The Maryland Traditional Bluegrass Calendar

Notice! The Maryland Traditional Bluegrass Calendar MOVED to a new SITE as of March 4th, 2016. This calendar is NOT up to date. The new calendar is at:

www.marylandtraditionalbluegrass.blogspot.com

The Fall/Winter Season


Commenced on December 26th, 2013:

Tired of Americana Music trying to pass as bluegrass? Tired of bands who say they're bluegrass and don't know the first thing about playing bluegrass? Look no further. This Calendar is dedicated to Maryland Bands that are working steadily to bring good traditional bluegrass music to Maryland - and beyond. Come back often. It's updated frequently with new entries.

Special Note: I will post significant performance listings for other States as long as there is a Maryland Connection to the band or a Maryland musician performing with a certain band. You'll see listings for Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, and an occasional West Virginia listing.

2016

January 2, 2016:   George Garris & FRIENDS at the Cecil County Memorial VFW Post. 815 Turkey Point Road, North East, Maryland, 21901. Music from 9:00 till 1:00 am. (Classic Country and More!)

January 3, 2016: Bob Perilla and the Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band at Fireflies Restaurant & Cafe. 1501 Mount Vernon Ave. Alexandria, Virginia. They appear every Sunday for Brunch 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

January 3, 2016:  Blades of Grass Bluegrass at the Cecil County Memorial VFW Post, 815 Turkey Point Road, North East, Maryland. 21901  Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

January 9, 2016:  George Garris & Friends at Spargo's American Restaurant. 3165 Main Street, Manchester, Maryland.  Music from 9:00 pm till 1:00 am. (Classic Country & More!)

January 10, 2016:  Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Rd. Port Deposit, Md. 21904. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

January 10, 2016: Nitro Ride at the Cecil County Memorial VFW Post. 815 Turkey Point Road, North East, Maryland. 21901. Music from 4:00 to 8:00. No admission charge. 

January 15, 2016: George Garris & Friends at Cactus Flats Bar and Grill. 10026 Hansonville Road, Frederick, Md. 21702. Music from 8:00 to Midnight. (Classic Country and More!)

January 16, 2016:   Foggy Hollow Bluegrass at the Felton Fire Hall  (Union Volunteer Fire Company)  61 Main Street, in Felton, Pa. 17322. Music starts at 6:00 and goes till 10:00.

January 16, 2016: Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper at Lucketts Old School House, 42361 Lucketts Road, Lucketts, Virginia, 20176 (Route 15 N. toward Point of Rocks, Maryland.) 7:00. Doors open at 6:00.

January 16, 2016:  Blades of Grass Bluegrass at "Blue Mountain Shindig" Kempton Rod and Gun Club, 192 Pine Creek Road, Kempton. Pa. 19526.

January 17, 2016:  Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass at the Cecil County Memorial VFW Post. 815 Turkey Point Rd. North East, Maryland. 21901. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

January 17, 2016:  Frankie Short & Northern Connection at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Rd., Port Deposit, Maryland. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

January 23, 2016: The Carroll County Ramblers and Circa Blue at the Arcadia Indoor Bluegrass Show. The Arcadia Fire Hall Activities Building at 16020 Carnival Drive, Upperco, Md. 21155. Music from 6:00 to 9:30.

January 23, 2016: Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike at Lucketts Old School House. 42361 Lucketts Road, Lucketts, Va. 20176. Doors open at 6:00. Show starts at 7:00.

January 23, 2016:  Foggy Hollow Bluegrass at the Pit Stop Barbecue in Jarrettsville. 3701 Jarrettsville Road, Jarrettsville, Maryland, 21184. Music from 8:00 to Midnight.

January 24, 2016:  AcrosstheTrack Bluegrass at the Cecil County Memorial VFW Post. 815 Turkey Point Road, North East, Md. 21901. Music from 4:00 till 8:00. Never a Cover Charge.

January 24, 2016: A Premiere! The first appearance anywhere of  "Mason Dixon Line" at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Maryland. 21904. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

January 30, 2016:  AcrosstheTrack Bluegrass at Darlington/Dublin VFW Post. 3440 Conowingo Road, Street, Md. 21154. Doors open at 5:00. Music commences at 6:00.

January 30, 2016: Patsy's Honky Tonk Torch & Twang at Branded '72 in Rockville. 387 East Gude Drive, Rockville, Maryland, 20850. Music from 9:00 pm to midnight.  (Classic Country & More!)

January 31, 2016:  Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bianbridge Rd. Port Deposit, Maryland, 21904.  Music from 4:00 to 8:00

January 31, 2016:  Fastest Grass Alive! with Special Guest Grant Eller at the Cecil County Memorial VFW Post. 815 Turkey Point Rd. North Est, Maryland, 21901. Music from 4:00 till 8:00. Never a Cover Charge.

January 31, 2016:  Patsy's Honky Tonk Torch & Twang at the Old Bowie Town Grille. 8604 Chestnut Avenue, Bowie, Maryland. 20715. The music starts at 6:30. Fine dining. Classic Country and more!

February 5, 2016:  Darren Beachley & POTOMAC at the Blue Side Tavern, No. 6 South Bentz Street. Frederick, Maryland 21701. Music from 9:00 till Midnight. Reservations recommended. Call the Tavern at (301) 663-0200.

February 5, 2016:  JR Country at Cactus Flats Bar and Grill. 10026 Hansonville Road, Frederick, Maryland. 21702. Music from 8:30 to 12:30  (Classic Country)

February 5, 2016:  Foggy Hollow Bluegrass at the Geneva Farm Golf Course. 217 Davis Road, Street, Maryland 21154. Music from 8:00 till midnight. Excellent food! 

February 6, 2016:  Springfield Exit at the Old School House, Lucketts, Virginia. Doors open at 6:00, music at 7:00. Rt. 15 North, in the center of the village of Lucketts. Zip Code: 20176.

February 6, 2016: George Garris & Friends at the Laurel American Legion Post, Laurel, Md. Music from 8:00 to Midnight. (Classic Country & More!)

February 6, 2016: Bluestone at the Union Fire Hall in Felton, Pa. (Felton Fire Company)  No. 61 Main Street, Felton, Pa. 17322. Doors open at 4:30. The music begins at 6:00. For more information go to www.feltonfireco.org.

February 6, 2016: A Debut! First time ever. "Lovesick Hillbillies" at the Milkhouse Brewery. 8253 Dollyhyde Road, Mount Airy, Maryland 21771. Music from 5:00 till 8:00

February 7, 2016: No bluegrass at Jumbo Jimmy's due to the football game.

February 7, 2016:  Bob Perilla and The Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band appear at Fireflies Restaurant & Cafe. 1501 Mount Vernon Ave. Alexandria, Virginia. Every Sunday for Brunch at 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

February 11, 2016:  Allen Boyd appears at the Wayside Inn in Middletown. Classic Country and More. The Wayside Inn, 7783 Main Street, Middletown, Virginia, 22645. 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. 

February 13, 2016: The Carroll County Ramblers at Ye Old Country Auction Barn in Newville, Pa. Music from 6:00 to 9:00.

February 13, 2016:  Marv Ashby & High Octane at the Backseat Bar and Restaurant. 104 Fullhouse Drive, Winchester, Va.  8:00.

February 14, 2016: Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass at the Frying Pan Park Bluegrass Concert Series, (at the Frying Pan Farm Park Visitors Center) 2739 West Ox Road, Herndon, Virginia. Music at 7:00. $20.00 admission. More information at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fryingpanpark

February 14, 2016:  The Hall Brothers at JV's Restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia. 6666 Arlington Blvd. Falls Church, Va. 22042  Starts at 8:30. (Classic Country and More.)

February 14, 2016: No bluegrass at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack due to Valentine's Day.

February 18, 2016: Springfield Exit at the Grand Ballroom of the George Washington Hotel in Winchester, Va. 103 E. Piccadilly Street, Winchester. Doors open at 6:00. Music starts promptly at 7:00. $10 admission, $20 for admission and a buffet dinner.

February 19, 2016:  Women in Bluegrass - A Tribute to Lynn Morris. At the Bright Box Theater in Winchester, Va. No. 15 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester, Va. 22601. Tickets or Reservations advised - Highly advised!  8:00 pm. 

February 19, 2016:  Drymill Road at Lost Rhino Brewing Company. 21730 Red Rum Drive, Suite 147-157, Ashburn, Virginia. Musc from 7:00 to 10:00. 


February 20, 2016: BlueTrain at the Darlington/Dublin VFW Post. 3440 Conowingo Road, Street, Md. 21154. Music from 7:00 till 11:00.

February 20, 2016: Foggy Hollow, Bill Runkle & Smith Hollow, Long Ryde, Bluestone, and a duo called "Dakota." All in one show at the West Liberty United Methodist Church. 20400 West Liberty Road, White Hall, Md. 21161. 5:00 to 10:00 pm. $12 admission includes a full dinner.

February 20, 2016:  Sammy Shelor & Big Virginia Sky at the Vinyl Lounge. 3401 K Street, NW. Washington, DC. Music from 10:30 pm to Midnight.


February 21, 2016:  BlueTrain at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Md. 21904. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

February 26, 2016: George Garris & Friends at the Smokin' Hot Bar and Grill. 2465 Route 97, Glenwood, Maryland, 21738. Music starts at 8:30. (Classic Country, Rockabilly, and More!)

*February 27, 2016:  The 12-Hour Marathon Jam for Fisher House at the Severn, Maryland American Legion Post. The event starts at 12:00 noon and runs until midnight. Stay posted for further details after the Holidays. Keep this date open on your calendars.

*February 28, 2016:  Presenting Two Hollows - Foggy Hollow and Bill Runkle and Smith Hollow in a special program at the Bel Air Moose Lodge. 310 E. Jarrettsville Rd., Forest Hill, Md. 21050. Music from 1 to 5:00.

February 28, 2016:  Frankie Short & Northern Connection at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Rd., Port Deposit, Md. 21904  Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

February 28, 2016:  Nitro Ride at the North East VFW Post.  Cecil County Memorial VFW Post, 815 Turkey Point Road, North East, 21901. Music from 4:00 to 8:00. "Never a Cover Charge!"

March 4, 2016:  Lizzie & The Yeehaw Gang at the Horn 'O Plenty  Farm-to-table Restaurant, 220 Wolfsburg Road, Bedford, Pa. 15522. Music from 6:00 to 9:00.

March 5, 2016:  "A Musical Tribute to 3 Icons - Jerry Lee Lewis, Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson" with Patsy Stephens and The Hall Brothers. American Legion Post, College Park, Md.  9218 Baltimore Ave. College Park, 20740.  Music from 8:00 to 11:00.

March 6, 2016: Bob Perilla and The Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band appear at Fireflies Restaurant & Cafe. 1501 Mount Vernon Ave. Alexandria, Virginia. Every Sunday for Brunch between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm. 

March 6, 2016:  AcrosstheTrack Bluegrass at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Maryland. 21904. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

March 10, 2016: Marv Ashby & High Octane at the Bright Box Theater in Winchester. Address: No. 15 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, Virginia, 22601. Performance starts at 7:00. Tickets advised. For tickets go to www.brightboxwinchester.com.

March 12, 2016:  Dean Sapp & Harford Express at Gracie's in Elkton. 213 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, 21921. Music from 6:00 till 10:00. 

March 13, 2016: Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass at the Eastern Shore Bluegrass Association Show in Marydel, Delaware. 1:00.

March 13, 2016:  Frankie Short & Northern Connection at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Maryland. 21904. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.


March 19, 2016:  Salem Bottom Boys at the Felton Fire Hall (Union Volunteer Fire Co.)  61 Main Street, Felton, Pa. 17322. Doors open at 4:30 and the music starts at 6:00.

March 19, 2016: AcrosstheTrack Bluegrass at the "Blue Mountain Shindig" Kempton Rod and Gun Club, 192 Pine Road, Kempton, Pa. 19529. Music from 6:00 to 9:00.

March 20, 2016: Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass at Jumbo Jimmy's. 1065 Bainbridge Rd., Port Deposit, Md. 21904.  Music from 4:00 to 8:00.  

March 26, 2016:  Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass & The Carroll County Ramblers at the Arcadia Indoor Bluegrass Show. (Arcadia Fire Hall Activities Building). 16020 Carnival Drive, Upperco, Maryland, 21155.

March 26, 2016: Darren Beachley & Potomac at the Lucketts Old School House. 42361 Lucketts Road, Lucketts, Va. 20176. Doors open at 6:00. Show starts at 7:00.


April 10, 2016:  Frankie Short & Northern Connection. Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Md. 21904.  Music from 4:00 to 8:00. 

April 17, 2016:  BlueTrain at Boordy's Vineyards. 12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes, Md. 21082. See website for more info. www.boordy.com  No time given.

April 24, 2016:  Bluetrain at Goofy's Spirits & Eatery (The Season Opener!). 5965 York Road, Spring Grove, Pa. 17362. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

May 1, 2016:  BlueTrain at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Rd., Port Deposit, Md. 21904. Music from 4:00 till 8:00.

May 7, 2016:  BlueTrain at the Felton Fire Company (Union Volunteer Fire Company) 61 Main Street, Felton, Pa. 17322. No time given.

May 8, 2016:  Frankie Short & Northern Connection at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Maryland, 21904.  Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

May 15, 2016:  Bluetrain at Goofy's Eatery & Spirits (Whitey Runkle's Birthday!) 5965 York Road, Spring Grove, Pa. 17362. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

June 5, 2016:  Bluetrain at Goofy's Eatery & Spirits. 5965 York Road, Spring Grove, Pa. 17362. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

July 17, 2016:  BlueTrain at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Md. 21904. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

August 13, 2016:  BlueTrain at the Lurman Woodland Theater Concert Series. Bloomsbury Ave at Hilltop Road, Catonsville, Md. 21228. Music from 6:00 to 8:00.

August 21, 2016:  Bluetrain at Goofy's Eatery & Spirits. 5965 York Road, Spring Grove, Pa. 17362. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

September 18, 2016:  Bluetrain at Goofy's Eatery & Spirits. 5965 York Road, Spring Grove, Pa. 17362. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.

October 1, 2016:  BlueTrain at Boordy Vineyards. 12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes, Maryland, 21082. Music from 1:00 to 5:00.

October 8, 2016:  BlueTrain at the National Apple Harvest Festival (Biglerville, Pa.) South Mountain Fairgrounds, 615 Narrows Rd. Biglerville, Pa. 17307. Shows at 10:00 am and 3:15 pm.

October 15, 2016:  BlueTrain at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. 1090 Sterling Road, Herndon, Va. Music from 7:30 till 9:30. 

November 6, 2016:  BlueTrain at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack. 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Maryland, 21904. Music from 4:00 to 8:00.


 

Dates and notices posted as I receive them.  Please don't send me unconfirmed dates. 

Bands and Performers:  e-mail updates and performance notices to ehenry393@gmail.com. Warning: "The early bird gets the Worm!" Disclaimer: I print the info I get from the venue or group/ band leader or manager. If I'm fed wrong information, that information will be printed. Please fact-check your dates and times.

                                                     *************************

NEW ENTRY!   VENUES IN MARYLAND AND BEYOND THAT REGULARLY FEATURE AND SUPPORT TRADITIONAL BLUEGRASS

Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack: 1065 Bainbridge Road, Port Deposit, Maryland, 21904

Darlington/Dublin VFW Post: 3440 Conowingo Road, Street, Maryland, 21154

Goofy's Eatery & Spirits:  5965 York Road, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, 17362

Cecil County Memorial VFW Post: 815 Turkey Point Road, North East, Maryland, 21901

College Park American Legion Post: 9218 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, Maryland, 20740

Columbia Lake-Front Concerts Site & Stage (Summer Only)  10275 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, Maryland, 21044.

Smokin' Hot Bar & Grille:  2465 Route 97, Glenwood, Maryland, 21738

Cactus Flats Bar:  10026 Hansonville Road, Frederick, Maryland, 21702

Fireflies Cafe:  1501 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia

The Bright Box (Theater):  No. 15 North Loudoun Street, Winchester, Virginia, 22601

JV's Restaurant and Bar:  6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Virginia 22042

Old Bowie Town Grille:  8604 Chestnut Avenue, Bowie, Maryland, 20715

Felton Fire Hall (AKA Union Fire Hall, AKA Union Volunteer Fire Co.)  61 Main Street, Felton, Pennsylvania, 17322   Link: www.feltonfireco.org

Arcadia Fire Hall:  16020 Carnival Avenue, Upperco, Maryland, 21155

Stables Restaurant:  452 East Main Street, Westminster, Maryland, 21157

The George Washington Hotel:  103 Piccadilly Street, Winchester, Virginia, 22601

The American Legion Post in Hughesville:  Hughesville, Maryland. Best information obtained at www.americanlegionbluegrass.com

The Goodwill Fire Company (home of the Seven Mountain Bluegrass Association shows). 2318 South Queen Street, York, Pennsylvania. Lots of information at www.sevenmountainsbluegrass.org

 

BEFORE YOU SAY GOODBYE:  BOOKMARK THIS PAGE SO YOU CAN CHECK BACK FREQUENTLY.   

Celebrating a Bluegrass Christmas: Maryland-Style!

 Baltimore Bluegrass Band, with all the 'regulars' and fans at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack 

in Port Deposit, Md. for the 2013 Christmas Party. A historic gathering!

It was billed as the final performance of Baltimore Bluegrass, but everyone knew there was still a Christmas Party obligation to fulfill. At least all the regulars at Jumbo Jimmy's knew that. Last weekend was the swan song. But yesterday afternoon (22 December 2013) was the real swan song. What they didn't know is Baltimore Bluegrass member Frankie Short was coming back one last time to play some songs and thank long-time friends for supporting him through his hospitalization and health problems. All that aside, he looked great and sounded great. I got to Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack late due to the heavy volume of holiday traffic going both north and south on I-95. Last minute holiday shoppers only added to the chaos. Jumbo Jimmy's was packed. Not a seat in the house except the last booth near the playing area that also serves as a space for the players to drop their instrument cases. Doreen Ashford, Jumbo Jimmy's ever-busy Bar Manager directed me to the booth. Nobody ever wants to sit there because you're usually right up against a speaker, or, there are so many dancers, the waiters have a hard time serving you. It was pretty wild. It was obvious the party had been going on since 1:00 p.m.  Baltimore Bluegrass was way into their first set when I arrived. I had to make my way around all the dancers to greet people and say my 'howdies.' There were also lots of people moving about handing out gifts and Christmas cards, lots of hugs and well-wishes. It was really hard to tell where anyone was actually sitting. When I initially entered the 'back room' the first people I saw were Darin Wassum and Jim Langer of AcrosstheTrack Bluegrass Band. They play a lot of Sundays at Jumbo Jimmy's throughout the year and I enjoy their style. Joyce Miller and "Chubby" were holding forth at their usual table surrounded by friends and family while sons T.J. and Bobby Lundy were special guests for the afternoon's entertainment.  I was in for a whole afternoon and evening's worth of surprises as far as the entertainment was concerned. Not only did Baltimore Bluegrass take care of the usual requests (there wasn't anything close to a set-list) but invited musicians Carroll Swam (of Bluestone), Kenny Blair, Jerry Reicke, Rex Smith, Yvonne Smith, Tina Ray, and Darlene Harris to come forward and join them on various songs. Since I'm a guy who likes my programs regimented like a marching Marine Corps rifle battalion I found this a little discumbobulated, but the spirit was celebration of the Band and how much good music they've given to audiences for the past eight years.
     There were 'sleepers.' The unexpected golden moment. I think they call it 'serendipity,' a word I've always shied away from like 'shopping mall.' Darlene Harris got up and sang a few songs and then sang a song or two with Tina Ray. I had never heard her before, or Tina. Just every once in a great while in obscure places like Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack or some far-flung VFW or Legion Hall out in the sticks you hear torch singers like Darlene emotionally belt out the songs that represent real country music. The perfect compliment to the way Warren Blair can belt them out. Darlene Harris amazed me. She had just the right about of conviction to take the audience and the dancers back to a time when entertainers like Loretta Lynn or Patsy Cline really made a difference in the music business. At the close of the day-long and night-long party, Baltimore Bluegrass finished up with "Loggin' Man," their second encore number. There were two standing ovations with all the reluctant farewells and goodbyes. There was a note of sadness to it all that such a unique bunch of musicians are folding up the tent; but these are familiar faces in the Bluegrass Scene and they'll be around. They're not dropping off the face of the earth. Traditional bluegrass music is a continuum of the human experience. Folks coming and going and getting sick and getting better. Good times and hard times and emotional ups and downs. There are bad times to gather and grieve and there are good times to gather to celebrate and have fun. They know how to gather and celebrate a bluegrass Christmas over near Havre de Grace, Maryland.

Baltimore Bluegrass:  Frankie Short, Dave Propst, Warren Blair, and Steve Streett.
                                     (Filled in during Frankie's absence: Kenny Blair, Brian Eldreth)
Guest Musicians - 22 December -  Bobby Lundy, T.J. Lundy, Rex Smith, Yvonne Smith, Jerry Reicke, Carroll Swam, Darlene Harris, and Tina Ray.      

A February Event Not to Be Missed

21 December 2013:

Darren Beachley & Line Drive  are performing at a special appearance to benefit the Brunswick Steam Baseball Team. Following the group's reunion at Rob's Barn recently in Westminster, Maryland, fans demanded another appearance since the sold-out event at Rob's Barn. What's really unique about this show is a chance to hear the banjo artistry of Mike Munford who was recently designated as the Best Banjo-Player of 2013. by the International Bluegrass Music Association. Mike is nearly considered a "State Cultural Heritage" by any Maryland bluegrass-follower. His popularity goes far beyond international boundaries. One of the other members of note is Marshall Wilborn, who's also nationally and internationally recognized for his musical talent and contributions to so many recording projects. Warren Blair, known for fiddling and vocal expertise by most Marylanders, and Dave Propst on mandolin and vocals, round out the line-up for this special performance. Warren Blair and Dave Propst have each been huge contributors to the national bluegrass scene, participating in numerous line-ups and band configurations over the years. They all carry long resumes of providing back-up instrumental and vocal work on the recordings of others in the bluegrass music field. This is an event you don't want to miss if you're seriously into traditional bluegrass and you're keeping abreast of who's making the best music in bluegrass today. The beauty of the music is in the quintessence of it.  It only happens once in a great while, and at gatherings such as this.

Tickets and Seat Reservations are limited to 250 persons.  Reservations are required.
Contact Darren Beachley's "In-Box" for reservations or:
dbeachleyband@gmail.com or phone: 240285-0055

The Players: Darren Beachley, Marshall Wilborn, Mike Munford, Dave Propst, and Warren Blair.

A Dollar Short

Thanks to Rex Smith, Maryland.

18 December 2013

If you hang around the bluegrass world long enough you'll hear two distinct statements: (1.  "You'll never get rich playing Bluegrass."  (2. "Bluegrass is the People's Music."  The first statement could certainly apply to a lot of life's endeavors. You'll never get rich for instance, thinking that you could make a life's employment goal out of designing World Fairs, or making it up into the billionaire bracket of the NBA. The second statement is the one that maintains my fascination for this style of music. There are a few slick professionals who have gained much prestige and a more than comfortable lifestyle out of sticking with bluegrass. The bigger picture is filled with hopefuls who had to cross over into "country music" or rock and roll in order to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. There is another cross-over line that is equally as important: When does a musician decide that this is what they want to be? - a full-time working musician trying to survive on their talents. These are life's challenges with a big dose of living Life on Life's terms. Few really make it to fame and fortune in anything, let alone the music profession. The talent pool is huge and the sharks are always feeding on the abundant food supply.
     Getting back to Statement 2, fame and fortune has to come from somewhere, and every back road and  (now,) urban or suburban housing development in my own stomping ground (Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania) is still turning out talented singers and pickers who are entertaining the People every weekend of the year at local joints and even bigger venues. They barely make enough money to cover gasoline expenses if you think this is some higher form of lifestyle. Some of them have gained a lot of prestige and recognition in their own locales and even national recognition in bluegrass circles, but monetary rewards are so piddling that they'll never give up their day-job. They can't afford to. This is Trench Entertainment brought down to its basic level. It's that 'paying your dues' cliche that you always hear and it's for real. I love hanging around the trenches and talking to these men and women. I'm a former infantryman. I spent my time in the Grunts. We all dreamed and told stories to each other about leading a better life. "We Gotta Get Out of This Place" was more than an anthem of our time in Viet Nam. We totally understood every word of that song. Even now when I hear any song by the Animals I'm right back in the mud and the blood. My life is better now. It's a rich life spent talking to dreamers in another sphere of existence. They love playing music for the people, even though they'll probably never make the Big Time, or even provide a decent living for themselves or their families without substantial help from another avocation. They support each other a lot, too, because they're members of a like-thinking community. The serious ones are continually working on their music and always searching for just the right sound or the right combination of like-minded players. Mostly in the end, they do it for the love of bluegrass.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short

Photo: by Georges Shaloul, Paris.

18 December 2013

     Sorry, My Friend! I missed my own deadline by a day but it gave me time to think about making commitments and then not keeping them. Or maybe that's at the heart of our discussion for today. My own worst self-criticism is I can't stand to be late for anything or people who are, even though I lived in other cultures where being on time for anything is no big deal. My six years in the Fleet Marine Force taught me that being on time could mean the difference between life and death. Emergency Medical professionals and Police and Fire professionals live their lives with this basic rule. America's English and German roots set the standard for our chronic demand for punctuality in all things. I find it amazing (and I try to be humorous about it,) that with all of today's modern technology and conveniences, and working people now having more time on their hands due to it, laggards are still in abundance and walking among us. My main irritant is this: they choose to be that way and drive the rest of us nuts. For some, there is always a legitimate and warranted excuse. For the majority who never quite get the Big Picture, there's no hope. The early bird will always get their worm, their best seat in the house, the best parking space.

     When you and I started this discussion it was prompted by my declaration of my love for my wife and my love of the Church. You found the statement interesting and I thought it normal. I love to tell everyone I meet (if the talk touches on the way I lead my personal life,) that I really only made two major decisions in my life: I married Connie and I decided to come into Communion with the Roman Catholic Church. Everything in my life springs from those two decisions. All other decisions are superfluous. There were other life-changing decisions for sure, but we have to analyze the most important ones; the ones that give us life. I therefore made the two heaviest commitments of my life. Why should I not take those two commitments seriously?
Why should I not take them seriously when they deal with life-giving and forming the basis of who I am as a person and how I'm going to live my life? I have to continually qualify these discussions with the caveat that these were my choices (or God's? Ah! the Mystery!) and my life has been wonderful because of those choices. It's been my life and the way I committed to live it. I have to allow and recognize other choices for how people want to live their lives.

     When I decided to come into Communion with the Church I made a commitment to remain in Communion. That is the beauty of who we are as Catholics. We are never or ought not to be, turned away from the Great Table. I always chuckle when I hear a person refer to themselves as an Ex-Catholic. That doesn't exist. That decision as to who is going to be what or whom is God's decision - and has nothing to do with the silly machinations of men. It's the mystery of life. I'd rather be a dollar short and happy, than have all the riches in the world and be miserable. My two decisions and my commitment to them have made me a very happy man, indeed.

Hidden Gold - East of the Blueridge

16 December 2013

I'm a fortunate man. I have a lot of friends in different circles. I was in one of my different circles the other night at a church event and the male banter got around to my needing a haircut and my Levi's. These are all former government and military associates. More than associates, they're friends. Right after the hair-cut comment someone mentioned my penchant for "Bluegrass." More jokes and friendly banter ensued. I tried to interject with some basic musical knowledge but it was useless. Then one of them did a totally off-color bad imitation of Vietnamese singing. I happen to collect Vietnamese folk music. That rattled my sense of  world-view. I shook it all off. Any further attempt at educating the uneducated about my personal musical interests would fall on deaf ears. Three of them are golfers and spend a lot of time together discussing the rules of golf out on the links - whatever a link is. They don't understand my music, I don't understand the esoteric golf language they speak.

     We all need a starting point for acquiring any basic knowledge. You've heard the old saw: "You need to know the rules before you can break them" The same holds true for bluegrass music or any one starting out in bluegrass who thinks they can become the next Ralph Stanley or Jimmy Martin. Seeing "O Brother Where Art Thou" a few times and hearing the name Alison Krauss only gives you a side-glance into this uniquely American musical art form. Last night I witnessed an event. One of the best traditional bluegrass bands in our region called it quits after eight years of playing together. Baltimore Bluegrass played at Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack in Port Deposit, Maryland. Notice I used the term Traditional Bluegrass. If my golfing friends took the time to listen to what I had to say on the subject, then maybe they'd be interested enough to know there's a real difference. But I know they're not interested. Basically they're good people and basically harmless, and I know that only two of them share any music interests at all. What they don't share with me is my addiction to good bluegrass music. It would take each of them years to catch up to my addiction level. At last night's event Kenny Blair and Warren Blair set up a CD stand near the playing space. I'm always interested in buying a CD so I checked it out. The title is "East of the Blueridge" by "Fastest Grass Alive." Fastest Grass Alive consists of Kenny Blair, Warren Blair, Jim Green, Dave Propst, and Scott Walker. I got home late last night and I've been playing the disk continually through today. It was produced in 2001 and I'm amazed I just discovered it here on the edge of 2014. Interestingly, "Fastest Grass Alive" was one of the featured groups at Rob's Barn recently. Rob Miller and the old gang from the Friendly Inn in Maryland have been staging 'reunion' events at Rob's beautiful old Amish barn-complex up in Westminster, Maryland. Well worth checking out in 2014 when the weather gets nice again.

     One interesting feature of this CD is the Liner Notes, written by Jon Weisberger (January, 2001). They're hidden in a duo-fold inside the CD liner and I almost overlooked what Jon had written. He's written a primer on what constitutes traditional bluegrass. Anyone interested in the continuing debate about what constitutes traditional bluegrass should read it. I've copied it here in full:

" For the most serious fans, there is no greater satisfaction than that which comes from hearing bluegrass done right. Though it is a style in which tradition plays a greater role than in practically any other form of  commercial popular music, that doesn't mean simply recapping the classics. To those who know and appreciate the music, "Tradition" doesn't describe a style or sound, but rather a way of learning and a kind of musical conservationism;  traditional musicians learn their craft by a process of apprenticeship, and they concentrate their creative energies on variation and incremental innovation, not wholesale or radical change. Bluegrass is done right then, when it's played with soul, drive, elegance and equal measures of familiarity with the classics and appreciation for the creativity of the musicians who made them.
     From this perspective, Fastest Grass Alive is unquestionably a traditional bluegrass band. East of the Blueridge reveals a mature, confident ensemble with a wealth of talent tempered by years of experience and though you won't find any of the old bluegrass classics here, every song fits comfortably into the repertoire. The result is an album that is the equal of many of those from the biggest bluegrass labels, and easily one of the strongest debuts of the past decade.
     In some ways, that should come as no surprise, for among the members of Fastest Grass Alive there are some familiar figures. Warren Blair is perhaps the best known of the group, having served with distinction in the bands of bluegrass legends Charlie Moore and Bill Harrell as well as the Bluegrass Cardinals, the Del McCoury Band and Jimmy Gaudreau's Bluegrass Unit. Dave Propst and Scott Walker impressed east coast audiences with their deft contributions to Paul Adkins' band, while Jim Green did the same on the opposite side of the country with with Byron Berline and Bluegrass Etc. Kenny Blair is less familiar to bluegrassers, but brings his own considerable experience and unique perspective to the group as a country music veteran, having worked with brother Warren for acts like Melba Montgomery, Tommy Overstreet and Johnny Rodriguez.
     This assortment of backgrounds and interests makes Fastest Grass Alive a group with an especially sharp eye for engaging material. Rather than disdain country music, they see bluegrass as integrally related to the larger genre, a fertile ground from which to harvest outstanding songs, not only classics like Hank Williams' "Take These Chains from My Heart," but modern entries like "If I Fall" and "Just How Little I Know," which come from recordings by Trace Adkins and Gene Watson respectively. Yet they also know how to draw on the bluegrass repertoire, resurrecting an under-appreciated gem like "Goin' Back to the Old Home" and giving Hazel Dickens' "My Better Years" an unexpected twist, and how to contribute to it themselves with solid new entries like the title track.
     Most importantly, Fastest Grass Alive understands that while instrumental virtuosity is a requirement in bluegrass, the music is fundamentally vocal. This insight places them squarely in the tradition of the Osborne Brothers, J.D. Crowe and the New South and the Bluegrass Cardinals, while the group's depth is in this department, four of its five members not only sing, but take turns singing lead and allows them an unusual flexibility in creating just right vocal arrangement for each song. Yet despite the many permutations of parts and voices on East of the Blueridge, there is never any doubt as to who the band is, thanks to a consistent precision of harmonies, rooted in both skill and intensive rehearsal, that blend the separate voices into a distinctive whole in every trio passage. And though banjoist Scott Walker doesn't sing, his sensitive, elegant backup work is the perfect compliment not only to Warren Blair's supple fiddle playing and Dave Propst's sturdy mandolin, but to the vocals, truly the mark of a banjo player to be contended with.
     Add it all up, and the conclusion is inescapable: this CD marks the debut of a major addition to the bluegrass scene, and of the most important kind, one that augments and enhances the music's traditions rather than clinging single-mindedly to the past or abandoning its riches altogether. In its blend of the old and the new, its dedication to craft and its devotion to songs that tell a story, Fastest Grass Alive shows just how deeply its members have absorbed not the outer attributes, but the innermost values of bluegrass's greats. That's an accomplishment that is all too rare these days, and it deserves the highest praise, which is simply this: East of the Blueridge is bluegrass done right. In the end, that's all one needs to know."

                                                                                                                 - Jon Weisberger, January 2001

Fastest Grass Alive - Kenny Blair, Warren Blair, Jim Green, David Propst, and Scott Walker.
Garrick Alden Studio, Laurel, Md. 2001.

The Last Hurrah - Maybe.

 Dave Propst  -  Brian Eldreth  -  Kenny Blair    Baltimore Bluegrass, 15 December 2013

15 December 2013

Baltimore Bluegrass Band played their guts out tonight. It was billed as the final appearance of this exceptional traditional bluegrass group from the Baltimore area. Fortunately, they'll be back at Jumbo Jimmy's to enhance the annual Christmas Party on the 22nd of December, and then that's it. After an eight-year run of fine music the dance is over. It was a crazy week leading up to tonight. Bad weather, Christmas shopping, and then the news that Baltimore Bluegrass stalwart Frankie Short was in the hospital after suffering a 'moderate' heart attack. There's no such thing as a moderate heart attack. It is what it is - a medical crisis. As they say, the show must go on. North along the Mason-Dixon Line shows were being cancelled right and left due to bad weather. Luckily, the Havre De Grace area escaped it. At 3:00 there was hardly anyone at Jumbo Jimmy's and I sat around and waited, while listening to Jerry Riecke and the troup of regular bluegrass jammers go through their paces. (Yvonne Smith: I love it when you pour heart into a song!) The band started coming in at 3:30. At 3:55 the place was packed and ready for a party. The darnedest thing I ever saw.
     Four sets of hard-charging bluegrass interspersed with Warren Blair's take on old honky tonk country songs. He always has the ability to turn a venue into a true roadhouse of the past. Back when taverns were called beer-joints and country music was really that. Baltimore Bluegrass has always relied heavily on vocal ability. They're masters at setting the right mood for the dancers or can be downright shocking for including a clear-as-cut-glass a cappella gospel number in the middle of the roadhouse. It worked and the audience loved it. It brought one of the night's biggest round of applause. Two more gospel numbers had the audience up and dancing. Actually, the wild dancing started around 4:30 and never quit until closing time. Two pivotal moments occurred. The first was when Warren Blair flew into "Orange Blossom Special." Yeah, you've heard it a million times in a million different places. Tonight, at least for me, I'd never heard it done quite this way. It bordered on the psychotic - and it was great. The second event was the appearance of Mike Munford, who played two numbers with the band and then stayed around to play some Christmas music. The Maryland bluegrass community continues to show its appreciation in kind for such a great talent. And concern too, for Frankie Short, Danny Paisley, and Mike Hartnett.
     I told somebody today on Facebook that with this bluegrass scene you just never know what's going to happen at a gathering. Therefore I'm reluctant to miss any of it. Without the support of this community there wouldn't be a bluegrass scene. It was all in evidence at Jumbo Jimmy's tonight with the outpouring for Baltimore Bluegrass and the concern for its members facing health issues. There really aren't any "Goodbyes" in store for this band. They'll be around for a long time, maybe in other settings or being called into other configurations. Or maybe they'll get together again sometime in the future at our request. It's not a party without them.

Baltimore Bluegrass:  Frankie Short, Dave Propst, Warren Blair, Steve Streett, Brian Eldreth.

Baltimore Bluegrass will be back at Jumbo Jimmy's Christmas Party on 22 December, 2013  with special guest Bobby Lundy on banjo 

When You Want The Best . . .

Martin D-16 Offered Up In A Raffle For Fisher House

11 December 2013

     Here's some great news for somebody who wants a guitar-upgrade. The people who promote the Annual 12-Hour Jam for Fisher House over near Baltimore are raffling off a Martin D-16 RGT guitar on 22 February, 2014.  It's regularly valued at around $1,800.00. Money raised through the 12-hour Marathon Jam and the guitar-raffle goes toward the Fisher House organization. Fisher House has built residential units all around the U.S. so families of wounded troops can be near their loved ones during recuperation. There are two of  the Fisher House residential units right here in the D.C. area. Fisher House also offered to pay death benefits to families during the recent government shut-down/financial chaos.

     The 12-hour Bluegrass/Jam Marathon has been an Annual Event in Maryland and Virginia and other sites around the U.S. It normally begins at noon and music is played continually for the next 12 hours. The raffle-drawing will take place at 8:00 pm. All bluegrass musicians are welcomed to come in and join up. The format is mainly bluegrass/acoustical music. Anyone who wants to come in and listen is also welcomed. I've attended the past Virginia Marathons and it's always a good time, with good music, and a chance to see old friends. Food and drink is usually available, with everything dependent upon donations. ALL collected funds go toward Fisher House - 100%!  The Maryland 12-Hour Marathon will take place:

February 22, 2014  (starting time 12:00 pm)
at:  American Legion Post No. 276
8068 Quarterfield Road
Severn, Maryland, 21144

For Raffle Tickets for the Martin D-16:  ($5 for one chance,  $20 for Five chances)
Contact: Dave Bageant   e-mail:  dbageant@yahoo.com
or mail to:
David Bageant
552 S. Rolling Road
Catonsville, Maryland, 21228

Checks can be made to Fisher House and are Tax Deductible

My Polish Rose

 Photo by Connie Henry

10 December 2013

     The story behind the photo is always more interesting than the photo. Every time I see this picture of a rose I have to laugh. Connie took this picture last summer. I grant you, it's a prize-winner. On our second trip to Poland we were cruising down the Oder River along the Poland/Germany border on a luxury river vessel appropriately named the Chopin. The nicest thing about the trip - we were the only Americans on board along with mostly Germans and a few English people. You get introduced to practically everyone on such a small craft. Dinners were extravagant. So much so, I gave up eating after the third day on board. We took day-trips along the way to see castles and old monasteries. There was some interesting World War II history, too. At night we would seek out the lounge to listen to a young Russian lady play melancholy romantic pieces on the piano - she would finish with a few Chopin pieces that always brought down the house. We had a Polish river-pilot on board who would drag out his accordion and join her. Connie and I danced and danced and made friends with two or three German couples. They were determined to make sure they got their money's worth out of the trip, and have a lot of fun.

     One night the boat's  Hotel Manager talked to us. He's second in command to the Captain and is responsible for everything pertaining to the safety and comfort of the passengers. He asked us the usual 20 questions but then honed in on Connie's heritage. We told him she still had relatives in Krakow. She told him her family name was Konieczny. At this his face lit up with a broad smile. He grabbed my arm and loudly said, "Ah! You lucky Man! You're married to a Polish Rose!" We all laughed. One of the things I love about the Polish people is they still have a sense of the romantic concerning a man's affection for his spouse. So much so that they would even connect a nationalism to it. From that day forward I had to think of Connie in a new light and I gained a lot of insight into how different cultures certainly have different views of the state of matrimony.
     It's not that the Hotel Manager's exclamation wasn't humorous - it was, and we all got a good laugh. Attached to it was a sense of  authentic reverence in his deference to Polish women. It made me feel very proud that I'm married to a "Polish Rose."

Be Still and Know That I Am God.

10 December 2013

     This is the time of the Great Turning. Soon we'll celebrate the birth of Christ. Spring will follow and we'll talk about his death and resurrection. We'll mainly do it among ourselves as Catholics, but we should be doing it just like the guys on the Road to Emmaus did. "Have you heard the news?" They were strangers traveling on a dusty road and this terrible thing had happened and they talked local gossip just like any traveler would at a gas station or airport. The local news for me yesterday was Danny Paisley's heart surgery. The wonder of the internet in today's world. The news spread like wildfire instantly that bluegrass musician Danny Paisley finally had his long-awaited bypass surgery and was doing OK up in Pennsylvania. Every weekend over in Maryland and beyond fellow-musicians and fans wondered if Danny was doing OK and did he have his surgery yet? The good news finally came via the digital airwaves yesterday.

     I love the bluegrass community. It's always trading gossip and information about each other - a lot like a family or a real town would. Sometimes it's even like a church. People gather in the vestibule (we Catholics call it 'The Narthex') and trade stories about recent good or bad news. There's even an unsung code of not talking politics or religion, but you know it's only human to have those two subjects laying right below the surface of face enface interaction. I've never been a Catholic afraid or ashamed to tell others that I'm Catholic. I also stay aware of any Catholic, or anyone of any religious persuasion for that matter, who is proselytizing in the name of any religion. I remain aware of them; that's all. I give them their space (their perimeter). Because that's what they do. They build up perimeters and walls around themselves and proclaim that their God is better than your God.

     One of the highlights for this Catholic in 2013 was having the unique opportunity to travel in Viet Nam with a Priest-Hero friend of mine. He would castigate me for calling him that. He is also a recognized writer. He is also a veteran. He's punched a lot of unusual and (what society would deem as) important tickets. He comes out of the Maryknoll Missioners' teaching and tradition, and since I'm a convert and have little knowledge of such matters, I had to do some study as to what the Maryknollers really do. Every religious order has a Rule. The Rule guides the daily lives of those attached to an Order. The Maryknoll Missioners are exactly that. They are world missionaries working in some of the most frightening places on our planet. The basic marching order is this:  Go into a village, establish yourself in the community and say nothing about your religion unless you're asked. It's all about winning hearts and minds through living by example. As the neophyte Christian I have to constantly ask myself if I would ever have the guts to do that. Having spent some quality time with this friend of mine as we "traveled the road' in Viet Nam. I was itching to get at the heart of a few deep, theological questions about my Church and my faith and this would be the one-on-one opportunity. So I asked him one night, what's the most important thing to know to lead a good, Catholic/Christian life? His answer stunned me at first and then later made a lot of sense. He said it's all about saying "Yes."

     How much we complicate that. We complicate every day and every daily routine with our negativism and unwillingness. When you first asked me if I was Catholic I sort of laughed inside. Father's words came to mind a second before I answered: "Yes." The more we say Yes the more the fears fall away. The more we say No,  the more stunted and ossified our lives become. I do not want to die sitting in a chair. I am saying Yes every time I tell somebody I love my spouse and family. I am saying Yes every time I tell somebody that I'm quite happy and contented that I made a decision to enter into the Church. So my Friend, I'll leave you with a final caveat and a final thought. I made my decisions and I'm happily living with them. They are not for everybody. I'm trying to exist like everyone else. I try to view others in the same light. My chosen path is still filled with questions and doubts about the path itself. To each his own . . .

Pour Me a Double!

 The Martins & Aspen Run

 Blue Train

7 December 2013

     Blue Train and The Martin Brothers & Aspen Run played at the Eureka Fire Hall in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania. I mention that first off to see if that's what shows up on my Google-searching. What a tremendously interesting age we live in wherein you can search just about anything on the internet and come up with some information about it, or practically any person on the planet. Still, I had to tell somebody the other day how to use hyperlinks to gain information. They had been using a computer for a few years and didn't know what a hyperlink was. We take so much for granted in this age of technology. I often fail to realize that a sizable portion of  the American public is still in the dark about computer-use. The other night on Jeopardy a school teacher was crowing over the fact that he didn't own a cell phone and didn't know how to use one. I don't think I'd want my child in one of his classes. I'm sure he runs around all day asking other people to make phone calls for him, or else he's so oblivious to what's going on he has to be supremely egotistical. The good news is he was soundly beaten by the other contestants.

     This has been quite a week leading up to that down-hill stretch we call The Holidays. I sit back and wonder where the year went. I notice that tanned pictures of me taken in the summer of 2013 are now looking pasty and sickly as we get into winter. Nelson Mandela died this week for the historical record. The flags in my home-town went to half-staff and I wondered whether it was for him or for Pearl Harbor Day. I asked our mayor what the reason was, and she said she'd get back to me with an answer. I don't remember our flags going to half-staff when the President of Poland died tragically in a plane-crash. If it was for Pearl Harbor Day  I applaud our town leaders. Our first major winter "weather event" finally intruded upon us here in our area, and last night while I was out enjoying a double-shot of bluegrass up along the Mason-Dixon Line everyone seemed tensely aware that it was probably a good idea to get home sooner than later and hunker down. For those of you who missed the party, you missed a real wing-ding. Two high-energy bands that offered a small respite away from the Christmas shopping,  impending doom of our first ice-storm, and 24-hour a day news coverage of Nelson Mandela. The only agenda item was traditional bluegrass served up in "McCoury Country." For the past two musical seasons David Ober of the Eureka Fire and Ambulance Company in Stewartstown, Pa. has produced this show as a sort of an end-of-season extravaganza for the Martin Brothers & Aspen Run out of Westminster, Maryland. Herb Martin (the Martin Brothers) usually asks another band to come along for the ride. The event is pretty special. This year, newcomers "Blue Train" joined up with the Martin Brothers. The dancing started early and never quit. The price to get in is dirt-cheap and there is always good food available. Dave's staff at the fire house go out of their way to welcome everyone in for a good time.

     The Martin Brothers & Aspen Run (Westminster, Md.) came loaded for bear, all decked out in their western gear and trade-mark white boots. Fiddle-player Billy Hurt from Roanoke, Va. was hired on for the evening as an extra dose of energy. He's phenomenal and nationally recognized for his talent. The Martin Brothers and Aspen Run remain a group with rough edges, but 200% entertainment value. I've always loved these guys. There is nothing pretty about their music. Nothing slick. It's honest and that's the group's selling point. Aaron Martin (Stand-up Bass) had just played on Thursday night with John O'Dell and Kenny Wise, and here he was singing his heart out in Stewartstown. Youth can be deceiving. There has been so much improvement on his vocals and the limits to which he can push his voice. If you think it's easy to sing well and slap out a bass-line (perfectly,) then get up on a stage sometime in front of hundreds of people and try it. But Aaron is only a  part of a machine that has the ability to get a crowd moving. Brothers Clayton and Herb Martin, III, plus Steve Unkart and Guy Herbert had the room rocking from start to finish. And it was a good crowd too - fans of both bands from Goofy's, Jumbo Jimmy's, Baltimore City, other local bluegrass musicians and a couple people who'd driven a hundred miles just to catch up with Fiddler Billy Hurt.

     Blue Train rounded out the program and kept up the energy. Fiddler Tom Lyons had also played at Stables Restaurant with Kenny Wise and John O'Dell on the previous Thursday night. While The Martins are shutting down for the winter, Blue Train has any number of gigs running into February and beyond  and it looks like they'll have a busy 2014. Blue Train is almost unique in the business. The band is still trying to "Find it's legs" get in a performing groove that suits them and their audiences. But talent and audience appeal? No questions here. They have the 'slick' that The Martins lack and maybe it's because they still need to figure out a direction: are we sticking with traditional or are we going to push the limits? The Martin Brothers hold up their traditional stance like a battle flag. I like them for that reason. Blue Train is so good they can tackle anything. I like them for that reason, too. Entertainment value? For that answer all you needed to do was pay the admission fee last night to get into the Fire Hall and witness the party-event that was going on. It was pretty wild, folks, and I knew before I got there that high energy bluegrass was going to be the only agenda item. 

The Martin Brothers & Aspen Run:  Herb Martin, III,  Clayton Martin, Aaron Martin, Steve Unkart, Guy Herbert, and special guest: Billy Hurt (Fiddle)

Blue Train:  Rick Miller, Dave Propst, George Osing, Tom Reeves, and Tom Lyons.

High Drive at The Stables Restaurant in Westminster

 High Drive:  Tom Lyons -Kenny Wise - Bradley Sams - John O'Dell - Terry Wittenburg

Date-line: 5 December 2013

     John O'Dell is up on stage sitting in the gloom warming up his Martin. He's improvising  on "Fly Me to the Moon" and it sounds great. It's about 6:00 at The Stables Restaurant in Westminster, Maryland. The dinner crowd is just starting to roll in. The Christmas decorations have gone up since the last time I was here to see the Martin Brothers and Aspen Run. They look pretty nice, compared to what you see in most music joints. It's funny hearing "Fly Me to the Moon" coming out of the guitar of a bluegrass guy. John sounds obsessed with the song. I know the feeling. You get a song going in your head and you can't get rid of it. Sometimes I have whole operas going around in my brain. I should probably see a psychiatrist for the affliction. John O'Dell is performing tonight with "High Drive" - a combination of players from "Windy Ridge" plus Kenny Wise. It's a spur-of-the-moment combination that is flying by the seats of their pants and in the end they won the house, but more about that later. Stables is continuing with a once-a-month bluegrass night featuring a lot of highly recognized local talent. Other weekend nights are booked up with rock and country bands. I'm here for the bluegrass. I don't really care about the other options. It's interesting this evening because local boy Kenny Wise has made somewhat of a name for himself in the country genre. In conversations around the tables and the bar area that's all I heard about. Kenny Wise is the local boy made good in country music. I had to take it with a grain of salt because I don't know anything about him, his career, or for that matter what's going on in country music today. So as far as my approach was concerned, I'm happy I was going into this with a blank mind. I was there to hear some bluegrass.

     High Drive is Kenny Wise, John O'Dell, Bradley Sams, Terry Wittenberg, and Tom Lyons. Kenny Wise and John O'Dell were new faces to me; the rest of the group I had seen in other configurations and I had a pretty good handle on what they could do with a bluegrass song. Bradley Sams (Bass) Terry Wittenberg (Banjo and vocals) and Tom Lyons (fiddle) are right up there with the crop of bluegrass professionals working in Maryland and beyond. John O'Dell (Guitar and lead vocals) is a walking juke-box of music repertoire (that's what everyone calls him - a walking juke-box). Kenny rounded it out with his own lead vocals and Mandolin. John O'Dell dominated the evening with his singing and stage presence. He's a big guy with a dominating big baritone. But this is not to say he wasn't entertaining. I had a ball listening to old chestnuts like "Rose-Colored Glasses," "Last Train from Poor Valley," and "Rebel Soldier." Even though Kenny Wise and John O'Dell did a sterling job on the leads, the group sounded a lot better when they were all taking parts. The sleeper here is Terry Wittenberg's high tenor offerings. There were a lot of rough edges easily worked out with more performances. The entrances and exits were rough; nothing disastrous. All these guys are pro's and it just seemed to need a bit of polish here and there. Kenny Wise did two purely country numbers - not bad. Aaron Martin (bass-player and vocalist for the Martin Brothers and Aspen Run) was sitting in the audience with Herb Martin. Kenny and John invited him up on stage to do two numbers with the band. Aaron Martin constantly amazes me with his sense of musicality. He's continually improving and maturing.  As the three sets wore on and the night wound down the vocals got better. The group unity got better. There was a sense of them having fun with the music. It's worth watching these guys to see what they do in the future.

Traditional 'Maryland-Style' bluegrass is offered once a month at the Stables Restaurant on Main Street in Westminster, Maryland. Foggy Hollow will appear in January followed by the Martin Brothers & Aspen Run in February.  The food is excellent - the music is even better.

"We Will Not Forget You."

 "We Will Not Forget You" - The Support Our Troops packing-team - Christmas, 2013

3 December 2013

     You hear the most absurd and insidious comments come out of people's mouths. I had to mention this because on Sunday a core group of us at our church packed up Christmas boxes for the troops in Afghanistan. One person had asked a friend to contribute some items for the boxes or at least some money to pay for the mailing costs. This person responded with "I thought the war was over and everybody was home!" Another person helping with the packing jumped into the conversation and replied that he had heard that from a couple people, and that all the troops would be home for Christmas. We all chuckled. Most of the people packing up the boxes had sons or daughters serving in Afghanistan or had done some time over there or in Iraq. One person mentioned how much the misinformed comments hurt them personally. We all intently listened, but we also all understood that for the majority of Americans who don't have a personal attachment to the war in Afghanistan, they continue to live on micro sound-bites they think is news of the day. Please understand that my church is comprised of fairly well-to-do and generally highly educated Washington suburbanites. We have a high number of our parishioners who served in the military and they in turn raised sons and daughters who are serving today. The current administration is doing a wonderful con-job in making a majority of citizens believe the war is ending, every one is coming home, and we'll be out of there by next year. The parents I talked to while packing up the boxes for the troops know better. They still quietly pray for their sons and daughters and do the best they can to take their minds off their anxiety.

     This is the seventh year - mark that - the seventh year our church has been providing a little bit of home for the troops. We do it every month and promise not to stop until it really is true that the troops are clearing out and coming home. It's our hope. In the meantime, we can never forget them. The greater sin is to forget them.

Simple Mercies - and Maybe a Few Tender Ones.

3 December 2013

     Honest discussions are marvelous. It takes a life-time to realize their importance. They keep us human. It's always such a marvel to talk to you as we discover who each of us is to the other. It's become too cliche to use the term "on a journey" together. I've grown so tired of hearing that hackneyed phrase in every conversation since 1980. It's right up there with "not only my (lover, wife, brother, sister, mom, dad) but My Best Friend!" ad nauseam. I cringe every time I hear it at a wedding, funeral, or anniversary party. American marketing and capitalism (and television) have reduced our communication with one another down to the level of the latest fad in greeting cards. The result is collective failure to forget that what happened in life may have been driven by God's plan for each of us, and not how many Hallmark cards or Lexus automobiles Hubby granted us during a life-time. If he was really "your best friend" he would have been above all that and shared your heartache and personal pain when it was needed. He would have been there for you instead of dead to the world, permanently affixed like a stuffed bear to a recliner. I won't leave the women out of this accusation either. It takes two to tango. Neither gender is above the other when it comes to dishing out the personal pain. It might come as a surprise to you ladies, but men talk too, and usually it's about "I'm glad he's married to her and NOT ME!" What an astounding thing, this battle of the sexes - it's real - and keeps our world procreated for the future. And it has nothing to do with what's on television or movie screens or the latest batch of greeting cards at Rite Aid.

     Today was exceptional when we talked. At the heart of it was a discussion of "God's Plan" for each of us and I suppose the average Catholic would wonder what any of that has to do with our Catholic Faith. We are a church and faith driven by rules and rituals and rote prayer. I have nothing against that; as a matter of fact I love it because it keeps our minds from drifting away from the center of who we are. We are a Church centered on the Holy Eucharist. I got a question as to why I had made the comment about 'people lining up for a wafer made of water and flour' in my last entry. I knew the remark would spur some people to think about it. The respondent wanted me to mention "Transubstantiation" the reasoning behind it, etc etc. It's one of those fifty-dollar words better left to be bandied about by PhD candidates and sophomores at Catholic University. I understand it fully and to the doubters, I can respond honestly on a stack of  Bibles that I believe in it. It was in God's Plan for this convert to be driven toward it and want it in my life. I've had to think about God's Plan for me ever since I made a decision to enter into Communion with the Church. I was mentioning to somebody the other day that I've lived a most extraordinary life of travel, creativity, and also times of sorrow. I would not have wanted to live this life in any other way. I've tried to let God be the instigator and director. I'm human. It's not easy. I have an Ego as big as Texas and think I can do anything. God is constantly there to yank my chain and take away my water-dish or slap me around not with violence, but with loving challenges to believe in His goodness. I'm a stubborn case. That's why I have to keep going back to Communion. I have to hear the words over and over again that Christ's message was about unconditional love for all of us, no matter how much we don't want to be there to hear those words. We design, produce, and execute our own sense of unworthiness and show it to the world. We wear it as a badge of dishonor a lot of the time. Life's a lot more interesting when we can turn that unworthiness into something more positive.

Christmas is Coming!

    

29 November 2013

     Here's to all those folks you don't normally think about at Christmas-time. If they're professionals and their lives depend upon it, they're working hard for the buck to pay for all the Christmas and holiday bills. I'm talking about the musicians who are providing the background music to your shopping stress or you're having a nice night out away from the bustling crowds or the family demands. Or maybe they're providing the music at a church service or a Catholic mass. I used to do that kind of music. That's the full extent of my musical talent and now I just plunk a guitar once in a while to entertain the squirrels out on my back-deck. I have some odd Christmas memories related to guitars and music. Lately, my thoughts are more directed toward how much music plays a big part in my life and how I've become friends with like-minded fellow-travelers. I blame it all on bluegrass, but you've already figured that out about me.


     When I was 7 or 8 years old I was diagnosed with some sort of heart condition and that started a depressing period in my childhood. It required numerous trips from my home town and into the Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh for a lot of testing and consultation. We had to navigate all these narrow streets on the North Side. Mom would usually take me to lunch at a Hungarian restaurant. Next to the restaurant was a musty old music store with lots of guitars and mandolins hanging in the dirty windows. I don't remember the names of these places - either the restaurant or the music store. But I remember that I wanted one of those guitars and I remember thinking that I could probably play it with great efficiency and that it would take nothing to learn to play one. Like all childhood fantasies, it never came to pass. The vision though, lingers. Vividly. Even today I can't pass up a guitar store. I have to go in and see what they have on the shelf. I relate all this because I've been talking to a lot of guitar-pickers and reading about them, and usually they'll start a story with, "You know, the first time I ever saw a guitar," or  "You know the first time I ever picked up a guitar was at my Uncle Frank's place, and . . ."  They'll get that crazed look in their eyes. I admire these guys. You can learn a lot talking to them about guitars and guitar-picking. I also admire any musician who's trying to make a living at it and providing all that background music to our piddling existence here on earth.

     A few years ago I had the opportunity to drive through that same old section of Pittsburgh. Everything's gone. I recognized nothing. Urban renewal and urban re-design had taken away the whole neighborhood, so there goes a lot of childhood memories for thousands who've gone the way of old age. But the Thanksgiving and Christmas season brings it all back - vividly- especially when I'm in a crowd and I hear background music. I'll stop and listen to the music, actually concentrate on it, before I'll concentrate on the task at hand. The hustle and bustle isn't that important to me. I'll think about the musicians who produced it. They were all kids once who were maybe fascinated by some old dusty music store. Now they're providing my entertainment either in front of me or as background music for the rest of my life.

     And about the heart condition. I spent a year bed-ridden as an invalid. It took another year to build my body back up to normal. I entered the Navy and the military doctors passed me with flying colors. I transferred into the infantry in the Marine Corps, served six years, and had to get a routine physical upon discharge. One doctor and two heart specialists found nothing wrong or any evidence of there ever having been a "heart condition." The doctors just shook their heads. There you go Ed, bamboozled again by a cruel world! I love life too much to be bitter about a lost year of my life. All that time wasted as an invalid, useless medical tests and trips to the North Side in Pittsburgh - but what pleasant memories of  Hungarian goulash and old, musty music stores. If you know a musician, instead of just wishing him or her a "Merry Christmas," buy them a Baked Ham and thank them for the gift they give you - the Music of Life.