1 COPYRIGHT © CENTRAL TEXAS BLUEGRASS ASSOCIATION Central IBMA Member Vol. 32 No. 6 Texas Bluegrass June 1, 2010 Copyright © 2010 by Central Texas Bluegrass Association Jake Workman wins State of TX Banjo AND Flatpicking Awards! Jake Workman blew away the audience and all the other contestants to win in BOTH the State of Texas Banjo Championship AND the State of Texas Flatpicking Champion- ship for 2010. It wasn’t really a cakewalk for the young man from Salt Lake City, UT. He had to compete against the 2002 National Flatpicking Champion Scott Fore and a host of equally good actual Texans. First inspired to play banjo by his parents he was later in- spired to play the guitar after hearing Josh Williams. Like his guitar playing, his banjo playing is smooth and clean and has won him numerous awards. Listeners can check him out on MySpace and YouTube. He was also featured in “Flatpicking Guitar Maga- zine” last month. Dan Miller (of FGM) first met Jake at Winfield which is where I first saw him too. I know that I wasn’t alone in voting for Jake to win the Winfield competi- tion but it wasn’t his year. My guess is that he will take the honors this year. Check out his CD “Rocky Mountain Hideaway”. Photo by Travis Posey; story by Tom Duplissey CTBA Announces Scholarship Awards! THE LOST PINES Central Texas Bluegrass Association’s Willa Porter Scholarship Fund is page 8 pleased to accounce the awarding of this years scholarships to the following individuals: Adam Greer, banjo, Burton, TX John Peyton (JP) Shafer, mandolin, Woodway, TX Devin Paynkewicz, mandolin, Baytown,TX All of these fine young people had numerous recommendations from friends, IN THIS ISSUE... professional musicians, and family. Congratulations to all the recipients! CTBA Willa Porter Scholarship covers tuition and on-site room and board to allow aspiring bluegrass musicians to attend an Acoustic Music Camp of their • THE LISTENING POST choice this coming summer. The camps should be instruction based and noted • PICKS & RELEASES for having quality instructors. The amount to be awarded to each recipient will • LEARNIN’ A LITTLE be up to $500. The recipient of the scholarship is responsible for additional • GOSPEL CORNER costs and all travel expenses and other expenses incurred. Applicants must be • ARTIST PROFILE 12 or over. Any given camp may have age restrictions and/or require that mi- • MEET A MEMBER nors be accompanied by an adult. Your CTBA membership and donations help • OLD & NEW fund this program. Thank you & congratulations winners! • CALENDAR OH, I had a piece of pie, • BANDS LISTING I had a piece of puddin’ • JAM LOCATIONS I give it all away to see my sally goodin’ • MERCHANDISE 2 COPYRIGHT © CENTRAL TEXAS BLUEGRASS ASSOCIATION The Listening Post Farewell The Listening Post is a forum established to monitor bluegrass musical recordings, Drifters live performances, or events in Texas. Our mailbox sometimes contains CDs for us to review. Here is where you will find reviews of the CD’s Central Texas Bluegrass release Association receives as well as reviews of live performances or workshops. “Yellow Tag The Grascals play several Texas locations Mondays” Ft. Worth, Austin, Dal- las, and Bay Area Blue- The Farewell Drifters are a grass Association’s Fire young group of musicians in- on the Strings were just fluenced by groups like Nickel a few of the TX perfor- mances by the band that won SPBGMA’s Bluegrass Band of the Year in 2010. The Grascals gave TX a taste of why this band was able to capture such a prestigious award. The “bookends” are Creek but bringing their own the masterpiece of this unique blend of harmonies and fine band. On one end Photo by Ken Brown excellent musicianship. Yellow they have mandolin Tag Monday’s showcases their ace Danny Roberts and Out, Jim Hurst, Roland White, and Sun”. Don’t get me wrong, this is complex, sophisticated playing on the other is the two time IBMA Rhonda Vincent, so her resume is straight ahead, in your face blue- on a backdrop of “disarmingly winner of Banjo Player of the as impressive as her playing. grass CD from the lead off cover honest songwriting”. Year Kristin Scott Benson. Folks Danny Roberts released a CD of the Monkee’s “Last Train to attending the Fire on the Strings back in 2004, Mandolin Orchard, Clarksville” until the fine gospel show may recall the song that that is one all mandolin players tune “Give Me Jesus” at the very was suppose to feature the fiddler, should own. Danny was fea- last. tured at Fire on the Strings play- The Grascals are a Grammy HELP CTBA ing “Bonaparte’s Retreat” which nominated, White Dove group is also on his CD. that really was a delight to have Next time you receive The Grascals latest CD, entitled visit Texas. Still, I have to say an electronic notification, The Famous Lefty Flinn’s was that there was something un- from CTBA go all the way released in March. The CD con- usual about them too. I couldn’t to the bottom and click tains some excellent three-part put my finger on it. I asked Ken on “Forward Email”. En- harmonies, especially on “Satan Brown what he thought and Ken ter the email address of and Grandma”. Admittedly, the summed it up for me. He said, a friend (make sure you title of this ballad is a little strange “I’m not sure any band should have their permission). but it’s a “powerful testimony to have TWO rhythm guitar players”. This will let them get the the strength of a righteous grand- Maybe that was it.. One thing is newsletter and may en- mother” against Satan. They for certain, the “bookends” make courage them to join us. cover Steve Earle’s “My Old this a band worth seeing the next Tell people about the Jeremy Abshire. Jeremy kicked it Friend the Blues” and include a chance you get. scholarships for acoustic off in high gear but it was the awe- folk song entitled “Out Comes the music camps. This is a some solos of Danny and Kristin good thing for our young that made the audience give them people! a standing ovation. Tell your friends about Kristin has a quality of playing the BAND SCRAMBLE and that displays perfect timing and Chasing GARAGE SALE at Artz Rib expected Scruggs style and yet House July 3rd. This is our during all of her solos there was primary fundraiser so we always that little extra something Blue don’t bug you all year. she throws in that made you think Buy a CD from a CTBA you might be hearing the banjo Band! Support Bluegrass! for the very first time. Kristin is ac- tually the newest member of the for bookings band. She’s played with Laurie (512)963-7515 Suzanne Lewis, Josh Williams, IIIrd Tyme [email protected] 3 COPYRIGHT © CENTRAL TEXAS BLUEGRASS ASSOCIATION Steve Martin & Steep Canyon (4/25/10) Fire on the Strings By Jon Ricketts Music Festival It was a tough decision to make, and one you probably (5/13-15/10) only have to make in Austin, This year’s Fire on the Strings festival was Tx - I had to make a decision once again held at the Lake Conroe / North to see only one of 3 shows I was interested in on a Sun- Houston KOA Campgrounds in Montgomery, day night. There was Sarah TX. There was a super lineup of bands for Jarosz performing at the Cactus Cafe, ZZ Top at the Backyard, and Steve Mar- tin with the Steep Canyon Rangers at the Long Cen- ter. It was a tough choice indeed - I’m a big ZZ Top fan but have never caught them live, and I’ve seen Sarah J a few times in the last few between just about every “I Can’t Sit Down. The song years (including a great per- song he spun off some hi- featured tightly woven and this year’s event. Many of the bands were formance at Rockygrass in larious banter and one-lin- intricate 4 part harmony - “regulars” at the monthly meetings of the Bay Lyons). Being a lifelong fan ers (unfortunately he never think of it as “Get Down On of Steve Martin, and the fact donned the rabbit ears and Your Knees and Pray” on Area Bluegrass Association in League City, TX. that his tour was likely the arrow through the head). He steroids. Thursday’s bands were Brazos River Pickers, “rarest” event in town, I went was also using his iPad as a While not quite the same as Justified (photo above), Southern Style, with Steve Martin, and it sure setlist and it set the stage for going to see Tony Trischka Cypress Creek, Kerry Jones & Eric Late, was a great decision! a number of funny moments or Bela Fleck (from a “banjo and THE GRASCALS! Friday had some of Steve is currently on tour (“...excuse me, it’s been 40 chops” perspective), listen- the same artists returning but audiences got an to support his new banjo al- minutes since I Googled my- ing to Steve play one could opportunity to hear Buffalo Nickel, Blue River bum called “The Crow.” The self..”). tell that he’s spent a lifetime (featuring last year’s State of TX Flatpicking album features 14 songs Throughout the night the playing the banjo and is a Champ - Mike Morrison), LoneStar Bluegrass mostly written by Steve, save music was a mix of both in- natural at coaxing musical Band, and Buddy & Tina Wright.