Volume 28 • Number 5 INSIDE THIS ISSUE! September • October Music Theory & Matt Snook Tygh Valley BG Festival! 2008 Some Mando Madness! Bluegrass Expresswww.oregonbluegrass.org The World of Bluegrass According to Sharon Sharon Sandgren loves to paint, to helped Donna Erwin, owner of the There is a cheerful listener involvement carve; to act as well as stage design; Columbia River Gallery, organize the in bluegrass, blues and old-time music, poetry and all things creative. So the entire event. The last two years, she which makes it appeal to people of widely bluegrass community is just lucky that has trimmed her responsibilities down divergent interest. The type of people who Sharon’s promotional instincts settled to the still-huge job of producing the are drawn to play and listen to this true on this one form of roots music. entertainment. American music are social people--people With what appears to be limitless Roots Music Concert Series who like to be part of a community— energy, Sharon has created major new venues for bluegrass in East Like the old adage about saving people who like stories of humanity. It Multnomah County. As a result, she is someone’s life and being responsible represents the almost universal longing to exposing thousands of new listeners to for that person forever, Sharon has go back to a simpler time, a time of having the genre – and bringing new fans into resuscitated bluegrass in East County. your family and neighbors around you, the extended bluegrass family. She may be pumping life into it for enjoying each other’s company, working years to come. together---expressing through song Troutdale Bite and Bluegrass Sharon has been involved in the acceptable feelings of love and family, A few years ago, Sharon and her Gresham Little Theater, housed in an telling what’s happening in their life as band, No Time 2 Lose, was performing old grange hall in the West Orient area at a First Friday Artwalk in Troutdale, of Gresham, as an actor and doing well as someone else’s life--recording about 15 miles east of Portland. behind-the-stage work. The venue local events. Sharon, who lives in the small town gave her the idea of a concert series. There are times it just draws you to of Damascus in Clackamas County, “I thought, we have this big stage and your feet to dance just for the pure joy of thought the location was “an adorable rustic environment, let’s just invite it. Much of the early history of America spot. Why not put on a show here?” beginning bands to play and offer is played out musically. It exacts no deep In retrospect, she said, “What an admission on a contribution-only basis intellectual activity on the part of those innocent I was! I thought it would be and see what happens.” who gather to enjoy either listening while a little, casual event. I’m always on So in 2004, she sponsored a six- others play or join in, zone out, and play, the lookout for venues, for our band concert series. It received an incredible and for others, so I thought, let’s try it response. As time went on, the series play those old and new songs at wonderful out and see what happens.” became larger and she began to receive speeds along with other musicians. In its It turned into the Troutdale Bite calls from professional bands who primitive essence, it was a journal of life and Bluegrass, a day-long event wanted to perform. She was able to at that time and in that particular place, in showcasing historic downtown offer them a percentage of the house. the settling of America, and that need still Troutdale and its local merchants, as Sharon said, “One of the first exists today. well as music from noon well into concerts featured the Hakanson -Sharon Sandgren the evening. The first year, Sharon continued on page 7 5th Annual Presented by Two Stages Grammy Winning National Bands Your Favorite A Benefit for Regional Bands Ethos Music Center Workshops Jamming Everywhere January 9, 10 & 11, 2009 Oregon Convention Center, Portland www.rivercitybluegrass.com Dailey & Vincent Dailey & Vincent Sierra Hull Ralph Stanley Plus: The Jim Kweskin Jug Band featuring Bill Keith and the Barbeque Orchestra, The Kruger Brothers, J.D. Crowe & The New South, The Whites featuring Jerry Douglas, The Dan Tyminski Band, The Fairfield Four, Longview, Cadillac Sky, Hot Club of Cowtown, Psychograss with Tony Trischka & Darol Anger, Robin & Linda Williams and Their Fine Group, Tony Furtado Band, Now is the time to get the best deal on your weekend pass. $105 now, $135 after Oct. 1. Call us at (503)282-0877 or order at www.rivercitybluegrass.com For continuing lineup information please visit the website OBA Bluegrass Express - September / October 2008 Table of Contents Proud Member of: 5th Annual Presented by September / October 2008 • Volume 28 / Number 5 • Newsletter of the Oregon Bluegrass Association • www.oregonbluegrass.org Two Stages Sept. - Oct. 2008 Vol.28 No. 5 Grammy Winning This Issues Features www.oregonbluegrass.org National Bands Sharon Sandren, Bluegrass Ambassador 1 by Claire Levine Bluegrass Express Your Favorite A Benefit for The Search For The Perfect Song 9 Bluegrass Express is a bi-monthly Regional Bands by Kathy Boyd Ethos Music Center newsletter dedicated to informing Workshops The Theory of Bluegrass vs. The Brute 11 members of the Oregon Bluegrass by Matt Snook Jamming Association about local, regional Mando Making Madness 19 Everywhere by Loren Ford and national bluegrass issues, events and opportunities. On The Cover: Max Henry, fiddlin’ away at Columns & Commentary the Tygh Valley Bluegrass Fest, 2007. Story on page 20. Membership & Ad Information 4 Bluegrass Express Staff OBA President’s Letter 5 Publisher and Editors Uncle Chippy’s Corner 10 Colby Buswell January 9, 10 & 11, 2009 by Chip Russell (50) 4-6806 | [email protected] Oregon Convention Center, Portland A Recipe From the Cookie Lady 13 Christine Palmer by Fern Anderson (50) 282-0877 | [email protected] Tygh Valley, a Festival Finds a Home. 20 Contributing Editor www.rivercitybluegrass.com by Claire Levine Claire Levine Sound Advice 22 Cover Story: Sharon Sandgren at the Trout- [email protected] by Mark Gensman dale Bite & Bluegrass, an event she helped Dailey & start. Continued on page 7. Copy Editor Study Hall 24 Kathy Boyd Vincent by Chick Rose [email protected] Calendars, Lists & Info Webmasters & Web Content Tony McCormick Radio Time Listings 5 (50) 0-229 | [email protected] What’s Cooking? Pull-Out Calendar 14 Advertising Dailey & Vincent Colby Buswell Scheduled Jams Around the Northwest 16 (50) 4-6806 | [email protected] Supporting Performer Listings 26 Chip Russell isn’t just another bluegrass fan. Calendar Sierra Hull He’s documenting history. Story on Page 10. Ralph Stanley Chip Russell (50) 29-6599 | [email protected] Plus: The Jim Kweskin Jug Band featuring Bill Keith and the Barbeque Orchestra, Contact the OBA Regarding membership The Kruger Brothers, J.D. Crowe & The New South, The Whites featuring Jerry Douglas, at [email protected] The Dan Tyminski Band, The Fairfield Four, Longview, Cadillac Sky, Hot Club of Cowtown, The Oregon Bluegrass Association (OBA) Psychograss with Tony Trischka & Darol Anger, Robin & Linda Williams and PO Box 1115, Portland, OR 97207 is a 50(c)() non-profit corporation founded in 1982. It’s pur- Their Fine Group, Tony Furtado Band, pose is to promote,encourage, foster and cultivate the preservation, appreciation, understanding, Now is the time to get the best deal on your weekend pass. The Hackensaw Boys tear up the Galaxy Barn at this year’s Pickathon. Photo by: Tim LaBarge enjoyment, support and performance of bluegrass and other closely related music. $105 now, $135 after Oct. 1. Call us at (503)282-0877 or order at www.rivercitybluegrass.com The Bluegrass Express is printed on 0% post-consumer For continuing lineup information please visit the website Visit www.oregonbluegrass.org today for tons of bluegrass information. recycled paper. OBA Bluegrass Express - September / October 2008 Oregon Bluegrass Association Board Membership Information Advertising The OBA Board of Directors invites Your Express advertising will di- you to join the OBA and to participate rectly reach over 600 households of The OBA Board in its many activities.Our membership bluegrass enthusiasts while helping Contact the OBA: 503 321-5077 benefits include a subscription to the OBA to keep publishing this valuable bi •monthly Bluegrass Express, fre- resource. Tear sheets or extra copies of www.oregonbluegrass.org quent mailings about events, and tick- the Express are available. We appreci- et discounts to Northwest bluegrass ate your support of the Oregon Blue- Chip Russell - President events. Annual membership dues are grass Association. [email protected] $20 for a General Member, $50 for Supporting Performers and $100 for Submissions Colby Buswell - Vice President a Contributing Business Sponsor (see [email protected] Please contact Mark Gensman via page 7), as well as other options. To e-mail at [email protected] for join, complete the application on the David Hausner - Treasurer information about placing an ad for dave.hausner@nrdsi,com back cover and mail with your check your music related business in the to: Oregon Bluegrass Association, OBA Bluegrass Express. Larry Wilder - Secretary P.O. Box 1115, Portland, OR 97207. [email protected] Payment Web Site Lisa Remmer - Membership The OBA prefers to receive adver- [email protected] Features include a calendar, excerpts tising payment in advance. We would from the current issue of the Express, like one year contracts six months in and links for local bands. Come visit Volunteer Coordinators advance, and we will bill for the next us online! Visit the OBA web page to- six months.