Let's Throw it in the Crick and See if it Floats

 Mike Hartnett - Dave Propst - Tom Reeves - Rick Miller - George Osing     Blue Train

16 June 2013

      Sort of like a ship-launch. You never know what's going to happen. All that planning, all the right forces coming together just at the exact point and then it's time to let her go and slide down the ways. I saw a missile frigate being launched into the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine once. One of the most exciting things I ever witnessed. You wonder if this big steel monster is really going to do what it's supposed to do. The launch of a new band is no different. They might be really good or they might sink on the first night - or maybe in a year or two. The excitement is that you were there to see the big launch. You were there to see them either sink or swim. Just about everybody's gone through that "Andy Hardy Moment" where it might be neat to "put on a show." Or, after learning three chords and one bad rock song decide you want to start a garage band and drive your parents and all the neighbors nuts with long sessions of noise. It all looks so easy. Go to a local "open mic" and become some kind of performance artist. Do your own thing whether people like it or not, just because it's your own thing, even though a million other neophytes have done exactly the same thing you're doing.
      Blue Train is about to launch at Goofy's Eatery and Spirits up in Spring Grove, Pa. I'm here to see what they do, but I'm here mainly because of the line-up. With this kind of line-up it has to be worth my drive all the way up from Vienna, Virginia. I would have driven all this way just because of two of the people who are playing, and not because it's the debut of a new entity in bluegrass music. What you need to know immediately is, they are all, except for one person, former members of Satyr Hill Bluegrass. Satyr Hill is a Maryland institution when it comes to performance longevity. The former members, and now with the inclusion of fiddler Mike Hartnett, are all well-known names in Maryland music circles. If you know bluegrass you know these guys. Their skill and passion for playing the music has reached beyond state lines. After making some momentous decisions barely a few months ago and with little more than five practice sessions, Rick Miller, George Osing, Tom Reeves, Dave Propst, and Mike Hartnett gathered their talents and came up with their first official gig before they even had a name for themselves. I heard about it through Dave Propst, but had no idea until one day before the event that it was Blue Train's grand inaugural launch.
      You expect glitches and mistakes. Even the most seasoned professionals experience nervousness. It can all work (or not work) to make you look like Andy Hardy or Tony Bennett. What was really great about this particular performance was, it was Father's Day and the place was packed with locals and the vaguely curious. Goofy's is a unique venue with a very discerning bluegrass audience. It's literally out in the middle of nowhere, three miles outside a dinky little Pennsylvania town called Spring Grove. But put this thought aside for the moment. Most of the best Maryland and Pennsylvania bluegrass groups have played here to large audiences. When you sit down and talk to the patrons it becomes abundantly clear that these people know their bluegrass and they'll tell you up front what they like and what they don't like. They like it hard-core. They're salt-of-the-earth locals out to have a good time and be entertained. Their dollars are precious to them and hard-earned, so they vote with their dollars for what they consider as their best entertainment. The owner of Goofy's, 'Whitey' Runkle, knows this dynamic well and continues to bring interesting entertainment for his patrons. I have to hand it to him for supporting bluegrass on the truly local level. Where the rubber meets the road. He gambled on the names of the players alone, and won in the end.
      You even expect a rough start but Blue Train lit right into the obligatory breakdown to get the ball rolling, then flew immediately into "Little Cabin on the Hill" and then a gospel number, "Satan is Waiting His Turn" (always dangerous in a bar where people are drinking on a Sunday, and Father's Day at that!) Then they went into "Helen" and the old chestnut "Angeline the Baker." Next came Hank's "Your Cheatin' Heart." I thought to myself what road are they going down next? I made a joke to Dempsey and Rebecca Price that it wouldn't be long before somebody yelled for ""Rocky Top." Rick Miller (guitar and lead vocals) went into "Summer Time" to add a blues flavor to the mix. Out of the entire evening, three hours of music and a huge swath of songs, I thought this is the only one that didn't work for me. But the audience seemed to like it. By the time they got to "Sing Me Back Home" (Merle Haggard) and "Wild Bill Jones" the audience was up on their feet and loving every minute of it. The launch had worked. The boat could actually float. It was smooth sailing for the rest of the voyage. Midway, it came out of the audience: "Play Rocky Top!!" Rick Miller graciously accepted the request and gave the lady what she wanted. Everyone laughed and jumped on the dance floor. The vocals came off perfect.
      It was obvious Blue Train was pulling out all the stops. Trying everything on the enthusiastic audience. But there's nothing wrong with that. You have to show your stuff and at the same time find your own sound or distinct groove. It'll take a couple years to do that. These guys come prepared with a rich history and a rich palette of material. I really appreciated the vocal work of Rick, Dave, and Tom. It was flawless and enjoyable. What I really appreciated most was their attitude of professionalism toward their craft, and that showed in everything they did in front of this very discerning audience. The toughest thing in bluegrass is getting all those right gears to mesh: the playing, the vocals, the timing, and as Rick Miller likes to say "The Tone." It was all clicking at Goofy's on Father's Day. They've been invited back and that's usually the best indicator that 'ya done good.'  Expect to see them perform again in early September.