Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
January-March 2020 Newsletter ______President: Rob Angus: [email protected] (205) 987-7976 1st Vice President: Carolyn Rials: [email protected] Home (205) 491-1890 Cell (205) 602-8285 nd 2 Vice President: Bob Sutton: [email protected] Home (205) 668-0659 Cell (205) 919-2564. Treasurer: Brenda Hickey: [email protected] Cell (205) 616-4489 Secretary: Sherry Knight: [email protected] Cell (985) 516-2745 Festival Chair & Public Relations: Dawn Wilson: [email protected] Cell (205) 516-2854 Newsletter Editor: Ken Waites: [email protected] Cell (205) 601-2485 WEB PAGE: http://sdulcimer.wordpress.com
Facebook page: Southern Appalachian - check out our Facebook page for pictures from our festival & gatherings, as well as meeting notices and links to events. If you cannot find our Facebook page, please send an e-mail to Dawn Wilson and she will try to friend you.
SADA's You-Tube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/SouthernAppDulcimer
MONTHLY MEETINGS
SADA monthly meetings are held the second Saturday of the month, except for May and December, beginning at 11 AM. Jamming is followed by a business meeting, potluck lunch, and more jamming until 2 PM. Our location is Lake Crest Presbyterian Church, 560 Lake Crest Parkway in Hoover. Address for Lake Crest Presbyterian Church: 560 Lake Crest Parkway, Hoover, AL 35226
Directions to Lake Crest Presbyterian Church:
Driving south from Trussville on I-459, take exit 10 at the Grove Shopping Center. Turn right onto John Hawkins Parkway (Alabama Highway 150) towards Bessemer. Drive 0.7 mile and turn right onto Lake Crest Drive. Turn left into the church driveway which is just across from the Lake Crest Animal Clinic.
Driving North from Bessemer on I-459, take exit 10 at the Grove Shopping Center. Turn left onto John Hawkins Parkway (Alabama Highway 150) towards Bessemer. Drive 0.7 mile and turn right onto Lake Crest Drive. Turn left into the church driveway which is just across from the Lake Crest Animal Clinic.
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Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
PRACTICE GROUPS BESIDES MONTHLY MEETING
Shelby Strummers: Meets in the basement at Camp Branch Methodist Church on 123 Camp Branch Rd. in Alabaster, every other Tuesday. The group does not usually meet during June- August. Jams begin at 12 noon and last until 2 pm. New attendees contact Dawn Wilson by email at [email protected] or call (205) 516-2854 for schedules since occasionally the group performs offsite or the practice is canceled due to scheduling conflicts. Other acoustic instruments are welcome!
Trussville Joyful Jammers: Meets every Thursday night at 6 PM, in room 139, at the First Baptist Church on 128 N. Chalkville Rd in Trussville, AL. Come to the church and drive to the left to the covered circular driveway. Entrance is the only door to the left of that covered driveway. Room 138 is the 1st door on the left. New attendees contact Freda Moore by email at [email protected] or call her home (205) 655-2904 or cell phone (205) 200-5183. Occasionally the meeting is cancelled due to group performances or other scheduling conflicts. Other acoustic instruments are welcome! The Facebook page for this group is: Joyful Jammers in Trussville, AL- SADA.
McCalla Melodies: Meets every Thursday mornings from 10:00 - 12:00 noon at Pleasant Hill Methodist Church, 4809 Bell Hill Rd, Bessemer, AL. The church is just off exit 1 from I-459. It is easy to see as it is right next to the interstate, on the side of Tannehill and on the left behind Zaxby’s if headed toward Tannehill. Upon entering the church parking lot, go to the right side of the church and then around back on the side next to I-459. The jams are held in the choir room. Contact Marvin or Bea Farris by email: [email protected] or [email protected] or by cell phone at (615) 513-0784 or (615) 973-0150.
MESSAGE FROM SADA PRESIDENT ROB ANGUS
I hope everyone had an enjoyable, if perhaps not entirely relaxed, Christmas. I also hope your team won its bowl game. I’m looking forward to the new year and lots of dulcimer jamming. Starting with the January 11 jam/meeting, we’ll be working on the tunes that have been selected for us to play at the festival (listed elsewhere in this newsletter). This year’s tunes are from the Civil War era, a time period especially appropriate to remember while we’re at Tannehill. There are lots of beautiful and poignant songs from that era. Let’s all start thinking about how we can help Dawn with the festival so that we can make Tannehill 2 2020 the best ever.
Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
NEWS AND NOTES A New Weekly Dulcimer Jam For those who cannot get enough strumming with the Shelby Strummers or jamming with the Joyful Jammers in between the SADA monthly jams, there is now another alternative to satisfy the need for playing dulcimer music on a more frequent basis in addition to the Fourth Friday afternoon jams on the porch held at Tannehill between March and October. Conveniently located in the Bessemer/McCalla area, this new group known as the “McCalla Melodies” was recently organized by Marvin and Bea Farris and meets every Thursday morning in the choir room at Pleasant Hill Methodist Church. See detailed information for time and location on page 2 of this newsletter. The 2020 weekly jams begin on Thursday, January 9th. 2020 Festival Update Plans are well underway for the 47th SADA Festival that will take place at Tannehill Historical State Park April 30-May 3, 2020. Various possibilities for group meals on Thursday and Saturday are being considered based on input received last year. We have to work within the rules Tannehill has for use of food vendors or caterers if we decide not to do something ourselves. More information will be forthcoming in the next newsletter which will be distributed in advance of the festival. A committee consisting of Ken Waites, Carolyn Rials, and Sherry Knight has selected the music for Open Stage and Gazebo performances. Sheet music will be provided and practices will take place at the monthly SADA Jams beginning in January. Our festival music is listed below. Open Stage Performance Saturday: Wizard on the Hill and Ragtime Annie. Gazebo Performance Friday “Civil War Era Theme”: Year of the Jubilee. Battle Hymn of the Republic Goober Peas Vacant Chair The Blackest Crow Home Sweet Home Hard Times Oh Susannah Battle Cry of Freedom Soldier’s Joy Lincoln and Liberty
Alternates: Liza Jane, Lorena
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Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
UPCOMING SADA EVENTS
This listing does not include the regular weekly meetings and special performances of the Joyful Jammers and McCalla Melodies or the biweekly meetings and special performances of the Shelby Strummers. January, 11, 2020: Jam at Lake Crest Presbyterian Church at 11 AM. February 8, 2020: Jam at Lake Crest Presbyterian Church at 11 AM. March 14, 2020: Jam at Lake Crest Presbyterian Church at 11 AM. March 27, 2020: Jam on the Porch at Tannehill at 1 PM. April 11, 2020: Jam at Lake Crest Presbyterian Church at 11 AM. April 25, 2020: Jam on the Porch at Tannehill at 1 PM. Note this is the week prior to the SADA Festival, so there will be several people already camping in the park who may want to participate. April 30-May 3: 47th Annual SADA Festival at Tannehill. May 22, 2020: Jam on the Porch at Tannehill at 1 PM. June 13, 2020: Jam at Lake Crest Presbyterian Church at 11 AM.
UPCOMING FESTIVALS AND CLASSES January 3-5, 2020: Winter Dulcimer Weekend in Bardstown, Kentucky. Nine hours of instruction at every level including hammered and mountain dulcimer classes. For information visit the website: www.kentuckymusicweek.com. February 20-22, 2020: Southern Strings Dulcimer Festival at Calvary Baptist Church, 1123 Highway 42, Petal, MS 39465 (near Hattiesburg). Workshops, jamming, mini concerts, and vendors all add to the fun. The Deep South Dulcimer Championship for Mountain and Hammered Dulcimers also takes place during this time. “Dry Camping” is available on site. Full hook-up campsites are available at Wagon Wheel RV Park (4 miles from venue), telephone (601) 582-8477 and Forrest County Multi-Purpose Complex (10 miles from venue), telephone (601) 583-7500. For information on the festival go to www.mississippidulcimer.com. 4
Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
March 12-15, 2020: Lagniappe Dulcimer Society 19th Annual Fete - Jambalaya Jammin’ at West Baton Rouge Community Center, 749 North Jefferson Avenue, Port Allen, LA 70767 and West Baton Rouge Museum. This event includes workshops for mountain dulcimer, hammered dulcimer, fiddle, psaltery, autoharp and other instruments, jams, and other activities. Fete Co-chairs: Helen Bankston email: [email protected], phone (225) 953-1382 or Maylee Samuels email: [email protected], phone (225) 769-7805. For additional details, hotels, camping, and schedule of events go to the website: Lagniappedulcimerbr.org/fete- 2020.html or Lagniappe Dulcimer Society Facebook page.
April 2-5, 2020: Montgomery Let’s Gather at the River Dulcimer Festival at Gunter Hill Corps of Engineers Park, 561 Booth Road, Catoma Loop Pavilion. Contact: Barbara Betts by email at [email protected] or by phone (334) 277-9102. Camping reservations can be made through www.recreation.gov. Telephone number for campground is (334) 269-1053.
May 28, 2020: Guntersville Jam on the Lake, held at Civitan Park. RSVP Dulcimers host a pot luck picnic and jamming from 9 AM-3 PM. For information contact Debby Roe by email at [email protected] or phone (228) 326-8424.
If you know of upcoming festivals in the Southeast, please provide Ken Waites with the information for future newsletters. Many festivals are word of mouth and it can be difficult to find dates and locations. Email: [email protected]; Telephone: (205) 601-2485.
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Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
SHARING OUR DULCIMER MUSIC
Some of the important goals of SADA are to introduce dulcimer music to others who may not be familiar with it, provide instruction for those wanting to learn to play, and also to teach the history of our musical instruments. We are fortunate to have opportunities to share our music in the community. Our satellite groups, the Shelby Strummers and Joyful Jammers develop playlists and perform at various events in the greater Birmingham area on a frequent basis. Some accomplished musicians from SADA play individually at various venues and participate as instructors in workshops and dulcimer festivals around the country. Other times several SADA members simply get together and jam at local festivals and events. Highlights from SADA activities from October-December are provided below.
A little rain on Saturday, October 19th did not deter stalwart musicians from playing their favorite songs at the annual SADA Jam at Old Baker Farm Pumpkin Patch. Having a covered stage helped.
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Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
Several SADA members taught Bluff Park Elementary School children about the history of the Appalachian Dulcimer, played several songs and led sing alongs to the children's delight on November 4th. The old cabin that has been restored and reconstructed on this site has a dulcimer hanging on the wall of the main sitting room. Bob Sutton organized and led this educational program in conjunction with the Hoover Historical Society.
Tannehill State Park Christmas Candlelight Tours featured representatives of SADA performing Christmas Music in the 7 Iron and Steel Museum on December 6th and 7th. Dawn Wilson and Carol Ratliff also performed at the McAdory House in McCalla on Sunday, December 8th.
Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
SADA Joyful Jammers Jammers played at Peachtree Independent Living on December 12th. SADA Shelby Strummers
Strummers played at Danbury Assisted Living on October 1st, Galleria Woods on October 22nd, Pea Ridge Senior Center on November 12th, and Town Village in Vestavia on November 19th.
Shelby Strummers 2019 Christmas Photograph. Left to right: Ken Waites, Bob Trussell, Dawn Wilson, Lisa Smith, Claude Williams, Bob Sutton, Carolyn Rials, Deborah Little, Sally Sutton, Carol Ratliff, Leone Weaver.
Thank you Carol Ratliff for hosting a Christmas party and jam at your home on December 13th. More than 20 people attended and had a wonderful time eating and playing Christmas songs.
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Southern Appalachian Dulcimer Association
REMINDER SECTION:
Remember our web page at http://[email protected] Join our Facebook page: Southern Appalachian Joyful Jammers Facebook page: Joyful Jammers Dulcimer Club in Trussville, AL-SADA View our You-Tube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/SouthernAppDulcimer Enjoy your Dulcimer! Mark your calendars for the 47th annual SADA festival April 30 – May 3, 2020 Don’t forget to SMILE and give someone a hug today!
DUES INFORMATION
Dues are $20.00 per family per year. Please make checks payable to SADA and complete the form below: For SADA membership - complete below and mail check for $20.00 payable to SADA to:
Name: ______Spouse Name: ______
Children’s Names (if planning to attend festival): ______Address: ______City: ______State: ______Zip: ______Home Phone: ______Cell Phone: ______Cell Phone for spouse: ______Email: ______Name: ______Email: ______Name: ______Only list 2nd e-mail if both family members would like to receive an e-mail. Please list the name for each person’s e-mail
Receive newsletter by U.S. Mail ______or E-mail ______
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