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EMAIL COMMENTS RECEIVED FROM
OUR READERS
TALK
BACK
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Ray:
I just surfed in to
your site and was really taken with your
views on "tradition". I am a banjo
player who likes all banjo music,
traditional and not so. I love to play
but must admit I am not a "play it like
Earl" picker. Even he, was a renegade of
sorts to the 5 string pickers before
him. He is so freekin' good that to try
to imitate him I believe does him an
injustice of some sort. Yet I believe
most staunch traditionalists think he
and Lester were the epitome of
traditional bluegrass. I don't think
from reading your editorial that your
view of traditionalism is that narrow?
Is it? I ask only because I just hate it
when I hear someone say "pick it like
Earl".
I love good bluegrass
music but I also have to admit that it's
hard for me to listen to players of
lesser ability for any length of time.
(The operative here is "listen".)
Bluegrass to me is lively and full of
inspiration, heartache and everything
else life brings with it. Its simplicity
is hard for some musicians to capture
and still maintain that something that
comes through as listenable. Does that
make sense to you? I think you are right
on about keeping with tradition and I
aspire to do just that. It's just that I
don't feel I have the talent to make
the traditional sound traditional. I am
a good player and I know it but I don't
want you to think I'm being self
aggrandizing with this self assessment.
It's just that I think playing
traditional bluegrass is beyond my
ability and therefore I choose to play
what I have been told by my audiences is
good to listen to.
So, how can I help to
promote traditional bluegrass music? I
buy what traditional music I can afford
and play some traditional songs during
my shows but freely admit that I make
more money and gain more audience by
playing more progressive genres. I
recently was jamming with Frank
Wakefield and we were discussing this
very subject. He wasn't quite so
staunchly opposed to the new wave
bluegrassers of today as were some of
his band mates. They too didn't care
much for bands like Nickle Creek yet
they admired the Del McCoury band.
You even mention Del and Rhonda as to be
aspirations for up and comers. Have you
ever tried to play along to their
recordings? They are progressive to the
nth. That's why they are where they
are at the top of the bluegrass feeding
chain. To me Nickle Creek and their ilk
have taken traditional bluegrass
instrumentation to the masses especially
the younger generation. That being said,
I think it is because of folks like them
that I'm seeing younger faces in
my audiences. (or maybe it's just me
that's getting older at 54) At any
rate, I think you and I are in agreement
that the newbies are contributing to
bluegrass music by bringing a new
generation into the fold. Hopefully, I
hope that more and more people take
up playing bluegrass music and
the traditional is a good starting
point. It's as you said, it's very
approachable to the beginning player but
oh so hard to master. Maybe it's as I've
heard said about playing the blues, "if
you haven't lived it, you can't play the
blues". Traditional bluegrass is a genre
that a musician must live to be played
with any sense of tradition. I don't
know how to do that. Can you help me?
Thanks for taking the
time to read this. I think you have put
forth some great thoughts but I'm not
fully understanding of how best to keep
it traditional.
Dave in Cleveland
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Ray, Sharon and the Bluegrass Community
I would like to start off by saying you have
produced an excellent web page! I enjoy spending my free time
browsing through all of the helpfull information you have
available. I am 25 years old, in the military and I am currently
learning to play the banjo......I LOVE IT TO DEATH....... The only
complaint I have is there is alot of negative talk about the younger
people interested in bluegrass. How can the traditional bluegrass
community keep these young kids focused and teach them the roots if
we are constantly critising other music they might listen too. As I
am writing this I am listening to Flat & Scrugs 1942-52 album but by
tomorrow morning on my way to work I might be listening "Rock or
Crap" I mean rap. These younger folks should not be judged in how
society has evolved the youth as we know it today. We come from the
land of the free that gives us the right to have all varietys of
music to listen to and enjoy. Some have chosen other variations not
knowing what else there is to offer. Fortunatly I have an excellent
banjo instructor who is teaching how to play the roots way and not
this new grass millenium influenced music. Now dont get me wrong
"to each his own"........ I have an ear for all varieties of music
probly because of my upbringing but that does not make me any less
worthy to indulge in the beautiful sweet music of bluegrass. I can
still listen, play and respect bluegrass while listening to other
variations of music on the side. I hope nobody takes offense to
this suggestion but just embrace the youger generation opening their
eyes to bluegrass. Bluegrass means more than music to me it is
about respect, god, tradition and good ole' sweet country music.
Lets show them what its all about! Educate them and they will come,
critise them and they will run away!!!! Lets keep this tradition
going! God Bless!
Brandon "Plucky" Herrington
Oklahoma City, OK
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Hey it would be great if everyone would join The Del Mccoury Band
Message board or bulletin board. Things havnt been to hype on it
lately. Well come on over to the site at
www.delmccouryband.com!
I will keep everyone posted on Del Mccoury news on the site.
Mike
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Hey I
would like
to introduce
myself to
all the
bluegrass
road users.
My name is
Mike and I
live in
Mathews
County VA in
the beatiful
country. I
am in a
gospel
bluegrass
band and I
play the
mandolin. I
am a huge
bluegrass
fan and will
always be. I
love music
and I always
have.
By the way
good article
Ray I
enjoyed
reading it.
Yes I have
asked some
of those
questions
before!
Anyway glad
to be here
and What a
great site!
Mike
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Hello; I haven't stayed up long enough
lately to catch either one of you guys in the chat room, but I
wanted to tell Sharon that I found the "Green Tomato Pie" recipe on
the website. I tried it and it was a big hit!! My Dad said that it
reminded him of a mild raisin pie.
We enjoyed the show up at the
Sally Mountain Park. We didn't stick around after, though because I
had a sunburn that was bothering me, and we had a bit of a drive
back......
Take Care; Patsy
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Hey
Ray,
Barry
C.
here.
Just
read
your
fine
article
on
Bluegrass
Road
(Mission
Statement).
I
could
smell
the
wind
changing
with
O'
Brother
Where
Art
Thou.
It
started
smelling
like
money
and
Nashville
got
a
whiff
it
seems.
I've
always
wanted
bluegrass
to
get
more
notoriety
but
like
you,
not
at
the
expense
of
tradition.
Now
that
IBMA
is
moving
to
Nashville
(suit
country)
I
guess
we
will
see
where
the
loyalty
lies.
I
also
agree
about
the
young
people.
They
are
coming
out
of
their
rock
and
crap,
ooops,
I
mean
rap
and
have
no
inkling
of
the
tradition
of
bluegrass.
I
have
an
11
year
old
nephew
who
is
taking
an
interest
in
banjo
and
I'm
thankful
for
that.
But
he
is
also
a
fan
of
rap.
I
will
teach
him
all
I
can
in
the
history
and
tradition
of
bluegrass
music.
I've
been
pickin
for
thirty
years
and
was
raised
on
it.
I
will
do
all
I
can
on
my
end
to
keep
the
tradition
alive
but
I
have
no
monetary
way
of
doing
that.
Word
of
mouth
is
all
I
can
do.
Well,
I've
rambled
enough.
I
really
like
this
site
by
the
way.
Keep
up
the
good
work.
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EDITORIAL COMMENT: Ray,
You hit the nail on the head, Been bluegrassin ever week since last
winter,
Go to a festival, maybe you will see one or two band's that is doing it
right. I am not saying these are not great pickers, they are. but they
have
to play there own music, or what they have wrote themselves. There
are not
many Larry Cordel's out there. I understand, they make their
living on
cd's, but all the cd's I have ever bought only had one or two good
tracts,
and the rest were fillers. Another thing, this clowning around has gone
to
extreme, we have a fine band here in southern Ohio, I will even name the
city (********,******).There acts have gotten out of control. As Ray
Davis says,
"It's Plum Pitiful". Just had to get this off my chest, By the way will
be
seeing this band in question next week, they are a fine group of
musicians.
I hope they play "Uncle Penn" Thanks.
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Hi Ray
I
see you continue to add good features to your website. And you continue
your focus on Bluegrass music and Bluegrass only.
Does that mean that you or I only like Bluegrass to the exclusion of all
other music? I think that the answer is "Of course, not!"
I like most of the acoustic string band styles that have arisen in our
country during the last two or three centuries. I regularly play with
a group of "Old Time" country musicians who play the fiddle tunes that
were popular in the Ohio Valley and Appalachians during the late 19th
and early 20th centuries. That music is Bluegrass music's crusty old
grandfather. Other regional styles of string music are to be found in
our country. Like the New England and Maritime Province styles of
fiddle music that were around in Maine when my Mother was a girl there.
Or Western music, both traditional Cowboy music and Western Swing.
I also like the string band Jazz of the sort played by Eddie Lang and
Joe Venuti, Eddie South or Stuff Smith (and their french cousins "The
Hot Club of Paris"). There's 19th century Minstrel banjo which was the
original popular banjo music. Plus Celtic string band music which is
the other ancient ancestor of all string band music played today.
But should the Bluegrass Road site cover these styles also? I don't
think so. I think you should focus on just the Bluegrass style, and let
someone else do an "Old Time" or "Western" or "Celtic" website. But do
include links to those sites if you come across good ones!
Joe Richman
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Hey Ray,
This is Jimmy
Campbell. How
are you guys?
Hope all is
well. Anyway, I
really enjoy
your new
website. It has
awesome links
and is full of
information.
Good Job Ray. I
didn't know you
had it in ya.
Ha. Ha.
I checked out
Bass St. awhile
back and found a
Peavey 520
with very little
use on E-bay for
$125.00 Then I
made the holder
at work.
(Luckily I have
access to a
welder.) I got a
chance to try it
out Friday night
when I filled in
on mandolin with
the Loose Gravel
Boys. I let
their bass
player try it
and it sounded
awesome. The
clarity of all
the bass notes
were very clear
and responsive.
I couldn't
believe how well
it sounded.
You're a
genius!
Thanks,
Jimmy Campbell
Edwardsville,
Ks.
---
Southern Reign
Band
Ray -
I've been called
lots of things,
genius was never
one of em....
hehehe
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Bull
Just finished
reading your
editorial and we
both say hooray !!!!
Yer doing a good job
of standing up but
wonder if it will
count ?? Sure wish I
was as eloquent as
you to express my
opinion. The most I
can say is that they
can NEVER kill
original Bluegrass.
It's part of our
heritage. Like most
old fogies I don't
think this new
fangled stuff will
work and it
certainly won't
sound like what I
grew up with. Keep
up the great work!!
Rick & LaDonna
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Did you hear who
won the SPBGMA bluegrass band competition this year? It was a band
called King Wilkie and they are signed with REBEL records. If I were
in the competition I’d be a little upset about that. It’s pretty
ridiculous when they let professionals enter and win the contest. When
our band went, we were in with 5 or 6 bands that were professionals and
a couple were signed with Hay Holler and Pinecastle. I took my wife
and daughter, but they required us to be present all the time, so we
didn’t get to do any site seeing. We never made the third cut, took the
top 10 band and we were 11th.
BM
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Yea Ray!!
I agree.
I'm in a
jam with some others, (they pick a lot better than I
do), BUT, they'll throw in a cowboy or a folkish
tune or two, and it drives me nuts.
If I wanted
to play country, or folk, I'd search it out and pick
with those kind of players....but I don't. I got
to have my BLUEGRASS...Flat- out bluegrass. Nothin
else.
Good job on
the article.
jm
Sincerely,
John Melito
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Ray & Sharon...
What a great website. I have enjoyed it
tremendously. We have not seen you since the
showcase at Springdale. As you recall, we are a new
band and the showcase was our first performance for
the public. We did quite well. As a result we have
the following bookings:
Feb. 28 at Spring in
Joplin, MO....
March 13 Arcola Christian Church,
Arcola, MO.....
a guest shot May 15 at
Ponderosa Bluegrass, Lynchburg,Mo....
July
8,9 10
Adona , Ark.......
Sept 30,
Oct 1, Clinton, MO.
The band consists
of: Billy Barber - banjo, lead & tenor....Jason
Jordan - mandolin, lead & harmony.....Chad Graves -
dobro, lead & harmony.....Cliff Newsom - guitar,
lead...Pam Newsom - bass, lead & harmony.....I have
enclosed a picture of the band.
I enjoyed your
article about the bass mic's. That has been a true
concern of mine....you tune and tune and then
BOOM....your out. I never did like that 'roll the
mic in foam' technique.
Keep up the good
work..........I'll keep reading...
......................Pam Newsom
"Just In Tyme" Bluegrass
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Hi, Ray and
Sharon,
Just checking
out your web site. Congratulations! I like the idea of thinking of
it as a bluegrass "magazine". Haven't hit all the parts of it
yet, but so far, I have checked out the recipes (can we submit some
to you?) and the "links" and am looking forward to information that
you will be giving in the computer tips section. And the humor part
about a clean house more likely to happen when the computer is
broken is so TRUE! I will be checking back to see what's new. And
"thanks" for having our Festival listed.
Neva
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Hi Ray. I dug your editorial on your webpage about bluegrass. You
are exactly right. The progressives, while they have every right to
play whatever they want, are taking "bluegrass" to some strange
places. Actually they are leaving it behind. I get frustrated because I
listen to the TV station I have on my satellite that is supposed to be
bluegrass and it's half banjoless. I'm a banjo picker and I'm shameless
about it. But let me tell you what, If you listen to it and it's
medium or up tempo and it hasn't got a banjo in it, it's just not
bluegrass! Period. End of argument. That's how it is. Also, if you
listen to it and four or five songs go by that have non traditional
instrumentation it ain't bluegrass. That's fine, if you don't want to
play bluegrass play something else, but don't call it bluegrass and
don't clutter the airwaves with it. It's bait and switch. I get so
angry about it. Folks come up to me and they tell me they like
bluegrass, you know like the ***** ********* I tell 'em that
that ain't bluegrass any more than it's polka and they just look at me
like I'm nuts. I play bluegrass and so does our band. We know what it
is. You don't have to play the same old tunes over and over to be a
traditional band. You can even play brand new music as long as it's of
the right form. Sorry for the rant but that's how I feel. Hope to
see you soon. RM of Missouri
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Ray:
I will try to keep you up to date on any new things going on with
the Village Singers.
BTW really liked the site.
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Sharon,
Just checking out your new website and it is excellent. Very
attractive, informative and easy to use.
Have a great New Year,
Wayne Bledsoe - Bluegrass Now Magazine
www.bluegrassnow.com
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Murray Pritchard, Ontario, Canada |
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