precious memories, may they linger a half century of ... mnbg aug... · dennis & jan o’brien...
TRANSCRIPT
August 2018
Inside:From the Event Manager 3 | Grass Clippings 5 | The Middle Spunk Creek Boys 8
Fish Heads CD Review 16 | Bluegrass Saturday Morning 25 | MBOTMA Calendar of Events 27Coming Up 28 | Tab: Rocky Mountain Goat 35
Precious Memories, May They LingerA Half Century of Bluegrass from
The Middle Spunk Creek Boys
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www.minnesotabluegrass.orgMBOTMA Hot Line(to subscribe and for other information)651-456-8919 [email protected]. Box 16408, Mpls, MN 55416Twitter: @mnbluegrass Facebook: minnesotabluegrass
MBOTMA Board of DirectorsPresident: Laura Cooper - [email protected] President: Nic HentgesTreasurer: Robbi PodrugSecretary: Shane ZackBoard Members: Term expires 2018: Dale Gruber - [email protected] Brett Day, Philip NusbaumTerm expires 2019: Alan Jesperson Bill Lindroos - [email protected] Rudy Marti - [email protected]
Joe HallmanYouth Representative: Theo Hougen-Eitzman - [email protected] meeting minutes and other Board business, go to: www.minnesotabluegrass.org/board-minutes
MBOTMA StaffEvents Manager: Matt Johnson [email protected] Office Administrator: Darcy Schatz [email protected]
Minnesota Bluegrass MagazineEditor: Doug Lohman, [email protected]: Bob Douglas, Marv Menzel, Philip NusbaumComing Up: Loretta Simonet, John BrandbergY’All Come: Bill Lindroos Wordmark: Katryn ConlinPhotography: Ron Colby, Glenn Olson Cover image: Glenn Olson Back: Doug LohmanDeadline for submissions: The 1st of the month preceding publicationSubmit content or request advertising guidelines at: [email protected]. Minnesota Bluegrass is published monthly by The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association™, a Minnesota non-profit 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 manu-scripts. ©2017 Minnesota Bluegrass. All rights reserved. ISBN 0891-0537.
Thank you, MBOTMA members
Sustaining:Vicki Andersen Rod & Barb AndersonDaryll & Mary ArntsonVaughn Asselstine & Lorenzo TunesiMariltn Bergum & Melvin RupprechtKenneth & Ann BlochMark BriereJane CongerBrian CornellHal DavisMary DuShaneMatt Edwards Leon EvansNathan FjeldJim Franczyk Warren GumesonTimothy & Ginger HaalandMarcel HofmannDavid & Mildred HolmDick & Sue HopperstadDavid & Laurette Hougen-EitzmanJohn Johnson Mark Johnson Hartlan Jones
Patrons: Tony & Ann AnthonisenLenny & Colleen BaltusGary & Karen BartigScott BensonChristopher BooneDoug ChasarPaul ChristiansonGary & Janet CobusKatryn ConlinLaura CooperBob & Marilyn DoddDoug DuncanCraig EvansWilliam FancherJennifer FaulknerMark & Kathleen FisherDarrell & Marilyn FuhrTom & Jill FurrerJon & Sharon GaronGary & Jae GermondPaul Gille David GlattTom & Marlys GustafsonMichael & Paula HildebrandtMabel HouleAnn Iijima & Myles BakkeJim Johnson
August 2018Vol. 44
No. 7Newsstand: $3
Subscription: $35
Chris Juettner Wil KelleyDebra Koehn Bill Lindroos & Rebecca ReiflerMaggie MacKamanMac & Namcy McKay Karla MenzelSusan & Joe MeyerCorey MohanJames NatwickDavid NelsonLisa NielsenDennis & Jan O’BrienLinda & Tony Omann Dominic OrricoBrin PetersenMarty & Carol Schirber Wendy SchoenHowell SmithRory & Marian ThompsonLynn & Carolyn Thorson Ross & Elizabeth VaughanChristopher WalchukTin WankelDavid & Bonnie Warner Carole WilsonWilliam Wolf
Roger & Maggie JorgensonJanine KemmerJim LallyRussel LaneLoren LaugtugJames LeeDouglas LohmanRichard LuckerothBob LundeenRudy MartiRodger McBrideBill & Ella MerrillDouglas & Georgene NesheimDavid & Betty PfeifferBrian RonningTom & Cathy SchaeferThomas & Barbara SchommerThomas & Maragaret SchuveillerPenelope SciallaDenise & Tony StachnikDavid Tousley & Margaret BrandesDonna VelascoRebecca Wagner & Dan ForsytheSuzanne WeinsteinJane WestJohn Wilcox
Membership as of August 1, 2018: 832
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Inside:From the Event manager 3 | Grass Clippings 5 | The Middle Spunk
Creek Boys 8 | Fish Heads CD Review 16 | Bluegrass Saturday Morning 25 | MBOTMA Calendar of Events 27 | Coming Up 28
Tab: Rocky Mountain Goat 35
Individual $35
Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, events discounts for one person, and a free classi-fied 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.
Become a MemberThe Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association is
open to everyone. Our members include people who love to lis-ten to music and people who love to make music. As a member, you’ll be invited to participate in bluegrass and old-time mu-sic events and celebrations. You’ll receive discounted prices on admission to events and merchandise, and you’ll receive a sub-scription to Minnesota Bluegrass magazine.
Becoming a member of MBOTMA is easy and afford-able. Your membership will not only nurture your own inter-ests, but help to ensure that the bluegrass and old-time music tradition is sustained and grows in Minnesota.
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
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.
Well, the 2018 Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Fes-tival (AKA, the August Fest) is just around the corner. It’s shap-ing up to be a great one! There are tons of moving pieces involved with a festival of this size and it takes a small village to make it all happen. I’m so grateful for the Festival Committee for all the work that you do to make this possible. The good news is that there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved. We’re looking for people of all ages and abilities to do a variety of ac-tivities, from sitting in a chair and checking wrist bands, helping to put up tents, selling wristbands at the front gate, or driving a golf cart around to help deliver supplies. We’re also looking for folks to help out right now (pre-fest) as well as helping to pack up afterwards. This festival can’t really happen without all of the volunteers like you. Thank you!
Did you know that this is the 39th annual August Festival? How many have you been to over the years? I’m curious to know if anyone has been to every one of these? I was talking to Brett Day last week and he told me that this is his 31st year in helping to put the fest on! Brett, that’s amazing- thank you! That being said, there are a few people that have been volunteering on the committee for years and are now retiring from key roles. I’m al-ways on the lookout for new folks who would like to get more involved and keep this fest rolling on into the future. I’d like to say a big thanks to Jed Malischke for all that he has done to build this festival up and make it what it is today, he’s still helping me out in the background and I still seek out his advice on many things. Thank you, Jed.
The Minnesota Americana Roots Music Contests at the State Fair are coming right up (August 31st and September 1st). I took part a few years back, knowing that I probably wouldn’t win, but just to have the experience of it all. It’s great way to meet other musicians and perform in front of a big crowd of people that show up to take it in. I highly recommend going for it, you never know what will happen, sign-up today, do it now! I’ll see you there.
Also coming up is the Fall Jam at the Crowne Plaza in Plym-outh on October 26 & 27. Check out the info later on in the mag-azine.
See you at the August Fest! Matt
From the Event Director
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Grass ClippingsLoretta Simonet, of MBOTMA band
“Curtis & Loretta” is a finalist in the Jane Titland Memorial Songwriting Contest at Tumbleweed Music Festival in Richland, Washington on Labor Day weekend. Ten finalists will perform their song entries at the festival on September 1. Every year the festival announces a theme for the songwriting contest; this year’s theme is “Roots.” Tumbleweed Music Festival is presented by Three Rivers Folklife Soci-ety, which also produces concerts, danc-es, and song circles throughout the year. The song contest is named in memory of Jane Titland, one of the festival’s or-ganizers. Besides appearing in the song-writing contest, Curtis & Loretta will also perform at the festival. There’s more info about Three Rivers and Tumbleweed at www.3rfs.org.
AnnualAnnual 17th 17th
Saturday September 8, 2018 • 2 - 6 pm • Lake Elmo Park Reserve
2 PM – THE SKALLY LINE3 PM – BLUEGROOVE BLUEGRASS4 PM – KIND COUNTRY5 PM – THE HIGH 48’S
CAMPING ON SITEFREE WITH VEHICLE PERMIT
FAMILY FRIENDLYSurround yourself in the natural
beauty of a 2,200 acre park reserve.
For more information please visit: www.co.washington.mn.us/parks
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Save the Date!! October 26th and 27th Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association
Presents
The New MBOTMA Fall Jam And it’s going to be a barn burner! Here’s some of what is in the works for this all new event.
Location: The Crowne Plaza. Jam all night !!
Friday night: Progressive bluegrass in the Ballroom.
Stay tuned for band announcements. Starting later, going later. A Cash bar will be available in the ballroom both nights!!
GMUG: The Great Minnesota Ukulele Gathering will be joining us again with fun Ukulele jams,
Stage shows and workshops everyone is welcome to attend!Workshops!
New and exciting workshops you will not want to miss!Grass Seeds!
Yes, there will be Grass Seeds Academy at the Fall Jam! Watch for sign-upsDraw bands!
These are always so much fun. Toss your name in a hat and get assigned to a band. Then you and your bandmates have the afternoon to come up with a band name
and 3 songs to perform on stage! It’s a Blast ! Open Stage in the Fireside Lounge.
Like the Ranchhouse only at the Crowne Plaza! Watch for the Sign up Genius in OctoberTheme Jams
The ever popular Theme Jams will be back too, including the Singers Jam (No fiddle tunes allowed ! )
Put it on your calendar now! Tickets will go on sale soon.
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MBOTMA August Festival RAFFLETickets are $5.00 each! - You may Choose Your Prize:
Prize #1) Nechville Excelsior Moonshine Banjo valued at $3,400Prize #2) JSC Archtop Tenor Ukulele valued at $1,500
Prize #3) Washburn Americana Series A-Style Mandolin valued at $444 Prize #4) JBL Charge 3 Bluetooth Speaker valued at $150
All proceeds benefit the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music AssociationDrawing 1:00 PM on Sunday August 12, 2018 at El Rancho Mañana, Richmond MN MBOTMA, License #X-04879
Tickets are sold at the raffle/membership canopy across from the merchandise tent
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Cover Story:
Precious Memories, May They LingerA Half Century of Bluegrass from The Middle Spunk Creek Boysby Marv Menzel
On September 3, Labor Day 2018, bluegrass fans will gather at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis for the 20th running of The Laughing Waters Bluegrass Festi-val. It is a free festival which has featured many local and regional bands (and a few national acts) and serves as a wrap up to the Minnesota outdoor music season.
In addition to celebrating the anni-versary of the festival, it will be an oppor-tunity to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the prime movers of the event, The Mid-dle Spunk Creek Boys. To recall some of the precious memories of those 50 years, it was my pleasure to visit with Alan Jes-person, the perceived leader of the MSCB. Perceived because Alan did not anticipate being a band leader 50 years ago, but as each member of the band would leave for a variety of reasons, he always took it upon himself to find a replacement. When you are the only remaining mem-ber of the original band, you will be seen as the majordomo.
One of my interests is the musical influences who shape a performer’s play-ing. Most of us think of Alan as a guitar player although he has spent time in the mandolin trenches. His first mentioned
influence was John Herald, the Green-wich Village guitar player, who played on Ian & Sylvia’s first three albums. Next were Charlie Waller, Peter Rowan and Del McCoury. But his highest praise was for local performer Stephen Gammell. He saw Stephen perform at The Scholar Coffeehouse when it was located in Din-kytown. Alan’s description of Stephen – “Absolutely Amazing.” They became and remain fast friends.
To find out more about the public performance side of Alan Jesperson, we have to go back to 1964 when he met Jerry Flynn at a Doc Watson concert. The folk revival was in full swing and he frequent-ly found himself at Discount Records in
Ron Colby, Alan Jesperson, Craig Anderson -circa 1969
Dinkytown purchasing monaural records instead of the higher priced stereo ver-sions so he could expand his collection more quickly. Shortly, Alan and his wife, Cindy, with Jerry, formed a folk trio. The name, if there ever was one, has been rel-egated to the dust bin of history. They played around the cities and on one of their cross country tours appeared at The Bothy Folk Club in Mankato.
Moving Alan from “Kum ba yah” to “Don’t this road look rough and rocky” was aided by Ron Colby. Ron had posted a note in The Podium seeking others to play bluegrass. Alan and Ron first met at Suneson Music. They talked Craig An-derson into joining them in a bluegrass
Clockwise from top: Alan Jesperson, Rudy Darling, Alan Struthers, Peter Ostroushko - circa 1973
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Back row: Rudy Darling, Jerry Flynn, Alan Jesperson, Front row: John Niemann, Alan Struthers -circa 1975
Andy Kozak, Bruce jaeger,Jerry Flynn, Jim Tordoff, Alan Jesperson - circa 1981
Back row:Mark Brier, Alan Jesperson, Jerry FlynnFront row: John Niemann, Pete Anderson - circa 1976
trio. They were soon playing an open stage at The Scholar Coffeehouse, then located on the West Bank. Management liked them and they were soon on the calendar. By this time, Ron, who was fa-miliar with the geographical features of Northwest Minnesota, had offered The Middle Spunk Creek as their namesake. They joined in history such other Schol-ar alumnae as Leo Kottke, Koerner, Ray & Glover, The Down and Outfit bluegrass band, and, of course, Bob Dylan. The year was 1968.
Rudy Darling soon moved to town and added his fiddle chops to the mix. Steve Block showed up at a gig and shortly joined the band on bass. The MSCB was now a five piece bluegrass band. When the Scholar closed, they moved next door to The New Riverside Café and quick-ly became house favorites. In 1971 they moved to Dulono’s Pizza on Lake Street, their home base for the next 40 years.
Alan feels that in a bluegrass per-formance, “the whole deal is to entertain people.” Two aspects of a MSCB concert aimed at meeting that objective are the use of humor and a very diverse musical palette. The humor may not always be world class, but it is ever present. One of my favorite examples is the 100% satis-faction guarantee on their recordings. If
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you are not 100% pleased with any MSCB recording you purchase, you may return the portion of the recording you have not listened to and you will receive the un-spent portion of your money back. Their music ranges from bluegrass to Cajun to funk to folk to Grateful Dead. This depth of field has been achieved by asking each new member, when joining the band, to bring along their material as well as learn-ing MSCB favorites.
Asked to share a couple of his more precious memories, Alan remembered Peter Ostroushko joining the band to as-sume mandolin duties before he owned a mandolin. Peter had met Rudy when he heard him playing as he walked down the street. To fill his duties on mandolin, he borrowed Alan’s F-4 mandolin, which he quickly mastered; He would also do an occasional fiddle duet with Rudy. Alan fondly remembered Thanksgiving 1970 and 1971 when they played at The Den-ver Folklore Center. Charles Sawtelle (soon to be of Hot Rize fame) was per-forming instrument repair duties at the center. There was the 1975 appearance in
Jerry Flynn, Tom Nechville, Alan Jesperson, Bruce Jaeger, Andy Kozak,- circa 1990
the auditorium of the Walker Art Center which yielded an album. The MSCB of-fered the album to their fans along with T-Shirts. This was something that no lo-cal bluegrass band had been doing up to that time. Following in the steps of Bill Monroe and other pioneers, they also had
a baseball team in the 70s.The 1970s were the musical zenith
of the MSCB. The band was rehearsing twice and absorbing two new songs each week while playing 100 gigs per year. To insure that the tightness of the band didn’t cause them to lose their humility, Alan recalled a Police Convention at The Minneapolis Auditorium where the band was escorted off the stage after four or five songs. But the pay was great.
Waxing philosophically, Alan real-izes and accepts that bluegrass music is changing. He feels that fans still love the music but have difficulty finding it being played. He characterizes it as uplifting music and while the literalist might be troubled by hearing a 19 year old picker singing of unrequited love or living in a cabin, it is served up in a heartfelt man-ner. Bluegrass musicians are always ac-cessible to the fans. Alan noted that we didn’t understand our parents’ music and likely have trouble with some of the mu-sic our children love. He is still having fun playing the music and credits Janine Kemmer’s contributions as bass player, musical explorer and occasional front person with breathing new energy into MSCB in recent years.
The Laughing Waters Bluegrass Fes-tival began when the City of Minneapolis introduced the band shell at Minnehaha Falls in 1999. Not a shy guy, Alan asked if MSCB could play there. With his next breath, he asked if he could have a few
Alan Jesperson, Barry St. Mane, Jerry Flynn, Bruce Jaeger, Andy Kozak,- circa 1982
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Jim Tordoff, Alan Jesperson, Chuck Kreitzer, Bruce Jaeger, Mark Kreitzer - circa 2005
Ken Sherman, Alan Jesperson, Patti Gilman, Bruce Jaeger, Jim Tordoff- circa 2008
other bands play with him. Two yeses from the city gave birth to The Laughing Waters Bluegrass Festival.
There have been three previous re-unions of The MSCB. The 10th was held on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Com-panion, the 25th at the Riverview Theater and the 35th at The Cedar Cultural Cen-ter.
On the September 3 double anni-versary, MSCB will be playing two sets featuring as many of its current and past members as are able to make the date. They will be joined by Pride of the Prai-rie, Sawtooth, King Wilkie’s Dream and Becky Thompson and Old School. Here’s your score card to keep track. The cur-rent and past members of MSCB are list-ed below in approximately the order they joined the band along with the instru-ment/s they played.
Alan Jesperson, Guitar – Ron Colby, Banjo – CJ Anderson, Mandolin – Rudy Darling, Fiddle – Steve Block, Bass – John Bellville, Mandolin – Alan Struthers, Banjo – Mark Briere, Mandolin - Peter Ostroushko, Mandolin and Fiddle – Jer-ry Flynn, Bass – John Niemann, Man-dolin and Fiddle – Pete Anderson, Ban-jo – Andy Kozak, Dobro – Bruce Jaeger, Mandolin and Fiddle – Jim Tordoff, Banjo – Barry St. Mane, Banjo – Tom Nechville,
Banjo – Mark Kreitzer, Banjo, Mandolin, Fiddle and Guitar – Chuck Kreitzer, Bass – Ken Sherman, Fiddle – Patti Gilman, Bass – Andy Thompson, Bass – Janine Kemmer, Bass – Joel Olson, Banjo
If you are a Minnesotan, you have likely enjoyed one or more versions of The Middle Spunk Creek Boys. If, however, you have never attended The Laughing
Joel Olson, Bruce Jaeger, Janine Kemmer, Alan Jesperson- circa 2015
Waters Bluegrass Festival, circle Sep-tember 3 on your calendar now. The music starts about noon. If you have attended previous festivals, you’ve al-ready circled it. See you there! And should you happen to have a birthday cake with 70 candles on it, bring it along. (50 for the Spunks, 20 for Laugh-ing Waters!)
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deeringbanjos.com [email protected]
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Sunday, July 299:00 & 10:15 am
Bethlehem Lutheran Church Twin CitiesMinneapolis Campus, 4100 Lyndale Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 612-312-3411
Sunday, July 29 4:00 pmBluegrass in the Park Lands Lutheran Church, 16640 Hwy 60 Blvd
Zumbrota, MN 507-732-5482
Wednesday, August 11:00, 3:00 & 5:00 pm
Benton County Fair1410 3rd Avenue South
Sauk Rapids, MN 320-253-5649
Thursday, August 2 7:00 pmLong Prairie Thursday Night at the ParkMemorial Park
Long Prairie, MN 320-266-5640
Friday, August 3 7:00 pmPeace United Church of Christ1111 North 11th Avenue East
Duluth, MN 218-724-3637
Sunday, August 5 3:00 - 8:00 pmDave & Renee’s Barn Dance!Benefit for the Fischer House Foundation 17762 97th Street SE
Becker, MN 952-474-0981
Wednesday, August 8 7:00 - 8:30 pmConcerts on the RiverwalkRiverwalk Bandshell, 156 S. Courtney Street
Rhinelander, WI 715-362-7157
Thursday, August 23 at 6:40 & 10:00 pmFriday, August 24 at 12:40 & 6:50 pm
Lakes Bluegrass FestivalCass County Fairgrounds525 First Street North
Pine River, MN
Saturday, August 25 6:00 pmThe Vines Bluegrass FestivalNorth Folk Winery, 43150 Blackhawk Road
Harris, MN 651-674-7548
Saturday, September 1 7:30 pmGrand Marais Playhouse PresentsArrowhead Center for the Arts, 51 West Fifth Street
Grand Marais, MN 218-387-1284
Monroe Crossing: What’s Coming up
Go to www.MonroeCrossing.com for the latest information on all of our concerts.Booking: Derek Johnson, 612-720-3746 or [email protected]
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4th A
nnual Bluegrass Festival
Saturday - August 4, 2018The Baudette Depot, Baudette, MN
Featuring
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota, through a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropria-tion from the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
Pulled Pork and all the corn on the cob you can eat!
5-8pm
Music 4-8pm
$5 entry fee
Call Vince @ 218-590-6407
Continental Drive
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CD Review:
Time to RunThe Fish Headsby Phil Nusbaum
When you talk to members of the Fish Heads about their music you learn that the group is, by design, stylistically broad. The group pulls influences from bluegrass, country, pop and other sourc-es, and you can hear the breadth on the new Fish Head CD, Time to Run.
Thinking of which genre within which to place the Fish Heads, Ameri-cana comes to mind. Combining musical influences in ways the original players would not is the source of much of the “cool” currently going for Americana. But “cool” and “quality” are not the same. Time will tell if any version of Americana will stand the test of time. But if sophis-tication in song renditions has anything to do with it, there is a very good chance that audiences will be revisiting the Fish Heads’ Time to Run for years to come.
It is almost always true that a blue-grass cover of a pop hit seems “cute.” But “cute” will get you just so far. The Fish Heads’ version of the Beatles’ “Eight Days a Week” on Time to Run is a great exam-ple of a Fish Heads song treatment that adds to a song’s legacy. The newest Fish Head, Paul Jones, kicks off the song with a driving banjo solo played at a much faster tempo than the Beatles’ version. Howev-er, the attribute that sets the song apart is the descending bass line heard within the banjo kickoff and later instrumental sections. The Beatles did not do the song this way, but the line perfectly fits the el-evated tempo set by the Fish Heads. This is the kind of innovation that comes only through years of daily listening to mu-sic, and dedication to writing, arranging and performing. “Eight Days a Week” is pitched smack dab in the middle of Paul Jones’ vocal range, and the total experi-ence of listening to the Fish Heads’ ver-sion of the song makes you want to hear more.
Ironically, the pop song “Eight Days
a Week” is the most bluegrass-y song on Time to Run. There are others that bear the imprint of the Fish Heads’ tra-ditional bluegrass background such as “The Mountain” and “Please Search Your Heart.” You can tell which styles have in-fluenced the Fish Heads, but the overall musical style is unique to the group. With the prominent steel guitar and drums throughout most of it, the CD exudes the flavor of what is today called classic country music. But the subjects of the songs and the attitudes the songs express reflect the times we live in. However, the many duets Mike and Kim sing are done as close harmony duets in a singing style developed before the World War II era. The decades of writing, performing and recording varying types of songs leads the Fish Heads to write and select great songs, and create musical arrangements that fit both the songs and their own musical leanings. In other words, categorizing the
Fish Heads overall style is futile. It is most true about the Fish Heads that you can expect the unexpected.
Original Fish Head Mike Monson is an old drummer and still moonlights with a Duluth-area rock blues band. In the Fish Heads, he switches between the drums, bass, guitar and mandolin, Kim plays the guitar and bass, and Paul switches between the banjo, Dobro, ped-al steel guitar and acoustic guitar. Kim is the primary lead singer, but all members contribute vocals. Mike says that in the real world of performing, it is the drums that get people dancing and pop songs that ring true with casual listeners.
Combining ideas from varied mu-sical genres requires players to be aware of similarities between them. Kim began writing songs in 1982, and she composed six of the songs on Time to Run. She likes to point out her affinity for the mu-sical mood “bluegrass dark.” In the song
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“Elvina” Kim paints a picture of a wom-an who lives under a dark cloud because of the brutal way her husband treats her. The husband makes life so bleak for Elvi-na that when a neighbor who notices the situation anonymously ends the life of the husband, the violent act seems like a ran-dom act of kindness. It’s all made more credible by Kim’s skillful attention to details of the story, such as the lemonade stand on the corner that reminds Elvina how her life used to be.
In recent decades, songwriting for-mulas are less pervasive than previously. Kim is part of this movement away from fantasy in song lyrics. Add to songs al-ready mentioned, Kim’s “One Good Wip-er Blade,” is a reference to an all-too-fa-miliar situation stemming from everyday life. “Rear View” is about the exhilaration experienced when leaving all your day-to-day concerns for a while. You have to love the macabre but funny lyric when Mike sings in “Monster Truck,” “if my brakes have failed / you’re gonna be dead / be-cause the top of my bumper / is level with the top of your head.” And then there is the Fish Heads’ version of AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long.” At various stages in the history of music, lyrics like these have been banned from country radio. Readers who look at the title and let their imaginations run free may un-derstand why. When Mike sings the lyr-ics “give me weed instead of roses,” the could-be-banned-from-country-radio meter definitely goes into the red portion and beeps loudly. By the way, this song is marked as a polka, but polka dancers beware, as the fast tempo of the song just might leave you as breathless as the cou-ple depicted in “You Shook Me All Night Long.”
The Fish Heads Time to Run is ma-ture work by a long-term committed band. Minnesota music followers may remem-ber Kim and Mike from their days with Natural Grass. That was a fine group, as were earlier Fish Heads lineups. However, we know that musical experiences build on each other. Time to Run proves it with superior writing and picking of songs that are well-performed, witty and reflect our times. The current band adds multi-in-strumentalist Paul Jones who livens up
the proceedings. The pedal steel guitar is not heard very often in current United States music, but regardless, Paul plays it masterfully, and pedal steel musical high-lights abound.
The CD Release Party for The Fish Heads’ Time to Run will be held in the
Fish Heads’ home city, Duluth, MN. It will take place at the Black Box Theater in Zeitgeist, 225 Superior Street, 6-9pm, Sunday August 24. The website for the Fish Heads is www.bigfishtunes.com.
Phil NusbaumKBEM-FM
The Fishheads - Paul Jones, Kim Curtis-Monson, Mike Monson
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Armadillo Sound & DesignMinneapolis, MN
18 August 2018
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Americana-Roots Duet ContestFriday, August 31, 2018 11:30 am–2:15 pm
West End Market Stage, Minnesota State Fair
Americana-Roots Band ContestSaturday, September 1, 2018 11:30 am–2:15 pm
West End Market Stage, Minnesota State Fair
Sign up Opens on May 1, 2018. Sign up early - the contests fill fast. Go to www.minnesotabluegrass.org for information and to register.
than ever! Better
PRIZESAMAZING
19August 2018
MinnesotaBluegrass.org
Pioneer Village Museum 1866 121⁄2 Ave. (Cty. Hwy. W) Cameron, WI
Featuring:• The Biscuit Boys• Bluegrass Roundup• The Doubledown Daredevils• The Stringsmiths• John and Rose Band• Highview• River City Ramblers• Gospel Notes• St. Paul Mudsteppers• R Country Offspring• King’s Countrymen
Music begins Friday night at 5pm Vendors, Jammin’, Workshops and more
For more information or directions contact Kathy Krug at (715) 458-0181Food and refreshments available
Gate Fee: Fri. $10, Sat. $15, and Sun. $10; $30 for weekend passRough camping is an additional $10 per day
Cameron 13th Annual Bluegrass Festival
September 7, 8, 9, 2018
The Biscuit Boys
Doubledown Daredevils
Tommy Brown& the County Line Grass
20 August 2018
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Stage and park facilities provided by the Park and Recreation Board of the City of Minneapolis.
Supported by the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old-Time Music Association.
Minnehaha Park“Laughing Waters”
Labor DayMonday, September 3, 2018
1:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Concert at Minnehaha Park. Located at East Minnehaha Parkway and Hiawatha Avenue. FREE ADMISSION!
More info: http://mscb.com/minnehaha.htm
Come to the FREE 20th Annual
BluegrassFestival!
BluegrassFestival!
Featuring:
1:00 The Pride of the Prairie
1:40 The Sawtooth Brothers
2:30 King Wilkie’s Dream
3:20 Middle Spunk Creek Boys 50th
Anniversary and Reunion
5:45 Becky Thompson and Old School
21August 2018
MinnesotaBluegrass.org
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F18
22 August 2018
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Get Ready for Summer FestivalsWe have what you need!
New & Used Martin Guitars
Protective Cases Capos
Strings
Picks
Straps
Tuners
Harmonicas
Tin Whistles
Jaw Harps
Even Hats!
Gigbags
www.elderly.com
Every Musician’s Second Home
Family Owned and Operated Since 1972
Toll-Free in the USA 888-473-5810
23August 2018
MinnesotaBluegrass.org
MBOTMA Member BandsBluegrass
Bands Blue Hazard
Hannah Johnson [email protected]
Blue Wolf DuoShirley Mauch Spanhanks
Buffalo River RamblersMarty Solmon 218-850-8715
[email protected] Creek Bluegrass
Tom Monsen [email protected]
Def LesterLincoln Potter 651-303-0728
[email protected] Down Daredeveils
Tom Peschges [email protected]
Flattgrass RevivalTom Furrer 320-766-7007
The Halvorson Family BandLoren Halvorson 507-345-7431
[email protected] Hand Picked Bluegrass
Joe Cronick [email protected]
HighviewBob Andrewson 715-891-2645
[email protected] Hummin’ Birds
Mike Silbernagel 303-501-2703 [email protected]
The Kings CountrymenKristi Schultz [email protected] King Wilke’s Dream
Robbi Podrug [email protected]
Laura and the LagerheadsMatt Johnson 612-462-3546
[email protected] Time Gone
Ben Manning [email protected]
Mash TunJamey Guy
[email protected] Middle Spunk
Creek BoysAlan Jesperson 612-751-1733
[email protected] Crossing
Lisa [email protected]
No Man’s String BandNic Hentges 612-387-0196
[email protected] Family Bluegrass
Jesse Paul [email protected]
PrairiegrassBonnie Hallett 701-429-1666
StompersDavid Darnell [email protected]
Sawtooth BrothersMJMoravec 507-990-6456
[email protected] River Boys
Chris Silver [email protected]
Timbre JunctionKaren Radford [email protected]
Tom & JedJed Malischke 715-635-2479
Tony Rook BandTony Rook, [email protected]
TracksideDavid Anderson [email protected]
The WoodpicksJoel Kezar [email protected]
Related Bands
Barb & GaryGary Carlson 763-784-7881
[email protected] Barley Jacks with Brian
WicklundBrian Wicklund 651-433-4564
[email protected] Bernie King &
the Guilty PleasuresBernie King [email protected]
Blue Yodel #9John Whitehead 651-641-0752
[email protected] Broadfork
String BandAnne Sawyer [email protected]
The Common Ground CompanyJorgen Wadkins II 605-237-6178
John Soderberg [email protected]
Curtis & LorettaLoretta Simonet [email protected]
Don D Harvey & the Ultrasonic Duo
Donald Harvey [email protected]
Due NorthLouise Wiermaa 218-721-5250
[email protected] Fish HeadsKim Curtis-Monson
The Gentleman’s Anti-Temper-ance League
Daniel Rosen [email protected]
Georgia Rae BandRonilyn Mussared 815-675-2554
[email protected] Sally
Julie Kaiser [email protected]
The HacklewrappersMark Rubbert, 612-387-8189
Hello Heart AcheAJ Scrubas 920-321-8604
[email protected] Hole in the Bucket
John Wenstrom [email protected]
Honky Tonk JumpVaughn Asselstine
[email protected] Karam
Karen Mueller & FriendsKaren Mueller 612-270-4740
[email protected] Banjo
Ellen Stanley [email protected]
New Riverside RamblersKaren Kleinspehn [email protected]
Now and ThenDaniel Fish 763-786-2524
[email protected] Ukelele
Aaron Lockridge [email protected]
Pert Near SandstoneNathan Sipe 612-245-0159
[email protected] Radio Wranglers
Blaine McQuinn [email protected]
S R DuganShawn Dugan 952-737-7705
Scapegoat Skin & [email protected] Minnick &
Jackson BuckSherry Minnick 651-644-8682
Singleton StreetSherri Leyda, [email protected]
SloughgrassSoren Olesen [email protected]
Spiritwood Homesteaders
Linda Schwartz [email protected]
String Beans, Chick Pea & Garbonzo
Roger Cuthbertson952-474-2476 [email protected]
Switched at BirthRick Anderson 651-230-2431
[email protected] Flemming
Sandra Flemming [email protected]
True GrassTom Draughon 715-682-9362
[email protected]’d Out
John Trelstad [email protected]
Old-Time BandsBob Bovee
Bob Bovee [email protected]
Bob & Lynn DicksonBob Dixon 612-377-6819
[email protected] Stringers
Karl Burke [email protected]
The GritpickersRob Daves 612-822-0085
[email protected]’Neil Family Band
Jeanne O’Neil [email protected]
Poor BennyDavid Furniss 651-699-0557
Row Family SingersQuillan Roe 612-599-0266
[email protected] String band
Doug Wells [email protected]
Wild Goose Chase CloggersJohn Njoes 612-419-4576
Wink the Other EyeDavid Gourhan 651-674-8668
24 August 2018
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www.LakesBluegrassFestival.com
Featuring the Best in National & Regional Bluegrass Bands!
800-728-6926 • [email protected]
August23-26, 2018
Pine River, MNCass County Fairgrounds
Festival ScheduleGates Open Tues. at 12pm
Wed. Night Old Time Dance, 6-9pmThu. Afternoon Square Dance, 1-3pm
Main StageThu. 5 - 11pm
Fri. & Sat. 11am - 11pmSun. 10am - 2pm
WorkshopsFri. & Sat. 10am -5pm
Plus workshops, dancing, camping, jamming, food & more!
13th Annual
Tickets Available for Purchase in Advance
or at Gate.
David Parmley & The Cardinal Tradition
Kentucky Fri. & Sat.
Rain/Sun Shelter in
Concert Area
The Malpass BrothersNorth CarolinaFri. & Sat.
Monroe CrossingMinnesota
Thu. & Fri.
The Bluegrass MartinsMissouri
Sat. & Sun.
The Purple HullsTexas
Sat. & Sun.The Darrell Webb Band
PennsylvaniaFri. & Sat.
Amanda Cook & Kennesaw Ridge
FloridaFri. & Sat.
Shaffers Lost 40Minnesota
Thu., Fri. & Sat.Tim & Cindy
& FriendsMinnesota
Sat. & Sun.
Eric’s Dance BandMinnesota
Wed. Night Old Time Dance
The Eel Pout Stringers& Dance Caller Robin Nelson
MinnesotaThu. Afternoon Square Dance
The Bluegrass ExpressMichigan
Thu. & Fri.
25August 2018
MinnesotaBluegrass.org
Bluegrass Saturday MorningBy Phil Nusbaum
Old-Time and Bluegrass ListeningFans of old-time music and bluegrass sometimes view these
styles as ones that stand up against a seeming ocean of pop. For an artist, it is quite a battle to maintain your stylistic focus when there is a majority taste that seems pervasive. For listeners, remaining uninfluenced by all of the promotion that they received from national pop acts is a battle. It takes awareness of musical subtleties and media savvy to keep the music bluegrass, or keep it old-time.
However, the truth is that old-time and bluegrass bands have always been influenced by pop. This connection goes back to the earliest days of commercial recordings. While there was a lot of wild and crazy string band music recorded in the 1920s, there were also recordings of highly organized old-time performers. The Skillet Lickers are frequently mentioned as examples of the wild and crazy; and Charlie Poole’s North Carolina Ramblers and Jimmie Rodgers are frequently mentioned as examples of the highly-organized. However, the Great Depression extending from 1929 caused a crash in record sales and paid performances. The Country music industry emerged from it with a plan. The industry viewed the successes of the 1920s as a happy surprise. Before the 1920s, few thought that there was an audience for square dance music on recordings. But to keep and grow the audience, the industry determined that the best path would be to bring the music closer to other forms of popular American entertainment. The emphasis would be on singing, and singers would also address audiences. As far as playing instruments, there would be smooth arrangements and a greater number of soloists. Over time, old-time groups and later, bluegrass groups adopted the bass as an instrument. In general, well-organized won out over wild and crazy.
The influence of pop on old-time music and bluegrass is less, say, adding a trap set of drums, or horns or electric guitars to a string band, though those have all been tried. It is more the subtle integration of musical ideas into the format. Subtle changes are the basis of musical evolution.
When we listen to the stage music and jamming at an event like our August festival, it always happens that you reflect on certain songs that come up. Maybe it is being played just like Flatt and Scruggs played it in the 1940s. Or maybe the version of the fiddle tune “Done Gone” sounds like the one recorded by Clayton McMichen in the 1930 era. Then again, perhaps a group has a fiddler with jazz chops, so it swings into a version of something like “Minor Swing.” Or it might be returning an old-time song to its bluesy root. For an example of a recording of a song, for decades it seemed like Bill Monroe’s take on “Sitting on Top of the World” would serve as the most important model for later bluegrass versions of the song. However, more recently, there have been multiple versions that have referenced the blues, either the Mississippi Sheiks version from the 1920s, or a more contemporary blues style.
At an event such as the August festival, it’s fun to track the influences on a band that you can hear. It might be a reworking of an old bluegrass, old-time or pop tune, or it might be adapting modern pop ideas to a string band format, which is what Blue Hazard does. Or it might be the issue of bluegrass drive. Do groups such as the Henhouse Prowlers actually play with more pronounced drive than first-generation bluegrass groups? Or you might approach one of the bands to ask where indeed it got its version of one of its songs.
When you are in a musical environment such as the August festival, old-time and bluegrass thoughts naturally come to mind. The fire is fueled, and carries you to the next event.
Special Note about Music ListingsThe KBEM-FM online music listings contain many regular
events listed that no longer take place. The problem is when regularly-occurring events are canceled, no one tells us. So if you know of these, kindly let us know and we’ll remove them from the listings. The listings are only worthwhile if they are trustworthy.
The written music listings took the place of the announcements we used to make. But so many listeners told us that they never seemed to have pencils at the ready to write down any of the details about the events. So we compiled the listings and put them on the KBEM website, at this URL: http://www.jazz88.fm/2017/05/31/bsm-calendar/.
To get there, at www.jazz88.fm, click on schedule. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Bluegrass Saturday Morning. Then scroll down to Blog Posts and click on Bluegrass Saturday Acoustic Music Calendar.
Weekly Playlists, Listen Onlinewww.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.”
Event Production Workshops!Learn from Professionals!
Learn how to run an event!Volunteer at a MBOTMA Event!!
26 August 2018
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August 9-12, 2018
El Rancho Mañana
Richmond, MN
1-651-456-8919 - www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org
Beautiful Main Stage
Shaded Seating Area
35 Hours of Concerts
Nightly Dances
Instrument Showcases
Children’s Activities
Over 20 Workshops
Plenty of Campground Jam Sessions
30 Merchant & Food Booths
Campground with Showers & Beach
Shuttle Transportation
A Welcome & Safe Environment
Kids Are Free!
Four Time IBMA Event Of The Year Nominee!
Becky Buller BandChris Jones and the Night Drivers
Edgar Loudermilk Band feat. Jeff AutryHenhouse Prowlers
Red Squirrel ChasersThe Laurel Mountain Ramblers
DreamcatcherBob Bovee and Pop Wagner
Blue HazardHello Heartache
Blue GrooveDouble Down Daredevils
Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance LeagueEelpout Stringers
Singleton Street - Julian Davis
Tickets on Sale NOW!!
Guitar & Mandolin
www.zodaudio.com
Z O D AU D I O
27August 2018
MinnesotaBluegrass.org
Get a PDF of Minnesota Bluegrass - Save us postage. 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 [email protected].
MBOTMA Calendar of EventsConcerts 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 support-ed 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.
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.
MBOTMA’s Website:www.minnesotabluegrass.org
Info and news about our events.Buy tickets on line
DonateHistory
Complete calendar of Festivals
Magazine, read past issuesLinks to Member Bands
August 9-12, 2018, Thursday through SundayThe Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival: Richmond, MN: El Rancho Mañana Campground & Riding Sta-ble (27302B Ranch Rd 56368, 20 mi W of St Cloud, I-94 exit #153 at Avon, 9 mi S on Cty 9, L on Mañana Rd). Four-day outdoor music and camping festival with stage shows, dances, work-shops, showcases, children’s shows, demonstrations, crafts, and good food in five stage areas. Five time IBMA Event of the Year nominee. 2018 performers will include Becky Buller Band, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Edgar Loudermilk Band, Hen House Prowlers, Red Squirrel Chasers, and many more TBA. Mainstage showtimes are 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM Thursday, 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM Friday, 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM Saturday, and 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Sunday. For information or tickets call 651-456-8919 or visit www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org. Presented by the Minnesota Blue-grass & Old-Time Music Association.
Aug 30 and Sep 1, 2018 - Friday and Saturday2018 Minnesota Americana-Roots Music Contests: At the Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, MN. For more information 651-456-8919 or www.MinnesotaBluegrass. org. Presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association.
September 3, 2018 - MondayLaughing Waters Bluegrass Festival: Minneapolis, MN, 1:00-6:30pm, Minnehaha Park. Middle Spunk Creek Boys 50th Anniversary Show, King Wilkie’s Dream, Saw-tooth Brothers, Pride of the Prairie, Becky Thompson and Old School. Supported by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association.
October 26-28, 2018 - Friday through Sunday MBOTMA Fall jam:Crowne Plaza Minneapolis West Hotel in Plymouth, MN (3131 Campus Dr, I-494 & Hwy 55). This 13th annual event will feature stage shows Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday morn-ing, Great Minnesota Uke Gathering, Open Mic at the Fireside throughout the weekend, workshops, musical exhibitors, a Sun-day morning gospel show, and lots of jam sessions. For more information 800-635-3037 or www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org. To book lodging contact the Crowne Plaza at 763-559-6600 and ask for the special Minnesota Bluegrass rate. Presented by the Min-nesota Bluegrass & Old- Time Music Association (MBOTMA).
28 August 2018
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Coming Up
318: The 318 Café, 318 Water Street, Excelsior, 952-401-7902, www.three-eighteen.com331C: 331 Club, 331 13th Ave NE, Mpls, 612-331-1746, www.331.mnAGr: Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe, 394 S Lake Ave, Duluth, 218-723-0075, www.amazinggraceduluth.comAST: Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main St, Mpls, 612-379-3138, www.astercafe.comBSC: Black Sheep Coffee Cafe, 705 Southview Blvd., South St. Paul, 651-554-0155, www.blacksheepcoffee.comBTC: Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, Bayfield, WI, 888-244-8368, www.bigtop.orgBoDD: BoDiddley’s Pub and Deli, 129 25th Ave S, St. Cloud, 320-252-9475CED: Cedar Cultural Center, 415 Cedar Ave S, Mpls, 612-338-2674, www.thecedar.orgCJ: Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave, St Paul, 651-330-4685, www.thecelticjunction.comCrH: 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.comDuG: Dunn Brothers on Grand, 1569 Grand Ave, St. PaulEAG: Eagles Club, 2507 E 25th St, Mpls, 612-729-4469, www.Mplseagles34.orgFITZ: Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E Exchange St, St Paul, 651-290-1200, www.fitzgeraldtheater.publicradio.org
Venue abbreviations
7/27 - Friday• Aimee Lee & The Snazzy Band, 318,
8pm• The Haws, DuG, 7pm• Martin Zellar, Falconer Vineyards,
3572 Old Tyler Rd, Red Wing, 7pm• Rough & Tumble, Leo And Leona’s,
W1436 WI-33, Bangor, WI, 7:30pm• TrueGrass Trio, Highbridge
GINK: Ginkgo Coffeehouse, 721 N Snelling Ave, St Paul, 651-645-2647, www.ginkgocoffee.comGKb: Grand Kabaret, 210 N Minnesota St, New Ulm, 507-359-9222, www.thegrandnewulm.comHOB: The Loft at Hobgoblin Music, 920 State Hwy 19, Red Wing, 877-866-3936, www.stoneyend.comMER: Merlins Rest, 3601 E Lake St, Mpls, 612-216-2419OAK: Oak Center General Store, 67011 Hwy 63, Lake City, 507-753-2080, www.oakcentergeneralstore.comRIV: Riverview Café & Wine Bar, 3747 42nd Ave S, Mpls, 612-729-4200, theriverview.comROCK: Rockwoods, 9100 Quaday Ave NE, Elk River, 763-222-4353, www.nograsslimit.com/RockwoodsCalendar.htmlSHL: Sheldon Theatre, 443 W 3rd St, Red Wing, 800-899-5759, www.sheldontheatre.orgTAP: Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Ave S, Mpls, 612-722-2914, www.tapestryfolkdance.orgUMC: Underground Music Café, 1579 Hamline Ave N, Falcon Hts, 651-644-9959, undergroundmusiccafe.comVC: Vieux Carre, 408 St Peter St, St Paul, 651-291-2715, vieux-carre.comWmH: The Warming House, 4001 Bryant Ave S, lower level, Mpls, 877-987-6487, thewarminghouse.netZUM: Crossings at Carnegie, 320 East Ave, Zumbrota, 507-732-7616, www.crossingsatcarnegie.com
To post gigs and events to this calendar, request the link to our online submission form to [email protected]
Bluegrass Festival, 68446 Mile Road, Highbridge, WI
• Alma Andina, CED, 8pm• Rufus Wainwright (Corey Chisel and
Adriel Denae open), BTC7/28 - Saturday• Tom Lieberman, 318, 8pm• Alice Peacock, ZUM, 8pm• George Faber, Falconer Vineyards,
3572 Old Tyler Rd, Red Wing, 2pm• King Wilkie’s Dream, Wild Mountain
Winery, 16906 Wild Mountain Rd, Taylor’s Falls, 3pm
• Molly O & TrueGrass, Highbridge Bluegrass Festival, 68446 Mile Road, Highbridge WI
• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am• Curtis & Loretta, Farmstead Creamery
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONSLakes Bluegrass
FestivalAugust 23-26
Thursday-Sunday Cass County Fairgrounds525 1st St N, Pine River
See ad page 24
The Fish Heads CD Release
August 24Friday
Zeitgeist Black Box Theater, 222 E Superior St, Duluth,
(218) 722-91006pm
MN Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival
August 9-12Thursday-Sunday
El Rancho Mañana, RichmondSee ad page 26
Kevin Prater BandAugust 20
Monday Ice House
2528 Nicollet Av. SoMinneapolis, MN
7pm
29August 2018
MinnesotaBluegrass.org
and Cafe, Hayward, WI, 6pm• Root River Jam, more, Loring Park
Art Festival, Loring Park, 1382 Willow St, Mpls, 612-203-9911
• Rufus Wainwright with Lucy Wainwright Roche, Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, 952-431-9200, 7:30pm
7/29 - Sunday• Monroe Crossing, Bethlehem
Lutheran Church, 4100 Lyndale Ave So, Mpls, 9am, 10:15am
• Bob Bovee, Cradle of Forestry Historic Site, Brevard, NC, 4pm
• Acoustic Guitar Showcase with Sam Breckenridge, Elgin Foster, Gabriel Andrews, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 11am
• Ecaudor Manta, Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Mpls, 2pm
• MN Mandolin Orchestra, more, Loring Park Art Festival, Loring Park, 1382 Willow St, Mpls, 612-203-9911,
7/30 - Monday• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm• Sherwin Linton, Lake Harriet
Bandshell, 4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Mpls, 7:30pm
7/31 - Tuesday• Ben Aaron, 318, 7pm• Chris Silver & The Good Intentions,
Univ of Wisc River Falls WI, Amphitheater, 7pm
• Erik Koskinen, Randy Weeks & Dave Moore, Hook and Ladder, 3010 Minnehaha Ave, Mpls, thehookmpls.com, 8pm
• Gypsy Mania Hot Club Quartet, Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Mpls, 7pm
• Sarah Morris, Father Hennepin Bluff Park, Mpls, 7pm
8/1 - Wednesday• Monroe Crossing, Benton County
Fair, Sauk Rapids, 1pm
• The Rough and Tumble, WmH, 8pm8/2 - Thursday• Rebel Fiddle, 318, 8pm• Gabe Barnett & Them Rounders,
331C, 9:30pm• Granger’s Moonshine, UMC, 5pm• Monroe Crossing, Thursday Night at
Memorial Park, Long Prairie, 7pm• Gossamer Strings, House Concert,
sponsored by Granite City Folk Society, Call Paul and Karen Imholte at 320-253-8749, 7:30pm
• John Louis, Bryant Square Park, Mpls, 6:30pm
• Swamp Poppas, EAG, 8pm• Tony Rook Band, Thursday’s on First
and 3rd, Rochester, 7pm8/3 - Friday• The Federales w/ Guest Richard
Kriehn, 318, 8pm
• The Porchlights, GKb, 7:30pm• Kirk & Low, RIV, 7:30pm• Gary & Hava Munson, UMC, 5pm• Chris Silver Band, Vino in The Valley,
W3826 450th Ave, Maiden Rock, WI,
Classified AdsFor sale: Deering 6-string banjo; Fender Telecaster (maple); Martin Backpacker; Kentucky KM-675 man-dolin; ChromaHarp 15-chord au-toharp. Excellent condition. E-mail [email protected] or call 651-457-2547
LaPlant Instrumentsmaker of fine
mandolins & guitars
Buy - TradeSell - Repair
(stringed instruments)
31751 LaPlant RoadGrand Rapids, MN 55744
218-326-4456
30 August 2018
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• Contra Dance with Mary, Nick, & Adam, TAP, 7:30pm
• Sawyer Fredericks with Good Morning Bedlam, CED, 8pm
• The High 48s, Depot Bluegrass Festival, Baudette
• Tim Sparks, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 6:30pm
• Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Mile of Music Festival, Appleton, WI
8/5 - Sunday• Lori McKenna, DAK, 7pm• Margo Price, Riverside Concerts,
Mayo Park, 30 Civic Center Dr SE, Rochester, 800-657-3980, 7pm
• The Barley Jacks, New Day Covenant Church, 822 So Broadway, Rochester, 3pm
• Monroe Crossing, Trackside Bluegrass, Dave & Renee’s Barn Dance, 17762 97th St SE, Becker, 612-237-3284, 3pm
• TrueGrass Trio, The Wunderbar, 1615 W Highway 61, Grand Marais, 11am
• Swing Brunch with Patty & the Buttons, AST, 11am
• Switched at Birth, Brookside Bar & Grill, 140 Judd St, Marine on St Croix, 3pm
• Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Mile of Music Festival, Appleton, WI
8/6 - Monday• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm• MN Mandolin Orchestra, Spring Cafe,
1360 Lexington Pkway N, St Paul, 7pm
• The High 48s, Harmony for Mayo - Peace Plaza Stage, 1st Ave SW & 1st St SW, Rochester, 12pm
8/7 - Tuesday• Max Doty, 318, 7pm• Vicky Emerson, Lake Harriet
Bandshell, 4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Mpls, 7:30pm
8/8 - Wednesday• Larry Carpenter’s Folk Showcase,
UMC, 7pm• Monroe Crossing, Concerts on
The Riverwalk, 156 So Courtney, Rhinelandwer, WI, 7pm
8/9 - Thursday• MN Bluegrass & Old-Time Music
Festival, El Rancho Mañana, Richmond
• Gabe Barnett & Them Rounders, 331C, 9:30pm
• Paul Garding’s Celtic Music Showcase, UMC, 7pm
• Everett Smithson Band, Salo Park Ampthitheater, 913 W. St. Germain
6pm• Monroe Crossing, Peace United
Church of Christ, 1111 North 11th Ave E, Duluth, 7pm
• TrueGrass Trio, The Wunderbar, 1615 W Highway 61, Grand Marais, tba
• The Fish Heads, Peace United Church of Christ, 1111 N 11th Ave E, Duluth, (218) 724-3637, 7pm
• Gina Forsyth and the Mid-City Aces, EAG, 7pm
• Pavel Jany, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 6:30pm
• Sarah Morris, Wiese Auditorium/KBEK Radio, 208 Broadway Ave S, Braham, 844-200-5235, 7pm
8/4 - Saturday
• DL Cajun Band, Kettle River Pizza, Askov, 4pm
• Billy McLaughlin, 318, 8pm• Ultrasonic Duo - Simon & Garfunkel
Tribute, ZUM, 8 pm• The Derry Airs, Excelsior Brewing
Co, 421 3rd St, Excelsior, 3pm• Timbre Junction, GKb, 7:30pm• Marty Anderson, The Contented Cow,
302B Division St S, Northfield, 7pm• The Fish Heads, Oldenburg House,
604 Chestnut Ave., Carlton, 763-226-6828, TBA
• King Wilkie’s Dream, Wild Mountain Winery, 16906 Wild Mountain Rd, Taylors Falls, 3pm
• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am
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St., St. Cloud, 320-259-5463, 7pm• Jack Klatt, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet
Ave, Mpls, 8pm• SouthSide Aces, EAG, 8pm
8/10 - Friday• MN Bluegrass & Old-Time Music
Festival, El Rancho Mañana, Richmond
• Michael Gay, M French & Savannah Smith, 318, 8pm
• Charlie Roth, GKb, 7:30pm• Irish Fair of MN, Harriet Island, St
Paul• Jim Pellinger, The Contented Cow,
302B Division St S, Northfield, 9pm• Curtis & Loretta, KZUM 89.3FM
Radio, “TGIFemmes” Show, Lincoln, NE, www.kzum.org, 10am
• Heather Styka and Kari Arnett, WmH, 8pm
8/11 - Saturday• MN Bluegrass & Old-Time Music
Festival, El Rancho Mañana, Richmond
• Moors & McCumber, ZUM, 8pm• Irish Fair of MN, Harriet Island, St
Paul• Ace In The Whole, GKb, 7:30pm• Jack Klatt & The Sapsuckers, Leo &
Leona’s, W1436 WI-33, Bangor, WI, 7:30pm
• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am• Contra Dance with Northern Aire,
TAP, 7:30pm• Curtis & Loretta, Plainsong Folk
Festival, Lincoln, NE• Harmonious Wail, Paramount Center
for the Arts, 913 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud, 320-259-5463, 7:30pm
• Hungrytown , New York Mills Cultural Center, 24 Main Ave. N., New York Mills, 218-385-3339, 7:30pm
• Michael Monroe, Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Mpls, 7:30pm
8/12 - Sunday• MN Bluegrass & Old-Time Music
Festival, El Rancho Mañana, Richmond
• Irish Fair of MN, Harriet Island, St Paul,
• Phil Heywood, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 11am
• Switched at Birth, Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter, 8390 Lofton Ave N, Stillwater, 3pm
8/13 - Monday• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm
• All Our Exes Live in Texas, DAK, 7pm
• DL Cajun Band, EAG, 7:30pm8/14 - Tuesday• Richard Mittelstet & Collin Smith,
318, 7pm8/15 - Wednesday• Country Music Showcase w/ Bill
Travers & Laura Moe, UMC, 7pm• The Barley Jacks, New Richmond
Heritage Center, New Richmond, WI, 6:30pm
• New Riverside Ramblers, Vieux Carré, 408 St Peter St, St Paul, 6 p.m.
• The High 48s, Civic Center Park Amphitheater, 100 Civic Center Pkwy, Burnsville, 7pm
8/16 - Thursday• Gabe Barnett & Them Rounders,
331C, 9:30pm• Dan Rumsey, UMC, 5pm• Ben Shaw, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet
Ave, Mpls, 10pm• Catherine English, Minnehaha
Bandstand, Mpls, 7pm• Kids’ Open Mic, WmH, 6pm• Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy,
BTC, 7:30pm
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• Open Mic, WmH, 7pm8/17 - Friday• Dan Rodriguez, 318, 8pm• Butterfield Threshing Bee with
Tony Rook Band, King Wilkie’s Dream, Purdy River Band and more, Butterfield
• Chris & Chris, GKb, 7:30pm• Bonny and The Clydes, The
Contented Cow, 302B Division St S, Northfield, 6pm
• Lanesboro Barn Dance, Bob Bovee, Pamela Longtine, Dick Kimmel & Shawn Glidden, Dream Acres, 17289 County Road 8, Wykoff, 7:30pm
• The Fish Heads, Sir Benedict’s Tavern, Duluth, 6pm
• The Gated Community, Palmer’s Bar, 500 Cedar Ave, Mpls, 10pm
• Family Three, AST, 9pm• Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Larryfest,
LaFarge, WI, 8/18 - Saturday• Mother Banjo, St. Paul Farmers
Market, 290 5th St E, St Paul, 9 am • Mother Banjo, Chankaska Winery,
1179 E. Pearl, Kasota, MN, 6:30 pm • Daisy Dillman Accoustic, 318, 8pm• Butterfield Threshing Bee with
Tony Rook Band, King Wilkie’s
Dream, Purdy River Band and more, Butterfield
• Pushing Chain, GKb, 7:30pm• Greenwood Tree, Prior Lake Farmers
Market, Main St, Prior Lk, 9am• Aaron Tinjum, WmH, 8pm• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am• Bob & Lynn Dixon, Fulton Farmers
Market, 4901 Chowen Ave, Mpls, 10am
• Contra Dance with the Flour City Dough Boys, TAP, 7:30pm
• Lowertown Guitar Festival, Spring Cafe, 1360 Lexington Pkway N, St Paul, 2pm
• Moors & McCumber, LCAA Music Center, 220 Chestnut St, Lake City, 651-448-8665, [email protected], 7pm
• New London Music Festival, Near Park, 311 2nd Ave SE, New London, newlondonmn.net
• The Ukuladies, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 11am
• Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Larryfest, LaFarge, WI
8/19 - Sunday• Mother Banjo, Anoka Concerts in the
Park, George Green Park, 1498 S 6th Ave, Anoka, 7 pm
• The Flannel Bros, Falconer Vineyard, 3572 Old Tyler Rd, Red Wing, 1pm
• Greenwood Tree, Glewwes Castle, 4620 207th St E, Prior Lake, 1:30pm
• Butterfield Threshing Bee with Tony Rook Band, King Wilkie’s Dream, Purdy River Band and more, Butterfield
• Katey Belleville and those SOB’S, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 11am
• Peter Yarrow, Fillmore Auditorium, 931 5th Ave N, Sartell, 320-252-9475, 7:30pm
• Robben Ford, CED, , 7:30pm• Swing Brunch with Patty & the
Buttons, AST, 11am• The Okee Dokee Brothers, Minnesota
Zoo, 13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley, 952-431-9200, 7pm
• Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Larryfest, LaFarge, WI
• Mary DuShane & Nick Jordan, Art Fair, MN Arboretum, 11:30am
8/20 - Monday• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm• Matt Hannah, Lake Harriet Bandshell,
4135 W Lake Harriet Pkwy, Mpls, 7:30pm
• Nici Peper with Justin Jay Arnold,
AST, 8pm• The Kevin Prater Band, The Icehouse,
2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 7pm• Broadfork String Band, University
of St. Thomas, John P. Monahan Plaza, 2115 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, 5:30PM
8/21 - Tuesday• Billy McLaughlin, AST, 8pm
8/22 - Wednesday• Elgin Foster & Sam Breckenridge,
318, 8pm• Maybe Nebraska, 331C, 9:30pm• The Fish Heads, Gary New Duluth
Center, 801 101st Ave W, Duluth, 218-464-1930
• Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Gibson Music Hall, Appleton, WI,
8/23 - Thursday• Caroline Cronin, 318, 8pm• Gabe Barnett & Them Rounders,
331C, 9:30pm• Greenwood Tree, Centennial Lakes
Farmers Market, 7499 France Ave So, Edina, 3:30pm
• Cafe Accordion Orchestra, MN State Fair, International Bazaar Stage, 3:15pm, 4:30pm, 5:45pm
• Carlene Carter, MN State Fair, Leinie Lodge Bandshell, , 3:30pm, 4:45pm
• Lakes Bluegrass Festival with Monroe Crossing, Eelpout Stringers, Tim & Cindy & Friends, Biscuit Boys, The Bluegrass Martins and more, Cass County Fairgrounds, 525 1st St N, Pine River
• Nicolas Carter (Latin American harp), Dreamland Arts, 677 Hamline Ave N, St Paul, 651-645-5506, 7pm
• Sprig of This, Spring Cafe, 1360 Lexington Pkway N, St Paul, 7pm
• Mary DuShane & Nick Jordan, Waldmann Brewery, 445 Smith Avenue, St Paul 7:30pm
8/24 - Friday• Lakes Bluegrass Festival with Monroe
Crossing, Eelpout Stringers, Tim & Cindy & Friends, Biscuit Boys, The Bluegrass Martins and more, Cass County Fairgrounds, 525 1st St N, Pine River
• The Fish Heads CD Release, Zeitgeist Black Box Theater, 222 E Superior St, Duluth, (218) 722-9100, 6pm
• Richard Kriehn & Pat Donohue, 318, 8pm
• Troy Flemming, Traverse County Fair, 7th St S, Wheaton, 6pm
• Cafe Accordion Orchestra, MN State Fair, International Bazaar Stage,
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3:15pm, 4:30pm, 5:45pm• Carlene Carter, MN State Fair, Leinie
Lodge Bandshell, 3:30pm, 4:45pm• The High 48s, Bluegrass in the Pines
Bluegrass Festival, Rosholt Fair Park, Rosholt, WI, 715-884-6996
• The Purple Hulls, WmH, 8pm• Tim Sparks, The Icehouse, 2528
Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 6:30pm• Yves Lambert Trio, BoDD, 7:30pm
8/25 - Saturday• Lakes Bluegrass Festival with Monroe
Crossing, Eelpout Stringers, Tim & Cindy & Friends, Biscuit Boys, The Bluegrass Martins and more, Cass County Fairgrounds, 525 1st St N, Pine River
• Nici Peper, Falconer Vineyard, 3572 Old Tyler Rd, Red Wing, 2pm
• Barefoot Movement, Leo & Leona’s, W1436 WI-33, Bangor, WI, 7:30pm
• Machinery Hill, UMC, 7pm• Greenwood Tree, Prior Lake Farmers
Market, Main St, Prior Lake, 9am• Greenwood Tree, Lumberyard Pub,
3121 St Croix Trail So, Afton, 5:30pm• Monroe Crossing, The Vines
Bluegrass Festival, North Folk Winery, Harris, 6pm
• Phil Nusbaum and Sherry Minnick, The Ice House, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 11 am
• New Riverside Ramblers, NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, IA, 3pm
• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am• Ben Weaver, Superior Siren, Strong
Buffalo/Thomas LaBlanc, Franconia Sculpture Garden, 29836 St Croix Trail, Shafer, MN, 651-257-6668,
• Contra Dance with Light of the Moon, TAP, 7:30pm
• Minnesota State Fiddle Contest, MN State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 11:30am
• Nicolas Carter (Latin American harp), HOB, 3pm
• Sawtooth Brothers, North Folk Winery Bluegrass Festival, Harris
• The High 48s, MN State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm
• The Talbott Brothers, WmH, 8pm• Trampled by Turtles, MN State Fair
Grandstand, 6:30pm8/26 - Sunday• Lakes Bluegrass Festival with Monroe
Crossing, Eelpout Stringers, Tim & Cindy & Friends, Biscuit Boys, The
Bluegrass Martins and more, Cass County Fairgrounds, 525 1st St N, Pine River
• Fred Montana, Falconer Vineyard, 3572 Old Tyler Rd, Red Wing, 1pm
• The Barley Jacks, Brookside Bar and Grill, 140 Judd St, Marine on St Croix, 3pm
• Acoustic Showcase with Elgin Foster, Mike Salovich, Jerry Kosak, The Icehouse, 2528 Nicollet Ave, Mpls, 11am
• Minnesota State Fiddle Contest, MN State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 11:30am
• Swing Brunch with Patty & the Buttons, AST, 11am
• The High 48s, MN State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm
• Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Great River Folk Festival, LaCrosse, WI
8/27 - Monday• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm• New Riverside Ramblers, EAG, 7:30• Ben Haggard, MN State Fair, Leinie
Lodge Bandshell, 3:30pm, 4:45pm• MN Mandolin Orchestra, Lake
Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W Lake
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Harriet Pkwy, Mpls, 7:30pm• The WoodPicks, MN State
Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm
• Yellow-Bellied Sapsuckers, Great River Folk Festival, LaCrosse, WI
8/28 - Tuesday• Lily Rabuse & Willow Anderson, 318,
7pm• Ben Haggard, MN State Fair, Leinie
Lodge Bandshell, 3:30pm, 4:45pm• The High Kings, CED, 7:30pm• The WoodPicks, MN State
Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm
8/29 - Wednesday• Mother Banjo, Carbone’s, 4705 Cedar
Ave S, Mpls, 7 pm • Lenz and Frenz, 331C, 9:30pm• Chmielewski Funtime Band, MN State
Fair, Leinie Lodge Bandshell, 10:30 am, 11:45am
• Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, State Theatre, Minneapolis, 7:30pm
• One Ukulele, Minnehaha Bandstand, Mpls, 7pm
• Randy Sabien and The Fiddlehead Band, MN State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm
8/30 - Thursday• Elliot Graber & Caitlin Collins, 318,
8pm• Gabe Barnett & Them Rounders,
331C, 9:30pm• Bob & Lynn Dixon, Tiny Diner
Farmers Market, 1024 E 38th St, Mpls, 5pm
• Chmielewski Funtime Band, MN State Fair, Leinie Lodge Bandshell, 10:30am, 11:45am
• Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, BTC, 7:30pm
• Randy Sabien and The Fiddlehead Band, MN State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 3pm, 4pm, 5pm
• The High 48s, Liberty Tree Farm, W12351 Long Ln, Stockholm, WI, 480-766-9371
8/31 - Friday• Minnesota Americana-Roots Duet
Contest, MN State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 11:30am
• Two Girls & A Boyd, 318, 8pm• Mary Brett, The Contented Cow, 302B
Division St S, Northfield, 8pm• The Okee Dokee Brothers, MN
State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 3pm, 4pm 5pm
• Mary DuShane & Nick Jordan, Ingredients Cafe, 4725 Hwy 61, 651-426-6611, White Bear Lake, 6:30pm
9/1 - Saturday• Minnesota Americana-Roots Band
Contest, MN State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 11:30am
• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am• Contra Dance with Pat and Friends,
TAP, 7:30pm• Curtis & Loretta, Tumbleweed Music
Festival (Performing + Finalist in Songwriting Contest), Richland, WA
• Wild Ponies, John Louis, WmH, 8pm• The Okee Dokee Brothers, MN
State Fair, Schell’s Stage at Schilling Amphitheater, 3pm, 4pm 5pm
9/2 - Sunday• Curtis & Loretta, Tumbleweed Music
Festival, Richland, WA, • Swing Brunch with Patty & the
Buttons, AST, 11am9/3 - Monday• Laughing Waters Bluegrass Festival
with Middle Spunk Creek Boys 50th Anniversary Show, King Wilke’s Dream, Becky Thompson and Old School, Sawtooth Brothers and more, Minnehaha Park, Mpls, 612-727-2489
Saturday Night Contra Dance
Featuring
Aug 4 Mary, Nick & Adam Caller Robin Nelson Aug 11 Northern Aire Caller Beau Farmer Aug 18 Flour City Dough Boys Caller David Kirchner Aug 25 Light of the Moon Caller Ted Hodapp
Tapestry Folkdance Center 3748 Minnehaha Ave. Minneapolis
612-722-2915 www.tapestryfolkdance.org
You need more dancing in your
life!!
Save the DateNovember 11,
2018John Hugelen Cajun Music Scholarship
Fundraiser and Dance
featuringJimmy Breaux
and Blake MillerEagles Club #34Minneapolis, MN
35August 2018
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Tab:Rocky Mountain GoatBy Bob Douglas
I first heard and learned Rocky Mountain Goat from Kansas fiddler Greg Allen. Greg was part of the original Mad Jack and the Black Label Boys, formed in 1975, at a guitar and band contest being hosted in a parking lot in Brownville, Nebraska. Other members included Bob Bovee, Pop Wagner, Tim Hennessy, and yours truly. As I recall (hopefully correctly), we won the contest. I got to see and play with Greg on a later trip to Kansas City and the Foolkiller by members of the June Apple Musician’s Co-op. I think that’s when I was taken by Greg’s playing of the tune. It has been a favorite ever since.
Rocky Mountain Goat
It’s an old-time breakdown found and played in Kentucky, Missouri, Virginia, West Virginia, and Texas. It was recorded on Paramount by Doc Roberts and the Kentucky Thoroughbreds in 1927 and was rerecorded on Gennett in 1929. Kentucky fiddler Ted Gossett’s band, Buddy Young’s Kentuckians, recorded the tune in 1930, and a transcription of that version can be found online at the Traditional Tune Archive (a great resource for tunesters). Alan Jabbour collected the tune in 1967 from Virginia-West Virginia fiddler, Henry Reed. His transcription of Reed’s version can be found on his Library of Congress duplication project recordings.
Reed played the B part of the tune with a dramatic jump to a third position high D. You can find a 2005 Youtube of Jabbour playing Henry Reed’s unique version with Ken Perlman.
The version quoted here is from R.P. Christeson’s The Old-Time Fiddler’s Repertory Vol 1. Christeson says the tune was used by the Helton Brothers in the 1920s “for square dances at the annual Fourth of July picnics in Dixon, Missouri.” It is very close to the tune I learned from Greg years ago, a version that has stayed with me for over four decades.
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Robin & Linda Williams and their Fine Band - 2012 MN Bluegrass & Old-Time Music FestivalPhoto by Doug Lohman