TIMES OCTOBER 2012 VOL 37 • NO. 2

Austin Festival Rapidly Approaching!

Austin Friends of Traditional Mu- new. It is considered "roots " camping fees and get their wrist- sic is hosting our seventh annual because it served as the basis of bands. string band festival October 19, 20, music later developed in the United The festival officially ends at and 21 at Camp Ben McCulloch States, including , con- noon Sunday after the Gospel Sing. across from the Salt Lick (direc- temporary , rhythm and Anyone purchasing a Saturday (or tions below). As usual we'll have , and . weekend) ticket and paying their great bands, fun jams, good food Traditional music is in the heart camping fee can stay over for the and top-notch workshops at this and soul of us all. One can Sunday Gospel Sing and breakfast beautiful campground with shade bring a tear to your eye, a lump in in the food area. There is no sepa- trees, a creek, and all the facilities your throat or chills down your rate ticket for Sunday. for a magical time. Gates open at spine. If you would like to enjoy noon on Friday, October 19. hours of great music and return PET OWNERS PLEASE READ American traditional music is home with a new song in your heart Pets are allowed at the festival only also called roots music. "Roots then this is the festival for you. under the following conditions: music" is a broad category of mu- Camping fees are separate • Attendees may not under any cir- sic including bluegrass, country from the ticket price. Camping cumstances bring a noisy, vicious, music, gospel, old time music, jug Fees are per night and will be col- or dangerous pet, or a pet which bands, Appalachian folk, blues, lected at the ticket table. Fees for creates a disturbance or hazard. Cajun and Native American music. camping are: $15 per night for a • Attendees with dogs must camp The music is considered American tent or camper without electricity only in the area designated for either because it is native to the and $20 per night for a unit WITH their use. United States or because it devel- electricity. Campers who arrive • Pets are not allowed in the play- oped there, out of foreign origins, before the festival starts should ground, stage, merchandise, to such a degree that it struck mu- come by the ticket table after it shower, and food areas. sicologists as something distinctly opens at noon on Friday to pay their • Dogs and other pets must be on a fixed length leash (not exceed- ing six feet) or otherwise be ap- propriately confined at all times. FESTIVAL TICKET PRICES • Pets may not be tied up and left unattended. 3-Day F/S/S Friday Saturday NOTE: Trained assistance dogs are Non-AFTM Members $45 $25 $35 welcome in any part of the festi- AFTM members ($5 discount) $40 $20 $30 val. Students with ID ($10 disc) $35 $15 $25 Children under 16 are free (must be accompanied by an adult) – Festival lineup continued on page 2 – Festival lineup continued from page 1 The Entertainment Line Up: Sandy Bradley's Potluck for 13 years. Directions: The Canote Brothers Camp Ben McCulloch is within a "Double up with laughter when GumboJet few minutes of Austin, located 11 these identical twin musicians take A Cajun trio with David Greely on miles south of Highway 290 West the stage. With , , ukule- fiddle and vocals, Christopher on Farm Road 1826. From I-35, les and genetically matched voices, Stafford on accordion and fiddle, take Loop 4 to downtown Buda. Greg and Jere Canote bring back and Jo Vidrine on Head west on Farm Road 967 for fun, vintage American music - in- 11 miles, then turn left on Farm cluding forgotten fiddle tunes, Fundamentalist Reunion Road 1826 for 1/2 mile -- Camp classics and quirky novelty The return of a festival favorite, tight Ben McCulloch is on the left. . National Public Radio fans harmony singing and hot picking may remember the Canote Broth- from this Austin-based trio. ers as the affable side-kicks on Lone Star Swing with special guest Cindy Cashdollar Lone Star Swing, from Austin, Join Us! Texas, plays an energetic blend of Do you want to become a member helps support the presence and , jazz, and traditional of AFTM? Check our website for preservation of traditional music in that will have you more information http:// Austin. Benefits include: tapping your toes and twirling www.aftm.us/join-aftm/ or see be- • Subscription to Reel Times around the dance floor. low the benefits of becoming a newsletter member. • Discounts at AFTM-sponsored Rafe & Clelia Stefanini Membership is open to every- concerts, dances, and events Rafe Stefanini has been at the fore- one. In order to carry out its goals, • Free classified ads on our front of the revival of traditional AFTM needs the support of inter- website music from the rural south for over ested persons, organizations, and • Eligibility to serve on the Board thirty years. His work on fiddle, businesses through tax-deductible and help shape the future of banjo, guitar and song is repre- donations. But donations are not all AFTM sented in over 20 CDs, both as that maintain the vitality of AFTM. headliner and as guest. He has been New and involved members, vol- a member of such influential bands unteers, and willing helpers are the MEMBERSHIP LEVELS as the wildcats, Big Hoedown and lifeblood of the organization. We $15 - Student 1-year The Rockinghams. Clelia Stefanini invite you to join us, to participate, $20 - Individual 1-year has followed in his footsteps quickly and to give of your time, energy, $25 - Family 1-year becoming competent on fiddle, gui- and resources in the important task $25 - Band or Dance Group 1-year tar and vocals. Together they of bringing and supporting tradi- $50 - Business 1-year present a varied and exciting pro- tional / folk music and dance in the $80 - Individual 5-year gram of fiddle duets, banjo tunes, Austin community. $100 - Family 5-year songs and ballads Your membership in AFTM $300+ Lifetime Membership

AFTM Officers/Board 2011/2012 REEL TIMES is published by Austin President • Tim Wooten Friends of Traditional Music (AFTM), a nonprofit Vice-President • Angie Wooten organization (est. 1974) dedicated to encouraging Secretary • Christy Foster the performance and appreciation of all genres of Treasurer • Cheryl Dehut traditional music and dance. Copyright 2012 by Newsletter Editor • Robin Butterr AFTM. PO Box 49608, Austin, Texas 78765 Dance Liaison • Keith Tuxhorn AFTM email: [email protected] Events Coordinator• Jeanne DeFriese Web: www.aftm.us Volunteers • Margaret Valenti Sponsorships • Barbara Dean

2 October 2012 The Crankie Show Storytelling, ballads, fiddle and banjo Friday Evening, October 19th tunes are to be enjoyed by these Friday Dance 'Til You Drop Night! two young women from Appala- 7pm – Square dance with East Mountain Serenaders chia. Elizabeth LaPrelle is an ac- 8pm – Lone Star Swing with Cindy Cashdollar claimed ballad singer and banjo 9 pm – GumboJet (David Greely's traditional Cajun trio) player. She has dug deeply into the 10pm – Square dance with the Canote Brothers rich history of mountain music at Saturday October 20th the Augusta Heritage Center and WORKSHOPS 11am -1:30pm in her major, "Southern Appalachian PERFORMANCES: Traditional Performance", at the 2pm – Sawmill Vagrants College of William and Mary. Anna 3pm – Fundamentalist Reunion Roberts-Gevalt plays fiddle, banjo 4pm – Manuel "Cowboy" Donley and guitar; she calls square dances, 5pm – Square Dance with East Mt Serenaders and flatfoot dances. She has stud- – 5:45pm - 6:30pm Supper Break – ied with master musicians through- 6:30pm – Rafe and Clelia Stefanini out 7:30pm – Crankies from Anna Roberts-Gevalt and Elizabeth Laprelle Manuel "Cowboy" Donley 8:30pm – Hem & Haw The 83 year-old musician is con- 9:30pm – The Canote Brothers sidered to be the grandfather of Sunday, October 21st true Texas Tejano. He is credited Gospel Sunday - Group sing with developing the modern sound of Latino music in America. He began his career with a big Austin- all, have played fiddle, banjo, gui- trees, jam, sing, and dance. The based Latin band in the 1940s. In tar, banjo-uke, and bass admission price gets you into a vast 1995 he founded his own group, Las for a good chunk of their lives. For array of workshops (see below for Estrellas (the Stars). Together they the past couple of decades, they more details). All workshops will performed a bit of everything; have played in numerous bands and be on Saturday October 20th, 2012 rock'n'roll, -woogie and a lot for countless dances in the South- of classic tejano fare. After play- west. Jim and Rob have individu- AREA A ing with the Las Estrellas for over ally and jointly authored dozens of 11am How to Chop "'Dat Wood", two decades, Donley stopped tour- fiddle tunes, many of which are fea- Sawmill Vagrants. A comprehen- ing almost completely. Since then tured on Sweet Nell, the CD of sive lesson on how to build and play he has been performing at events New Mexican old-time fiddlers' the stump-fiddle and washtub bass. in and around Austin. original music. We will also show you the basics on the banjo-uke (a.k.a. the chop- Hem & Haw Sawmill Vagrants per!). Fiddle, banjo and guitar will Hem and Haw is Austin's newest Ahard-driving oldtime string band accompany the workshop. acoustic duo. Trading mandolin and from East Texas, the Sawmill Va- guitar and singing true-to-form har- grants will get you on your feet! 12:15 pm Bluegrass Banjo, Rolf mony, they perform tasteful Sieker, one of the top5-string pick- reworkings of the country's most WORKSHOPS ers in the country and beyond. beautiful music. The bands are not the whole story. Camp Ben's grounds are striking, AREA B - Fiddle Area The East Mountain Serenaders with an abundance of gorgeous 11am The Drone & the Pulse. a hard-driving dance band from shade trees and room for campin' Becoming the boss of your bow! New Mexico's East Mountains, and jamming'. Some of the best The Canote Brothers. We'll take blend original and traditional old- music is off-stage in sessions last- Eck Robertson's "Great Big Taters" time tunes to keep dancers mov- ing 'til the wee hours. Bring your and bring it to life with a simple ing. Jim Mullany, Rob Pine and , , , pattern using bow direction, pulses Jerry Page, multi-instrumentalists and other instruments - sit under the and dips. Arcane secrets revealed!

October 2012 3 Bring a standard-tuned fiddle and 12:15pm Old Time Banjo, Anna even if you already know how to a recording device. Roberts-Gevalt & Elizabeth Square Dance. LaPrelle. This workshop will fo- 12:15pm New Old-Time Fiddle cus on the basics of the southwest AREA G - Guitar Area Tunes, East Mountain Serenaders. Virginia style clawhammer banjo. 11am Americanized Celtic Tunes, Old-time music lives! And what Anna can work with any interme- Heather Gilmer & Tim Wooten. music lives without growing? The diate/advanced players on alternate Heather & Tim will play before and East Mountain Serenaders will tunings, and two-finger style and after versions of tunes that crossed present some new old-time fiddle other regional styles from east Ken- the Atlantic and morphed into old- tunes from their repertoire with tucky. time American tunes. They'll also names like "Sleeping In The Cheese discuss origins of old time string Dip," and "Good Question," In light AREA E - Shady Grove Area band music. of the recent passing of Illinois fiddle 11am Dances, Play Parties & Sing- great, Garry Harrison, we will play ing, Malissa Mollberg. An introduc- 12:15pm Back-up guitar, Brennen some of our favorite fiddle tunes tion to musical activities that can Leigh of the Fundamentalists. made by that amazing fiddler/mu- be enjoyed by children in party, sicologist. Come hear and learn a school and camp settings, as well AREA H - Big Tree Area few "new-time" tunes that salute as family gatherings. Each simple 11am The Alexander Technique, and complement the great old ones activity involves singing and move- Molly Johnson. This workshop will we all love! ment. They are traditional games introduce you to the Alexander that children and young people have Technique, a method that anyone AREA C - Singing Pavillion enjoyed for generations. This is an can use to decrease tension and 11am Lead a Singing Circle, Anna interactive workshop, come pre- injury risk and to improve posture & Elizabeth. Anna & Elizabeth will pared to play! and breath/vocal control and that draw from their repertoire of Ap- musicians and other performers can palachian traditional songs, ballads 12:15pm Duet harmony singing, use to approach practicing and per- & gospel songs, in an informal song Jenn Miori and Ben Hodges of Hem forming in a more conscious and swap & sing along! Bring a song to & Haw. effective way. See share! www.integratedmotionstudio.com AREA F - Prison Yard Area for more information. 12:15pm Old Time Songs for Uke, 11am F-Tunes Fiddle Workshop, The Canote Brothers. Let's sing East Mountain Serenaders. In the 12:15pm Beginning Fiddle, Clelia and play some great old songs, in- world of Old-Time fiddle music, F- Stefanini. This workshop will con- cluding: Kilby Snow's "Shady tunes have often been either feared centrate on learning simple fiddle Grove", "Won't 'cha Come Out and or ignored. But from way back, old- tunes with appropriate bowing pat- See Me Sometime" from the Geor- time musicians didn't let a slightly terns. I will teach the tunes slow gia Yellow Hammers, and "Don't new finger position on the fiddle and by ear, so a recording device is Let Your Deal Go Down"! We'll keep them from playing some truly strongly suggested. The emphasis introduce several strums that work phenomenal melodies. And you will be on patience, until you will well for old-time music, and learn shouldn't either! The East Moun- walk away knowing an old time to pick melodies using our thumbs! tain Serenaders will give a short tour fiddle tune. Participants must know Word-sheets and Tablature in- of some fine F-tunes, both old and how to tune and have a basic knowl- cluded. Bring a uke tuned GCEA. new. edge of the fiddle. AREA D - Old-Time, Mandolin & Banjo Area 12:15pm Square Dance For Begin- Special Thanks to our Sponsors ners, Sharon Isaac. Learn the ba- and Friends: Angeliska Polacheck, 11am Mandolin, Silas Lowe. Man- sics of square dancing. Square Blackerby shop, Collings dolin has been an important part of dancing is easy if you know the Guitars, Don's Automotive, Fiddler's just about every form of American lingo. We'll Rip & Snort, Right & Green Music Shop, Howard Rains, stringband music. Let's explore Left Grand, Promenade, Do-Si-Do, KOOP 91.7 fm, Maggie Cook mandolin rhythm beyond the blue- Sow Clover and Wind Up A Ball of Polacheck, Tom's Tabooley, and grass chop! Yarn. It's fun and easy so join us Etc., Precision Pearl, Inc.

4 October 2012 Dance News

Austin Barn Dancers Directions and schedule or International Folk Dancing Community-style contradancing location changes can be found International Folk Dancing meets for young and old alike, with the at taada.us (Traditional Austin almost every Saturday night at feeling of a town hall social Area Dance Association). Hancock Recreation Center on dance. Contras, squares, and Also check out the Facebook 41st Street (between Red River circle mixers to live traditional page for Austin Contra Danc- and Duval). Or visit the IFD music provided by LOCO (Local ers. Facebook Page. On-Call Orchestra). Meets at Hancock Recreation Center on and Riverside Drive in south Austin Scottish Country Wednesdays at 7:30-10 pm. 811 E Austin. Contact: Nana Lopez at Dance Society 41st (corner of Red River). 512/970-4919, email - Features weekly socials and Contact Dale Rempert at [email protected]. Or see classes. For information call or [email protected] or the 1st Friday Contra Dance email Sarah Harriman at 327- phone 512/453-4225. Facebook page. 2869 [email protected].

Third Saturday Contra English Country Dancing The Third Saturday Contra Is held on the 2nd Friday of each Dance takes place at St. Paul month, from 7:30 pm-10:30, at the Lutheran School (3501 Red First Cumberland Presbyterian 16th Annual River). Beginners session at 7:30 Church Fellowship Hall, 6800 Fire Ant Frolic pm, regular dance from 8 to 11 Woodrow Ave (one block South Contra Dance Weekend, pm. $8 admission with discounts of Justin Lane). The cost is $8 Oct. 26-28, 2012 for AFTM members. Students $5. when we have live music, $6 First-time dancers receive a otherwise, and $5 for students all George Marshall, Caller "dance for free" coupon. No the time. All dances are taught Wild Asparagus is a five-person experience or partners are and called. Beginners are wel- band from Western Massachu- necessary, and all dances are come. Please note this dance is setts. Drawing upon music from taught. Call Chuck Roth at (512) fragrance free. For more infor- New , the British Isles, 453-8936 or e-mail mation contact Ann McCracken and Canada, as well as classical [email protected] for at [email protected] or 266-9949. sources, Wild Asparagus takes an more information. Or check the Austin English original approach to the traditional Country Dance Facebook page. dance music of our folk heritage. First Friday Contra Dances Since 1984, Wild Asparagus has Dances taught, no experience Clickety Cloggers of Austin been highly successful in bringing needed, bring all your friends. Is a 30-year-old nonprofit dance their music to dances and con- Holds dances from 8:00 - 11:00 group dedicated to preserving the certs throughout the US. pm (beginners' session from 7:30 heritage and promoting Lost & Nameless Orchestra - 8), on the first Friday of each the art of --has a Foot stomping, heart racing, month, featuring local callers and mission to help keep a slice of exciting music! Tastefully pairing musicians. $8 admission to the Americana alive. We dance every a wide dynamic range and an dance (discounts for AFTM Thursday night from 6:30 to 9:00 intimate connection with the members -- newcomers are free) p.m. at the D'ette Dance Studio, listeners, Austin-based fiddle- with everyone welcome. No 1807 Slaughter Lane, Suite #325, driven folk rock quartet, Lost & experience or partners necessary, Austin, TX 78748. For informa- Nameless Orchestra gets you out all dances taught. The dances will tion about dancing with the club of your chair and onto the dance be held at Carpenters Hall at 400 or taking lessons, Contact Virginia floor. Josephine St., just west of Lamar, Pohlmeier at [email protected] between Barton Springs Road or (512) 441-7422. October 2012 5 Scholarships ranging from chickens, cows, pigs, most of all I have realized how Awarded plus a wide range of vegetables. much I love Old Time Music and One tip is that late at night they have how grateful I am for the people the BEST fried okra, hamburgers, who I can share that with." The Austin Friends of Traditional and sausages for sale outside by Music was pleased to offer schol- one of the jam tents. By Bren Koch: arships to Eliana Salinas and Bren The hardest part of the gath- "I am 18 and have been playing Koch to attend the Old-Time Mu- ering is waking up and getting go- banjo for 4 years. I started playing sic & Dance Week at the ing. You have to wake up no later the banjo the summer before I Swannanoa Gathering. than 8:00 every morning to get to started high school. I started tak- Swannanoa explores the rich breakfast and get ready for class ing lessons from OJ Laier. I fell in music, dance, and singing traditions or earlier if you decide to go to tai- love with the instrument and have of the southern Appalachian region chi at 7:30. After breakfast you hardly had it out of my hands since. through a wide variety of classes have your first class at 9:00 and your OJ has been a huge influence on taught by an experienced and sup- second class at 10:45. Then you me musically and all around. It was portive staff. The many diverse of- eat a delicious lunch, made by the him that introduced me into the ferings enable students to explore college students. After lunch you wonderful old-time folk community new areas; fiddlers sing, singers can attend a guest master artist in Austin and the AFTM. dance, and dancers learn to play concert. Following that is your third I graduated this year from instruments. class. After all your classes are McCallum High School and will be Students enroll in as many as over for the day there are potlucks, attending Texas State in San three regular classes during the which are like mini classes or con- Marcos this fall. I'm majoring in week, and each afternoon a vari- certs that happen simultaneously so Sound Recording Technology with ety of short workshop topics are you choose which one to attend. a minor in piano performance, but offered during the Potluck Sessions. The night starts with a square-dance my true love will always be the The daily Communal Gathering fea- and following that are jams that last banjo (sadly they don't have a banjo tures master musicians, singers, and late into the night. department at TX State, believe me dancers from across the Appala- My time at Swannanoa made I asked). I was very excited to at- chian region. Evening activities in- me so much more confident in my tend the Swannanoa Gathering in clude jam sessions, singing, square playing. I have learned so many July. It was a grand opportunity to dances, clogging, concerts, and the new techniques and tunes. But grow as a musician and immerse popular Late-Night Honky-Tonk myself in old-time music." Dance!

By Eliana Salinas: "Swannanoa is a place where people come together. Whenever and wherever you look there will always be a jam going on. At Swannanoa there is a strong com- munity that is growing every year. Nestled in the blue ridge mountains of Swannanoa, NC, Warren-Wilson College is the perfect environment for the gathering. With all the tall pines and natural flora, the peace- ful environment puts you at home. The meals are yummy and healthy with meat and veggies from the Warren-Wilson College farm. The Warren-Wilson Farm is about 275 acres. They have many animals

6 October 2012 What I Did This more than I could manage to at- Ongoing Events Summer tend. We had an exceedingly fine AFTM Jam Session time. The only bummer was I was by Elizabeth Pittman 2nd Sunday of each month at 2pm set upon by mountain chiggers and at Tom’s Tabooley. have about 40 bites on each arm Clifftop! The Appalachian String and leg, and sometimes I'd have to Band Festival at Camp Washing- AFTM Open Mic stop playing music so I could de- ton-Carver in the mountains of 3rd Sunday of each month at 2pm vote myself to scratching. They south central West Virginia. at Tom’s Tabooley (get there early are not as rapacious as Texas chig- I drove to Clifftop on Thurs- to sign up). gers, thank goodness! (They don't day July 26, got in line and slept in get in your socks and undies.) my car that night, in preparation for The Austin Banjo Club meets on After 20 years of going to this the land rush that would (and did) Mondays, 7 - 9 pm at the Senior festival and camping near the same occur when the gates opened at Activity Center, 29th and Lamar. folks, I have many fond acquain- 1:00 pm on Friday. At that point Traditional American pop and jazz tances and several dear friends I there were about 150 cars waiting from late 1800s to the 1930s. All see only once or twice a year and in line. Fortunately my car was 18th varieties of "banjo" are welcome all of them musicians. and I was able to get the camping (tenor, 5-string, banjo-uke, banjolins, Home again -- having spent a spot I wanted. By Sunday after- etc) Please join us! Go to week in the wild I was glad to sleep noon the place was filling up and www.austinbanjoclub.org for more in my own bed again and take a by Wednesday a village of 3,000++ info. shower knowing with certainty the had assembled, from places as far water would be warm enough to afield as Japan, UK, France, Swe- The Austin Balkan Singers is a suit me! den, etc, in addition to Americans singing group interested in preserv- and Canadians from all over the ing traditional folk songs of East- map. ern Europe. The group, which has At Camp Texas we had Tom been together over 30 years, gath- Pittman (who arrived on Friday E-Reel Times! ers once a week (most of the time) with all our camping gear), Howard and welcomes new members inter- Rains and his son Isaiah, and Jerry Reel Times is available by e-mail. ested in harmony, polyphonic vocal- Hagins, plus Mark Gilston (a day Save a fast-growth pine by going izations and group yells! Performs camper, staying in a motel at night) to our web site (www.aftm.us) and occasionally. Look for us on and Sebylle & Bob, a British couple signing up for e-mail delivery! Facebook! we had met the week before in Asheville. Sebylle is a fiddler and an excellent flat-foot dancer, hav- ing studied with for 6 weeks spread over the past 6 years, and Bob is a fine banjo player. Marynell and Gene Young and Jaie were there as well, but camped in different neighborhoods. We hosted many old-time jams plus about 6 honky-tonk jams since Tom had brought his pedal steel, and there were a number of excel- lent singers camped nearby. In addition to the jams there were many CD and book release parties sprinkled about the village -

October 2012 7 Austin Friends of Traditional Music PO Box 49608 Austin, Texas 78765

AFTM Jam Session: Every Second Sunday, 2 pm • Tom’s Tabooley on Guadalupe Next Jam Sessions: Sunday Nov. 11, 2012 & Sunday Dec. 9, 2012 • Bring Instruments & Voices! Member Meetings before the session • All Welcome!

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Total enclosed: $______. Please make check payable to Austin Friends of Traditional Music and mail to: PO Box 49608, Austin, TX 78765. Paypal accepted on our website at www.aftm.us

8 October 2012