Old Man Markley

Annie DeTemple of Old Man Markley talks about playing the autoharp in a Punk-Bluegrass band, tricks for performing with the autoharp on stage and maintaining her instrument while she is on the road.

By Keith Daigle Old Man Markley is a band that likes to do things a little differently. They describe their sound as punk-bluegrass and they have an autoharp and a drummer; two things likely to give any bluegrass purist a heart attack. They play all acoustic instruments, but with their sound and energy they are anything but stripped back and bare. All of these things combine to give them a sound that is distinctly theirs. They mostly play original music, but also occasionally mix in a cover, such as the old jazz song “Do Me Like You Do,” giving the tune the Old Man 22 Autoharp Quarterly Winter 2014 Autoharp Quarterly Winter 2014 23 Markley treatment to make it their Me Like You Do.” That song was the melodica, which looks like a own. written in 1924 by the vaudeville duo miniature keyboard with a tube on one Gene Austin and Roy Bergere, and has end that I blow into. It works in much AQ: How long you’ve been playing since become a jazz standard. It is still the same way an accordion does, and autoharp? one of my favorites to play. is considered a reed instrument. Some Old Man Markley played it at our of the other fun things I play on stage AD: I have to say that even though I first show in January of 2008 which, include spirit flute, cow bell, and a had fooled around with the autoharp coincidentally, was the first time I ever couple whistles. when I was younger, I have only been played in front of an audience. taking the autoharp seriously since AQ: What are some of the concerts/ 2007. Prior to that, I had been familiar AQ: How does OMM mix the countries you’ve played in? with it, and even had an old CythaHarp autoharp with the rest of the music? around the house. When I picked up It is normally a solo instrument, and AD: From 2008-2010, OMM an actual autoharp, I realized that the not a traditional punk or bluegrass played mostly in California and only CythaHarp is built backwards - with instrument, what does the autoharp occasionally ventured up through the the bass strings where, typically, the give to the sound of the band? Pacific Northwest. But all that changed high octave strings would be. when we began our relationship with AD: The autoharp is definitely the independent Fat Wreck AQ: What drew you to the autoharp? something that is usually played on its Chords. own or with minimal accompaniment. Once we released our first full length AD: My dad won the CythaHarp in the For OMM songs, the autoharp is “Guts N Teeth” in January of Topanga Canyon Banjo Fiddle contest a rhythm instrument. Since it has to 2011, tour life became our whole life. in the mid 70’s as a prize for winning blend with seven other instruments, we Since then, we have toured across Best Professional Banjo playing. He make sure that the rhythms and strum the US half a dozen times and twice let me toy around with the harp, and I patterns I play complement the other through Canada. We have also twice thought it was such a neat instrument. things going on. When we record a flown to Europe, where we have toured The autoharp is perfect for a beginner, new song, I often try a few different throughout Europe and the UK. In Photo by Keith Daigle and that’s just what I was. It was an patterns of strums or plucks before we March/April of 2013, we even flew Old Man Markley performing at the Showbox in Seattle instrument that allowed me to learn find just the right sound. to Tokyo, Japan, where we played and play fundamentals like the I-IV-V As a little trick to add something a huge festival called Punkspring autoharp? How might other people do my felts so often that I experimented communication with Bill via email, progression easily. I was playing very unique to our sound, once in a while and performed in front of our largest it also? What do you do for work, and with alternate materials. A material that and in the following months he was quickly with friends and family, and when everyone else in the band is audience to date: about 12,000 people. has it helped you gain confidence in I found to work extremely well that able to “Chromafy” my gold autoharp that was my main goal! playing a B-minor, I will strum a D working on your autoharp yourself? was also long-lasting was linoleum, the “Anniemal” to my specific When OMM began back in 2007, chord. I’ve found that the sound of AQ: Where have you met other in the form of blocks used for print requests. I recalled the CythaHarp that my dad the autoharp playing a relative major autoharp enthusiasts around the world? AD: With our heavy tour schedule, making. I cut the blocks into strips and The project began at the DeTemple had. I told my husband Johnny that I over the band playing a minor chord I found that autoharp maintenance is covered them with very thin pieces Guitars workshop with a total overhaul wanted to get an electric autoharp and actually produces a really unique AD: In May of 2013, we were in almost as important to learn as playing of craft felt. This proved to last three on one of my 21 chord Oscar Schmidt learn to play it for the band. The next sound. Cologne, Germany at a venue called the darn thing. I have to replace my times as long as my traditional all- harps that I didn’t play very often. I thing I knew, he had one delivered to To make sure the autoharp stands Live Music Hall where we shared chord bars very often and have also felt chord bars, and still gave me the refinished it to be a gold top and even our front porch! out when we play live, I also have a the bill with two prominent punk had to change out my pickups and beautiful sound of the felt dampening did some fancy binding along the sides. few EQing tricks. I always make sure bands called Pennywise and Strung preamps while on the road. When the strings. The downfall was that it Then I shipped it off to Bill to get AQ: How long have you been with the that the “presence” is high and that the Out. After our set, I was greeted at we’re not touring, my husband Johnny made my autoharp much heavier, and “Chromafied.” I believe that I have the band? “bass” is low. When playing with so our merch table by a gentleman who and I work for my family’s company with the way I perform, the lighter very first Chromaslide with a pickup! many other instruments, the autoharp introduced himself to me as Ziggy called DeTemple Guitars, where we the better. I tend to jump and dance It is awesome. Having a two-in-one AD: When our band started in 2007, I stands out the best this way. Harpdust. handcraft some of the best custom and move around too much for added autoharp has been a total game changer told my husband, Johnny, that I wanted Another trick is to always play like Ziggy is a fellow ‘harper and friend electric guitars in the world. weight. for my stage show! to get an autoharp. I told him that if he I’m turned up to eleven and to stomp of Bill Bryant. Bill had recently given My dad, Michael DeTemple, has Another logistical difficulty I faced got me one, I would learn to play it. my boots a lot; somehow, that makes my autoharp an overhaul, and Ziggy been working on instruments since he on the road was having switch between AQ: Can you talk more about The next week, a box from an Oscar everything better! had learned of our band via an online was a kid and has perfected his craft two differently tuned autoharps during DeTemple guitars? Schmidt showed up at our posting by Bill. This was the first time over the years. Although our shop had a set, sometimes three or four times! house, and I was hooked. The first AQ: What else do you play? Do you that my connections to the autoharp never worked on autoharps, I knew Since our stage show is so AD: DeTemple Guitars is a business song I started practicing was “Do Me play anything else for the band besides community had brought someone new that I would be able to figure out how fast-paced and action-packed, started by my father, Michael Like You Do,” which is a song that we the autoharp? to see our band! to, especially with help from my dad sometimes it would waste too much DeTemple. He began repairing and perform with the band. It is a song that Usually the audience that our and Johnny who are skilled luthiers. time to switch harps, and we would building instruments when he was just I became familiar with from an old AD: On stage, I play several fun performance attracts is from a punk So when it came time to experiment on have to adjust our set list accordingly. a teenager, but officially began his own recording of my Dad’s old jug band instruments in addition to autoharp! rock background. changing felts and wiring a new jack, I All of that changed when I came across line of instruments in 1991. called The Lydia E. Pinkham Superior They’re mostly quirky things. There felt confident that I could do it. Bill Bryant’s amazing Chromaslide. DeTemple Guitars makes custom Orchestra. They also performed “Do are a few songs we play that feature AQ: How have you customized your At one point I was having to change Around the beginning of 2013, I began electric guitars, pickups and titanium 24 Autoharp Quarterly Winter 2014 Autoharp Quarterly Winter 2014 25 parts. All our instruments are AQ: How do you amplify your someone losing a bet! After I tell them handcrafted and custom-painted. We autoharp? “It’s called an autoharp,” one friend will Music and Healing have five different models of electric look to the other and say “SEE, I was guitars. Three of the models are part AD: I use the standard OS pickup right; now you owe me a beer!” of the DTG Spirit Series, and include (without the preamp) and use the LR the Spirit Series ‘52, ‘56, and P-55. Baggs Venue DI pedal as my “amp” Interesting facts: In 1994 I met Joey Music, Death and the Journey We also make a custom hybrid model which runs directly to the PA. The LR Garibaldi via his neighbor, my brief called the Stellacasta, which is a cross Baggs Venue DI has proven to be the junior high boyfriend, Jacob. Joey and I between a Spirit Series ‘52 and ‘56. best way to amplify without having to became fast friends, and he invited me Cass Jendurski discusses her journey The DTG Industry Standard is the travel with a large amp. Our entire front to his band practice. I agreed to go, and newest addition to our line. line of instruments use them! that’s where I met my future husband, By Muriel Powers changing experience. CJ: Oh no, these are happy, joy- When we are not touring, Johnny John Carey. In fact, the day I met Joey, filled, loving women who come from (my husband and OMM’s guitarist and AQ: Tell me about life on the road, he said to me “My friend John is going Greetings everyone! Here’s an MP: So you were 49 years old in 1999, wonderful families but have left the lead singer), Ryan (OMM’s washboard while you are touring. to love you.” interview I truly stumbled upon on the and… world behind, so to speak, in order to player), and I work at the guitar shop. The rest is not so much history as it is way to the MLAG festival last summer. follow their calling to the cloistered We are so fortunate to be able to go out AD: When our band decided that we the foundation of my life as a musician For the fun of it, I made arrangements to CJ: I was between professional religious life. I would love it when I on the road and play music for weeks were going to start embarking on big in a punk bluegrass band called Old Man meet a therapeutic musician who played shows, and whenever I was between would take them out. I always felt very at a time and come home and still have tours, we knew that transportation would Markley. autoharp, and we met at a campground professional shows, I would volunteer blessed. I would ask them to pray for jobs waiting for us. I also do some be a hurdle. We knew that we would in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. You can to sing at the local nursing home my family or for my individual needs. DTG work while we tour: website need a vehicle to accommodate all of About OMM’s genre: even hear the roller coaster over the tent or whatever. One of the places I They prayed for my boys through their updates, facebook postings, and the our members plus all our instruments Here are a couple links to articles that in the recording! Before the night was volunteered was the Monastery. teen years…. And prayed for us through like. and gear. Luckily, all our front line have described our sound very well: over, we had resided in the concrete Well, one way Lancaster County them too! (Laughter) More information about all of instruments (banjo, washboard, http://www.musicnewsnashville.com/ pavilion during the windy period of the is blessed, is to have a cloistered At one point, I had gotten a job on our guitars can be found at www. autoharp, guitar, and fiddle) are old-man-markley-downside-up official tornado warning! Monastery here. It is the “Monastery stage in Ohio on two occasions. So detempleguitars.com. amplified using LR Baggs Venue DI I hope you are as inspired as I was of the Immaculate Heart of Mary,” and before I left, I told the sisters that I When I first came across the d’Aigle pedals. The use of the pedals has made http://www.musicnewsnashville.com/ after you read her story. the Dominican Nuns of the Perpetual would be out of town and they wouldn’t site, I was really excited. It was a touring with big amps completely old-man-markleys-down-side-up- Rosary (http://www.opnunslancaster. hear from me for six months. They family run operation, much like DTG. unnecessary. The only big gear we have debuts-at-1-on-bluegrass-chart June 25, 2013 at campsite #335, Old org) live in this monastery. Their Order asked me why, and I said I was working. D’Aigle makes amazing, high-quality is our bass cabinet and drum set. Mill Stream Campground, at Lancaster, is an offshoot of the Dominican Nuns And they asked, “Oh, what do you do?” handcrafted instruments, which is The vehicle we settled on--and have PA founded in the 13th Century. They are a I told them, “I’m a professional the same thing that our little guitar literally made into our home awayfrom gift to the entire community of Lancaster performer. And they said, “Professional company prides ourselves on doing. It home--is a former Seattle King County voharps & MP: Hi everybody! Well, this is Muriel County, whether you are Catholic, performer, like a singer?” was a relationship that was meant to City bus! It is a Ford E350 diesel and on the day of June 25. I’m here at a Protestant, or Jewish. The saying here in 3/4-sized “Yeah, I sing, act, do some movement, be! originally seated 21 passengers. Now Sparrowharps campsite below this incredible roller Lancaster is, “if you have to dial 911, the dance, that kind of thing.” Their question it sleeps nine and has a generator coaster and monorail, in the presence next number you call is the nuns.” And to me was, “Can you help us with our AQ: How do you keep your autoharp which powers a mini fridge and two of Cass Jendzurski, a most inspiring you ask for their prayers, because that’s chantresses (one who chants)? They sure in good shape on the road? What tools air conditioners, for the bus itself and Certified Music Practitioner (CMP) who what they do all day long – they have could use some tips on their sound.” I do you always have with you, and our trailer. Before I began playing plays the Autoharp as well as Folk Harp. ongoing prayers. could coach them along, but I wasn’t what have you used when you’ve had the autoharp, I considered myself a She has been telling me the history of I had heard that these nuns did not a voice teacher. However, I was really to improvise? seamstress. I’m very proud to say that all how she got involved with music and drive. The only time they came out of glad to do what I could to help them. of the cozy accommodations including healing. And I could hear a wonderful that Monastery after they entered, (and So that began my wonderful AD: Our band has many homespun the curtains, cushions, and benches on story unfolding, so I thought I’d record some of these women entered when association with them. I taught them instruments, and the fact that we have the bus were handcrafted by yours truly. this, so I could share it with the readers they were 15, and they were in their 80’s to play the Autoharp. They had this the knowledge and ability to keep them I’ve also hemmed pants for everyone in of the Autoharp Quarterly! at the time), was to go to a doctor or Autoharp that hadn’t been tuned in 20 playing perfectly hasreally put us at the the band! hospital, if they had to be hospitalized, years. top of the pack on the road. Johnny and CJ: I was basically telling Muriel or visit the nuns of their community They asked if I could tune it, and then our washboard player Ryan, who also AQ: Do you get people coming up to that I had spent 10 years on stage, as a who were hospitalized. So I began to teach some of them how to play it for works at DeTempleGuitars, have even you after a show and asking you what professional performer, prior to being volunteer for them as a driver and got recreation purposes – they have two been called upon by other musicians the heck your instrument is? a music practitioner. So I’m an actual to know them. They are very normal periods of recreation each day when on the road for help fixing their guitars, member of a professional actor’s union. women who were each profoundly they can sing together, play games and basses, and amplifiers. AD: ALL THE TIME! After every The last gig that I did was on stage called by God to leave the world and things like that. Touring has also allowed me to show, people come up to me and ask with Gary Burghoff. Remember Radar live a contemplative life of prayer, So I took this old Autoharp home, visit the Oscar Schmidt headquarters “What was that instrument you were O’Reilly of the MASH TV show? meditation, religious study, and the daily tuned it by ear, and then began to teach in Illinois. We stopped in on a tour playing?” Some people call it a zither, EVOBLUESTEIN.COM communal work within the confines of them how to play the Autoharp. They and I had my preamp repaired in the some call it a harpsichord, and some 559•297•8966 MP: Oh yes! WOW! their monastery. were able then to use it for liturgy, workshop. I’ve been fortunate to have even call it an accordion! On a few 10691 N. Madsen • Clovis • CA 93619-9704 recreation, and fun, whatever. And a great deal of support from Oscar occasions, the question “What was that CJ: And this is how I helped put my MP: It sounds like they don’t carry that I became something of a “music Schmidt over the past couple of years. instrument?” even has even resulted in boys through college, until I had a life- stereotype that you see in the movies. technician” for them. 26 Autoharp Quarterly Winter 2014 Autoharp Quarterly Winter 2014 27