Doc’s arrangements were organic, working themselves out during performances. Jack would listen to Doc warming up in the dressing room during sound checks, and, if he heard a tune two or three times, he knew it would show up during the performance. “He did what he did; you found your spot.” Were there any particularly memorable gigs? Jack recalled San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall (good sound, big, enthusiastic audience), the Bottom Line in New York (folks from Saturday Night Live stopped in), Rocky Grass (great festival), Bully’s in Virginia Beach (lots of drunk 8

Navy personnel at the “squid bar” —I don’t think he was talking about seafood), O.T. Price’s Music Hall in Santa Cruz (drunk rowdy crowd; “the good percentage of guitar players in the crowd kept me on my toes”), the David Bromberg show, Town Hall in New York (with David Grisman), and Carnegie Hall (big folk show with the Clancy Brothers, Odetta, and John Renbourn). The Carnegie gig was the first time he had been in awe of a venue, and, although he was long past getting nervous, he admits to being a “little keyed up.” “Half-way through the first song, Doc leaned over and said: ‘Sound ain’t worth s**t,’ and everything was okay after that.” Is there anything he would do differently? Looking back, there were some really hungry and stressful times, particularly when he was struggling with a young family. At one point, he considered going to college and becoming an English teacher, and sometimes wonders whether he should have followed that path. He realizes, though, that the call of music sent him down the path he took. He did a few stupid things when he was young, but remained true to himself and tried to maintain his musical integrity. He admired Doc’s music, but didn’t want to sound just like him; he wanted to follow his own muse and play his own music. His website, jacklawrence.com, describes a couple of the projects he undertook while still playing with Doc: The solo project [About Time,] released in 1997, showcases Jack’s amazing guitar style and rich, warm vocals. In 2001, he assembled some of the friends he most admires for an exciting recording project. These sessions resulted in the April 2002 release of [I Don’t Need The Whiskey Anymore] featuring

Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Tony Williamson, The Del McCoury Band and, of course, his old friend and partner, Doc Watson. Running the gamut from “Honky-Tonk Bluegrass” to “Gut Bucket Blues,” this recording documents Jack’s musical influences such as Doc, Mississippi John Hurt, Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs and the Allman Brothers. Following Doc’s passing in 2012, Jack continued following his muse, and soon produced his most recent CD, Arthel’s Guitar: This recording is dedicated to the first generation of Bluegrass, Country and Folk musicians who inspired me to play music. Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, The Dillards, Reno and Smiley, Clarence Ashley and of course my old friend Doc Watson. [A]ll put a fire in the belly of an eleven-year-old boy to explore the wonderful realm of music. The guitar pictured on the front cover is Arthel, the 1945 Martin D-18 Doc used on many of his early records. He gave me the guitar about 25 years ago. After restoring it, I was excited and honored to play this guitar on several of Doc’s albums. I had little to do with the title cut of this album. I picked up Arthel one day about 10 years ago and the tune just came out; as if the notes had been hiding inside the guitar for years. It was a pleasure to bring Arthel out of retirement for these tracks. During the sessions for this album I realized how truly blessed I’ve been to have played music with many of my earliest heroes. I’ll never forget their kind encouragement. Having grown up listening to and playing with those first generation musicians, what does he think about December 2014


today’s music? Jack has some concerns about the direction bluegrass music may be heading. Unlike some of the folks who have been playing for a while, he’s not concerned about IBMA’s “big tent” idea, or trying to determine what’s “just not bluegrass.” Rather, he’s concerned about the declining individuality. He believes that fewer and fewer musicians and bands have a distinct personality and that much of the music is beginning to sound the same: “bang, bang, bang—in your face.” He used to be able to identify musicians by listening to a few notes, but can no longer do so, particularly regarding guitarists and mandolinists. “They all sound like Adam Steffey.” He named a few bands that have retained distinctive sounds, including Special Consensus (“really good band, even with many changes; Greg Cahill is very innovative”), Blue

Highway, Lonesome River Band, and Dirty Kitchen. So, what would Jack say to young musicians? “Listen and learn from the greats, but don’t get totally wrapped up in one person; develop your own style.” Jack found his own voice by listening to other genres and other instruments, including horns, fiddle, and piano. If they were thinking about a career in music, he would tell them what he told his own son, “Don’t expect a lot. It’s tough out there, especially in bluegrass. It’s a relatively small market, and there are only a handful of bands that you can call successful. To be successful, you need something special, a unique product. Some bluegrass musicians are comfortable, but there’s not a lot of money out there. If you want to be comfortable and raise a family, you might want to consider

another line of work. In the meantime, be willing to eat a lot of bologna and ramen.” I expect that, like Jack, our young musicians will find a way to follow their muses, wherever they may lead. Jack will be coming our way again this month. Catch him at one of these local gigs, where he’ll be appearing with Jon Garon and Mark Kreitzer: Thursday, December 11 Leo and Leona’s, Newburg Corners, WI, 7 p.m. Friday, December 12 Dulono’s, Minneapolis, MN, 8 p.m. Saturday, December 13 Junior’s, River Falls, WI, 7 p.m. Sunday, December 14 House concert, Northfield, MN, 7 p.m. Info and reservations: silvercranes2@gmail.com

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

December 2014

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noun, often attributive 1: A pattern of parallel lines where any two adjacent rows slope in opposite directions. 2:a; An inlayed trim feature (purfling) on Martin guitars that signifies hand scalloped braces for greater projection. 2:b; Cuts through banjos without breaking a sweat.

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Bluegrass Saturday Morning By Phil Nusbaum

Fund Raising

Bluegrass Review supporters

Our 2-day total for the October fund drive for KBEM’s bluegrass programming is about $18,000. That is considered a good showing. In some years gone by, the total reached about $30,000. However, that was before KBEM encouraged automatic renewals, meaning that all contributors were calling during the drive. Today, we collect a lot of money before the on-air drive is even started. Here is a big “thank-you” to bluegrass radio supporters. Now we’re back to our usual business of supplying bluegrass music over the radio.

• Cooperstands instrument stands: www.cooperstand.com • Hoffman Guitars, www.hoffmanguitars.com, sells handcrafted Hoffman guitars and authorized Martin repairs. • Homestead Pickin’ Parlor: http://homesteadpickinparlor. com/ • John Waddle Violins, www.waddleviolins.com, is a dealer of international and domestic, new and old violins, bows, and cases. • MBOTMA www.minnesotabluegrass.org

December The darkest month of the year is the happiest by far. On Bluegrass Saturday Morning and the Bluegrass Review we’ll mix in a lot of seasonal music. In recent years, Bluegrass Saturday Morning has broadcast the annual awards ceremony made available by the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association. We’ll broadcast it on the December 27, 2014 show.

The Bluegrass Review is made possible in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Weekly Playlists Bluegrass Review playlists are located at www.bluegrassreview.com. Just use the “playlists” link you’ll find at the top of the page. Then click on “archives.” Bluegrass Saturday Morning playlists are located at www. jazz88fm.com. Select “Music Room.” Then search the lefthand column for “Bluegrass Saturday Morning.”

Guess the era of the banjo

December 2014

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 Mpls

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

A good way to listen to changes in bluegrass music is by tracking the changes in banjo playing. You might remember some “Gems of Bluegrass” pieces relating to different eras of banjo playing in October 2014. Access them by going to www.prx,org; and typing each of the following titles in the search box: Gems of Bluegrass 1446 and Gems of Bluegrass 1444. In the 1940’s, Earl Scruggs pioneered a great new way of playing. His style is the model for all bluegrass playing from that point onward, and some say that string band playing is not really bluegrass unless the group has a banjoist who plays Earl’s way. However, there’s no denying that banjo stylistics have evolved over the years. Over time, banjo playing technique has been expanded to play more melodic passages, and more abstract ones, too. Often you can track the era of the group by listening to the approach of the banjo. Of course, you can’t always tell the era of the music from just a recording because many bluegrass groups today play “the old way.” But the more you listen to bluegrass, the better able you are to track those groups, too. You might say that listening is its own reward.

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No Grass Limit CD release

MBOTMA’s 2011 Race for a Place winners No Grass Limit released their first CD this past year to wide acclaim. Join the band for their CD release party at Dulono’s (607 W Lake St, Minneapolis) on Friday, January 9, at 8 p.m. No Grass Limit recorded their first all original album in Nashville this past January, with Grammy Award winner Randy Korhs. The five-piece

band plays bluegrass, folk, gospel, and traditional music and features Chuck Millar, Clint Birtzer, Sandi Millar, Vaughn Asselstine, and Mike Hedding. The recording includes special guests Dustin Benson from Special Consensus (courtesy of Compass Records), Randy Kohrs, Rhonda Vincent’s daughter Sally Berry, Mike Radovsky, Tim Crouch, and Scott Vestal. Formed in 2011, the band has been headlining festivals and concerts promoting their new CD, No Grass Limit. They made it to the #2 slot for most radio downloads in October 2014, right under Larry Cordle for his All-Star duets album. Their single, “Good Ole Days of Bill Monroe,” made it to #1. Go to www.nograsslimit.com to purchase the CD or book the band.

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The Member-Get-a-Member Challenge By Marilyn Bergum, MBOTMA Board Membership Chair

Are you ready to accept a challenge that will let you have some fun and also earn you glory, honor, and some great rewards in the process? MBOTMA is launching a Member-Get-a-Member Challenge to allow you to help us build our membership base. Here’s how it works. Just cut and copy the Member-Get-A-Member Challenge form below, then sign up new members. Complete the bottom of the form as the Recruiting Member so we can award you points. Send the form to MBOTMA by mail (with their check) or phone it in as a pledge. It’s that easy. How do we do this? Well, how about getting together with your jamming group to see how many members you can recruit? Or perhaps a festival committee teaming up to do the same. So let’s get cracking and boost our membership while promoting our music. Remember, the membership rates will be going up March 1, 2015, so your friends have an incentive to join now. Recruiting points will be assessed as follows: 1 point for an Individual or Family membership, 3 points for a Sustaining membership, and 5 points for a Patron membership. The Membership Challenge begins November 1, 2014, and ends February 28, 2015. Recruitment point totals will be tallied and posted at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend, and the winning recruiter will receive two tickets to the Saturday Night Headline Loretta Simonet, of Curtis & Loretta, is an MBOTMA band member and volunteer as well as an ambassador Concert and be recognized on-stage.Request application forms at info@ for MBOTMA and acoustic music around the country. minnesotabluegrass.org or download from www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org. Photo: Martin Chvatal

MBOTMA Member-Get-a-Member Challenge Step 1) Select a membership category (these prices will be going up March 1, 2015):

❑ Individual ($30)

❑ Family ($40)

❑ Sustaining ($75)

❑ Patron ($120)

Step 2) Select a magazine delivery option:

❑PDF (requires email)

❑ Third Class (included free)

❑ First Class or Foreign (add $18)

Step 3) Who is the new member? New Member Name: ____________________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________________State: _____________ Zip: _______________________ Phone: ________________________ E-mail: _________________________________________________

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

❑Payment Enclosed (check payable to MBOTMA), or ❑Bill Me Later (we’ll send an invoice, pay by mail check or credit) Step 4) Who is the recruiter? Name of Recruiter: ______________________________________________________________________ Phone: _______________________ E-mail: __________________________________________________ Mail your order to PO Box 16408, Minneapolis MN 55416 or phone your order to 800-635-3037 16

December 2014


Holiday gift ideas for every music lover We know the stress of this time of year: What do I get for the banjo-pickin’, mando-strummin’, guitar lickin’ sonofagun? So, to take at least a pinch of anxiety away from your decision making, some of Minnesota Bluegrass’s favorite contributors have come up with their suggestions for your holiday gift giving (meaning: if you know these people, take the hint). ’Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house, every creature was frantically scouring the internet looking for last-minute gift ideas… . Alright, so my nursery rhymes may be a little rusty, but we’ve all been there, and if you’re anything like me, there are a lot of musicians on that list. So what do you get that special, musical someone? ~ Is there a young musician in your life? If that youngster happens to play the fiddle, I highly recommend a membership to the Young Fiddler’s Association (YFA). They host a number of jams, workshops, and camps in a variety of musical styles, and it’s all for kids. ~ And while I’m on the subject of children’s gift ideas, I’d be remiss without mentioning the GrassSeeds Kids’ Academy. GrassSeeds takes place during MBOTMA’s Winter Bluegrass Weekend, and it’s a great way for kids of all instruments and ability levels (ages 8 and up) to meet and make music together. ~ Now that we’ve got the young ones covered, I’ll leave you with a few ideas for the “young at heart” in your life. Homestead Pickin’ Parlor gift certificates can be applied to both lessons and store merchandise, making them a fun option for anyone on your list. ~ A MBOTMA membership is also a great option, and ties-in nicely with the “Member-Get-A-Member” campaign going on right now. ~ Finally, consider attending a Christmas show as a fun way to celebrate the holidays and support local musicians. In particular, the High 48s and Monroe Crossing have several great shows lined up, and (shameless plug) the Platte Valley Boys will be doing our annual double bill with Blue Hazard on December 7. Happy holidays! —Catie Jo Pidel

December 2014

We all know that you really can’t learn a fiddle tune from a book. However, those of us who 1) benefited from an excellent public school education in the upper Midwest and, therefore, can read and write music, and 2) are having a hard time remembering all those great tunes we have learned over the years, having a handy dandy fiddle tune book can be a helpful tool. I collect a lot of fiddle books covering a variety of styles, and I find that most old-time fiddlers recommend The Fiddlers Fakebook and the Portland Collection to those who like to have some sheet music on hand. I am finding more and more that I am turning to Fiddle Tunes I Learned at the Tractor Tavern (Millennium Edition Revised) available at Elderly.com. Gene Silberberg has not only come up with a great collection of common fiddle tunes (467 to be exact), it seems that even though he wrote the book in Seattle, the versions that he has transcribed are the ones that I hear most often in jams around this area. This is particularly useful since old-time tunes have many versions and, in some cases, different tunes share the same name. It is the one book that I will usually cram into my case when heading to a new jam. I highly recommend that fiddlers put this on their Christmas wish list. —Mary Pat Kleven 17

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

The stylistic shelf space of bluegrass and old-time music has broadened considerably in the last few years. To these ears, recent CD highlights include: Nate Leath and Friends Vol.2 (Patuxent). Wild, crazy and virtuosic old-time music that really pushes the envelope, but in a grounded way. ~ The Railsplitters’ self-titled CD. This 5-piece bluegrass group from Colorado has great originals and harmony, and a virtuosic banjo player. The song “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” is memorable. ~ Darol Anger offers e-and’a on the Adventure Music label. A beautifully done CD of old-time fiddle tunes and originals, played to a high standard. It is modernistic but I think it would be compelling to a really broad audience. ~ Brad Leftwich and the Hogwire String Band’s Rascal Fair. Great old-time music played the old way. ~ Flatt Lonesome, Too on the Mountain Home label. This is a group with great two- and three-part harmony and arrangements that make the songs really stand out. ~ Breaking Grass’ CD Just as Strong on the Mountain Fever label. They have a contemporary approach to traditional music, with interesting songs and arrangements. “Shine,” about moonshine is a standout. —Phil Nusbaum


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. MBOTMA’s 40th Anniversary Noon To Midnight Fundraising Party, Saturday, January 31, 2015, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., Kraus Hartig VFW Post, 8100 Pleasant View Dr., Spring Lake Park. An anniversary mini-festival featuring The High 48s, The Platte Valley Boys, Switched At Birth, Monroe Crossing, Blue Hazard and more. Plus workshops, bluegrass karaoke, old-time dance, jam sessions, silent auction, raffles, and other fundraising fun. All proceeds benefit the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA). Food and beverage available. For more information call 800-635-3037 or visit www. MinnesotaBluegrass.org.

Cabin Fever Festival, Friday–Sunday, March 20–22, 2015, Inn On The Lake, 350 Canal Park Dr., Duluth. A weekendlong cabin fever reliever event including stage shows, draw bands, open stage, workshops, and jam sessions around the clock. Featuring The Walker/Stargel Band both Friday and Saturday night. Weekend tickets are $29 in advance ($26 for members). Day of show $15 Friday and $20 Saturday Teens half price and kids are free. For more information call 1-800-635-3037 or visit MinnesotaBluegrass.org. For lodging contact Inn On The Lake at 888-668-4352 and ask for the special Minnesota Bluegrass Festival rate.

Winter Bluegrass Weekend: A Festival of Bluegrass & Old-Time Music & Dance, March 6–8, 2015, Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West Hotel, 3131 Campus Dr, I-494 & Hwy 55, Plymouth. More than 50 groups will be performing bluegrass, old-time stringband, and related forms of acoustic music on several stages, including The Becky Buller Band for the Saturday Night Headline Concert and The Red Squirrel Chasers in the Dance Hall. Plus workshops, dances, instrument exhibitors, and jam sessions around the clock. For more information call 1-800-635-3037 or visit MinnesotaBluegrass.org. To book lodging contact the Crowne Plaza at 763-559-6600 or the nearby Residence Inn at 763-577-1600. Ask for the special Minnesota Bluegrass Festival rate.

Minnesota Homegrown Kickoff Music Festival, May 29–31, 2015, El Rancho Mañana, Richmond, MN Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival, August 6–9, 2015, El Rancho Mañana, Richmond, MN

2015 MBOTMA Festivals

Supported by MBOTMA 6th Annual Platte Valley Boys & Blue Hazard Christmas Show, Sunday, December 7, 2014, 3 p.m., South St Paul VFW, 111 Concord St S., South St Paul. An annual Christmas show with The Platte Valley Boys and Blue Hazard. Admission $10. For more information call 651-4451505. Produced by The Platte Valley Boys and supported in part by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA).

Minnesota Bluegrass Jan/Feb 2015

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Articles, Ads, Coming Up, and News Clips (Bands: send January, February, & March dates)

Deadline: December 15, 2014

Send to: editor@minnesotabluegrass.org

18

December 2014


Grass Clippings year, she will develop her songwriting skills by interviewing twelve people who have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, crafting their stories into songs. Curtis & Loretta will make a CD of the songs and present them at three live concerts in Minneapolis, Owatonna, and Bloomington.

death in Minnesota. More information about Kill Kancer is available at www. killkancer.org. For more about the December 12th benefit or to talk with organizers Ben Cook-Feltz and Mother Banjo, call 612-281-1364.

6th ANNUAL HOLIDAY SHINDIG Gary Cobus is retiring as MBOTMA President after having served four years leading the board and a number of years before that as Treasurer. At the end of his last board meeting in November, he was presented with a quilt made by Sue Hopperstad from various volunteer shirts from his tenure. Upon receipt of the gift and a round of applause from the other board members, Gary assured them, “I’ll still be around, and I’m guessing the new president will appoint me to something or other sooner rather than later.” Thank you Gary!

Loretta Simonet (of MBOTMA band Curtis & Loretta) has just been awarded an Artist Initiative Grant in Music for 2015, from the Minnesota State Arts Board. During the grant December 2014

New Bluegrass Venue: Carbone’s Pizzeria in Minneapolis. Carbone’s Pizzeria at 4705 Cedar Avenue, will feature live acoustic music on a regular basis after the first of the year. The restaurant, which has been serving pizza for 30 years, acquired a new building across the street from its original space. It has been remodeled with a modern sound system designed by Armadillo Sound. The restaurant and bar have ample seating and an outside patio. Along with the great menu items they will feature a selection of 10 or more local beers on tap. There is plenty of well-lit parking in the adjacent lot. The owner has been a vendor at The Laughing Waters Bluegrass Festival since 2002 and is familiar with the music and the audience. Look for a schedule with a good variety of fine local talent, and all with no cover charge.

19

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

A new old-time music jam started in Cannon Falls, MN and will meet at the First Congregational Church, 220 Main Street West (Highway 19) on the second Friday of the month, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. The jam session is free and open to the public. Coffee and tea will be provided. Participants may donate a non-perishable food item for the Cannon Falls Food Pantry as they are able. For more information, contact Mary Pat Kleven at 507-298-3016 or mpkleven55@gmail. com.

Benefiting Kill Kancer Friday, December 12, 9 pm Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main St, Mpls Tickets: $10 Table Reservations: (612) 379-3138 www.astercafe.com Local artists and newlyweds Mother Banjo and Ben Cook-Feltz team up to present the 6th Annual Holiday Shindig on Friday, December 12, at the Aster Cafe. Benefiting the nonprofit Kill Kancer, the event will feature some of the Twin Cities’ top songwriting and instrumental talents, including Prairie Home Companion favorites Dan “Daddy Squeeze” Newton and Molly Dean as well as soulful singers Jon Rodine and Natalie Lovejoy. Taking turns singing seasonal originals and holiday favorites, they will ring in the holidays with unique performances and collaborations that will include artist-led sing-alongs between the sets. Tickets for the show are just $10, and all proceeds go to Kill Kancer. Founded by Mary Beth Mueller after losing her husband Karl Mueller (of Soul Asylum) to esophageal cancer, Kill Kancer is dedicated to educating, encouraging and empowering people to lead healthy lifestyles and prevent certain kinds of cancers. As a childhood cancer survivor, Ben Cook-Feltz is a strong supporter of this organization which is working to fight one of the leading causes of


MINNESOTA BLUEGRASS & OLD-TIME MUSIC ASSOCIATION

Membership Renewal & Ticket Ordering Form MBOTMA Membership & Minnesota Bluegrass Magazine

 Individual Membership ($30)

Minnesota Bluegrass Magazine Delivery Options

 Family Membership ($40)

 Third Class Postage (included in member fee)  First Class or Foreign Postage (add $18)  I would like to receive Minnesota Bluegrass

Includes 1 year of Minnesota Bluegrass magazine, up to one discount price ticket per event, free 2-line classified ad in Minnesota Bluegrass. Includes 1 year of Minnesota Bluegrass magazine, up to four discount price tickets per event, free 2-line classified ad in Minnesota Bluegrass.

 Band Membership ($65)

Includes 1 year of Minnesota Bluegrass magazine, up to four discount price tickets per event, free 2-line classified ad in Minnesota Bluegrass.

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Includes 1 year of Minnesota Bluegrass magazine, up to four discount price tickets per event, 2 concert vouchers, free 2-line classified ad.

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Includes 1 year of Minnesota Bluegrass magazine, up to four discount price tickets per event, 4 concert vouchers, free 2-line classified ad.

electronically only as a downloadable PDF with notices to the email address below:

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$___________ $___________

Harvest Jam – Nov 21-23, 2014 - Featuring The Darrell Webb Band

 VIP Package

General _____ @ $55 +

Includes admission all three days plus Sat banquet dinner.

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= $__________

12&Und _____ @ $10 = $__________

General ____ @ $35 + Member ____ @ $30 + Teen ____ @ $15

Includes admission all three days No Sat banquet dinner. Age 12&und free.

= $__________

Daily admission will be available at the door for $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday ($5/$10 for teens & free for age 12 & under). For lodging call 952-544-4400 and ask for the Minnesota Bluegrass rate ($89.00 standard rooms and $109.00 suites)

Winter Bluegrass Weekend - March 6-8, 2015 – Featuring The Becky Buller Band

 WBW - Bluegrass Lovers Package

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Not available at door, Admission All 3 Days plus One Sat Headline Concert, 7PM or 9:30PM (circle choice)

Showcase Admission All 3 Days, no headline concert $40 at door, kids age 12&und free

 WBW – Headline Concert Only

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Two 2 Shows 7PM or 9:30PM (circle choice)

= $__________

Single day tickets are not available in advance. Daily admission at the door will be $15Fri, $20Sat, and $10Sun. Prices may increase after January 1st. For lodging call the Crowne Plaza (763-559-6600), Residence Inn (763-577-1600), or Kelly Inn (763-553-1600).

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_________________________________________ Mail your order to: PO Box 16408, Minneapolis MN 55416 Or phone your order to: 800-635-3037

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Selmer Ramsey's Waltz

Swing Bow Played 3x through then coda transcribed: Tim Wankel

Author: Selmer Ramsey Played by Betsey Neil and Friends

CD: Minnesota Fiddle Tunes Project 2012 G

Am

C

/

D

  3                4          Am C / G D G   8                              intro

D

/

/

/

             

14

C

Am

           

20

G

C

G

/

G

D

1.

/

G

2.              

C

D

                         

Am

D

G

D.S. al Coda

         1.                              /

/

27

Selmer Ramsey was born in 1914 in Highlanding Township, MN. His mother, Sophie Resla, was from Oslo, Norway. His father, James Ramsey, was from Albert Lea, MN. Selmer began playing the violin at the age of nine. In 1937, Selmer Selmer Ramsey was born in 1914 in Highlanding Township, MN. His mother, married Ruby McEnelly of Goodridge, MN. They have one daughter, Jean, and two grandchildren, Jeffrey and Kristen. Sophie Resla, was from Oslo, Norway. His father, James Ramsey, was from Albert Lea, MN. Selmer was a dance band leader for many years in the Goodridge and Thief River Falls area. At one time his band played Selmer began playing theradio violin at the agefiddlers of nine.In Selmer married of or regularly over KTRF, a local station. Many know 1937 of Selmer Ramsey’s Waltz Ruby but few McEnelly know of its origins Goodridge, namesake. MN. They have one daughter, Jean, and two grandchildren, Jeffrey and Kristen.

Selmer was a dance band leader for many years in the Goodridge and Thief River Falls area. At one time his band Minnesota played regularly over KTRF,( aSlojammers local radio station. Jan 2014 ) State Fiddlers Association Transcription Many fiddlers know of Selmer Ramsey's Waltz but few know of it's origins or namesake.

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Thanks to Mary Pat Kleven and the Slojammers transcriptions of the Minnesota Fiddle Tunes Project for sharing this piece with us. We will share more of their transcriptions in the coming months. For more information on this project and to purchase the CD, see http://minnesotafiddle.blogspot.com/— Editor

December 2014

Minnesota State Fiddlers Association ( Slojammers T ranscription Jan 2014 )

21


Coming Up Venue abbreviations 331C: 331 Club, 331 13th Ave NE, Mpls, 612-331-1746, www.331.mn 3Cr: Three Crows Cafe, 225 N River St, Delano, 763-972-3399, www.thethreecrows.com ACA: Acadia Cafe, 329 Cedar Ave, Mpls, 612-874-8702, www. acadiacafe.com AGr: Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe, 394 S Lake Ave, Duluth, 218-723-0075, www.amazinggraceduluth.com APHC: “A Prairie Home Companion,” Minnesota Public Radio AST: Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main St, Mpls, 612-379-3138, www. astercafe.com BTC: Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, Bayfield, WI, 888-244-8368, 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, New Brighton, 651-633-5353, www. creekhouseconcerts.com DAK: Dakota Jazz Club, 1010 Mall, Mpls, 612-332-1010, www. dakotacooks.com DUL: 607 W Lake St, Mpls, 612-827-1726, www.dulonos.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, 651-645-2647, www.ginkgocoffee.com GKb: Grand Kabaret, 210 N Minnesota St, New Ulm, 507-3599222, www.thegrandnewulm.com

HB: Harriet Brewing, 3036 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis HOB: The Loft at Hobgoblin Music, 920 State Hwy 19, Red Wing, 877-866-3936, www.stoneyend.com HOPK: Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, 952-979-1111, www.hopkinsartscenter.com KIP: Kieran’s Irish Pub, 85 6th St N, Mpls, 612-339-4499, www. kierans.com KRAM: Kramarczuk’s Deli, 215 E Hennepin Ave, Mpls, 612-379-3018, www.kramarczuks.com OAK: Oak Center General Store, 67011 Hwy 63, Lake City, 507-753-2080, www.oakcentergeneralstore.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 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

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS December 7

December 12

January 10

The 6th Annual Platte Valley Boys & Blue Hazard Christmas Show, South St. Paul VFW Post 295, 111 Concord Exchange S, South St. Paul. 3pm. See ad page

Katie McMahon’s Celtic Christmas, with The Minnesota Boychoir, O’Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Ave, St. Paul, 651-690-6700, 7:30pm

Dan Newton’s Accordion Orchestra presents “Cinema” with Diane Jarvi, Cedar Cultural Center, 415 Cedar Ave S, Mpls, 612-338-2674, www.thecedar.org, 8pm

November 27—Thursday

November 28—Friday

• Moonlight Duo, Walk to End Hunger, Mall of America, Hundreds of walkers, several acoustic music groups to cheer them on, 7–10am • Roots Music Showcase with Bill Cagley, UMC, 7pm

• Bob Bovee & Pop Wagner, Uptown Bill’s, Iowa City, IA, 7:30pm • Nordic Bees, Runestone Museum, “Christmas in the Fort,” Alexandria, 1pm • Ivory Bridge, DUL, 8pm

• Moonlight Duo plus Philip Rampi, Unity Church Unitarian, 733 Portland Ave, St. Paul, 651-2281456, 10am • Moonlight Duo, Midtown Global Market, 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis, Family Night at the central food

22

December 2014


court, free, great for families and dancing kids, 5:30pm • The High 48s, AST, $10 cover, 9pm • No Grass Limit, Thanksgiving Bluegrass Weekend, Marshatown, IA • Barley Jacks, Junior’s Bar, River Falls, WI, 8pm

November 29—Saturday

• Bob Bovee & Pop Wagner, Princeton Coffee House, Princeton, IL, 7:30pm • Long Time Gone, HOB, Annual Holiday Concert, 7pm • Patty and the Buttons with the Cactus Blossoms, Heights Theater, 3951 Central Ave NE, Columbia Heights, CD release, 1pm • The Flemming Fold, Excelsior Christkindlsmarkt, 421 Third St, Excelsior, In the tradition of German Christmas markets, the Excelsior Christkindlsmarkt offers food, music, shopping, reindeer rides, and visits with Santa, 1:30pm • Michael Johnson, ZUM, 7:30pm • Church of Cash, GKb, Johnny Cash Tribute, 8pm • No Grass Limit, Thanksgiving Bluegrass Weekend, Marshatown, IA • Monroe Crossing, Cresco Opera House, Cresco, IA, 7pm • Contra Dance with Pat O’Loughlin, TAP, 7:30pm

November 30—Sunday

December 2014

• Square Dancing, EAG, 7:30pm • Roe Family Singers, 331C, 9pm

December 2—Tuesday

• Roots Music Jam with Bill Cagley, UMC, 7pm

December 3—Wednesday

• John Evans and Dan Perry, Manitou Station, 7:30pm

December 4—Thursday

• Sonny Landreth with Cindy Cashdollar, CED, 7:30pm • Swamp Poppas, EAG, 7:30pm • Bernie King and the Guilty Pleasures, ROCK, 7pm • Pert Near Sandstone, Slowdown, Omaha, NE • Monroe Crossing, Pearson Lakes Art Center, Okoboji, IA, 7:30pm

December 5—Friday

• Bob Bovee, The Cavalier, La Crosse, WI, 8pm • Broken Fiddle with Doug Millaway, BoDD, 7:30pm • Simple Gifts with Billy McLaughlin, ZUM, 7:30pm • Irish Brigade, KIP, 9:30pm • Bernie King and the Guilty Pleasures, Manitou Station, 9pm • High 48s, Junior’s Bar, River Falls, WI, 8pm • Pert Near Sandstone, Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO • Monroe Crossing, Peace Lutheran Church, Hutchinson, MN, 7pm

December 6—Saturday

• Nordic Bees, American Swedish Institute, Julmarknad (Christmas Festival), 10am • Lonnie Knight & Mosquito Shoals, CrH, 7:30pm • Contra Dance with Pig’s Eye Landing, TAP, 7:30pm • Dick Kimmel and Adam Granger, GKb, 8pm • Bob Bovee, The Cavalier, 114 5th Ave. N., Lacrosse, WI, 8pm

• Greenwood Tree, Prior Lake Farmers Market, inside City Hall, Prior Lake, 9am • Del McCoury and David Grisman, DAK, 7pm and 9:30pm • Irish Brigade, KIP, 9:30pm • Cajun Music Jam, UMC, 11am • High 48s, Pioneer Park Church (Holiday Show), Annandale, MN, 1pm • Pert Near Sandstone, Hodi’s Halfnote, Fort Collins, CO • Monroe Crossing, Lakeville Area Arts Center, Lakeville, MN, 2pm and 7:30pm

December 7—Sunday

• The 6th Annual Platte Valley Boys & Blue Hazard Christmas Show, South St. Paul VFW Post 295, 111 Concord Exchange S, South St. Paul, 651-455-1505; Tickets: $10 at the door, 12 and under free with paid adult, 3pm • Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am • Pert Near Sandstone, Matthew’s Opera House, Spearfish, SD

December 8—Monday

• JJ’s Zydeco Paydirt, EAG, 7:30pm • Roe Family Singers, 331C, 9pm

December 9—Tuesday

• A Celtic Tenors Christmas, Paramount Theater, 913 W St. Germain St, St. Cloud, 320-2595463, 1:30pm and 7pm

December 10—Wednesday

• A Celtic Tenors Christmas, Paramount Theater, 913 W St. Germain St, St. Cloud, 320-2595463, 1pm and 4pm • Mark Stillman & Francine, EAG, 8pm • John Evans and Dan Perry, Manitou Station, 7:30pm • Folk Showcase with Larry Carpenter, UMC, 7pm

23

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

• Bob Bovee & Pop Wagner, Fiddle Club of the World, Seman Violins, 4447 W Oakton, Skokie, IL, Concert followed by workshop/jam; $15, 7pm • Nordic Bees, “Music in the Mansion,” American Swedish Institute, 2pm • Crepe Brunch with Dan Newton, UMC, 11am • Monroe Crossing, The Wieting Theater, Toledo, IA, 2pm

December 1—Monday


December 11—Thursday • Southside Aces, EAG, 8pm • Brady Perl, ROCK, 7pm • The Gated Community, Palmer’s Bar, With alt-country bands The Pleasure Programme and The Federales, $5 cover, 10pm • Celtic Music Showcase with Paul Garding, UMC, 7pm

December 12—Friday

December 14—Sunday

• Bob Bovee & Pop Wagner, Rock House, Reeds Spring, MO, 7:30pm • Doc Watson’s long-time partner Jack Lawrence with Jon Garon and Mark Kreitzer, DUL, 8pm • Katie McMahon’s Celtic Christmas, with The Minnesota Boychoir, O’Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University, 2004 Randolph Ave, St. Paul, 651-690-6700, 7:30pm • No Man’s String Band, 318 Cafe, 318 Water St, Excelsior, $10 cover, 8pm • 6th Annual Holiday Shindig, featuring Mother Banjo, Ben Cook-Feltz, Dan Newton, Molly Dean, Jon Rodine, Natalie Lovejoy, Benefit for Kill Kancer, AST, 9pm • Greenwood Tree, Sail Away Cafe, 3121 St Croix Trl, Afton, 651-4366555, 6:30pm • Ann Reed, Riverview Cafe, 3753 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis, 612-7227234, theriverview.com, 8pm

• Okee Dokee Brothers, Paramount Theater, 913 W St. Germain St, St. Cloud, 320-259-5463, 1pm and 4pm • Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am • Monroe Crossing, Duluth Depot Great Hall, Duluth, MN, 3pm • Jack Lawrence with Jon Garon and Mark Kreitzer, House Concert, Northfield, MN, 7pm. Complimentary refreshments. Info and reservations: silvercranes2@ gmail.com

December 13—Saturday

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

• Ann Reed, Riverview Cafe, 3753 42nd Ave S, Minneapolis, 612-7227234, theriverview.com, 8pm • Contra Dance with Mary DuShane and Friends, TAP, 7:30pm • Tim Cheesebrow, Manitou Station, 9pm • Monroe Crossing, Duluth Depot Great Hall, Duluth, MN, 7:30pm

• Bob Bovee & Pop Wagner, Focal Point, St. Louis, MO, 8pm • Curtis & Loretta, Holiday Show, HOB, 7:30pm • Contra Dance with Mary DuShane, TAP, 7:30pm • Brady Perl, ROCK • The Platte Valley Boys with special guest Tom Schaefer, DUL, 8pm • Jivin’ Ivan and the Kings of Swing, Signature Bar and Grill, 201 Central Ave N, Faribault, 7:30pm. • The Okee Dokee Brothers, CED, 11am and 2pm 24

December 15—Monday

• Square Dancing, EAG, 7:30pm • Roe Family Singers, 331C, 9pm

December 16—Tuesday

• Roots Music Jam with Bill Cagley, UMC, 7pm

December 17—Wednesday

• Lenz and Frenz, 331C, 9:30pm • John Evans and Dan Perry, Manitou Station, 7:30pm • Country Music Showcase with Bill Travers and Laura Moe, UMC, 7pm • Monroe Crossing, Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, Anoka, MN, 7:30pm

December 18—Thursday

• Little Pocket Knife featuring Drew Peterson, ROCK, 7pm • The Gatlin Brothers Christmas Show, Paramount Theater, 913 W. St. Germain St, St. Cloud, 320-2595463, 1:30pm and 7pm • Rockin’ Pinecones, EAG, 19:30:00 • Bernie King and the Guilty Pleasures, 331C, 9:30pm

December 19—Friday • “Rock the Tree Top” Holiday Concert with the Over and Back Band and Friends. Tickets: $15 members. Call for non-member rate. Paradise Center for the Arts, 321 Central Ave, Faribault, 507-3327372, 7:30pm, • Reynold Philipsek, BoDD, Presented by Granite City Folk Society, 7:30pm • The Gatlin Brothers Christmas Show, Paramount Theater, 913 W. St. Germain St, St. Cloud, 320-2595463, 1:30pm and 7pm • Ann Reed with Joan Griffith, ZUM, 7:30pm • Monroe Crossing, Faith Lutheran Church, Waconia, MN, 7:30pm

December 20—Saturday

• Bob Bovee, Hickory Ridge Concert, Dickson Mounds State Park, Lewistown, 7:30pm • Mother Banjo, Patrick’s Cabaret, 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis, 612-724-6273, 8pm • Contra Dance with Sassafras, TAP, 7:30pm • Curtis & Loretta, The Landing, 2187 E Hwy 101, Shakopee, 763-6947784, 1pm • Katie McMahon Celtic Christmas, Hardy Performing Arts Center, 7:30pm • Cajun Music Jam, UMC, 11am • Broken Fiddle, UMC, 7pm • Monroe Crossing, Bloomington Center for the Arts, Bloomington, MN, 2pm and 7:30pm

December 21—Sunday

• Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am • Accordian Showcase with Dan Newton, UMC, 7pm

December 22—Monday

• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 9pm

December 2014


December 23—Tuesday

January 9—Friday

January 24—Saturday

• Bill Cagley, DuG, 7:30pm • Bluegrass Showcase with Sarah Cagley, UMC, 7pm • Monroe Crossing, Pioneer Place on Fifth, St Cloud, MN, 7:30pm

• NoGrass Limit CD release party, DUL, 8pm

• Curtis & Loretta, Sun Dog Farms House Concert, Maple Plain, Directions, reservations at 763-4794396, sundogfarmconcerts@gmail. com, 7pm, Potluck at 5:30pm

December 26—Friday

• Monroe Crossing, Festival Theater, St Croix Falls, WI, 7:30pm

December 27—Saturday

• Contra Dance with Pat O’Loughlin and Ken Steffenson, TAP, 7:30pm • Choo Choo Bob’s Holiday Concert, CED, 11am

December 28—Sunday

• Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am

December 29—Monday

• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 9pm

December 31—Wednesday

• Monroe Crossing with guest Long Time Gone, SHL, 7pm

January 1—Friday

• Swamp Poppas, EAG, 7:30pm

January 3—Sunday

• Bill and Kate Isles, ZUM, 7:30pm

January 8—Thursday

• Sawtooth Brothers, Winter Bluegrass Series, Rosemount Community Center, S Robert Tr, Rosemount, rosemountarts.com, 7pm

January 10—Saturday

• Dan Newton’s Accordion Orchestra presents “Cinema” with Diane Jarvi, CED, 8pm • Dick Kimmel & Co, SPGMA Bluegrass Awards Convention, Jefferson City, MO

January 11—Sunday

• The Duhks, CED, 7:30pm • Dick Kimmel & Co, SPGMA Bluegrass Awards Convention, Jefferson City, MO

January 14—Wednesday

• Peter Ostroushko and Dean Magraw, CrH, 7pm • Greenwood Tree, Prior Lake Farmers Market, inside City Hall, Prior Lake, 9am

January 17—Saturday

• Mother Banjo, Beer proceeds benefit the Minnesota Music Coalition. No cover! Summit Brewery, 910 Montreal Circle, St. Paul, 651-2657800, 7:30pm

January 23—Friday

• Dick Kimmel & Co, Live recording for DVD, GkB, 7:30pm

SOUND & DESIGN

Serving MBOTMA for over 25 years.

Complete production services, sound and lights. Custom speaker cabinets, road cases, amp racks.

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

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

612-306-3490 douglohman@aol.com

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MinnesotaBluegrass.org

New location! 4151 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis (612) 767-2800 podiumguitars@gmail.com

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Premium Guitars, Amplifiers, and Repair December 2014

25


Concerts & Events Coming up Thursday, December 4

7:30 pm

A Bluegrass Christmas with Monroe Crossing Pearson Lakes Art Center, 2201 Highway 71

Okoboji, IA

712-332-7029

Friday, December 5

7:00 pm

A Bluegrass Christmas with Monroe Crossing Peace Lutheran Church, 400 Franklin Street SW

Hutchinson, MN

320-587-3031

Saturday, December 6

2:00 & 7:30 pm

A Bluegrass Christmas with Monroe Crossing Lakeville Area Arts Center, 20965 Holyoke Avenue

Lakeville, MN

952-985-4640

Saturday, December 13 at 7:30 pm Sunday, December 14 at 3:00 pm

The World Beloved: A Bluegrass Mass with Arrowhead Chorale Duluth Depot Great Hall, 506 West Michigan Street

Duluth, MN

218-733-7521

Wednesday, December 17

7:30 pm

A Bluegrass Christmas with Monroe Crossing Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, 420 East Main Street

Anoka, MN

763-422-1838

Friday, December 19

7:30 pm

A Bluegrass Christmas with Monroe Crossing Faith Evangelical Lutheran Church, 800 Waconia Parkway North

Waconia, MN

952-442-2101

Saturday, December 20

2:00 & 7:30 pm

A Bluegrass Christmas with Monroe Crossing Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road

Bloomington, MN

952-563-8575

Tuesday, December 23

7:30 pm

A Bluegrass Christmas with Monroe Crossing Pioneer Place on Fifth, 22 Fifth Avenue South

St. Cloud, MN

320-203-0331

Friday, December 26

7:30 pm

A Bluegrass Christmas with Monroe Crossing Festival Theatre, 210 Washington Street

St. Croix Falls, WI

715-483-3387

Wednesday, December 31

7:00 pm

A New Year’s Eve with Monroe Crossing & special guests Long Time Gone The Sheldon Theatre, 443 West Third Street

Red Wing , MN

800-899-5759

January 8-12, 2015: Join Monroe Crossing on Danny Stewart’s 2015 Bluegrass Cruise on Royal Caribbean Cruise lines! Five days, four nights of concerts, jamming, workshops and more! Call Danny Stewart at 570-721-2760 for reservations and let him know Monroe Crossing sent you! For more information, see: http://www.monroecrossing.com/bluegrasscruise.html

Go to www.MonroeCrossing.com for detailed information on all our concerts! Booking: Art Blackburn, 844-monroeX or 763-213-1349, art@monroecrossing.com


MinnesotaBluegrass.org

27

December 2014


Attention All Bands If you want to sell your music, you need a good band. If you want to sell your band, you need good smiles!

Lloyd “Doc” Wallin, D.D.S. Cosmetic Dentistry Burnsville, MN 55337 952-892-5050 (Free Consultation for MBOTMA Members)

607 W Lake St Minneapolis MN 55408 612.827.1726

November FRI 28 – Ivory Bridge SAT 29 – Switched At Birth

December FRI 12 – Jack Lawrence and Jon Garon (Jack Lawrence was Doc Watson’s musical partner for over two decades.)

SAT 13 – The Platte Valley Boys FRI 19 – Tommy Bentz Band

(Nationally and internationally known blues band from River Falls, WI.)

January

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

It pays to advertise in Minnesota Bluegrass. Let us help you reach your audience. Contact editor@ minnesotabluegrass.org for advertising guidelines. 28

FRI 9 – No Grass Limit (CD Release Party!!!) FRI 16 – The Long Shots SAT 17 – The Barley Jacks w/Brian Wicklund SAT 24 – Chris Silver & The Good Intentions The music starts at 8pm and goes until 10pm. More music to come! For more information go to:

www.dulonospizza.com December 2014


WANTED: Musicians for African Roots Reggae, World Beat and Highlife band. For recording and live gigs. Contact Rass Kwame: 612-396-2921, rasskwame@ hotmail.com.

LaPlant Instruments maker of fine mandolins & guitars

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Buy - Trade Sell - Repair (stringed instruments) 218-326-4456

31751 LaPlant Road Grand Rapids, MN 55744 December 2014

29



MinnesotaBluegrass.org

31

December 2014


Non-Profit 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

Jack Lawrence plays the Twin Cities with Jon Garon and Mark Kreitzer this month. Read Ann Iijima’s article (p. 7–9).


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