Central Texas Bluegrass Association BLUEGRASS BULLETIN Volume 28 No. 5 May 2006 Upcoming Events Ten Questions With Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick by Sean McCormick May 6th - CTBA Beginner & Interme- Pete Wernick, “Dr. Banjo,” is renowned worldwide for his accomplishments and contribu- diate Jam, Artz Ribhouse 4-6pm tions to Bluegrass music: the hot-picking force in several trend-setting bands including Hot Rize, respected author and teacher, songwriter, and long-term President of the Inter- 6th - CTBA Night! 7-9 pm national Bluegrass Music Association. Our own contributing editor Sean McCormick had Wayne Brooks and the Piney the opportunity to sit down ask Mr. Wernick ten questions. Grove Ramblers, 6:30-7 pm Stringed Tease, Artz Ribhouse Sean McCormick: Who were your biggest influ- 6th - Wendelfest - WooHoo ences musically growing up? www.wendelfest.com Pete Wernick: My radio favorites were Elvis Pres- ley, Fats Domino, and Webb Pierce, there in the mid- 12th - 14th Texas State Mountain and Hammer 50s when I kind of discovered the world of music. Dulcimer Championships Then some of my friends got into folk music, which Oakdale Park, Glen Rose, TX eventually led to me starting to play banjo Pete Seeger style, and then I got really into Bluegrass, 18th - 20th with Scruggs especially, and then the wider world of 2006 Fire on the Strings Festival all the different Bluegrass bands. By the time I was Montgomery, TX 18 I had a Bluegrass radio show and got to hear a lot www.bayareabluegrass.org of the great early records. 19th - 20th Mays’ Bluegrass Pickin’ Sean: Was the banjo your first instrument, and what other instruments do you play? Under the Stars Pete: Yes, banjo was the first instrument I learned to play. I picked up guitar after I could Oakdale Park, Glen Rose, TX play some banjo and taught myself to fingerpick and later play Bluegrass rhythm. I’ve written a bunch of songs that came about when I was playing guitar. I can play a bit of 20th steel guitar, but I let Waldo Otto use my steel and then he put his name on it and wouldn’t “Roots Music in the Texas Hill give it back. I can chop chords on a mandolin and play simple bass till my fingers wear Country” Fredericksburg, TX out. www.pioneermuseum.com Sean: Growing up in New York City, what was the Bluegrass scene like? 29th Pete: I like to say, “In the sixties in New York City, about one in a million people was KUT 90.5 FM Radio “Live Set” really into Bluegrass.” In that metropolitan area that made about sixteen people, and some features Sarah Jarosz of them were pretty powerful musicians, such as Jody Stecher, David Grisman, Winnie 3:00pm Winston, and Steve Arkin. They were some of the mainstays and had bands that I would hear. There weren’t a lot of gigs, but aside from the various concerts and coffeehouses, there was a weekly jam in Washington Square Park. You could meet the different players June there. The first time I heard local players was at the first Bluegrass show I ever went to, Flatt & Scruggs with Joan Baez opening January, 1961. There were maybe 2-3 shows a 4th Austin Lounge Lizards year in the general New York City area where famous acts from the south would come. I Kerrville Folk Festival, Quiet Valley saw Monroe, Jim & Jesse, Red Allen, and various others. Ranch, Kerrville, TX I started the only radio show that played Bluegrass in the NY City area in the sixties. It was an hour a week, then went to two hours. It’s still going all these years later, though 14th - 18th the name has changed to the Moonshine Show. David and Jody and I did some recording Hill Country Acoustic Music Camp at my college radio station. I was in a couple of bands that would play a few gigs a year Schreiner University Kerville, TX and be respected within the folk crowd that flourished at the time. Continued on page 6 For Information on CTBA membership and activities, contact: From your President Central Texas Bluegrass Assoc. P.O. Box 9816 Welcome back, Friends. May has arrived, bringing along with it festivals, Austin, TX 78766-9816 jams in the park, and some great outdoor shows. The Central Texas bands (512) 261-9440 have really worked hard on their chops and licks, and I know they can’t wait email: [email protected] to show them off. I, for one, have dedicated myself to attending four jams a www.centraltexasBluegrass.org month and at least one show a week. Wherever you are in the Central Texas CTBA is a non-profit, tax-exempt community, I challenge you to attend at least two shows a month to support 501(c)3 Association, Incorporated in your local Bluegrass bands. Just look at our event page, or click on over to the State of Texas your CentralTexasBluegrass.org website. There we have an event listing you can download. RANDALL’S GOOD NEIGHBOR In the past couple of years a trend has reemerged. More and more Bluegrass PROGRAM fans are opening up their homes for parlor or house concerts. If you haven’t The CTBA number for this program is 9735. been to one of these events then you need to make a special effort to attend If you sign up, Randall’s will donate a percentage one. In fact on May 20th CTBA is sponsoring a parlor concert featuring man- of your purchases to CTBA! dolinists Mike Compton and David Long. Typically these concerts are small in size and are hosted at the home of a music lover. As this type of show Bluegrass Bulletin Contributing Editors are: catches on, I hope you might feel comfortable opening your home or backyard to a house concert or community potluck. CTBA can help arrange for a great Dale Albright band to play, and those who attend donate money to the band or to a worthy Tyler Balthrop cause. It’s a great way to show your appreciation to Bluegrass artists and Sean McCormick an even better way to meet your local CTBA members. Let me know if you Steve Zimmet would like to host a house concert. If you know of a great place where we can organize an event for 40 or so individuals please let me know. The less money EDITORIAL STAFF we spend on location, the more money we all can contribute to the musicians. Marty Hurt I would also like to plan a summer event for all CTBA members to meet up, reminisce, and simply listen to some great music. I want to form an event OFFICERS committee with the sole responsibility of creating a fun time for all. CTBA President needs to get back to meeting a couple times a year at a local community park Steve Davidson for what CTBA’s membership director Jane Laughlin calls Pickin’ Picnics. [email protected] Sounds like a great time to me. If you feel like you want to get involved with Vice President CTBA’s event planning, then contact me. Jamie Stubblefield That’s about it for this month. The spring is on it’s way, along with the good [email protected] times. I’m really excited about the resurgence and new appreciation for Blue- Treasurer grass and American Roots music, and I can’t wait to enjoy some spring music Russ Gunn with my friends. [email protected] Sincerely, Secretary Greg Jones [email protected] Jane Laughlin Membership Steve Davidson [email protected] President 2006, CTBA John Hood Here’s my pick for the month: May 20th Past President Steve Zimmet Sarah Jarosz & Grassy Knoll Boys [email protected] Gillespie County Historical Society produces a series of concerts on the grounds of the Pioneer Museum. This month, the May 20th lineup features COMMITTEES Fredericksburg favorites Sarah Jarosz and The Grassy Knoll Boys. Beginner/Intermediate Jam Times: 5 - 11 p.m. Stephen Mangold Location: The Pioneer Museum is located at 309 West Main Street in Fred- Webmaster ericksburg Steve Zimmet Admission: $10 for outdoor shows ($8 with discount), age 11 and under are [email protected] free Editor’s Note: All writers, artists, and photographers retain all copyrights over any work submitted to the BLUEGRASS REVIEW by Sean McCormick Rhonda Vincent & The Rage “Ragin’ Live” Rhonda Vincent, the six time IBMA Female Vocalist of the year, along with her award-win- ning group The Rage, prove once again that they are one of the elite bands in Bluegrass with the release of this CD. Growing up in Kirksville, Missouri, Rhonda performed with her family band, The Sally Mountain Show, and began her professional singing career at the age of 5. She also began play- ing mandolin at that time, soon branching out to fiddle and guitar, winning the Missouri state fiddle championship in 1973. Rhonda would go on to record eleven albums with her family group, and six solo albums before the age of thirty. In the mid 1980’s she would cross over to country music. Unsatisfied with her decision, in 1998 she formed The Rage and returned to the Bluegrass scene in 1990. Rounder Records 1161-0553-2 Kenny Ingram (banjo, guitar, vocals) is a long time Bluegrass musician, performing with such greats as Lester Flatt, Jimmy Martin, and Curly Seckler. After being out of the Bluegrass scene for fifteen years, he returned to join the Rage in 2001. Hunter Berry (fiddle, mandolin, vocals) is one of Bluegrass music’s premier fiddlers, previously work- ing with groups such as Melvin Goins & Windy Mtn., and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.