Old-Time Times

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A Publication from your Nashville Old-Time String Band Association and Stratford Community Education.

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UPCOMING

ASSOCIATION EVENTS

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November 6

SLOW JAM

STRATFORD

6:30-8:30 PM

November 13

REGULAR JAM
STRATFORD

6:30-8:30 PM

November 23

4TH SUNDAY JAM
2-5 PM

HOST-

JANINE CHAMORRO

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Carl Myers

Office-262-6732

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Thanks to the Sparks for allowing us to come and share their home for a jam.

I wish to extend a special thanks to everyone that contributed to this month’s newsletter and the past newsletters.  I had half a page a couple of days ago and all of a sudden I had several articles come in at the same time.

Thanks to Phil Sparks for all his efforts in helping me with the newsletter.  I’m not much good at finding grammatical errors and he has been a great help!

Thanks

If you can think of anything for the December newsletter, please forward it to me at joybell40@netzero.net

Deadline is November 20, 2003.

November 1 – Saturday 5 - 8 p.m.  Rebekah Weiler, Jewelia and Jim Lawrence will be playing the Friends of The Murfreesboro Greenway annual autumn hayride and cookout. The event will take place at the gazebo located at the General Bragg Trail Head off the Old Nashville Hwy.  There is a small charge.

November 7 – Roy Harper and The Melmac Lickers will be doing a concert at Cedar Forest Lodge at Cedars of Lebanon State Park, at 7:30 PM. http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/cedars/

November 8 – The State Folklore Society meeting will be at the Cedar Forest Lodge at Cedars of Lebanon State Park around 9 AM.. http://www.middleenglish.org/tennfolk/

November 21 – The Melmac Lickers will be playing the dance here in Nashville. http://home.att.net/~Nashville.Country.Dancers/page2.html

 November 22 – The Melmac Lickers--J. Gregory Jamboree "Live" radio show 1 to 3 pm Broadcast over WLIJ, 1580 AM, Shelbyville, TN. http://www.bellbucklecafe.com/BBsched.html

November 22 – Chattanooga Contra Dancing with The Melmac Lickers. http://chattexc.brinkster.net/CTDS/home.html

November 27 – Nashville Country Dancers with The Melmac Lickers. http://home.att.net/~Nashville.Country.Dancers/page3.html

Please contact Dave Cannon for more information.

by D&D Kent

Bromer's Apple Orchard hosts a jammin' time on several Saturday’s through September and October, while they bring in the year's crop of several varieties of apples.

A few years ago, old friends Rich and Jan Moore and Mike Anderson introduced us to the Bromer’s, who farm this orchard in Bowling Green, Kentucky.   It's a real family affair.   Kids and adults alike help unload apples from the tractor, and get into the fun of mixing and stirring ingredients. 

Last week they were making Apple Butter, and the smell was fabulous on a crisp, clear fall day.   This fall, several of us spent some great hours playing old-time music and Celtic tunes, sipping Apple Icees, and eating the hot, steamy fried apple pies.     Guests pulled up chairs and apple crates to sit and listen to the music.  

Last week, among the musicians, we had five hammered dulcimers, more than I've seen in one place!  (Isn't there a state law prohibiting more than two hammered dulcimers or three banjos from playing at the same place and time?)  Mark your calendar for next fall to keep at least one Saturday available to visit this beautiful orchard.  You'll be glad you did.

by D&D Kent

Rumor has it that years ago moonshine was made in Smiley Hollow.   Well, that's not all that was (and is) made in Smiley Hollow.   Count music and good times!

Earlier in October the Nashville Classic Blue Grass Festival was held at Ridgetop's Smiley Hollow Farm.    As Old Time music lovers, we probably all agree that there is more than just one type of music, even though we all have our favorite!   Smiley Hollow has a world-class barn with a genuine dirt floor.  It is a neat rural setting for any music event. Blue Grass was well represented at Smiley Hollow, BUT, the billing also featured an EXCELLENT old-time string band, The Reel Time Travelers.   They are a young band of 4 energetic musicians out of East Tennessee, singing and playing the old-time tunes and songs, and even some freshly written material!

Don and I were fortunate to hear the fiddler and her husband, Heidi and Roy, "tearing upChinquapin Hunting at the Swannanoa Gathering a few summers ago.  She was playing so hard that she broke a fiddle string, which doesn't happen "Reel" often!   Don was so impressed that he fell off the stone wall - and he wasn't even sitting on the stone wall! We've played that recording many times to get her style and flavor of that great tune.

The Reel Time Travelers have two recordings available, and both are excellent.  The Reel Time Travelers made their debut on the Grand Old Opry in January. Their stage show is also first rate!    Check them out whenever you can.

by Janie Chamorro

“Always held the first full weekend in October”.

I have attended faithfully since I discovered it 2l years ago!!  I even asked my Dr. to postpone my surgery a few days so I could fiddle just one more time.

Held on the beautiful tree filled campus of Athens College in Athens, Alabama, this event continues to grow in attendance (and the entrance fee has increased).  I paid $4 more this year. Of course you don’t pay if you enter the contests.  

There is plenty of jamming all over in just about every kind of music you can imagine.  There are also lots of crafts, food, instrument dealers, luthiers, and opportunities to watch people.  Competition is hot in the Old-Time Band slot.  Folks come from as far as North Carolina, and I believe Jackie Burgess’s band won this year.

I arrived in the early afternoon and easily found a familiar group of pickers.  Martin and his parents, Roy, Melissa, David, Trish, Don, Darlene, Mike Sudge, Jeff, Nic Andal, were all next to the Alabama Folk Life Society group, the Cauthens and The Trash, Michael DeFoche, Karen, Edwin and Leo, to name just a few. If I forgot anyone, just blame it on my heavily medicated state.

As the day turned to sunset, many of us decided to head out to Spider and Betty Dowell’s family farm for the traditional potluck, jam and campout.  Spider is one of the founding fathers of TVOTF and this year a special scholarship was named and presented in his honor.  We all got to admire the commemorative plaque.  Tom Jackson and Jim Dandy were already there as were my son, Micah, wife and granddaughter, Savannah. She was even clapping in time to the music at 10 months.  I have been bringing my children since they were babies, and this is a reunion of sorts for them.

It has been smaller in the last few years due to Betty’s delicate health.  She still provides her kitchen and lovely home and comes out of the bedroom regularly to visit.

Sometime around 10:30 in the evening I made my way to the sitting room to listen to a circle of players.  On my way I passed Trish asleep in a chair and noticed Karen had crawled off to sleep in the corner.  I sat with Mike Sudge and drank coffee on the couch for about more 10 minutes and had to crawl off to sleep in my truck.

It wasn’t like this in the old days…our kids used to fall asleep behind us on the couch or on the floor.  We’d be out just long enough to put them to bed and then, Geez, 20 years ago we used to play all night long! But a lot of water has gone under the thing since then………..

On my way past the pool table, I noticed Jackie Burgess and band arriving flush with victory and adding new life to the party.  I love going to sleep with the strains of fiddles and something in my ears.  Yeah, Michael DeFoche never went to bed!

Next morning I went to sit awhile with Spider and Tom Jackson out at the Airstream in the sun while the little dogs frolicked.  Inside, I got to love on Savannah some more before I went home smiling.

I guess you know the famous spot was benign-Praise GOD! October 9, The surgeon. took about 10 percent of the top left lobe because of where it was.  I am recuperating slowly but surely.  My mom and dad have been taking care of me the last two weeks. Then I’ll be down on The Farm being looked after by Marilyn Harris for the rest of however long it takes.

P.S:  I am a grandmother again!!!  Little Anthony Ahren Longo arrived 3 weeks early out in Norfolk, Virginia on October 15, weighing in at a hefty 5lbs.8 oz. Ahren and Danielle are the proud parents.  I’ll be sure and show you all the super cute photos when you come in November to the jam at my house,

Love, Janine Chamorro

by Joy Andal

You may want to put this on next years “to do” list.  They have music shows, Gospel shows, arts and crafts, kiddie rides and the State Championship Fiddler’s convention.  The have authentic mountain demonstrations and a pioneer village.  We enjoyed hearing David Holt, Laura Boosinger, Howard Cunningham and the Appalachian Tunesmiths the first evening we were there.  The facilities are wonderful and the sound system was fantastic.  We camped on the lake, which was within easy walking distance of the music hall. 

Results of the contest: 

Old Time Banjo - Nic Andal - State Champion (this makes two state championships in one summer)

Beginner Fiddle - Tyler Andal -2^nd Place

Jr. Fiddle - Bill Jones - 4^th place

Dulcimer - Nic Andal - 3^rd Place.

www.georgia-mountain-fair.com

Paris resident and National Old-Time Banjo Champion Dan Knowles is slated to perform on the Saturday, December 6, broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry. Winner of the prestigious Uncle Dave Macon Days Award, Dan was invited to perform by Grand Ole Opry star Mike Snider. Dan will be accompanied by his longtime band mate Tim May who will play guitar. They will perform the title cut from their duet recording “A Cure For Gravity”. The performance will be at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Also appearing on the December 6 broadcast will be Charlie Pride, Mike Snider and Trace Adkins.

Knowles, who has performed coast to coast and in Canada, said, “This is a real exciting privilege. I’ve always wanted to just be able walk on the Opry stage. And now I get to play in the same place where Hank Sr., Roy Acuff and all those great folks performed.  Well it’s just too much! I never really figured that grinnin’ and pickin’ this ol’ banjo would ever in my wildest dreams take me there.”

Dan and his Hot Band will make one of their rare Henry County appearances at the Krider Performing Arts Center on November 15.  Show time is 7 PM.  The Hot Band currently includes Paris natives Mark McWherter, vocals and guitar; Danny Conger, fiddle; Tim May of Pegram, vocals, mandolin, and Dobro; and Grammy Award nominee Todd Cook of Mt. Juliet, upright bass. The group currently has three CDs released on Family Claw Records and has participated in the recordings of numerous others.

Rebekah Weiler and Ashley Sullivan each were the featured entertainment on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 29 and October 1 at the Women's International Network of Utility Professionals at their 2003 Music City conference in the McGavock Room of the Sheraton - Music City in Nashville.

During the annual Tennessee Fall Homecoming at Norris, Tennessee, which is always the second weekend in October, Rebekah Weiler was invited by the all-female California string band Lilies of The West to join them Sunday on stage.

Also, Jewelia and Jim Lawrence, Daniel Lewis from Georgia and Rebekah were part of the shade tree entertainment at the Homecoming on Saturday. They also had the customers and the waitresses dancing that night at the great family restaurant in Norris, The Golden Girls. Their music drew the attention of Mike Snider who walked over and told them what a great job they were doing and to keep it up.  Grandpa Jones’ son-in-law also came over to join in to jam with them.