HIGH LONESOME BELOW SEA LEVEL Faces and Stories of in the Marieke Odekerken & Loes van Schaijk HIGH LONESOME BELOW SEA LEVEL Faces and Stories of Bluegrass Music in the Netherlands FOREWORD

How often is it that we can get an inside view of the musical subculture of an entire nation?

The Netherlands early on embraced , , bluegrass, and other musical forms with roots in the southern United States. Drawing on earlier work for her master’s thesis, vocalist and bassist Loes van Schaijk traveled the country, interviewing musicians far and wide, accompanied by photographer Marieke Odekerken. Reading Loes’s articles and seeing Marieke’s images capturing

As a musician, Loes navigates the interviews from a thoughtful perspective, distilling them to a entertained. In quotes from seasoned performers as well as younger ones—soloists, duos, trios, whole bands—I felt they all enjoyed sharing their stories and passions with a young musician deeply interested in this music, its history and its people, in her country.

Along the way we meet instrument builders, promoters, cowboys and wild men, women songwriters, children growing up in musical families, a saw player, and a guy who stretched painting canvas over steeped in world-changing art.

saying, “It felt like coming home.” In the Netherlands as well as the US and other countries and in both urban and rural populations, I’ve heard and experienced the same emotion. Something about bluegrass…it evokes feelings of home and family.

A thread is captured within one of the pieces: “…Love of tradition in the music they listen to, combined with a desire to bend the rules of those traditions in the music they make.” This inclusive appreciation of the two sides seems to be a theme on the scene. Other qualities I’ve felt from the stories: eclecticism, sarcasm and wry humor, expressiveness, straightforwardness, sensitivity, passion, creativity, and rugged individualism.

Most of these certainly bring to mind , the half-Dutch bluegrass founder, Kentucky player and high tenor singer who spawned the entire genre, whose mother’s Americanized last name Vandiver is familiar in the Netherlands as Van der Veere, meaning from the small island city of Veere in the province of Zeeland. Aware and proud of bluegrass’s international appeal and its friends he met during his tours of the Netherlands.

Sandy Rothman Berkeley, California February 2015

Listen to music and/or find more information by scanning the pictures in this book with the Layar app INTRODUCTION

Bluegrass: A style of acoustic music named after the sound developed by Bill Monroe and his band the Blue Grass Boys in the southeastern United States in the 1940s. The style, with roots in pre-industrial traditional music from the British Isles and strong African American influences, distinguishes itself by the combination of stringed instruments (typically five-string , mandolin, fiddle, dreadnought , , and upright bass), hard-driving rhythms, virtuoso solos, harmony vocals, and “high lonesome” singing.

Originally the specific sound of one band, it grew into a style when other artists started to imitate and further develop the sound. It is closely related to other styles of American roots music like Appalachian oldtime and string band music, traditional , jug band and skiffle. It spread all over the world and eventually reached the Netherlands near the end of the 1950s. Movies and influential pop groups have caused short moments of popularity, but for the most part, lovers of bluegrass in the Netherlands from the ’50s until the present have lived “under the radar.”

Narrative identity: Describing who you are by telling your life story. This book contains fifty-six stories about bluegrass in the Netherlands. Or actually, fifty-seven—because I’m about to tell you mine.

I was an odd one, as a child. There weren’t that many other children in the southeastern Dutch province of Limburg where I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s who were outspoken fans of American culture. Whenever I felt lonely or out of place, I would attribute it to the fact that I should have been born in Pineville, North Carolina, where my parents had lived for two years with my older brother. My mother—a workaholic—was bored out of her wits sitting at home without a work permit. To keep herself busy, she had done everything from volunteering at my brother’s kindergarten to learning to play the five-string banjo. That banjo, the instruction book Earl Scruggs and the Five-String Banjo, cassette tapes filled with country music my mother recorded off the radio, and my brother’s old toys and Dr. Seuss books were the crown jewels of our home in my opinion.

Idolizing my older brother, the way little sisters do, I followed his lead in music—keyboard first, then piano, then guitar. While doing the dishes, my mother and I sang harmonies to any melody we heard on the radio. Then, my dream came true: I got to do a high school year in North Carolina! It was a year totally devoid of bluegrass, as I lived on the Outer Banks, in the midst of surfers, emos, and Christians, who each had their own music. It was a year of ups and downs. When I came back, I still hadn’t found that “home” I always thought would be on the other side of the Atlantic.

It wasn’t until 2004 that I made a friend who was into country music. Though I still had a soft spot for country, by that time I was looking for something with a bit more edge, more power. Somebody she knew told us that bluegrass might be the type of music we were looking for. So we took a train, another train, and a bus to a village in the middle of the country. When we walked into the community center where the every corner of the building, singing songs like: “I was born in East Virginia / North Caroliiiina I did roam….” I was dumbfounded. At the end of the weekend, I felt like I had gained a family…and a home. INTRODUCTION

At the EWOB, I met a group of experienced Slovak bluegrass musicians who were looking for a singer. In an adventure that lasted three years, I got to know the style from an international perspective. For my master’s thesis Arts & Culture, I chose to investigate whether bluegrass in the Netherlands was in some way related to the cultural phenomenon of americanization. As I had to base my research largely on interviews and surveys, I got to know many bluegrass lovers in a short time. To my surprise, most of them said they loved the music first and foremost, and though an understanding of historical context was important to them, they said they would have felt the same regardless of where it came from—be it the United States, Africa, or the North Pole. When asked about a bluegrass lifestyle, most of them showed a similar nonchalance. Though you will see a few people wear cowboy hats to a bluegrass event, a large part of the crowd looks completely neutral, almost as if they’re not affiliated with a certain scene at all. But there is a lot going on underneath the surface, if you give it your eyes and ears.

As I traveled to all the corners of the country to interview people I had never met before, being welcomed into their homes and treated to lunch as if we were old friends, the thought often crossed my mind that I wanted to share the existence of these people with the world. Because pictures say more than a thousand words, I contacted the best portrait photographer I knew: Marieke Odekerken. When I told her about my idea to turn my dull thesis material into an accessible and artsy book, it spoke to her right away. She had heard of bluegrass; looking back now, as this project is coming to a close, Marieke realizes her bluegrass playlist on Spotify included a song by the Dutch group Four Wheel Drive! However, she never knew how to go about getting more acquainted with the style. She learned to play violin, but quit taking lessons because her teacher only offered classical repertoire and technique. “If somebody could have taught me how to play bluegrass or folk, I’m sure I would have continued playing,” she said. The past half year, I visited two bluegrass jam sessions with Marieke. The first time, she sat in the middle of a jam circle on a washing machine in a laundry room, and kept on listening until three o’clock in the morning. The second time, she had brought her violin. A musician gave her some pointers, and a bit later she was playing and singing “Blue Moon of Kentucky” in the session.

Marieke and I visited over ninety people in thirty different places over a period of six months. All the pictures were taken outdoors in natural daylight against a simple white backdrop, showing the people as they are, with zero to minimal direction in the way of costume or posture. The stories in this book are not only the life stories of individuals, but also snippets of a larger history. Of all the documents carefully stored in private archives, we chose to print one here: a letter to Henk Abrahams from Bill Clifton, who would be the first American bluegrass artist to perform in the Netherlands a few years after the letter was written in 1962. The letter illustrates how people went about finding information about a foreign culture in the days before you could just type your enquiry into Google. It also mentions the Dutch Stickbuddy Club, the first club in the Netherlands devoted to country music, and its printed bulletin Hillbilly Hayride. The stories accompanying the portraits are full of details like these, told roughly in chronological order. They can be read from front to back, or one at a time by randomly flipping through the pages. For those of you who are unfamiliar with bluegrass jargon or Dutch culture, a glossary of terms is included in the back. Each picture can be scanned using the Layar-app on a smartphone, which will refer you to more information about and

It was not my intention to offer a complete, encyclopaedic history of bluegrass music in the Netherlands. Instead, this book is an impression of how colorful nearly a hundred different characters can come across in black and white, because of their passion for an obscure style of music. In a perfect world, every single person in the Dutch bluegrass family would have been portrayed or at least given credit in this book. In the real world, at least it’s a start.

Loes van Schaijk Rotterdam, the Netherlands March 2015

When I arranged a meeting meeting a arranged I When Masters, his whole appearance appearance whole his Masters, while we are enjoying our our enjoying are we while (“Cees” Mair le Cornelis with of two different television television different two of subject: subject: music. Cornelis is only Not shows. fairytale surroundings, we are are we surroundings, fairytale an is Eindhoven in farmhouse just had he friends), for decorated tiles, thousands of of thousands tiles, decorated exotic objects. It almost feels feels almost It objects. exotic and-white picture of this man art and science books, and the to filled itself, in artwork an extraordinary artist who here to talk about a different different a about talk to here in front of a Butwhite screen. tapestries, paintings, instruments, musical with brim His Rembrandt. with hands makes you think you just shook Old the of style the in paints crews the by visited been like a crime liketo make a black- a crime “I like jugband music, because it is is it because music, jugband like “I The whole mood surrounding it is is it surrounding mood whole The 1980s, he moved to Friesland to live in in live to Friesland to moved he 1980s, As a young boy in the 1950s, Cornelis And actually, I don’t believe things were After junior high, Cornelis had a job in The standard procedure was to join Dutch Bluegrass Boys, Cornelis had had Cornelis Boys, Bluegrass Dutch very demanding style of music, and most and of music, style demanding very Cornelis detested playing tangos and and tangos playing detested Cornelis uneducated an was He “ says. Cornelis who introduced him to bluegrass music bluegrass to him who introduced waltzes for a dancing crowd. It was Thijs guitar. the play to learn to wanted I nonsense. that all about up worked eccentric an Gijsbers, where he met Thijs value of learning to play exactly like like exactly play to learning of value Earl the Royal Academy of Art. The city had had city The Art. of Academy Royal the that didn’t really work. Bluegrass is a not. or it like we whether it, in live to could I if wonder I lake. a of bottom the times. It got him depressed. In the there—it was jug band music. he was, but it’s our world and we have have we and world it’s but our was, he up him cheer to used I him. saved have cynical, bit a humor, of sense great a had just as disgusted with modern times as as times modern with disgusted as just a buzzing music scene with characters characters with scene music a buzzing already moved to Antwerp to study at and Cas formed a new group called the and to Cas Mulder. “The three of us though even orchestra, a ballroom any instrument he set his eyes on. He That’s workshop. weaving a jacquard man with a talent for art and music. “He bluegrass that everybody was playing playing was everybody that bluegrass better at any other time in history.” so himself get shouldn’t he him telling by modern about everything hated he but play could He music. sheet read he but reality,” with touch of out bit a also but loved classical music and all kinds of folk, folk, of kinds all and music classical loved like Derroll Adams around. But it wasn’t is what matters to me most.” most.” me to matters what is bluegrass. than accessible more less strict. Iless strict. don’t see the added genius. He couldn’t read a newspaper, newspaper, a read couldn’t He genius. of the band members just didn’t have the the have didn’t just members band the of played together for a while in a band band a in while a for together played called the Smokey Saloon Fiddlers, but skills required.”skills At the time that Thijs seclusion. One day bodyhis was found at

Scruggs. The joy of making music music making of joy The Scruggs. 9

am “companion in the battle against music” music” against battle the in “companion When Cornelis moved back to the When “Midnight Special” comes on, he To honor the memory of Piet Hein, Hein, Piet of memory Tothe honor 2013. Ican say—he living was “What Piet Hein had been Cornelis’s Netherlands, he started his own jug band band jug own his started he Netherlands, Cornelis is working on a CD with sixteen with his friend Piet Hein de Vos and a was starting something,was starting everybody was everybody young: be to time agreat were , or modern roll, art—the& rock searchlike didn’t in doing—I were they things develop, they get watered down he just turned seventy. “I was a bit of an an of bit a was “I seventy. turned just he youhard. drugs, Heavy namedrinking, harmonica, washboard, tambourine, tambourine, washboard, harmonica, banjo, guitar, layer: by layer himself remarks: “That’s &rhythm blues, the it. That will catch up with you sooner or sooner you with up catch will That it. itself was sincere.” was itself and become less authentic. The 1960s keeled surely, but slowly who, me around for forty years when he passed away in in away passed he when years forty for later Stompers, Party the others: few few rough mixes of this work in progress. progress. in work this of mixes rough few mandolin, and vocals. He plays me a kind that want didn’t I if that myself better care of health;his from the looks beginning of jazz.beginning I As love beginnings. later.” It shows that Cornelis has taken of him, I never would have guessed that that guessed have would never I him, of of clear steer to have would I future, of told I gutter. the in landed and over who Antwerp in Muze De Café in one only the was I scene. folk the in outcast changed to the Washboard String Band. Band. String Washboard the to changed co-existed. Even co-existed. if I didn’t care for what didn’t drink or smoke. But I saw people studio, he has recorded all instruments instruments he studio, recorded all has songs from their repertoire. In a friend’s

CORNELIS LE MAIR

“When I moved out here, I got got I here, out moved I “When The project was such a success success a such was project The Oldtime Stringband was born. born. was Stringband Oldtime When they were looking for for looking were they When Ruud Spil, my name came up.” up.” came name my Spil, Ruud thumbpick a use they Family, came to the Netherlands. “If “If Netherlands. the to came comments about playing that it got a bit out of thehand; whenever more, and More too!’ case my on get would guys the O’Day, Shelly thumbpick!” old-time musicians for a for musicians old-time family specialist— of Carter Stringband, never got any any got never Stringband, started doing a lot more Carter, I So me. at look all they’d song!’ family Carter a do ‘Let’s say: Carter the at ‘Look was: say documentary about cow painter painter cow about documentary and isCarter seen as old to thing standard my it, about stupid that of because all in a session someone would someone in a session she before flatpick a of instead thumbpick a with bluegrass kind some being as known lead singer of the Oldtime Oldtime the of singer lead - time. time. That’s what I’m always looking for for looking always I’m what That’s Though the name the Oldtime your best to impress everybody, and and everybody, impress to best your Dust Bowl migration. When she was Europe than in the Europe US. than “It’s the same all Like her mother and grandmother before In Shelly’s opinion, bluegrass or or bluegrass opinion, Shelly’s In where country music took root after the the after root took music where country would put the radio way up on the the on up way radio put the would the old of mellowness the prefer I guy. next the and same, the does guy next the then time scenes are more strictly separated in conversation with me.” me.” with conversation that voice, you can talk to each other. other. each to talk can you voice, that her, Shelly O’Day was raised in Tulare, Tulare, in raised was O’Day Shelly her, harmonize to it, like they do with the heard the Police, and it blew my mind.” mind.” my blew it and Police, the heard Shelly feels that the bluegrass and old- and bluegrass the that feels Shelly is repertoire the suggests Stringband used to make music in our roomsliving rules. Somebody nods at you to give you you give to you at nods Somebody rules. swing. Western and country, rockabilly, rooftop and tune in on San Francisco. I Francisco. San on in tune and rooftop somebody somebody who’s willing to have a it as a teenager, because there was no no was there because teenager, a as it a community activity to me, a way to be be to me, away to activity a community doing you’re smoking, and a solo, just back home. Making music is very much very music is home.back Making listen to what you’re doing and try to to try and doing you’re what to listen limited to one genre, the band actually at jam sessions: somebody who’s who’s somebody sessions: jam at about finding your own voice. “With is music improvisational of kind any not just flexing their muscles, but growing up, there were only two radio radio two only were there up, growing especially in Europe, there are a lot of of lot a are there Europe, in especially other choice. “I remember my brother brother my remember “I choice. other plays a mix of old-time, bluegrass, bluegrass, old-time, of mix a plays creative together.” stations: Mexican and country. She hated hated She country. and Mexican stations: - time scene, where people really 39 “My husband and I went to this EWOB “You don’t have to be cute, but you’ve you’ve but cute, be to have don’t “You ‘Kentucky After high school, Shelly traveled the Americans think bluegrass and old- Wow, it must be worth something, then!’” then!’” something, worth be must it Wow, To all the women out there who would would who there out women the Toall you’ve got that many , you’ve got banjos, many you’vethat got Learn one song, tell them right away what In Shelly’s family,asinmanyother Be Unbroken” together in the pizza world for a year and took a particular particular a took and for year a world time is something for ‘the folks,’ ‘the the Sunny there. When you’re singing in an outdoor to itthrow in your nose and just get it out Shelly: from advice this take who Europeans, these are ‘Here thought: the Oldtime Stringband his summer, she thing in Voorthuizen, where we saw teacherShe in hadAmsterdam. been have bluegrass jams every month in her hesitant to step into this “man’s world,” world,” “man’s this into step to hesitant music…. our playing they’re and history, was. bluegrass what knew who here interest in the Netherlands. When she it!” When she played in California with with California in played she When it!” got to have balls. balls. have to got and met the love of her life. They got with in coming people these at all on “Keep like songs sing to a custom are so cultured and have such a rich families from the Tulare area, it was it was area, Tulare the families from married married and Shelly, who speaks Dutch made on American audiences. “People key it is in, and don’t and too pretty. When sing in, it is key back to the Netherlands, found a job job a found Netherlands, the to back banjos… became very aware of the impact they before she discovered there were people living room, I was just so embarrassed embarrassed so just was I room, living like a chop. You need to use rhythm to to rhythm use to You need chop. a like like to join bluegrass jams, but are a bit living in the Netherlands for seven years good old boys.’ When my mom would would mom my When boys.’ old good parlor before and after eating. “A lot of “Aof lot eating. after and before parlor people from the Czech Republic singing carry it,carry to keep the session you have to use a lot of consonants, consonants, of lot a use to have you session

horrible!” horrible!”

Waltz.’ I could not believe believe not could I Waltz.’ Side” and “Will the Side”Circle and “Will

group

together.”

SHELLY O’DAY

Amsterdam accent. With a hint hint a With accent. Amsterdam It’s strange to realize that it’s it’s that realize to strange It’s ended abruptly stroke a 2001, In you can tell he fits right in. in. right fits he tell can you in were Theo brother younger funnily attention—but your demands that quality vocal Frans says. His left hand is is hand left His says. Frans a as career Trier’s van Frans with the “conversations” they they “conversations” the with an of bit a with speaks who though, memory, his with wrong before. day the band a with three of them were together, together, were them of three have brothers Trier Van three of pride, they say that when the the when that say they pride, of All humor. of sense his with or scold them for disrupting class class disrupting for them scold would teacher the seminary, for bluegrass. There’s nothing bluegrass. for gaze of Frans’s cat Babbel, and and Babbel, cat Frans’s of gaze edgewise. When Frans and his his and Frans When edgewise. one only the is Frans enough, a specific, slightly penetrating penetrating slightly specific, a meet. One look at the intense intense the at look One meet. eyes their having by just had in word a get could nobody required speed the at hand fretting his of muscles the relax and contract to impossible it making paralyzed, partially already,” years thirteen been rehearsing was “I player. banjo “Ad was the oldest and the wisest wisest the and oldest the was “Ad American Library at the Museumplein They joined forces in their practice Thon Fikkerman of Folkclub ’65 was a He managed to dig up Pete Seeger’s Seeger’s Pete up dig to managed He Framus, and I owned three or four banjos banjos four or three owned I and Framus, I did. I had an old tenor banjo and made made and banjo oldtenor an Ihad I did. that the right-hand picking patterns the housekeeping. Eventually, I bought a he had a large record collection, but collection, record large a had he instructional book. He never used it, but for years without knowing what it was was it what knowing without years for doing was mother my while hours for fret and added a tuner and a string; it music, Frans says. Not only because because only Not says. Frans music, major help in their discovery of bluegrass bluegrass instrumental they had heard heard had they instrumental bluegrass because he introduced them to people like Theo Lissenberg, who shared Frans’s our hands on Scruggs’s book, which which book, Scruggs’s on hands our them. to were rolls Scruggs-style the of the went to “He says. Frans us,” of on the radio: “We had played the tune tune the played had “We radio: the on play the rolls. “That was before we got before was “That rolls. the play correct.” vein, it In a tooksimilar the puzzle the of solving determination called ‘Foggy came out, and we got a hold of the called. Then the movie soundtrack. soundtrack. Turns out the tune was

Mountain Breakdown.’” Breakdown.’” Mountain 23 Bonnie & Clyde

“Some people were so used to playing playing to used so were people “Some Engine Wiechmann as a cleaner one day a week When my own band was hired to to hired was band own my When Herman Erbé, and Ben Brouwers. Frans Frans Brouwers. Ben and Erbé, Herman Fairport, ‘t Geveltje, and Boddy’s Music Music Boddy’s and Geveltje, ‘t Fairport, Frans what he thought of our music. “It’s “It’s music. our of thought he what Frans slow would Brouwers “Ben says. Frans band bluegrass the in played Frans 2000s, the until 1980s the From In the ’70s, the best places to go for But we spent a lot of time on it, and and it, on time of lot a spent we But Mountain Rangers had disbanded, Frans Frans disbanded, had Rangers Mountain

Clotted wedding anniversary party, I asked asked I party, anniversary wedding the bar. At Folk Fairport, he met and and met he Fairport, Folk At bar. the to keep a steady beat. Hoekvan Bruno that’s no big deal, but when you’re to due pauses some were there though working. was he while play them to play in a band,” on their own that it was hard for them them for hard was it that own their on health insurance he worked at Hotel Hotel at worked he insurance health behind banjo his kept permanently he had the same problem in the beginning. beginning. the in problem same the had until Brouwers moved to the other regularly performedregularly Benwith Brouwers nice,” he said, “though it really lacks a as a bartender at Folk Fairport, where for minimum wage. Frans was perfectly perfectly was Frans wage. minimum for full-time, but in order to get basic musicians as guests, and Frans could hear hear could Frans and guests, as musicians bluegrass music in Amsterdam were folk folk were Amsterdam in music bluegrass banjo. I’d help you out I could.” if because the hotel often had touring lyric-wise. When you’re playing solo, solo, playing you’re When lyric-wise. of Frans’s banjo playing. After his his After playing. banjo Frans’s of eventually heeventually got it.” played with people like Steve Winwood, Winwood, Steve like people with played perform at Ad van Trier’s fortieth you have band, abluegrass in playing combined his military service with a job job a with service military his combined clubs: Folkclub ’65, ‘t Cloppertjen, Folk down in the tricky guitar parts, or parts, guitar tricky the in down changes in personnel. It was never easy content deal, not this with in the least service, heservice, wanted to become a musician side of the country. Brouwers’s album speed up whenever that was convenient

Driver

Cream with his brother Theo, Theo, brother his with Cream

FRANS VAN TRIER

years. He has played with with played has He years. Bluegrass Boys. This portrait portrait This Boys. Bluegrass Clover the and Pickniks, the Line, Holland-America a is Hekkens “Giel” Michiel the Bluegrass Clodhoppers, Clodhoppers, Bluegrass the Stringband, Ramshackle the forty over for banjo the to freelance videographer who videographer freelance built it: Charles Sips. Sips. Charles it: built banjo, but also the man who his and Giel captures only not time free his devoted has “That was incredible. Actually seeing the “‘We Hekkenses have no musical musical no have Hekkenses “‘We AG At Sips’s cremation service, the auditorium Dutch group the Bluegrass Clodhoppers. Clodhoppers. Bluegrass the group Dutch People had their noses pressed against against pressed noses their had People It all started in the ’70s, when Giel heard heard Giel when ’70s, the in started all It In the ’80s and ’90s, enthusiasts But since then, he has been almost almost been he has then, But since Charles ‘S’: an with marked banjo a has Giel way they were picking and doing their was Clifton Bill accompanied by the was packed. Tom Stuip and Dick Wenting to spare, so he asked me to accompany the day of the concert we had some time that I would wind up playing in that very the signature of Dutch banjo builder the shop window, it was such a sight!” traditional traditional driving lessons.” talent,’ my father used to say, so I did him wearing a jacket with fringes and and fringes with jacket a wearing him him to the shopping mall, since I was backing of experience the got Giel how luck, my Imagine vocals…. harmony and loved in the Netherlands and abroad. abroad. and Netherlands the in loved and boots…. cowboy for look to hat, big a to used was he and age son’s his about band local A tour. European a of part as eighteenth birthday instead of the the of instead birthday eighteenth be tohired accompany them.was This Netherlands the over to artists bluegrass like the Bluegrass Clodhoppers would would Clodhoppers Bluegrass the like agreed to give me a banjo for my my for banjo a me give to agreed parents my before nagging of lot a going shopping son. his with So we went group some years down the line!” experienced experienced musician. We learned his program program played two duets on banjos built by Sips. Sips. by built banjos on duets two played doing just one rehearsal with him. On him. with onejust doing rehearsal completely forgotten. Almost. songs by listening to his records and and records his to listening by songs

and

Sips. In life, Sips was well Kate, Cor Sanne, Dennis Schut, Schut, Dennis Sanne, Cor Kate, Strictly Country Style 37 . - known

of seat the from made was resonator “The of headstock the has banjo Sips own “My ‘The Oliver Hardy of the banjo’ by a American orchestra of Paul Whiteman Tom But he did have a heart of gold and was was of gold and But have a heheart did Charles Sips was an employee of the was hooked. He wanted to play one to be demolished. The way he carefully time instead. These were mostly tenor the binding of his 1925 Paramount after says. way,” Giel other any in model that handy; with the exception of the tuning free his in banjos build to started he himself, but he had cardiac problems he orchestra, that in banjos the saw he legendary the by performance a heard refretting it.refretting Whenever I needed work if intervene to able I’dbe so him to next in the Kurhaus in Scheveningen. When and saw he 1928 In Voorschoten. in is the fact that it has a metal rim instead instead rim metal a has it that fact the is and the doctor said that playing the always ready to oblige. I still miss him.” broken had whenSips tears near a man it’s that equally is banjo this to attached alloy was cast at the silver factory; Sips is resonator of the back The stool. a bar but doesn’t resemble RB-00, a Gibson made each instrument he built unique. unique. built he instrument each made knowledge of metalworking came in bass bars from pianos that were traded in in were traded that pianos from bars bass plectrum, a with played are that banjos So much. too him excite would banjo laughs. “Another special thing about it old-time frailing.” old-time The ring. no tone one and wooden a of parts of old furniture and collected old old collected and furniture old of parts commonly used in 1920s jazz. Sips’s done on one of my banjos, I’d stand I’dstand banjos, my of one on done so I’m reason The metal.’ ‘bell it called jockey,” disc country-radio certain he called been has who someone for carry to comfortable it makes which concave, silver factory Van Kempen & Begeer so he didn’t have such a steady hand. hand. steady a such have didn’t he so selected and material combinedhis parts

Stuip says about Sips. Stuip once“I saw

MICHIEL HEKKENS

their express to music use Boyz Bucket the up make who men three the Zed, and Ted, Ed, of names stage the Under it. call they adults,” for playground “A camp. up set permanently hundreds of hadpeople (semi-) where paradise squatter’s a was gates the Beyond bayou. a into stepped and Atlantic the crossed had we if as was it Boyz, Bucket the to meet Amsterdam in grounds ADM the to up drove I and Marieke As

worldviews. worldviews. That’s real. We sang gospel songs at at songs gospel sang We real. That’s people of image romantic That When Ed was sixteen and Zed was twelve, twelve, was Zed and sixteen was Ed When other the on hippies of couple a knew We When we play on the streets, I tell people Ted in the alternative scene and started started and scene alternative the Tedin Ted made a bass out of a jerrycan and a a and jerrycan a of out bass a made Ted Ed When drums. on Zed and bass, on Ted Ed and Zed are brothers who grew up up grew who brothers are Zed and Ed Looking back now, I think we absorbed absorbed we think I now, back Looking Mountains who played Irish folk and and folk Irish played who Mountains with more churches than houses,” Zed was totrained be teacher, aarts visual but “We a furnace. where he welding is Birthday’ here.” the family moved to Amsterdam. They met dump.’ this than bigger is world the that, we like do to every dreams, their chase the role of teachers in traditional society the fact that people take only what they three voices,” Zed says. “Our music isn’t guitar, on Ed with Zibabu group punk the campfires and ‘Rocky Top’ at sports sports at Top’ ‘Rocky and campfires he leaves us to go back to the workshop, workshop, the to back go to us leaves he really bluegrass—we call it bluegrass—we call really Blue Trash.” the played Ed and jerrycan, on the rhythm need, and give back what they can. Music Music can. they what back give and need, in Martin, Tennessee. “A tiny place is one of the things we contribute.” He front porch of the wooden house he built, built, he house wooden the of porch front mother is Dutch, so we were like: ‘Fuck ‘Fuck like: were we so Dutch, is mother events without thinking twice about about twice thinking without events banjo. “It worked perfectly, because you you because perfectly, worked “It banjo. play to chopsticks used Zed broomstick, metal. and punk into mostly were we but stomach, could we that way a in bluegrass himself. of part a transfers master a but tricks, teaches “A teacher him. bothered believe in contributionism,” he says. “The it, the way everybody knows ‘Happy ‘Happy knows everybody way the it, porches? front their on music making got a banjo from parentshis as a birthday play acoustically so they could go busking. busking. go could they so acoustically play to idea the with up came they present, conservatism and Christianity.” Ed: “Our conservatism day. That’s the teacher in me talking.” around built is here have we community can createcan so much power a with banjo and some bluegrass without even knowing it. it. knowing even without bluegrass some side of the state in the Appalachian says. “We associated country music with 87 “We’ve played in places where people people where places in played “We’ve We scream and we act crazy because because crazy act we and scream We The DIY-approach gives them total Pete Ed says his lyrics are inspired by old old by inspired are lyrics his says Ed Ed says. “The environment is one of our Most of our instruments are basically basically are instruments our of Most Not only the lyrics, but also the sheer sheer the but also lyrics, the Notonly they are playing is a way for them to to them for way a is playing are they time. Yes, there was beautiful nature of lot a wrote I boredom. of power the to worry toabout being worry the instruments had never we and sailboat, by Brazil to trying to get across: a message of hope the state. People sometimes see that as them stay on their feet.” Zed adds: “We those people. If you’re chained to a tree hard and got utterly bored in my free union songs and protest singers like raise their bottles of beer as they propose replace. If we’re and busking the police so Commons, Creative as registered raise our voice against authority, against negative, but that’s a misconception. misconception. a that’s but negative, it works on the street. You get people’s You people’s get street. the on works it and plenty of space, but nothing to do do to nothing but space, of plenty and a toast: “To the bluegrass!” “To bluegrass!” the a toast: anybody is free to share them as long and solidarity.” it and laugh them makes attention—it for kids my age, really. Skateboarding in in Skateboarding really. age, my kids for freedom, Zed says. “Our songs are helps music Our tired. get you hours, for made out of trash, so they’re easy to to easy they’re so trash, of out made makes them listen to what we’re actually major concerns, so we want to support like sledding down the roof and landing had chained themselves to trees trees to themselves chained had in energy the Bucket Boyz put out Boyz when Bucket the energy express to songs wrote I And trampoline. a on public areas was illegal. So we started started we So illegal. was areas public pedal. We just came back from a trip trip a from back came Wejust pedal. contribute to andactivism. political social ourselves, entertain to things stupid doing damaged, lost, or stolen.” Ed and Zed Zed and Ed stolen.” or lost, damaged, Ed while them stall can I Ted and come, songs in Tennessee, where I worked worked I where Tennessee, in songs

protest,” protest,”

Seeger. “And don’t underestimate

myself.” myself.”

ED & ZED

“You can’t make a book book a make can’t “You Europe and people who lived who people and Europe Dutch only with Netherlands wrote me in an email. “For one, one, “For email. an in me wrote the Netherlands. But mostly mostly But Netherlands. the touring bands with start, the just over the nation’s borders borders nation’s the over just an international affair from from affair international an the in music bluegrass about book your make would mug portrait of Jan Michielsen’s a include to failing because in events visiting regularly been has bluegrass because Vlodrop van Lody it,” in people

worthless.” worthless.” “I don’t mind things like drums; even “One day in 1971, the owner of the club club the of owner the 1971, in day “One Het Though there are some contemporary Belgian national radio when he was Netherlands. And the man does have have does man the And Netherlands. Or performers who go through their who enjoys an in-depth talk about the talk who in-depth enjoys an the banjo appealed to him right away, he I when played was music the how that’s the background. But my problem with lights? stage hot the under jackets tweed than some places we’ve been within the So I grabbed my things and followed him. him. followed and things my grabbed I So up, with their panama hats and their their and hats panama their up, with room in front of them? There’s plenty to to plenty There’s them? of front in room ofregardless what is happening in the in the world, but I can’t help looking intricacies of bluegrass music, though he in , it’s actually closer to home and a Dutchman who was living in bluegrass. classic for preference strong a he stance,” ironic a slightly at it with aman also He is face. a photogenic folk club in Hoogstraten, he occasionally occasionally he Hoogstraten, in club folk to listen can’t I Tohonest, be forceful…. more than to anything that came after.” after.” came that anything to than more is everything that is bluegrass modern bluegrass is the most beautiful music music beautiful most the is bluegrass laugh about in bluegrass, that’s for sure.” and bring your instruments!’ have to come to the club right away away right club the to come to have rang our doorbell. He told me: ‘You extremely high, the extremely high, banjo is extremely think still “I of salt. a grain with opinions pushed over the top. The vocals are are vocals The top. the over pushed rehearsed, as exactly routine presentation performed acoustic covers of pop songs. songs. pop of covers acoustic performed dynamic. Idynamic. probably feel that way because chose to play mandolin. At The Skal’den Skal’den The At mandolin. play to chose see the kitschy way dress some artists says. else“What can you do if you says we should take some of his strong

Vrije Westen Vrije 29 ’90s, there hardly has been a lineup lineup a been has hardly there ’90s, 1971 until halfway through the the through halfway until 1971 And I won’t beat around the bush: bush: the around beat won’t I And Wheel Drive was a great band, more The group had started out with a diverse second the was It Labots. Rob Turnhout, you’d see at pretty much any serious serious any much you’dpretty at see Paul Kentucky Colonels Kentucky amongmain their Rob Belgium, the Country Ramblers from bar, a into walk would they If Belgian. Bern Wortelboer were all regular . Those bands had quite some was a huge problem in the beginning. beginning. the in problem huge a was harmonies bluegrass Singing went along. which was originally founded by originally was which take the time to learn the basics of the then on, I was a member of the band.” to be aof part it now, simply fantastic.” than Smoketown Strut was. It’s fantastic if you rehearsals liveto schedule regular the Netherlands, and Hard Times from those musicians played with Smoketown three Germans, a Dutchman, and a Dutchman: a include not did that Strut. We played all afternoon and from and We afternoon Strut. played all Strut either as regular members or either regular as Strut it just works. I always thought Four Four thought always I works. just it “All joke. a of start the like it’dsound ambitions and abilities were hard to come asked to join the group Four and Paul made up Smoketown Strut from to want didn’t or couldn’t who musicians know the songs, we know the formula— bluegrass style usually didn’t last long.” last didn’t usually style bluegrass we as by. everything “We to learn had before we got into Four Wheel Drive. We from Strut Smoketown festival: bluegrass examples. Band members the samewith our hours into the rehearsing clock plenty plenty clock rehearsing the into hours our hard it’s Sure, repertoire. their in overlap that bands three were there ’80s, the of performance performance of their group Smoketown specialize in bluegrass music, with the so far apart, but we’ve already punched punched already we’ve but apart, far so

Labots, Pieter van

Vlodrop but has gradually van

Vlodrop, Niek Dekker, Dekker, Niek Vlodrop,

Groenveld, Lody Lody Groenveld,

Wheel

Drive, Drive,

JAN MICHIELSEN

to no he’dmusic!” plead with them— “Turn off that awful cowboy grandparents. his visiting after Country Style to radio car the tuned parents his that pleased all at not was he say, to Needless always rooted for the Indians. Bart child, a as Indians and When he played cowboys

avail. avail. every Saturday night night Saturday every Strictly “Actually, the word hillbilly is very very is hillbilly word the “Actually, ‘Ex- About a year after Bart got an actual Whenever other guitarists or banjo banjo or guitarists other Whenever old, years twenty about was he When To make matters worse, country and and country worse, matters Tomake They instantly clicked and started the Utrecht. “I came for the mouth harp but but harp mouth the for came “I Utrecht. Hillbilly Boogiemen. Most people now I loved the vocal harmonies, the jazzy jazzy the harmonies, vocal the I loved When I came home, I tuned my guitar guitar my tuned I home, came I When Bart’s face as he says: “Do you know what Out busking, Bart met Arnold and Aart. Aart. and Arnold met Bart busking, Out was funny really about that festival? In and instrument, each for breaks solo with Convention Bluegrass Dutch the went to the streets and perform, even though up around clowning boys rebellious two the dedicated bluegrass lovers, there were this very serious atmosphere, among all to G-B-D-B-G-D so it sounded like a like sounded it so G-B-D-B-G-D to harmony. He also played the banjo in a sing to and ready, wasn’t he like felt he play to learning on set mind his had he normal now, but it sure wasn’t back then.” then.” back wasn’t now, sure it but normal in a band with them, I found out those in the back row. Years later, when I was in the Vredenburg concert hall in innovative crossovers. The combination approach of interchanging sung verses sung approach of interchanging found the banjo. Bands like Relaxation Relaxation like Bands banjo. the found mysterious, I just had to try it for myself. myself. for it try to had just I mysterious, and McCoy Charlie like harp mouth know them as the Blue Grass Boogiemen. Boogiemen. Grass Blue the as them know bluegrass,” Bart says. “That makes makes “That says. Bart bluegrass,” boys were Arnold and Aart.” skin. his somehow under got bluegrass banjo—only with a drone two octaves octaves two drone a with banjo—only lower than the fifth string of a banjo. banjo. a of string fifth the than lower guitarist who pushed him to get out on on the banjo looked so complicated and and complicated so looked banjo the on of rockabilly and banjo might sound sound might banjo and rockabilly of people to play Hewith. met a Scottish like: were me play, they heard pickers chopping everything to bits. What they did did they to What bits. everything chopping cogs in a withoutmachine a drummer deceptive, especially if you talk about you if talk especially deceptive, successful rockabilly band. “We did some rockabilly successful cuse me?’” A wide grin appears on appears grin Awide me?’” 59 After I joke about his rants on the social Being a professional musician is no no is musician professional a Being Boogiemen everwill do that. But it is death, or love about usually is Bluegrass Most of the people who play this music music this play who people the of Most 9-to-5 job, but it does mean having to way to extend your self. It’s the only way isn’t life know They jobs. 9-to-5 work think musicians in general, but especially right. it get to want you if practice to the music of Iron Maiden or Bob Marley. Marley. Bob or Maiden Iron of music the these last years. I think there is no left or band fellow your with interaction the right anymore, just an upper layer and a it sound easy, like any dumb guy in in guy dumb any like easy, sound it it. How to muster up the energy? That’s That’s energy? the up muster to How it. and again, even if you do not feel like like A apassion, passion. about fostering money,about or making about left-wing I passionate. and dedicated, clever, are and really believed in the free market to seeused “I convictions. about his energy, that with you provide audience itself, music “The Bart. to no-brainer a making music,making or juggling, or sports, is a of value the see They society. of margins make that music. But you really have message. The kind that can be found in in found be can that kind The message. missing in bluegrass music, it’s a political might sound. And if there is anything I’m economics studied right-wing—I as myself conversation serious a into get we media, I doing?’” am hell the ‘What my mind: the with interaction the and members bring your passion to the stage time time stage the to passion your bring the in place special a have buskers, bottom layer in society, depressing as that like to write songs with a message, but I or right-wing political standpoints, but standpoints, political right-wing or easily. weAnd play at such a ridiculous personal feelings of individuals. I would would I individuals. of feelings personal politics. on started gets he when present dungarees can pick up a guitar and and guitar a up pick can dungarees can’t—and I don’t thethink Blue Grass something that is lacking in bluegrass. something Itthat is lacking system. But I’ve changed my perspective speed that I always have to laugh at

BART VAN STRIEN

Though the general public in Frédérique rarely does a project without a garden rake or bar stool—she does the Netherlands mostly knows her as the balladeer with the whom she met in the rock scene and she uses mostly in the songwriting gritty voice who sang in Dutch has worked with for over twenty years. process. “Usually, I give the musicians at the 1998 National Song “Oh, the things I put him through! I the freedom to do their own thing, but Contest, Frédérique Spigt— switch musical styles all the time, and sometimes I have a certain melody in my who is also an actress and he always has to adapt. I remember how head I’d like them to play, so I’ll make a visual artist—has a long track at one point I made him do so much demo recording of it. I also want to learn record in musical styles ranging to play instruments because it helps me from rock & roll and blues to walked around with his arm in a brace, understand how the style works. Once I chansons and tango. The 2012 poor guy…. He wasn’t very excited about do, I stop listening to the music of others, album Land was the product my idea to go into country music. But because I don’t want to copy anything. of her long-cherished dream with age comes mildness, and now he I want to experiment and approach the to go into country music. As a loves it. And in my opinion, the songs child, she always wanted to be he writes are always the treasures of the really my own.” a cowboy, she says: “I watched album.” Frédérique didn’t want to put series like Bonanza and Rawhide Frédérique says the most bluegrassy and walked the streets with my play banjo and mandolin for Land, so song she has written might be cap gun.” “Blueberry Wine.” “A bluegrass purist guitar player and a very sweet guy.” might not approve, but I think it has a similar energy. I don’t know what possessed me to write about a rodeo bull, is the godfather of bluegrass in the but the lyrics just came to my mind one Netherlands,” Frédérique says. “Most of night when I couldn’t sleep. what I know about bluegrass, I learned I’m gonna ride the bucking bull to beat the clock The best beast from the rodeo stock 3.50 seconds, average buck of time I got one thing on my mind: was such a success that Frédérique Stay atop Blueberry Wine. hired them again for her next theater tour and CD The Medicine Show. The really hear that beast go wild….” Frédérique loves it when music paints a Frédérique says that of all the shows she picture. “Country songs to me are like has done, this one was the most enjoyable. short movies, stories of people’s lives. With metaphors you can say something “There was a lot of mutual respect delicate without it being extremely and we had a good time together. personal. The English language is This music is partly responsible for well-suited for that. When I was singing that. It’s just an endless adventure chansons in Dutch, the lyrics were that gets you sky-high, like being on a always so close to me, so direct and different planet!” heavy. Most of the country songs I’ve In bluegrass especially, tragic lyrics are FRÉDÉRIQUE SPIGT on a Steve Earle record. She also often set to very upbeat music, making loves Dolly Parton’s bluegrass album them sound even more poignant. I have The Grass Is Blue a feeling that someday I will return to ‘Traveling Prayer’ drives me wild! rock & roll, where I started. But I’m Dolly’s a unique character, and with telling you, country and bluegrass music has given me a feeling of release, and those other big bluegrass boys behind her, honestly, I have no intention of changing it’s a real tour de force. Playing bluegrass direction anytime soon.” takes a lot of skill—which I don’t possess.” In all her modesty—comparing her guitar and mandolin skills to that of

89 Glossary & Index

This basic glossary and index is intended for ABRAHAMS, HENK – 11, 21 cultural elements by social groups in quick reference so readers who are unfamiliar countries outside the USA. with Dutch or American culture or music Adams, Derroll (1925-2000) jargon can better understand the interviews. – 9, 13 A-model – 67, 71 However, the terms and names mentioned in American folk singer and banjo Also called “A-style.” Carved-top the glossary deserve much more elaborate and player, settled in Antwerp in 1970 mandolin with a pear-shaped body nuanced explanations than can be given here. after traveling Europe. and a more basic design than the If you are really interested, please consult F-model. academic literature or reference works on ADM – 87 the subject. Amsterdamse Doe-het-zelf Annual Picking Party – 83, 107 Annual invitation-only jam session People and bands portrayed in this book are event in Leiden, the Netherlands. mentioned IN CAPS without a definition. named Amsterdamsche Droogdok Dates of birth and death—if known—are given Appalachia – 65, 87, 103 in parentheses. The Appalachians or Appalachian After the company went bankrupt, Mountains extend along the Recommended reading on music in the area was squatted. southeastern United States general (styles, instruments, people): and Canada from Alabama AFN – 7, 11, 21 into Newfoundland. The term Larkin, Colin. The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, 3rd American Forces Network. World- “Appalachia” is used to signify the ed. London [etc]: Muze UK & Macmillan, 1998. southern part of the mountain range where European immigrants The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd overseas and US Navy ships at sea. settled since the 18th century in ed. New York & London: Grove & Macmillan, 2001. isolated communities. AG AND KATE – 19, 37, 43, 81 Recommended reading on bluegrass (US Appalachian Swing – 67 history, instruments, people): Ahrend, Heiko (1969) – 79 Dutch bluegrass band from the German country and bluegrass singer 1970s, named after a Kentucky Goldsmith, Thomas, ed. The Bluegrass Reader. Colonels album. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2006. Ahrend, Hendrik (1963) – 49 Aukes, Antoon – 49 German country and bluegrass singer Dutch bluegrass musician, Rosenberg, Neil V. Bluegrass: A History, revised musicologist, and music educator. paperback edition. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2005. AGENANT, WILLEM (1944) Auldridge, Mike (1938-2012) – 17, 21 – 95 Recommended reading on the history of American bluegrass fusion musician the Netherlands: Alabama Country Boys – 79 Dutch country and bluegrass the Seldom Scene. Discovering the Dutch: On Culture and Society of the Netherlands. Autoharp – 13, 15, 47 Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2010. Actually not a harp, but a stringed and Albert Stam. instrument with the possibility to Krabbendam, Hans, Cornelis A. van Minnen, and form chords at the touch of a button. Giles Scott-Smith. Four Centuries of Dutch-American Americana – 75, 77, 93 Used in old-time music, popularized Relations, 1609-2009. Albany: State University of Term used for all kinds of roots- by the Carter Family. New York Press, 2009. oriented contemporary music that incorporate elements of Babes in the Grass – 47, 51 music that came into being on the Dutch “femininicana” trio. North American continent. Bad Livers, the – 91 Americanization – 77 Eclectic Americana band from the The process of cultural change USA, active in the 1990s, fronted by caused by appropriation of American . COLOPHON

Photographer Author

Marieke Odekerken (1991) is Loes van Schaijk (1981) works a professional photographer as a music teacher, choir who graduated from the conductor and musician. Willem de Kooning Academy She plays upright bass and in 2012. Marieke also works sings in the folk/bluegrass by assignment for companies trio Red Herring. In 2014, she and magazines and is image acquired her Master title in editor for Gers! magazine. In Arts & Culture with honor, her free time, she plays guitar with a thesis on bluegrass and sings in the acoustic trio music in the Netherlands. Way Beyond.

ISBN: 978-90-9028918-2

Introduction, all interviews, glossary © Loes van Schaijk 2015 All photographs © Marieke Odekerken 2015 Foreword © Sandy Rothman 2015 Graphic design © AU REVOIR 2015

educational purposes or a quote for promotion or review, mentioning the source.

Contact us: www.bluegrassportraits.nl [email protected] 0031-6-14362134

Publisher Kunst en Denkwerk, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Design Print Veenman+, Rotterdam, the Netherlands Editorial advice Networking Cultural scholar Loes van Schaijk and photographer Marieke Odekerken have portrayed a very specific genre of music, which came into being in the USA in the 1940s and found its way to the Netherlands about ten years later: bluegrass. Over a period of six months, Loes and Marieke have visited people who have somehow been captivated by this style of acoustic music which distinguishes itself by the combination of stringed instruments, hard driving rhythms, virtuoso solos, harmony vocals, and “high lonesome” singing.

The pictures and interviews feature musicians, bookers, and builders; amateurs and professionals; pioneers and rookies; wallflowers, hillbillies, and hardrockers; traditionalists, purists, and cross-over artists. Apart from their shared love of bluegrass music, the only thing these people have in common is their opinion that they don’t need to have anything in common. The book is a report of human individuality: nearly a hundred colorful characters in black and white.