Vol. 34 No. 4 INSIDE THIS ISSUE! Oct Nov Dec Practice Tips by Ken Chapple, a Tale of Two Fiddle Contests, 2014 Nikki Bears!, and More.... $5.00 Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org Bluegrass Express The Clevengers Calm and Creativity in Salem, Oregon by Claire Levine If you’ve ever been to a jam in the The German seeds of a bluegrass love on an Army base in Germany. Every Mid-Willamette Valley, you’ve probably chance they got, she said, “We’d play met the Clevengers. Whether it’s a hot Nikki grew up listening to her mom and pick.” (Nikki was playing guitar at session with accomplished bluegrass play the piano and her dad play any the time.) musicians or a slow beginners’ jam, kind of wind instrument and always, al- Nikki and Clyde show up to sing, play ways singing. Although one of her first Nikki eventually left Germany for and encourage. albums was Flatt & Scruggs’ Bonnie Idaho to be near her mother, who had & Clyde sound track ($3!), bluegrass relocated from the Midwest. It was But labeling them musicians who love wasn’t a big part of the family’s eclectic there, she said, “I was in Kmart and bluegrass hardly begins to describe the music tastes. I saw a guy wearing an Apple Valley Clevengers – their cre- Bluegrass Festival ativity and craftsman- jacket. We chatted ship; their far-reaching about it.” interests; their dedica- tion to their amazing And that was that. extended family; and She went to the their giant hearts. festival, “and I picked my brains With Clyde several out. I was helpless years into retirement from then on, to- and Nikki starting her tally addicted and first school-less au- jam hungry.” tumn (both Clevengers worked for the Salem- By the early 1990s, Keizer School District), she owned her they have more free first bass and was time to follow their playing in bands: many interests. Fortu- first Rare Moun- nately for the bluegrass tain Aire, then community, that means Windfall. more festivals and more Eventually, she opportunities to meet joined the Barley Nikki and Clyde. Brothers, which If you haven’t connected with them yet, The bluegrass bug didn’t hit until Nikki later became Prairie Flyer. consider this your introduction. met a banjo player when she was living Continued on Page 7

Table of Contents Oct / Nov / Dec 2014 Volume 34 / Number 4 Newsletter of the Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org

This Issue Features Cover Story Vol. 34 No. 4

The Clevengers ...... 1 Oregon Bluegrass Association by Claire Levine www.oregonbluegrass.org Features Bluegrass Express Southern Oregon Report ...... 10 Bluegrass Express is a quarterly newsletter by Joe Ross dedicated to informing members of the Oregon 10 Ways to Take Your Practice to the Bluegrass Association about local, regional Next Level ...... 14 and national bluegrass issues, events and Nikki Clevenger keeps on driving by Ken Chapple bluegrass. opportunities. Minding Our Ps and Qs ...... 16 by Claire Levine Bluegrass Express Staff

A Tale of Two Fiddle Contests ...... 18 EDITOR by Jonathan Trawrick Christine Weinmeister Review [email protected] Guitar Strings-Trouble and Pain ... 24 [email protected] by John McCoy COPY EDITOR Columns & Commentary Nancy Christie President’s Message...... 5 [email protected] The Theory of Bluegrass...... 20 Joe Grez competes in the instrument by Matt Snook contest at Stevenson GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT Sound Advice ...... 23 John Prunty by Mark Gensman [email protected] [email protected] Calendars, Lists & Info OBA Membership and Ad ADVERTISING Information ...... 4 Pat Connell What’s Playing on the Radio...... 5 [email protected] Scheduled Jams...... 27 (971) 207-5933 OBA Supporting Performer WEBMASTER & WEB CONTENT Directory...... 29 Tony McCormick Photos from the OBA Picker’s Fest at John Hart Zigzag Mountain Farm [email protected]

JAMS & ONLINE CALENDAR Jim Miernyk Clayton Knight [email protected]

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 3 OBA Membership & Ad Information The OBA Board Membership Information Website The OBA Board of Directors invites you Features include an interactive calendar that www.oregonbluegrass.org to join the OBA and to participate in its allows you to post your own events, excerpts many activities. Our membership benefits from past issues of the Bluegrass Express, and Officers of the Board include a subscription to the quarterly links for local bands. Come visit us online! Bluegrass Express, frequent mailings Visit the OBA web page today! about events, and ticket discounts to www.oregonbluegrass.org Chris Palmer - President

Northwest bluegrass events. Annual [email protected] Article and Editorial Submissions membership dues are $25 for a General The OBA Board invites you to submit letters, Member, $50 for Supporting Performers, stories, photos and articles to The Bluegrass Tony McCormick- Vice President and $125 for Contributing Business Express. Published files remain in our archives [email protected] Sponsors, as well as other options. To and art is returned upon request. join, complete the application on the back Ron Preston - Secretary cover and mail with your check to: Please send submissions to: John Prunty [email protected] Oregon Bluegrass Association [email protected] P.O. Box 1115 Christine Weinmeister Portland, OR 97207 [email protected] John McCoy - Treasurer [email protected]

Liz Crain - OBA Roseburg Chapter President [email protected]

John Hart - Webmaster [email protected]

Chuck Palmer - Membership [email protected]

Michelle Traver - Development [email protected]

Linda Leavitt Volunteer Coordinator [email protected]

Christine Weinmeister John Prunty - OBA Express [email protected]

Pat Connell - Ad Sales [email protected]

The OBA holds board elections each April as individual terms expire. The Board of Directors invites you to join our monthly meetings. We welcome your visit and ideas, opinions and proposals. Or, just come to see what we’re doing! We generally meet the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The location is subject to change. Call us or email any board member for time, location and directions. President’s Message What’s Playing on the Radio? Local Radio Bluegrass and Country Listings Hello Oregon Bluegrassers! Albany/Corvallis - KBOO I hope this finds you stuffed with music after a summer full of jams, festivals, concerts and Broadcast from Portland, can be heard at picking parties. 100.7 FM. See under Portland, below The 7th Annual OBA Picker’s Fest (September 12-14) turned out to be a huge success in its new location at the Zigzag Mountain Farm. With perfect sunny and warm weather, just Astoria - KMUN 91.9 FM over 75 people came out, brought their kids and spent a delightful weekend playing, attend- Some syndicated programming ing workshops, soaking 503-325-0010 in the hot tub and enjoy- “Cafe Vaquera” ing an open mic with Tuesdays 9-11pm, Bluegrass/Old Timey Fred Coates presiding. Western/Folk with Calamity Jane An unanticipated bonus [email protected] was meeting some new people. In addition to the “Shady Grove” Saturdays 7-9pm regular Portland crowd, we welcomed people Regular folk program from all over Oregon Monday thru Friday 10am - noon as well as a couple who with bluegrass included came from Alberta, Canada. Speaking as an Columbia Gorge - KBOO intermediate player, I felt broadcast from Portland. Can be heard at completely comfortable 92.7 FM. See under Portland below wandering around and playing in several dif- Corvallis - KOAC 550 AM ferent jams. I also loved hanging out, listening Syndicated public radio with some to the ‘monster pickers’ play. The meals that the farm offered were delicious, affordable and bluegrass included in regular healthy. They served 60 dinners on Saturday night. Pending the final decision at the next programming board meeting, my guess is that we’ll be back at the farm next year on Sept. 11-13. Watch 541-737-4311 the website for details. So now that Tygh Valley is over, it’s time to put the camping gear away and look forward to a winter that is chock full of bluegrass. The Eastside concert series Eugene - KLCC 89.7 FM is back after its summer hiatus. The Eastside ad in this issue has the lineup for the next Local broadcast 541-726-2224 few months. Taborgrass is also back from taking the summer off. In case you aren’t aware, Mixed format “Saturday Cafe” Taborgrass is a weekly group class and jam session geared toward the beginning and inter- Saturdays 11am - noon mediate players of all bluegrass instruments. For more information, visit the Taborgrass “The Backporch” website at taborgrass.com. 9 - 10pm Saturdays There is literally a jam on almost every day of the week throughout the state, ranging from the Roseburg jam on the third Sunday of the month to the Off-Key Easy Jam every Sunday Eugene - KRVM 91.9 FM at Biddy McGraw’s. The Oregon Bluegrass Association’s website lists them all and so does “Routes & Branches” 3 - 5pm Saturdays this issue of the Express. “Acoustic Junction” 5 - 7pm Saturdays “Miles of Bluegrass” 7 - 9pm Mondays If you want to see national bands: On October 12, Del McCoury and David Grisman are www.krvm.org 541-687-3370 playing at the Aladdin Theater, followed by Hot Rize on December 11. In between are some not quite bluegrass artists, such as Red Molly and the Old Crow Medicine Show. The Alberta Rose Theater is another venue that hosts lots of bluegrass. And it’s not too early to Pendleton - KWHT 104.5 FM think about your Wintergrass tickets. The dates in 2015 are February 26 through March 1. “Bushels of Bluegrass” 9 - 11pm Sundays contact Phil Hodgen 541-276-2476 There are also many taverns that offer a regular rotation of good bluegrass. The Laurelthirst offers The Sam Yale Band or Jackstraw most Tuesdays during happy hour. The Muddy -Rud Portland - KBOO 90.7 FM der has The Sleepy Eyed Johns and Slipshod every month. There are more. “Music from the True Vine” So even though we’re not listening or playing out under the trees, the bluegrass community 9am - noon Saturdays still finds ways to get together to play or listen. A click of a mouse on the OBA website will guide your journey during the rainy days of winter. It’s been an awesome summer and my Santiam Canyon - KYAC 94.9 FM first as president. I’ve never had so much fun and I look forward to the next 18 months. “Ken ‘til 10” 6-10am M-F Additional Bluegrass Programming OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 Streaming and Schedule: www.kyacfm.org 5 OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 6 The Clevengers-Calm and Creativity in Salem, Oregon by Claire Levine

The Clyde side Occasionally, Clyde and his buddies would sit in with a country band, which Nikki’s tips for beginning While Nikki was growing up in Minne- invited Clyde to join them as a singer bass players sota, Clyde was making his mark on the and guitar player. The Tune Twisters Southwest. (They were both military – all GIs based in England – were so 1. Listen to CDs and learn to play brats.) He grew up in Texas and Ari- popular they were booked out for four along with them. It will fine tune zona. Singing was a part of his life from years. “The British loved that music.” your ability to hear key changes, such an early age that he says, “I think I was singing when I arrived.” After a period as a photographer in timing, chords and song titles. Viet Nam, Clyde found his way to the 2. Move a body part while you’re At age 11, he was the principal soprano Pacific Northwest. It was in Seattle’s playing. It helps keep your timing in the church choir. “I could sing higher Inside Passage Bar, as well as monthly and louder than any woman in the jams in Darrington, that he met many sharp. choir. of the bluegrass musicians who keep 3. Keep your notes clean and the bluegrass faith to this day. “But at 11 and a half, I couldn’t any- simple. Don’t let them ring too more.” Voice changes happen. During that period, he also started long or it’ll sound muddy. A nice, playing with an Irish band that played steady rocking beat with an oc- Once things stabilized, he joined a the same bar on St. Patrick’s Day for casional passing note is not only high school ensemble that eventually more than 30 years. (Ask Clyde about pleasant to listen to, but it lets was tapped to sing background music that some time.) You can also ask him the lead players dance around in one of the “spaghetti westerns” that about the band that kicked him out it. Remember that you’re not a were popular in the 1960s. With the “because I was easier to replace than the lead player unless you’re taking a tragic death of the high school choir di- banjo player.” rector, the young men lost track of the break. movie’s production – and their expecta- Two irresistible forces 4. Tune your bass. tions of Hollywood careers. At Stevenson in 2000, Nikki remembers 5. Learn where all the notes are Clyde’s first guitar cost $9 – the top walking into a room where Clyde was promptly peeled off, and Clyde played on your bass and practice your singing, “Swinging Doors, a Jukebox scales in every key, every day. it duct-taped together for years. He and a Barstool” while walking his bass. later fell in love with a 12-string (“I walked into the store, and it looked to me like this thing had a halo around it.”)

“I bought it because it was the same as the guitar the Stone Poneys (Linda Ronstadt’s first successful band) were playing. I don’t recom- mend anybody buy a 12-string for their first real guitar.”

When he joined the service, Clyde, too, met up with a banjo player. He bought an Ovation and started learning tunes like The Ballad of Jed Clampett.

“I remember I thought I was so good, and I think back on how bad I was. I was just wailing on that thing. I thought that’s what I was supposed to do. But at this point, I’d never heard bluegrass.” OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 7 The Clevengers-Calm and Creativity in Salem, Oregon by Claire Levine

senior centers in the Salem area. They also perform in Old Circle with Dennis Berck and Chuck Holloway.

One of the biggest changes in Nikki and Clyde’s lives recently is grandchil- dren -- a whole passel of ‘em: 7 and one half in all (number 8 is on the way). And at almost every festival you’ll hear some combination of Clyde, Nikki, Clyde’s offspring or some of the grand- kids jamming or performing.

Bluegrass rules, and bluegrass regula- tions

Nikki and Clyde are two of the best bluegrass mentors around (see Nikki’s tips for bass players). For many years, “I thought, ‘Wow!’ He was so full of “a lot of fun stuff” at festivals across the intense energy.”’ Northwest, including shirts, string- winders, mandolin straps and jewelry Short course in Nikki’s sweetheart, Ru, who was an old -- some handmade or designed by them, bluegrass mandolin friend of Clyde’s, had recently passed some bought from others. away after fighting cancer for a long Blue River was a popular time. Clyde’s marriage had broken up “It was fun -- but it was also awful, be- traditional band based in Eugene around the same time. cause we’d spend 12 hours staffing the during the late 1990s. John booth, and at the end of it we would be Morreau played guitar and sang “So we started communicating and so tired we’d just want to go to bed. So most leads, backed by Chuck commiserating. And then we started we weren’t playing any music,” Clyde Holloway on banjo and Luanne flirting.” said. Fugal on bass. Their mandolin Nikki, who was still living in Idaho, player was planning to move, and And was it worth it? Well, Nikki said, they asked Clyde if he would remembers Clyde saying, “Come to “Bluegrass people are really cheap.” Hood River. Sawtooth Mountain Boys consider stepping in. are playing. It’s half way between us.” Since retirement, they both have more Clyde had only played lead mando- (“Hah!”) time to build on old skills or learn new lin on Irish fiddle tunes up to that ones. Nikki is a talented painter and time, and he knew that wouldn’t “And I did, and it was fun. And we’ve cartoonist, as well as an inspiration for cut it with his Bluegrass Police been having fun ever since.” others who are trying out their art. band members. A while later, Clyde said, “Come to Clyde came late to woodworking, but “So I bought a good mandolin from Salem and be a school bus driver.” he has excelled. His first project was a Ken Cartwright and got two boxed cradle for Hannah, his first grandchild. “And I did.” Nikki said. That was followed by a wagon and a sets of Bill Monroe CDs. Then I locked myself in my room for two More than music rocking chair . . . before he started in on instruments. So far, he’s made four months, and by the end of it, I was mandolins, and one guitar. Next up: a good enough for them to accept Music brought these two together, but m e .” they are both creative, skilled and artis- guitar for Nikki and a clawhammer banjo. Eventually, he’ll make Hannah a tic in many other ways. These days, Clyde’s great Monroe- full-sized fiddle. style chops and his unorthodox The community first got a glimpse of teaching style have put him in this when they ran the Bluegrass Bou- And they still play music every chance great demand for mandolin work- tique. During four summers, they sold they get -- including twice monthly at shops at regional festivals.

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 8 The Clevengers-Calm and Creativity in Salem, Oregon by Claire Levine

Ken Cartwright would host jams at his music stores or at other local The Bluegrass Box: venues, and the Clevengers would How to play the mandolin in any key without using your brain. make a point of showing up to keep the beat and keep the faith. By Clyde Clevenger

Clyde believes that unless a jam is Back in 1997 I needed to learn to play mandolin. Oh, I knew a few fiddle tunes and some of the chords but had never taken a break in a bluegrass song, had hands like clubs, Vi- made up solely of people who have enna sausage fingers and no hand speed--none. Maybe the biggest road block was my long been playing a long time, it’s help- history of never practicing. But Blue River needed a mandolin player in 4 months, Steve ful for someone to take a leader- Davis was moving to Seattle, and I was determined to get the job. So I went to the Reed ship role. In a bluegrass jam, he Opera House in Salem to visit my dad, Ken Cartwright, bought a Gibson F5-L mandolin feels, it doesn’t have to be straight and two Bill Monroe box sets. ahead Flatt & Scruggs, “but Kum- baya is not bluegrass.” It’s good to First thing I noticed was that I couldn’t even play rhythm that fast. My hopes were dim- have somebody who is willing and ming. I listened to all eight CDs several times with my mandolin in my hands, tried to able to set some boundaries and “chop” along and within a few days I could play along with most of the songs, chords only. give some direction. He has taken Listening to Bill’s breaks, I noticed that he used a lot of double stops. Aha! That’s the secret. on that role in many jams. I started making fingerboard charts, hundreds of them and found all the double stops in B, B-flat, E, E-flat, every key. Then it dawned on me: the only thing worse than my hand Their tips for newcomers? speed was my memory.

• Don’t be thin-skinned when But I kept at it, studied the charts and slowly it dawned on me that there were patterns. an experienced jammer gives Patterns! Maybe that’s the secret. (Clyde isn’t so confident now.) More circles, arrows and you suggestions. red lines on my charts and there was a pattern. Back to Bill and the CDs. I noticed that • Bill just sort of followed the melody, implied a lot of the notes, and used lots of double Don’t be afraid to get your stops. Using these patterns and some double stops, I found I could take a rudimentary instrument out, even if you break on some of the songs on the CDs. A few more times through the CDs and I ad- don’t feel up to playing. Watch vanced to what I still call today a “bulldog break.” Follow the melody, acknowledge the what’s going on -- and see chord changes, use as many double stops as I can, and sprinkle with “Monroe-isms.” what you can emulate. You’ll always learn something. I got the name for my pattern from an old fiddle VCR--the name escapes me. What he • Speed isn’t everything. called the Bluegrass Box was similar to mine but not quite the same. Anyhow and anyway, • And always try to find a jam I got the job with Blue River. I will never be as good a mandolin player as Steve Davis, but with my rapier wit, stellar good looks and voice like Elvis, I get by. I may not be good, but with people about the same I’m confident. level -- or perhaps just a little better -- than you. That way, I don’t recommend my method to everyone. If you have the time, money and memory, you’ll keep playing, you’ll gain hire a good teacher, listen to a lot of different mandolin players and practice, practice, confidence and you’ll learn. practice. When I started, I had a full time job, and a family, plus I coached football, wrestling and baseball, leaving me little time to learn and no time to practice. I needed a method that was easy (no brain needed) and required little or no practice. This is it.

I need more time and space to explain The Bluegrass Box than we have here. I am avail- able to do workshops at festivals and other events next year.

The Bluegrass Box and Mandolin Double Stops. If you are a hacker, like me, I bet I can teach you to hack better. I’ve done a video on the Bluegrass Box that is on my YouTube Channel, “Mandoholic,” and will soon have the Mandolin Double Stops video done.

My goal for these workshops is not to impress you but to give you something that you can take home and use.

Contact me at: [email protected] if you would like to schedule one of my work- shops for your festival or other event. Nikki Clevenger

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 9 Southern Oregon Report By Joe Ross

Fall Bluegrass Flourishes in folk, bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, country, blues, Celtic) will perform. Info: Southern Oregon! and swing -- eclectic interests once eightdollarmountain.net described as “a mouthful, but boy is it fun!” Back Porch Soiree started as Umpqua Valley Bluegrass Band is andolinist Brian Oberlin with The M a group of friends who attended jams working on a special mountain-style Booher Brothers (Chris & Ben) will together. Asked to perform at a private Christmas show for the Douglas play western swing music on mandolin, party, they were “discovered.” The County Fairgrounds in Roseburg on fiddle, guitar and bass at the Sutherlin group then got serious about the music Dec 5-6. They’ll also appear at the Fes- Grange Hall on Oct 10. Produced by without losing the fun and friendship tival of Trees at Seven Feathers Hotel & Joe Ross, the event will celebrate 50 maintained by this leaderless group. Casino in Canyonville on Dec 5. The years of fiddling fun since formation of Founded in 2011, members are Sandy festival has raised more than $1 mil- the Oregon Old-Time Fiddlers Asso- Wallrich (fiddle), Brian Lightheart lion to date for the HealthCare Fund ciation in 1964. Info: rossjoe@hotmail. (guitar), John Gent (mandolin) and for Children. Info: rossjoe@hotmail. com Mila Butler (bass). Everyone sings com too. At Eagleview, 16-year-old Mila Upcoming concerts, presented by Long Mountain Revival’s long-time really impressed everyone with her Gaia Project, include The Greencards fiddler Jerry Truppa has moved away, bass breaks and singing. Her mom also (Oct 18, Ashland; Oct 19, Bend), Steel leaving a big gap in that group. Dan demonstrated some flatfoot dancing. Wheels & Caleb Klauder (Nov 21, Dosier (Off The Wall Music) has been You too can “discover” the band on Ashland), Carlene Carter (Nov 8, Ash- filling in while the group searches for Facebook and You Tube. land), Shook Twins (Feb 28, Ashland). a replacement fiddler. LMR is booking Info: gaiaconcerts.com Band News next year’s schedule, including Eag- leview in Sutherlin (which the group Also in Ashland, Ariella St. Clair has a On Oct 5, Art along the Rogue had a great time playing this year), a lineup of 15 shows and workshops for features over 50 artists creating huge Gospel music festival in Salem, and the her 19th annual season (Sept – April) pastel chalk drawings on H Street Wounded Warriors Project in Brook- of eclectic concerts. Of special note to in downtown Grants Pass. Eight ings, a small bluegrass festival benefit bluegrassers is the Oct 17 appearance Dollar Mountain and others (rock, for veterans. of Dan Crary and Beppe Gambetta. Down the road, mark your calendars for John McEuen on March 13, Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick on March 28. For the full series schedule, see stclairevents.com

Leftover Salmon will appear at Apple- gate Lodge on Oct 7-8, and Hot But- tered Rum will be there on Dec 3. Info: liveatthegate.com

Under new lease, Ashland Armory is expanding live shows at affordable pricing. Info: liveatthearmory.com

Band Feature

From Eugene, Back Porch Soiree kicked off the bluegrass at this year’s Eagleview Music Family Reunion along the Umpqua River on Labor Day weekend. Their style encompasses Back Porch Soiree at the Eagleview Music Family Reunion (John Gent, Sandy Wallrich, Mila Butler, Brian Lightheart)

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 10 Southern Oregon Report By Joe Ross

Jon Clement (Long Mountain Revival’s a showcase for Oregon bluegrass, old- Second Sunday - 8:30 AM breakfast, mandolinist) has begun work on a new time fiddling, and Americana groups. 11 AM-1 PM jam in Williams at the album, due out in mid-2015, titled Mark your calendars for August 28-30, grange hall. Info: steveradcliffe@peak. “Look Up, My Brother” with bluegrass 2015 (the weekend before Labor Day org 541-479-3487 gospel, a touch of swing, some Celtic weekend). The moon will be bright, sounds, and several instrumentals. glowing and full. Bands should contact Third Friday – 6 PM - Gospel jam, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Eagle Point. The majority of the music will be by Joe Ross before March 1 to get sched- Info: [email protected] Long Mountain Revival, and the proj- uled. Info: [email protected] 541- 541-538-8482 or 541-826-4334 ect will also feature country vocalist 673-9759 Mike Boren and Christian recording Jams (always call ahead to con- Third Sunday (year-round) – 1-5 PM artist Kate White. firm) - OBA Roseburg Chapter, Evergreen Grange Hall, Roseburg. Info: 541-679- Classes and Workshops First Friday – 6 PM - Gospel jam, 0553 Creekside Strings kids’ fiddle program Redwood Grange, Grants Pass. Info: 541-292-6907 Fourth Thursday -6-9 PM - Wild River is set to bring students to the Winter- Pub, Grants Pass. A mix of bluegrass, grass 2015 Youth Academy. This past Sunday after the first Friday – 1-4 PM folk, and Americana, with some good summer, Creekside Strings hosted - Mia and Pia’s Pizzaria, Klamath Falls, pizza too. Info: 541-471-7487 three fiddle camps in Ashland. Info: Info: 541-281-5994 or 541-783-3478 creeksidestrings.org [email protected] or benfcoker@ Radio gmail.com Festivals Mondays from 7 – 9:30 p.m., “Blue- Second Saturday - Tom’s Guitars in grass Tendencies” w/ Georgia Lee fea- Eagleview Music Family Reunion (near Medford. Info: 541-772-1994 tures diverse tunes from the country- Sutherlin) was a resounding success, side with a tendency towards bluegrass. and dates have been set for 2015 at this Second Tuesday - Caldera Tap House Info: freewillradio.org kimmericle@ beautiful group campground along in Ashland. A lively, challenging and oigp.net the Umpqua River that offers great fast-paced jam hosted by Siskiyou fishing, swimming, hiking and nature Summit. Info: 541-482-8984 study. The emphasis will continue as [email protected] Correction: In the Summer 2014 issue of the Bluegrass Express, we incorrectly captioned a photo on page 10 as being Cor- ral Creek. The band whose photo was published was actually the Umpqua Valley Bluegrass Band from Doug- las County, OR. Corral Creek Bluegrass Band is from Newburg, OR. Members of Corral Creek include Carl Dornfeld, Ron Taylor, Pam Young, Ed Fegles, Grady McKenzie and Tracy Hankins. Our sincere apologies to both bands. The OBA Bluegrass Express

Corral Creek Long Mountain Revival at Eagleview (Mark “Pappy” Adams, Dan Dosier, Jon Clement, Bob Batte)

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 11 OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 12 OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 13 10 Ways to Take Your Picking to the Next Level By Ken Chapple

The flatpick guitar style is difficult to best advice that I ever got for achieving arpeggios, and licks, etc. WOW, that’s master, making it easy to get discour- relaxation was from classical guitar- a lot! One of the biggest things you aged. I’m not nearly where I’d like to be ist Jim Piorkowski at SUNY Fredonia. can concentrate on with your left hand, as a guitarist, and there are probably ten Strange as it may sound, his advice was though, is staying on your fingertips. guitarists on my neighborhood block to relax your ass. Relax your butt as if Staying on your fingertips will improve in SE Portland who are better than you’re about to… relieve yourself. Yes, your tone, and will be the foundation me. (I try to remember that music isn’t you read that correctly. Obviously, you for making all those other techniques a competition.) Sometimes I feel like don’t want to literally do that but relax sound good. Staying on your fingertips giving up, but I never will. I keep at it your butt cheeks while sitting down (or will give you get the cleanest tone be- because I understand that it takes a lot standing up straight) with your shoul- cause your fingertips are less fleshy and of hard work to be able to sound how ders back. Take a couple deep breaths will secure the string against the fret. you want to sound. Talent alone doesn’t and feel the tension flush away. The You’re also less likely to get residual cut it. I know what I need to work on key to playing clean and fast is to have string noise from adjacent strings and I always make an effort to touch on relaxed hands, arms, and shoulders—I as many of those elements as I can in swear to you, it all starts from your 5. Right-hand technique: use your my practice. What I love most and what behind! right arm at the elbow. really keeps me going on this musical journey is hearing my own progress! 3. Practice with a metronome on the I’ve noticed many guitarists wiggle their Here are 10 ways you can improve your off-beat. hand at the wrist. These folks will likely flatpick guitar playing. end up with carpal-tunnel syndrome, It is necessary to practice with a metro- or they’re just not playing with the 1. Practice in performing position. nome if you are working toward being force required to get good tone out of an advanced musician. The audience an acoustic instrument. There’s a lot of If you perform sitting down, sit down notices rhythmic “mistakes” first, way debate out there about your right hand when you practice. If you perform before flubbed notes. Look at jazz and how to get the best use out of it. I standing up, stand up when you prac- players: Some players play WAY far out look to the cleanest pickers in the world tice. I usually perform standing up, and note choices, but if they are in time and like David Grier, Chris Thile, Clay for me, it’s more challenging to play create a rhythmic motif, it sounds hip. Hess, Chris Eldridge, etc. They all have standing than sitting. I find it harder The key to getting that “in the pocket” something in common: they keep their to get a sturdy foundation for my right swinging feel is to practice your lines hands very relaxed and make subtle hand. I’ve been getting better at it with with the metronome practice, though. If you perform stand- on the off-beat. It ing up and you’re more comfortable almost automatically sitting down, sit down in the posture gives you a more you’re comfortable with. Make sure you danceable and desir- have your strap on before you stand. able sound to your Take a mental and physical note of how playing. your right arm feels. Stand up slowly and try to keep your arm in that same 4. Left-hand comfortable position where you feel technique: stay on most anchored and in control. If you your fingertips. can’t keep your position, then you’ll have to adjust your strap length. There are many things to work on 2. Loosen up. Relax your ass. with your left hand. You have to have Guitar players, really all developing a good, natural musicians, hold tension in various position, you have places when they play, including: the to work on your right leg, the shoulders, the neck, the dexterity by practic- jaw, left hand, etc. Unfortunately, it’s ing hammer-ons and basically impossible to play fast, tech- pull-offs, plus you nical stuff when you’re all tense. The have to learn scales, C chord on the fingertips

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 14 10 Ways to Take Your Picking to the Next Level By Ken Chapple movements that start from the elbow hear something from what you played have to be expensive either! I have a Cand follow through to the thumb. that you like, transcribe it or memorize Focusrite Scarlett USB Audio Interface it, and put it into your box of licks. that I use all the time to record rehears- 6. Isolation. Transpose it and play it in different keys, als and practices. You can find the play it in different tunes. In time, you’ll interface for $150 and you’ll need a mic, If you’re having trouble with memo- have a collection of licks and lines that cable, stand, headphones, and a com- rization, or mastering a particularly become your unique signature. puter, too. When you have these valu- difficult lick, isolate your hands. For able tools you’ll be able to analyze what example, if you’re working on a dif- 9. Listen to your mentors and heroes. you don’t like about your playing and ficult cross-picking pattern in your be able to identify ways to change it. It’s right hand, take the left hand out of It’s great to want your personal style to difficult but important. Admittedly, it the equation. Practice the right-hand shine through in your playing but it’s can feel demoralizing to listen to your- pattern only, effectively playing the also important to study the masters. self and think, “THAT’S what I sound open strings. You’ll be amazed on how The best thing you can do when you’re like!?” There’s no way around it, though, quickly you’ll conquer that really tough learning a particular style of music is because the first step to improving is run. to immerse yourself in it! Listen to the to know where you’re at, relative to music ALL THE TIME. When you 7. Practice in front of people. where you want to go. Once you get hear something you like, make a note in a groove with recording yourself, of it. Go back over your notes regularly listening back, and fixing aspects of Get out there and perform. Perform for and pick specific things to study deeper. your wife and kids! Perform for your your play you don’t like, you’ll really Break down what David Grier, Bryan enjoy hearing your progress. friends! Get used to playing ENTIRE Sutton, or Cody Kilby is doing. Take songs without stopping. If you practice the time to match their fingering, tone, Take it one step at a time. Learning is an without an audience and flub up and and timing if you can. I also like taking stop in the middle of a song, you are iterative process. The key elements to ideas from non-guitarists, too. Some practice are Isolation, Repetition, and more likely to do that during a per- of my favorite artists to borrow from formance. It’s important to keep going Iteration. You’ve got to keep going and are Stuart Duncan and Jerry Douglas. I whatever you do, keep on pickin’! and learn how to recover from those use the Amazing Slow-downer to slow inevitable flubs. A great way to help down and analyze licks and melodies If you have a question, or if you’re interested you out is to record yourself and listen that I like and that I want to learn. in more detail on a particular point, please back for things you can improve upon. There are several other great tools out tweet me at @ken_chapple or comment on This is really tough for every musician; there that allow you to listen to your Facebook at facebook.com/kenchapplemusic. however, it’s the only way to reach the favorite musicians at a pace you can pinnacle of your individual style. For more topics and information, point your follow along with. Figuring out how the web browser to kenchapple.com 8. Improvise and write your own licks. masters do it helps to open doors for you in your own improvi- Improvising is fundamental to most sation, which is also help- musical styles. Even the coolest classical ful when you are writing composers for guitar, like Leo Brower, your own licks. leave room for improvisation and wild interpretation. Improvising and trying 10. Record yourself and new stuff is the best way to find your listen back. individual style. Not everyone starts out An underlying theme like Coltrane, however. Where do you in most of the tips I’ve start? Get some back-up tracks. I use shared with you is to Band-In-A-Box software with bluegrass record yourself, listen “real tracks.” Let the music play and just back, and act as your own try wild stuff—release your inhibitions critic. It’s important to the and don’t be hesitant to experiment. process and will help you Record whatever comes out and listen get better. That means you back to see what you think. You may need to get a recording in- be more pleasantly surprised than you terface and mic. It doesn’t ever imagined you could be! When you

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 15 Minding our Ps and Qs By Claire Levine

The Bluegrass Express is a vol- worked for about a year as a proof- body who’s ever heard Nancy belt unteer newsletter. As with any reader and typesetter on a commu- out a song will tell you was a big volunteer publication, it’s cobbled nity newspaper in California. mistake on Mom’s part. together by people who write, take She’s used to working with material A true child of the 60s, Nancy had photographs, design and edit in that uses a lot more syllables than grown up listening to rock. She their spare time, around busy work anything you’ll find in the Express, also was familiar with classical schedules -- and the desire to be so for Nancy, editing simple text is music from over 12 years of teach- done with their volunteer tasks so a piece of cake. ing ballet in Washington, Idaho, they can be picking. and Arizona. But during a stint in So when the Express needed help, Los Angeles, she started to listen to And, given that even the most pol- Nancy volunteered. And she’s been ished writers make typos and forget country and western music, which an integral part of the production eventually led to bluegrass -- and to where to put the quotation marks process ever since. and make spelling mistakes, most Winlock, her first festival. volunteer newsletters “After a few festivals, I saw leave a lot to be desired in that it would be a lot more how well the articles read. fun to attend if I played an What sets the Express instrument. And somebody apart from other such said the bass was fairly easy newsletters is one person: to learn -- at least to get to a Nancy Christie. point where I could have fun with it.” Nancy has been proof- reading and copy editing After renting a bass for about the Express for four years. 10 months, she bought her She is a fastidious, detail- Engelhardt bass, which some oriented reader who people call “Big Red.” cleans up the big (poten- Her first jam was the Ram- tially embarrassing) and bling Bluegrass Jam in Bea- tiny mistakes. She makes verton, led by Paul Drews us all look good. and Kathleen Tyau. She In the real world quickly started attending oth- ers, until she became com- Many of us know Nancy fortable as “the bass player.” from seeing her at jams or on stage with her beau- “Then I heard about the tiful red bass. But she Rock Creek Tavern Jam and disappears from music for started going to that one. It eight hours a day -- serv- was a little bit over my head -- but they needed a bass, so ing as office manager at Oregon About the music Health & Science University’s they let me stay!” As did so many kids, Nancy started Institute for Environmental Health, Her first band was called “In the out on the piano -- and really didn’t where she proofread and edited sci- Grove,” which included several of like it. And her mom told her she entific journal articles and funding the Rock Creek Tavern jammers. couldn’t carry a tune -- which any- proposals for many years. She also She also had fun playing occasion-

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 16 Minding our Ps and Qs By Claire Levine

ally with the slightly wacky 2Licks- and certainly never thought that it musicians on their originals. 2Many. wouldn’t happen until my 60s and that I’d be playing upright bass.” “It really expands my listening abili- Then guitar player/singer Dennis ties.” Zelmer invited Nancy to play with Always playing A Sudden Tradition, and she’s been Nancy lives near Kelso, in a house playing with them since Febru- Today, Nancy is the reliable bass that once belonged to her grand- ary 2012. A Sudden Tradition is player at the Cowlitz Valley Old parents. It’s a beautiful setting on an eclectic sort-of-bluegrass band Time Music Association. For more 40 acres, “But there’s not much that performs at a wide variety of than 30 years, the group has held bluegrass between the Portland/ st rd th functions throughout Oregon, from an open mic on the 1 , 3 , and 5 Vancouver area and the active jam- fund-raising races to weddings. Friday evenings for musicians in ming at Winlock.” the Longview/Kelso area. Nancy “I think I always had a fantasy when and a group of others make up She’d like to start a jam, but she I was young that I would somehow the back-up band, in which she’s realizes that it’s always risky to ad- be on stage in front of an audience. expected to play show tunes, blue- vertise a bluegrass jam: The defini- I never knew how I would get there, grass, rock -- and even back up tion of bluegrass seems to broaden to encompass anything people feel like playing, from Bob Dylan songs on the harmonica to Waylon Jennings on the Telecaster. “So if I want a bluegrass community here, I ex- pect that I will need to cultivate it myself.” She’s currently figuring out the best way to make that work. Meanwhile, she’s got plenty of music in her life: The Cowlitz group; a small ensemble that plays at assisted living centers; the Rock Creek Tavern jam; attending Taborgrass to observe the teaching methods, and perfor- mances with A Sudden Tradition. “I’m playing with other people about 12 times a month. That’s plenty.”

By Nikki Clevenger

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 17 A Tale of Two Fiddle Contests By Jonathan Trawick

If you don’t have an old Gibson guitar, some of the fiddlers left, having seem- a mandolin contestant from northern you probably did not attend the 1st ingly no interest in the bluegrass world Washington rendering his version of Old annual Columbia Gorge Fiddle Contest. around them, there were fiddlers galore Rodney Dangerfield. Between breaks Herded through the doors of the Stock still in attendance. There were many he would tell short stories that gave the Barn, Gibson-wielding guitarists flood- good fiddlers out jamming in tents and audience and judges a stitch in their ed the stage, providing rhythm guitar the camping area who never set foot in side from laughing by the time he was for fiddlers from all over the Colum- the Stock Barn for the contest. Perhaps finished. Quality entertainment that did bia Gorge area and beyond. Many of you are one of them. not exceed the given set length or offend today’s local favorites made an appear- any of the other performers. Just food ance for a chance to win $400 at what Little did these fiddlers know: There for thought. might be the largest fiddle contest in was a second fiddle contest held the the area. Portland fiddling locals Andy same weekend, at the Columbia Gorge Will I see you at these contests next year? Emert, James Mason, Aarun Carter, Bluegrass Festival. This contest had Eileen Walters, Bob Heinith, Donna merely a handful of contestants, 6 or Reuter, Denice Carter, Luke Price, Gary 7 at the most. Representatives of the Columbia Gorge Fiddle Championship Schuh, Cynthia Bartlett-Hamm, and contest were seen actively searching (Open Division) Results: the campground for anyone to par- Ricky Selman, among others, all gave it 1. Luke Price (Portland, OR) a go for top prize. The contest also drew ticipate, even while the contest was fiddlers from surrounding areas such as going on. Had everyone left? This 2. Mia Orosco (Waco, TX) Seattle and Corvallis. There were also a contest was open to more than just handful of contestants from as far away fiddlers. Flatpick, mandolin and banjo 3. Andy Emert (Portland, OR) as Texas and Idaho to boot. divisions were offered. Due to low participation, the flatpick and mando- 4. Aarun Carter (Portland, OR) Success is certainly a word that can be lin divisions were combined into one 5. Stephen Burwell (Maple Valley, WA) used to describe this first installation division, paying out the Top 3. As it of a re-birthed fiddle contest for the turned out, there were 4 contestants in Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival area. Questions linger, as typically do this division. Someone got the shaft. It Instrument Contest Results (Adult): in competition circles, but the gen- feels as though interest in this contest eral attitude was positive. Those who is low--so low, in fact, that I fear this Banjo Champion: Evan Heidtmann participated expressed excitement and contest will not continue for very long. (Portland, OR) happiness during and after the contest. Perhaps some feel as though contests Fiddle Champion: Aarun Carter It is, naturally, difficult to not be in should disappear altogether. Some (Portland, OR) good humor while playing fiddle tunes would argue that they are entertain- and among others who do. I did hear ing and offer an opportunity for some Flatpick/Mandolin Champion: Morgan complaints of high camping costs from to get on stage and show their stuff. It McNamara (Portland, OR) several campers. Despite the fact that was certainly entertaining watching

The judges of the bluegrass instrument contest entertain the contestants and crowd before the competition.

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 18 OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 19 The Theory of Bluegrass: Swiss Army Banjo by Matt Snook

Unless you have unlimited practice time fit any tune, anywhere, anytime, can be available, you’re probably interested in modified without limits; they work in any making the most of it. While we probably key, and actually can provide a soft landing don’t want mundane practicality to dictate place for those times that you do fall off of the music we make, some techniques are your special melodic licks because they can certainly more generally useful than others be started, stopped, and interrupted any time you like! There are several of these, but we’ll For instance, you might have learned a very look at just one of them for now. pretty version of something like Whiskey Before Breakfast, a tune that is almost certain Figure 1 represents a banjo fingerboard with to come up during jams in the northwest either the nut or the left hand index finger these days. However, you’ve probably noticed making a bar across the strings. This can be that melodic break you spent hours learning all four strings, but often is only two or three, Figure 1: Swiss Army working position. The has several drawbacks, because these licks depending upon the lick being played. For barred notes are either at the nut or fretted generally suffer from the same weaknesses: this Swiss Army picking position, the strings by the index finger. Fingering for the other first, they are unique. Each melodic lick is will be fretted either at the barred fret, or one notes will vary depending on just what you’re a species unto itself, and really only fits in or two frets above that bar, as shown. You’ll playing. one particular tune, in one particular place. notice that there is a relationship between three is a Scruggsy opener for Texas Gales in Secondly, for most people the melodic licks the barred notes and the fretted notes. If the C, using the nut for the barred notes and the have to run smoothly from start to finish barred notes are at the nut, they make a G familiar C chord fingering for the rest. Also – once you fall off in the middle, it’s hard chord while the other pattern comprises an in C is the beginning of Ragtime Annie in C to jump back in. This can cause a ‘fear of A minor chord. If you are using this shape at the 5th fret – and since this tune is played falling’ in the beginning picker, so that she with the barred chord at the seventh fret, in various keys, give it a try! You can play it is actually hesitant to call her favorite tune, that will be a D chord while the other fret exactly the same in C, D, E, A, G… Just tune because a mistake in the intricate and fragile positions make up an E minor chord, etc. your fifth string to something sympathetic, solo seems disastrous. (It is not.) That’s not really important, just an interesting coincidence of the musical scale. change the position of the barred notes, and Second time around on the same tune off you go. highlights another shortcoming of the How useful is this working position? To To demonstrate the flexibility of these melodic lick: they are also incredibly hard really bring home the difference, here is working positions, look at the next four lines. to modify on the run. As anybody who uses some homework. Go to your pile of banjo Here you have alternative takes on the same them can verify, it is actually harder to learn books, out into the internet, or build your tunes, using more roll patterns instead of melodic licks that are similar to each other own melodic versions of Big Mon, Whiskey melodic for the first two tunes, and simple than those that are radically different. The Before Breakfast, Texas Gales, and Ragtime variations for the next two. This working unique right and left hand moves required Annie. All great tunes, and played in A, D, position can be used to create great banjo for even slightly different licks also make C, and…whatever, respectively. Without melodies, and is so comfortable after a while improvising on melodic banjo beyond most even looking at the melodic versions you’ve that you can go ahead and launch into your folks’ abilities. found or created, we know several things about them. They are unique, with left most convoluted melodic break knowing Finally, melodic licks are stranded. The time hand fingerings and right hand patterns that, should you space out in the middle, this you spend learning that run in the key of D (or non-patterns!) that are nothing the working position will provide not only a soft can’t be taken anywhere else – even capoed! same. You certainly won’t be using your landing but may even become your initial go Most melodic phrases are so arcane in both Whiskey solo in Big Mon, for example. to break in the future! the left hand positions and right hand non- They will also have the dubious qualities Give it a try. There are several of these useful patterns that they refuse to be helpful in any of needing memorization and being hard working positions scattered around on the other situation. to jump back into when you fall off. They will be completely impertinent in any other fingerboard. Any practice time spent here But don’t despair! Not all your banjo practice key, will probably prove difficult to use in will benefit not just one song, but everything needs to be shackled to one solo on one tune improvisation, etc. you play in a long night of jamming. at a time. There are several patterns you can PS: All “Theory of Bluegrass” articles will be find on the fingerboard which are precisely Now pull out your Swiss Army knife of licks! available on the OBA website. Your mileage the opposite; a sort of Swiss Army Knife The first four lines of Figure 2 show the may vary, and the author is not responsible of banjo licks that can be used in almost introductory parts of those tunes. They all for injury or damages incurred during a segue any tune in any key. I call them working rely upon our Swiss Army position, despite from melodic to Scruggs style. No banjos were positions, and they polar opposites of the being different tunes in different keys. The harmed in the making of this article. Matt brittle melodic licks. Don’t get me wrong, I first two lines present Big Mon in A way up th teaches banjo & dobro in Coos Bay, Corvallis love melodic banjo. Just realize that your at the 14 fret and Whiskey Before Breakfast th and Portland, Oregon. Send messages to time spent learning those particular licks at the 7 fret, both in a melodic or ‘single- [email protected]. is limited in payback. The Swill Army licks string’ style. Want to play Scruggs style? Line

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 20 The Theory of Bluegrass: Swiss Army Banjo by Matt Snook

Figure 2: Banjo tab for several songs, using the Swiss Army working position. The first four lines areintroductory melodies, while the last four are variations for the same tunes.

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 21 OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 22 Sound advice: Hints and tips on sounding your best with Mark Gensman, Ground Zero Sound Hey there, fellow bluegrass fans. Another summer of mu- so you can tailor the sound to your personal taste. I have had sic and fun comes to an end. Sadly, we have lost some more players of acoustic guitars and acoustic bass instruments with festivals and that is a shame--to lose those opportunities for piezo pickups tell me they don’t require an active DI, and that live bluegrass performances. has always been a mistake. The low-level output of a piezo pickup makes the sound thin and only active electronics can A question comes up frequently from bands that play in solve the problem. venues other than festivals, such as bars, coffee houses, restaurants and smaller indoor venues. Using a PA in small Rarely does a typical rock-and-roll sound contractor carry spaces can create feedback problems, especially if there is a an active DI, so if you are smart you should always provide lot of background noise and the monitors need to be turned your own. Especially since you can spend the required time up. The typical fix is to put a pickup on your instrument and to adjust the unit to achieve the sound you want. I normally run it through a “DI." Which DI is the normal question. carry three or four passive DI boxes and two active DI boxes since most of my live sound activity involves acoustic music. What’s a DI, you ask? It means “direct injection” and it basi- My passive DIs were inexpensive but of good quality and cally is an impedance matching device. Plus they provide have served me well over the years. My three active DIs get ground-lift capabilities that will avoid ground-loop hum the most use. problems caused by multiple ground paths. You plug your high impedance guitar cord into this device, and it has a For the typical bluegrass musicians with a pickup on their balanced XLR output connection to the mixer and an un- instruments, I highly recommend the LR Baggs Para DI. I balanced connection to your amplifier. The XLR connection believe it is the direct box of choice with most professional is a “balanced” output and is a microphone level, and can acoustic musicians. I also like the Fishman Pro EQ active DI. send the signal several hundred feet without loss. Mine typically sits on stage where any musician can use it if they choose to. Both run on phantom power or nine-volt A simple DI is just an impedance matching transformer batteries and my suggestion is to always put a new battery in with the balanced output. This type of DI is called a “passive” your active DI before each gig. Very cheap insurance. DI, meaning it doesn’t add anything to the signal. However, having a quality transformer is still critical to the sonic I hope to see many of you at various festivals next season, and performance of a passive DI box, which explains why some keep picking and listening. of the better brands like Radial are very expensive. If you have any questions about anything involving recording, Passive DIs are useful for keyboards and electric bass gui- mastering, audio software, duplicating, mics, speakers or sound tars. Normally, in bluegrass, use an active unit for acoustic reinforcement, please feel free to contact me at: instruments because of the additional control over volume and equalization it provides. [email protected].

An active DI normally does not have a trans- former but rather uses active circuits that require power, either via phantom power from the mixer or from an on-board battery. Normally the active DI box is turned on when an input is connected, and switched off when phantom power is de- tected or the input is unplugged. Several DI boxes have speaker level inputs so you can connect an amplifier-driven signal to the DI and send that signal over balanced output to a mixer. However, NEVER connect amplifier-driven speaker signals to a DI unless it specifically states there is a con- nection.You do not want to let the smoke out.

Acoustic instruments fitted with passive piezo pickups require some sort of preamp because of their low-level signal. An active DI is the very best choice. With an active DI, you have volume control, input control and equalization capability,

OBA Bluegrass Express -Fall 2014 23 Guitar Strings: Trouble and Pain By John McCoy

“I don’t always do what you’re techni- Trouble (I Don’t Like the Way My your hands, the more years you can cally ‘supposed’ to do. So anybody that Strings Sound) play. happens to come at me at any point throwing this knowledge around that Many, but not all people, consider If you insist on mediums, consider you’re supposed to anchor your hand medium gauge phosphor bronze switching from phosphor bronze to and keep it off the body of the guitar, strings to be the standard for bluegrass. 80/20 bronze. Information on the and you’re supposed to hold your pick a Another string material widely used in D’Addario website indicates 80/20 certain way, and you have to hold your bluegrass is 80/20 bronze. In general, bronze has slightly less tension than guitar a certain way - it’s crap.” phosphor bronze strings are darker the same set of strings in phosphor and mellower in tone compared to bronze. Another option is a hybrid - Josh Williams, Ready for Anything 80/20 bronze. If you’d like a brighter set – D’Addario and GHS offer a blue- tone so you can hear yourself better in grass set, which is a mix of medium When asked to dispense advice about a jam, a set of 80/20 bronze strings in gauge strings on the lower E, A, and musical technique or gear, I always your favorite gauge may do the trick. D strings, and light gauge on the G, B, remember Josh Williams’s quote above. and E. Elixir offers a similar set they What works for me may not work for Pain (My Strings Hurt My Fingers) refer to as Light-Medium. you. With that in mind, I’d like to share some thoughts and information As stated above, the “standard” blue- In terms of tension and protecting regarding guitar strings. What follows grass guitar string set is medium gauge. your fingers, Elixir strings present a is mostly information that I’ve gleaned Medium gauge strings sound great, but paradox: They are easier on your fin- from the internet and gathered into the increased tension can cause pain in gertips because of the coating, but the one convenient place. I hope it works your fingers, hand, and wrist. Medium overall tension of their sets is slightly for you. gauge strings have caused cases of car- higher than other manufacturer’s pal tunnel syndrome in some players. sets. For example, D’Addario’s website Guitar string “problems” can be Former national flatpicking champion shows their standard medium phos- grouped into two general categories: Stephen Bennett told me at Winlock in phor bronze EJ17 set has an approxi- Trouble (I don’t like the way they July that he “loves the sound of medi- mate overall tension of 185 pounds. sound) and Pain (my strings hurt my ums,” but he can’t use them any more Elixir’s website shows their Nanoweb fingers). The following information due to issues with his hands. medium gauge phosphor bronze set may help you solve your guitar string has an overall tension of 188 pounds. So, what to do? First, unless you’ve Trouble and Pain problems so that true By comparison, D’Addario’s medium been signed to a recording contract happiness can be yours again. gauge EXP coated 80/20 bronze with national set EXP12 has an overall tension of touring approximately 176 pounds. If Elixir support, strings feel a bit tight to you, consider ditch the switching to another manufacturer’s “standard” strings. Most string manufacturers strings and such as GHS and D’Addario now offer play what coated sets. doesn’t hurt. If that means Fall and winter are a great time to switching experiment with different strings. Try to a lighter a few sets that differ from what you gauge string, normally buy; you may be pleasantly so be it. The surprised (and your fingers will thank goal is lon- you). gevity – the more you take care of

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 24 By Nikki Clevenger

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 25 OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 26 Scheduled Jams: Though we try to stay up to date, times and locations change - always call first!

Sunday DUNDEE: Bluegrass Jam: 1st and 3rd Tuesday Wild River Pub meeting room Each Month, 7-9 pm Acoustic-bluegrass, folk, western, Americana roots KLAMATH FALLS: Bluegrass Jam - Sunday after Held upstairs at La Sierra Mexican Grill, 1111 N & more! the first Friday of the month from 1 - 5 pm Hwy 99W, Dundee, OR, 97115 For Information: (541) 471-2206 - Brinkerhoff and Mia’s and Pia’s Pizzeria and Brewhouse, 3545 Sum- Features bluegrass/old country music. Beginner to Antonucci mers Lane, Klamath Falls, OR 97603 intermediate jam, all levels welcome. For Information: Ben Coker (541) 783-3478 ben- Information: Jon Cooper (503) 702-8978 cooper- VANCOUVER: Bluegrass Slow Jam [email protected] [email protected] Every Thursday from 6:30-9:30 Barberton Grange, 9400 NE 72nd Ave, Vancouver PORTLAND: OBA Jam - First Sunday of every EUGENE: Bluegrass Jam Every Tuesday 9:00 WA 98665 month October- April: 12:30-4:30PM pm - 1:00 am. Please note this is a slow jam, with the belief that Portland Audubon Center, 5151 NW Cornell Road, Sam Bond’s Garage, 407 Blair Blvd, Eugene bluegrass is a non-competitive participation sport. Portland Established in 1995, the venue of this year ‘round All talent levels are invited to participate. No ampli- All levels of bluegrass players are welcome and we jam offers good food and micro brews. fied instruments. Listeners welcome. No charge, but frequently break a small group off for faster picking. For Information: Chuck Holloway & Sean Shana- there is a donation jar for those who would like to Small donation of $6.00 requested to help cover han. Call (541) 431-6603. support the Grange for allowing use of their facility. room rental. For information: Chuck Rudkin [email protected] For Information: Rich Powell powellR5923@q. HILLSBORO: Rock Creek Bluegrass Jam Every com Tuesday 7-9pm Friday McMenamin’s Rock Creek Tavern PORTLAND: Off Key Easy Bluegrass - Every 10000 N.W. Old Cornelius Pass Rd. Hillsboro, OR DALLAS: All Gospel, All Acoustic Jam Sunday 2pm to 5pm 97124. Every third Saturday of the month 7-10 pm Biddy McGraw’s Irish Pub, 6000 N.E. Glisan St. Established, open intermediate and advanced Guthrie Park in Dallas. Beginner and intermediate jam. “Nobody’s too Bluegrass only jam. For Information: Sally Clark (503) 623-0874 crummy too play with us!” Information: [email protected] For Information: Randy Black or Tony McCormick Saturday [email protected] Wednesday PORTLAND: Taborgrass Bluegrass Class & CLACKAMAS: String Along Music Jam - 2nd and BEAVERTON: Bluegrass Jam - Every Wednesday Jam - Every Saturday Through May. Starts up again 4th Sundays except the 2nd one, 6:30-9:30 p.m. September 6, 10-1 for the beginning class and jam; Sunnyside Library Community Room, 13793 SE Round Table Pizza, 10150 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale 1-4 for the intermediate Sieben Park Way, Clackamas, OR 97015. Located Hwy Beaverton, OR (just east of 217) St. David of Wales Episcopal Church 2800 SE Har- on circle behind Albertsons at 148th. For Information: janeromfo5@gmail rison Street Portland, OR 97214 For information: Sharon - [email protected] For all instruments. No registration required. Drop- SILVERTON: Bluegrass Jam – Every Wednesday ins welcome. ROSEBURG: OBA Roseburg Jam - 3rd Sunday 7 – 9 pm Cost is $10 per session. Knowledge of basic chords 1-5 pm year round Seven Brides Brewing Co. 900 N. 1st St., , Silverton, and the ability to execute the chord changes is Evergreen Grange, 5361 Grange, Rd. Take Exit 119 OR required. off I-5. Just past the 2nd stop light, turn left on For Information: Mark Rauch [email protected] For Information: www.taborgrass.com Grange Rd. The Grange is down 1/2 mile on the left. Dewayne Powell [email protected] Bluegrass Jam - all levels encouraged. DALLAS: All gospel, all acoustic jam - Every third For Information: (541) 679-0553 lizcrain42@ EUGENE: Jam - Each Wednesday from 7:00 pm to Saturday of the month 7-10 pm gmail.com 9:00 pm Guthrie Park in Dallas Music Masters Studios in South Eugene located at For Information: Call (503) 623-0874 WILLIAMS: Pancakes & Jam - 2nd Sunday of the shopping center at 40th & Donald [email protected] every month except July and August. Pancake All skill levels are encouraged. Good players stop in Breakfast: 8:30-11am, Bluegrass Jam: 11 am- 1 pm. frequently and sit right in with newbies. No charge. WINLOCK, WA: Slow Jam - Second Saturday of the Williams Grange, 20100 Williams Hwy. Some old time and old country tunes filter in with month beginning at 1 pm, October through May. For Information: Steve Radcliffe (541) 479-3487 the bluegrass. Held at the Hope Grange in Winlock, Washington. [email protected] For Information: Sean McGowan (541) 510-1241 Great for all levels and especially good for total http://www.musicmastersstudio.com/ beginners. Monday For Information: see website - winlockpickers.com or Thursday email [email protected] PORTLAND: Rambling Bluegrass Jam - Every Monday night all year. Friendly! BEND: Bluegrass Jam - 2nd and 4th Thursdays VANCOUVER, WA - Old Time Country Jam - Ev- See Our Website for information on location, time, year round from 7 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ery 2nd and 4th Saturday 6:30-10:00 pm contact, etc. www.ramblingbluegrass.org Held in the board room of the Bend - LaPine 2500 N.E. 78th Ave., Vancouver, WA. 98665 at the School District, downtown Bend, between Wall and Vancouver Masonic Center Tuesday Bond Streets, across from the Public Library. All are welcome to join the fun as a musician, singer, For Information: Becky Brown and Verda Hinkle or to just listen and or dance. ASHLAND: Bluegrass Jam - 2nd Tuesday - (541) 318-7341 Contact info: Dean Roettger (360) 892-0769 or (360) 7-11pm [email protected] 627-1228 email [email protected] Caldera Taproom, 31 Water Street, Ashland. For Information: Call Glenn Freese (541) 482-8984 GRANTS PASS: bluegrass-folkgrass-gospelgrass- If you have jam updates or additions, you may [email protected] mountain-musicgrass - 3rd Thursday 6pm-9pm update your jam’s listing via the public calendar at oregonbluegrass.org or email calendar@ oregonbluegrass.org OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 27 Order your OBA Fun Meters at

www.oregonbluegrass.org

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 28 OBA Supporting Performer Directory OBA supporting memeberships are $50 per year. This includes a listing and link on the OBA website and a brief (approx 35 word) band listing in the supporting performers directory

A Sudden Tradition Steve Blanchard Hudson Ridge A Sudden Tradition is a five-member Steve Blanchard is well known as an Mary Luther- lead vocal and bass, Portland-area Americana band, acoustic flatpicker guitarist, singer and Jerene Shaffar-vocal, mandolin and bass, performing bluegrass, folk, old time, songwriter with a career spanning over Shelley Freeman- bass and vocal, Kevin country, standards, contemporary, and four decades. His musical style includes Freeman, lead guitar and vocal, Bob original songs. Our mission is to bring bluegrass, cowboy/western, folk, and Shaffar-fiddle and dobro, Fred Grove- musical joy to your gathering. Americana. rhythm guitar. Upbeat and family friendly-- light- No matter what the style or venue, Hudson Ridge has a sound all its own. hearted and just plain fun-- that’s what you’re sure to feel Steve’s love and you get with A Sudden Tradition! Love of harmony and the desire and passion for his music. ability to “Ridgetize” their own blend of www.ASuddenTradition.com Americana, Bluegrass, and traditional Dennis Zelmer 503-893-4569 www.SteveBlanchardMusic.com Country music gives this band a truly Suzanne Chimenti 503-957-6161 503-730-0005 unique sound. [email protected] [email protected] www.hudsonridgeband.com Mary Luther Back Porch Revival Eight Dollar Mountain Darrin Campbell, Stuart Green, Phil [email protected] Gene Greer – guitar/harmonica, Tony 541-404-9281 McCormick – banjo, Dan Anolik – Johnson, Peter Koelsch, Mark Lackey. mandolin/harmonica, Aron Racho – Eight Dollar Mountain rises from the Kathy Boyd & Phoenix Rising guitar and more, Bruce Peterson – bass Cascade-Siskiyou Mountain region of and guitar. Southern Oregon and brings you fine Phoenix Rising appears fresh and new as the result of its members performing Blues inspired folk, country, blues, string music from the long standing traditions of excellent bluegrass. together in various combinations honky-tonk and original songs. Back over the past 30 years. This particular porch music that hits the ball out of the www.eightdollarmountain.net combination has now gathered together park! Mark Lackey in full force, bringing together the best www.backporchrevival.com of bluegrass, cowboy, folk, country, Gene Greer Fadin’ By 9 Americana and some incredibly talented [email protected] What happens when you bring songwriting to bring you a sound that is 503-641-4946 together a bass-playing attorney, guitar- clean, hard driving and uniquely their strumming bilingual reading specialist, own. Back Up and Push fire-on-the-fiddle volcanologist, and Dan Kopecky --mandolin/vocals, a banjo-picking elementary school www.phoenixrisingband.org/ Robert Brownscombe –bass, Susie principal? Correct if you circled “c) [email protected] Anderson – fiddle/vocals, Tom Gall Fadin’ by 9” . With hot pickin’, tight 503-691-1177 -- guitar/vocals, Patrick McLaughlin – harmonies, and a mix of “bluegrassified” banjo. rock, folk, and bluegrass covers & The Loafers originals, Fadin’ by 9 creates a unique, Mike Stahlman, Dave Elliot, Aaron 5 piece bluegrass band from Welches, Stocek, Holly Johnson OR. We play a mix of traditional uplifting, high-energy sound. bluegrass, southern blues and a few www.fadinby9.com The Loafers are an acoustic quartet, cowboy tunes. Available for festivals, Dave Irwin based in the Portland-Metro area, shows, parties, dances, barbecues or [email protected] specializing in bluegrass, jazz, and whatever! 360-903-0131 old time instrumentals, with a few backupandpush.tripod.com good classic vocals thrown in for good Patrick McLaughlin Home Grown measure. We are a new group with some [email protected] Steve Smith, guitar; Bill Nix, banjo; and old names, and a couple new faces. Dave Morris, fiddle. Everyone sings. Dave Elliot Bethel Mountain Band HomeGrown has presented their music 503-663-3548 Gene Stutzman, Jerry Stutzman, Larry in a variety of settings ranging from Knox, Tyce Pedersen (Front) - Jerry Bluegrass festivals to concert halls. Their Long Mountain Revival Schrock, Will Barnhart, Craig Ulrich music ranges from intense Jug Band Long Mountain Revival’s main emphasis Hello bluegrass lovers of the Willamette dance tunes to foot tapping porch tunes in the group is sharing the Gospel Valley! Please visit our website to learn to sweet melodic waltzes. through song. Long Mountain Revival more about us, our music, our schedule, www.homegrownoldtime.com/in is available for church functions, and the annual “Bluegrass in the Bill Nix outreaches, community events, and any Orchard Grass” event. [email protected] other venue where Gospel Bluegrass music is desired. bethelmountainband.com Jerry Stutzman www.myspace.com/lmrevival [email protected] Jon Clement OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 29 OBA Supporting Performer Directory OBA supporting memeberships are $50 per year. This includes a listing and link on the OBA website and a brief (approx 35 word) band listing in the supporting performers directory [email protected] as tasty instrumentals combining the corporate and civic events, weddings, 541-292-6907 American genres of bluegrass, old family gatherings, private parties, time, gospel, folk and country music. restaurants and taverns. Lost Creek Family friendly, the band can include www.rosecitybluegrass.com/ind From Portland, Oregon, Lost Creek interactive songs that engage the younger set. Charlie Williamson delivers a driving blend of bluegrass and [email protected] old time standards with terrific vocal Carol Harley 503-206-4911 harmonies and tasteful instrumentation. [email protected] For years they’ve delighted audiences at www.mistymamas.com festivals, pubs, parks, dances, markets, Roundhouse and weddings throughout Oregon Donn Whitten, Kim Jones, Ron Leavitt and Washington. Have a listen and see Money Creek Mining Co. and Joe Denhof what’s new ... thanks for stopping by. LuAnn Price, Michael Johnson, Steve Roundhouse was formed with Leming, Dave Toler and Steve Bickle For Information: the goal of providing a variety of www.lostcreekmusic.com Money Creek plays stirring mountain musical genres to diverse audiences: [email protected] ballads and burning banjo tunes. something for everyone. Toward this Known for their precise harmonies, end Roundhouse performs bluegrass, Lucky Gap String Band rarely do you find a group of singers southern rock, doo-wop, gospel, with their unique blend. Join Money country, blazing instrumentals and Chas Malarkey, Bob Llewellyn, Jerry Creek on a musical American journey original compositions. Roundhouse Robbins, Mike Harrington, Linda of triumph, sorrow and just plain fun. instrumentation includes guitar, Sickler mandolin, banjo and bass. www.moneycreekbluegrass.com Good Old-Time Traditional Americana LuAnn Price www.roundhouse-band.com and Bluegrass on the Oregon Coast. [email protected] Kim Jones High Energy, Tight Harmonies, and 425-346-6136 [email protected] Fun-Loving Personalities compliment 503-838-2838 any Party, Dance, Wedding or Special Mud Springs Gospel Band Occasion. George Klos Shasta Ray Band Chaz Malarkey 541-475-6377 The band’s founder and leader is Shasta [email protected] Ray, born in New England. His travels 541-265-2677 Puddletown Ramblers and experiences are reflected in his song Puddletown Ramblers is a regional writing. About 30% of what the band Mischief bluegrass band that performs original plays are Shasta Ray originals. The band songs, good old time traditional is referred to as a truly “Community Based in the Pacific Northwest, Mischief Band”....a “Bring a town together Band.” is father/daughter duo Matt and Anna bluegrass, acoustic, old country and Americana music. We are based in The music played is a real slice of Snook with Jim Brockill. We’ve 70+ Americana including bluegrass, folk, years of experience playing bluegrass Portland, Oregon and perform all over the Northwest. Our blend of country, sing-a-long gospel, and old and acoustic music. Be amazed: trio time favorites. harmonies and instrumentals with harmonious voices will shake that banjo, Dobro, guitar, mandolin and tender chord in your heart and leave Liz Crain octave Mando, and fiddle. you wanting to hear more. [email protected] Dave Peterson, Tom Martin, Joe 541-537-1031 [email protected] Martin,Walter Jacobson, Fred Schultz. 541.805.5133 Slipshod Dave Peterson Slipshod formed in 2012. These Misty Mamas puddletownramblers.com musicians enjoy entertaining Carol Harley, April Parker, Katherine [email protected] audiences with both their humor and Nitsch, Eileen Rocci musical skills. Matt Snook (dobro Rose City Bluegrass Band This band – together since 2005 – has and banjo) and Steve Blanchard Gretchen Amann, Charlie Williamson, (guitar and mandolin) offer listeners made a real name for itself in the Peter Schwimmer, Spud Siegel Vancouver/Portland acoustic music a broad and diverse range of music, scene. Collectively these women have The Rose City Bluegrass Band performs including originals, familiar melodies decades of experience playing and an eclectic blend of Bluegrass and and dynamic instrumentals. Their singing in harmony. MISTY MAMAS Americana. Who doesn’t love great harmonies and unique vocal serve up Home-Style bluegrass banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and interpretations add to their precise filled with powerful harmonies, bass backing up 3 part harmonies? We instrumental talents. traditional and original songs as well excel at playing and delighting folks at If you’re looking for a fun, energetic

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 30 Go To www.oregonbluegrass.org For more info & links Please contact [email protected] if you are interested in receiving a Supporting Performer Membership form. band for your next event, party or constellation of accomplished young Northwest for several years. Three and festival, consider Slipshod. Check out stars who have been attracted toward four part vocal harmonies, exciting this dynamic duo on their web site, one another as much by each other’s instrumentation and contagious fun Facebook and YouTube. shine as by the affinity they share with are part of the Rufusarian bluegrass traditional Folk music. The Wild experience. A Whistlin’ Rufus show Steve Blanchard, 503-730-0005 Wood resonates with that part of us guarantees a varied and wonderful mix [email protected] which is rooted in a simpler way of of blazing bluegrass, original homemade Matt Snook, 541-805-5133 life while delighting us with dynamic tunes and an Irish fiddle tune or two. [email protected] arrangements, emotional vocal www.whistlinrufus.com harmonies and virtuosic solos by two Pat Connell Sleepy Eyed Johns national champions. Josiah Payne – Mandolin, Belinda Underwood – Bass, [email protected] Ian Joel - banjo; Mark Klassen- guitar; Michael Money – Guitar, Kian Dye – 971-207-5933 John Melnichuk - fiddle; Chuck Fiddle Davidshofer - bass; Billy Wyatt - Betsy and Theron Yochelson http://www.thewildwoodmusic.com/ mandolin. Stand-up bass / mandolin -- Lead Sleepy Eyed Johns – Stump-pulling / harmony vocals. We head up two bluegrass, from the roots. Wayward Vessel bluegrass / acoustic-country “all-event” bands in the mid-Willamette Valley. Ian Joel Ken Chapple (guitar), Julie Schmidt [email protected] (fiddle), Josiah Payne (mandolin) and 541-409-8248 503-281-7666 Belinda Underwood (bass). [email protected] Steer Crazy Wayward Vessel is an adventurous Red Diesel: alternative acoustic ensemble exploring www.facebook.com/reddieseloregon Rick King -- Guitar, Glenn Denison -- the boundaries of bluegrass and folk Prairie Dog Backfire: Mandolin, Tim Dawdy -- Steel-Guitar & music. With superb musicianship and www.reverbnation.com/ Dobro lush, natural vocal harmonies, the band prairiedogbackfire A New Brand of Western & American creates a unique Music. Musical fun and close harmonies palette to portray their rich library of that require no complicated explanation. original and traditional music. Nice guys singing and playing great www.waywardvessel.com How do I get my music. [email protected] http://www.facebook.com/ band’s information Steercrazyband Whiskey Puppy Tim Dawdy Rachel Gold (guitar), Justin Auld (banjo listed here? [email protected] and fiddle) and Gabe Adoff (Bass) 360-904-0347 1. Sign up for a band membership! Whiskey Puppy plays boot-stomping, Go to Oregonbluegrass.org, fill out Stumbleweed mule-slapping traditional bluegrass the form on the back page of this and old time music. The Portland, OR Stumbleweed is a Portland based trio brings energy, humor, and skillful issue, or find us at a festival or event! bluegrass band. Playing mostly original musicianship to little-known songs and A band membership includes one material, with a few classics thrown tunes searched out from the repertoires print subscription per membership. in, we blend traditional bluegrass and of the early Southern string bands. honky tonk with a bit of old country, 2. Email your band’s listing to and we smile a lot. From weddings to http://www.whiskeypuppy.com/ company picnics, Stumbleweed plays [email protected]. Rachel Gold Don’t forget to include contact with an infectious energy that brings [email protected] fun to any gathering. 503-227-0647 information and a photo (and a link Contact or two if you have it.) Once we have [email protected], Whistlin’ Rufus verified that your membership is [email protected] or Pat Connell, Ritchie Wernick, Nat current, your listing will be posted to [email protected] O’Neal, Patrick Connell, Zach Banks, the website. The Express is updated John Meek. quarterly from the website. We may The Wild Wood have to shorten your listing from the Whistlin’ Rufus has delighted family Coalescing from Portland’s thriving website to fit allowable print space. music scene, The Wild Wood is a audiences throughout the Pacific

OBA Bluegrass Express - Fall 2014 31 Oregon Bluegrass Association Non-Profit US Postage P.O. Box 1115, Portland, OR 97207 Paid Address Service Requested Portland OR Permit No. 2956 Oregon Bluegrass Association

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Oregon Bluegrass Association Membership Membership Check all that apply ___ New Member ___ General Member ...... $25 (1yr.)/$65 (3yrs.) Name ___ Supporting Performer .....$50 (1yr.) ___ Angel Sponsor ...... $60 (1yr.) Address ___ Golden Sponsor ...... $100 (yr.) ___ Contributing Business Sponsor....$125 (1 yr.)/$350 City State Zip Code (3 yrs.) Volunteering Home Phone Work Phone ___ Yes! I am interested in helping as a volunteer at E-Mail Address OBA sanctioned events. Please add me to your list of volunteers.