NOTES ALONG THE
Corridor
by RICK REILEY
MAKING MUSIC ALONG THE CORRIDOR
BERLINE, BAXTER and BAYS
Byron Berline has long been a fixture in Oklahoma music. The world renowned fiddler, bluegrass music maker and promoter and all around good guy who’s never met a stranger, continues to persevere in Guthrie. The Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival (cancelled for this year) was begun largely through Berline’s efforts. Berline who’s recorded with everyone from the Rolling Stones to Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys has called Guthrie home for decades now. He lost his music shop/ concert hall, Double Stop Fiddle Shop in downtown Guthrie a couple of years ago to fire. But he was able to bounce back just in time to be waylaid by this current COVID 19 pandemic. His band regularly tours the country, as well as interna-
tionally, at festivals and other events but those have also been cancelled for the year as well. According to an interview with Byron by Perris Jones on KOCO-TV in OKC, his music shop is fully stocked and back in operation as well. The music hall is back in performance mode as well. But instead of seating 100 or so, as in the past, they’ve limited capacity for safer distancing. His recent book, Byron Berline, A Fiddler’s Diary, is filled with first hand accounts of his life as a Los Angeles session musician and his involvement with various well known bands throughout the years. It’s a must read for those interested in popular music history, especially those whose lives have been marked and defined by popular music. Byron is a true Oklahoma living legend who’s still performing at the top of his game. All Shows begin at 7:30 at the music hall. The posted schedule for the rest of the year: October 17 - The Byron Berline Band October 31 - The Byron Berline Band November 14 - The Byron Berline Band November 28 - The Byron Berline Band December 12 - The Byron Berline Band There’s no better place to hear live bluegrass! Follow the Double Stop Fiddle shop Facebook page for hours and performance schedules. Joe Baxter of Oklahoma City is a bona fide songwriter that I like to think of as a true people’s poet. This fella who has penned such country songs as ‘Don’t Take the Beer with You Wanda’, ‘Drunk on Communion Wine’, ‘Bluebird of My Heart’ and ‘Rest Home Romeo’ is equally adept at writing instrumentals that provide a safe place to dream and to soothe the spirit. From old time gospel feel to rockin’ country to folky reminiscences of grandma’s garden, Joe covers a lot of ground. Since Joe’s retirement from his long time job at Tinker Air
36 THE CORRIDOR MAGAZINE / OCTOBER 2020
