Volume 31, No. 9 Copyright © Central Texas Bluegrass Association September, 2009 Fiddler’s Green: My Kind of Music Shop!
f you‘re a Central Texas bluegrass picker, Fiddler‘s Green is your headquarters. Located at I 1809 W. 35th Street in west Austin since 2007, it caters strictly to the acoustic picker. The store is owned by native Houstonian Clay Levit, but the guy you‘re most likely to see behind the desk, or behind a mandolin in one of the bluegrass jams is (continued on page 3)
From the historical photo archive: The Dixie Dewdrops at the Kerrville Bluegrass Festival, September, 1986. Photo by Ken Brown.
The Central Texas Bluegrass Bulletin is published by the Central Texas Bluegrass Association, a 501(c)(3) tax- exempt Texas nonprofit corporation. Contributions are deductible as charitable and educational donations. Work published in this Bulletin is used by permission of the writers, artists, and photographers, who retain all copy- rights.
Tom Duplissey, President Central Texas Bluegrass Association Mike Montgomery, Vice-President Box 9816 Billy Bright, board member Austin, Texas 78766 Ben Buchanan, board member (512) 261-9440 San Dunn, board member/Treasurer www.centraltexasbluegrass.org/ Roy Glover, board member Jami Hampton, board member Carrie Thielemann, board member Ken Brown, Bulletin editor/board member 2 (continued from page 1) Ben Hodges, a native of Tupelo, Mississippi (shown in the photo on the front page), or maybe Doc Hamilton, the shop‘s newest ―intern.‖ Unlike the big chain music stores in town, Fiddler‘s doesn‘t carry electric guitars, monster amps, or drum kits, and you won‘t find any teenagers shredding on a PRS guitar plugged into a four-foot high Marshall amp. If there‘s any shredding to be done, it‘s probably going to be on a Weber mandolin. Fid- dler‘s carries strings for all bluegrass instruments (D‘Addario, Martin, John Pearse, GHS, Elixir, plus Savarez for classical guitar) as well as strings for bouzouki, octave mandolin, mandocello, dulcimer, ukulele, and tenor banjo; capos (Shubb, Kyser, Paige, Bill Russell); picks (Blue Chip, Dunlop, and others); thumbpicks (Golden Gate, Dunlop, Zookies and others); instrument pickups (L.R. Baggs, Radius, Redeye, Realist, Dean Markley, Hot Spot), DI boxes, preamps (Shadow, Fishman); straps, fiddle chinrests, resin, Grover tuning machines and just about any other gear you‘d need (yes, they have fiddle mutes, but what about banjo mutes?). They carry a wide range of instructional materials (tab books and DVDs) for all the standard instruments.
New instruments? They got ‗em, in varieties that will appeal to Celtic and oldtime pickers as well as bluegrassers. For the bluegrass guitar picker, Huss and Dalton, Breedlove, and Eastman are probably the brands of most interest. But they also carry Jose Ramirez, J. Navarro, Strunal, Lone Wolf, Durango, Cigano, Luna, and other brands. They carry mandolins by local builders Bill Collings and Tom Ellis, as well as Weber, Kentucky, Eastman, J. Bovier, Breedlove, and others; banjos by Goldtone, Deering (and yes, they carry the entry-level Goodtime banjos) and Vega. Fiddles are by Cremona, Strunal, and others; dobros (Regal, Goldtone with Paul Beard setup) and weissenborns (Goldtone). Fiddler‘s also carries used instruments, too (check their web page for current stock). If you need lessons, you can take mandolin from Billy Bright, banjo from Matt Downing, guitar from Geoff Union, and fiddle from Shawn Dean or Dennis Ludecker. Most of these guys should be familiar to readers of this newsletter. For other instru- ments, Ben or Clay can probably refer you to someone. Lessons are upstairs at the shop, and are usually on an hourly basis.
The bluegrass jam takes place on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month (7 PM until everybody leaves) in the ―picking barn‖ out behind the shop. It‘s a converted garage attached to a house, air conditioned with carpet, chairs, and a small stage. Attendance is steady, usually with about 12-15 people in one large circle. More recently, another jam has been taking place in a back room of the shop, too. Fiddler‘s Green is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 AM-8 PM; Sun- day, noon to 5 PM, and closed Mondays. It‘s on 35th street in west Austin, about a block east of MoPac and Camp Mabry, on the south side of the street, flanked on either side by Viva Day Spa and Brady‘s Distinctive Lighting and across the street from Things Celtic. Phone 452-3900 or go to the web site at
2009 CTBA Scholarship Recipients
By Jami Hampton
CTBA is proud to announce and feature Bethany Rankin and Brett Hawthorne in this issue as winners of the 2009 Willa Beach-Porter Scholarship award. The Willa Beach-Porter CTBA Music Scholarship Fund was established five years ago in memory of Willa Beach- Porter — a fiddler, bluegrass enthusiast, and long-time supporter (continued on next page)
3 of CTBA. Generous donations from Willa's family coupled with the ongoing fundraising ef- forts of CTBA allow scholarship recipients to attend Camp Bluegrass at no cost. Camp Blue- grass is a one-week residential picking camp for bluegrass musicians that is held each July on the South Plains College campus in Levelland, Texas, located just west of Lubbock. In addi- tion to the annual summer camps, South Plains College also offers a two year Associate of Art degree and a one year certificate course focusing on bluegrass music within their Commercial Music program.
The scholarship fund's goal of fostering the development of up-and-coming bluegrass talent from Texas was realized with this year's selection of Bethany and Brett. Both play the mando- lin as their primary instrument — each citing inspiration from their grandfathers to pursue mu- sic — and were highly recommended from their music mentors as outstanding candidates to carry forward the tradition of bluegrass music. Bethany is from Robinson, Texas (near Waco) and, after playing the mandolin only two years, has already demonstrated an exceptional musi- cal aptitude and desire to improve. Although she never met her grandfather, Bethany heard audio tapes of his nursing home performances that her grandmother had saved. She began by learning to play on her grandfather's old mandolin many of the songs she heard on those tapes. She wears a necklace she made from her grandfather's mandolin pick in remembrance of him. Bethany honed her musical skills under the tutelage of the late James Reed and by regularly attending the monthly Pearl Bluegrass Jam and Stage Show in Pearl, Texas. Recently, Bethany and young fellow musicians John Peyton Shafer, Carey Janecka, Ethan Summerlin, and Steven Krause formed the band Blackland Prairie, and they have been playing a variety of venues around the Waco region. Bethany just graduated from high school (continued on next page) in May and is currently enrolled at McLennan Community College this fall to study Business Management.
Brett is a 17-year-old student from Abernathy, Texas (north of Lubbock) who was nominated by the founders of the West Texas Bluegrass/Traditional Music Association who came to know him through his attendance at their ongoing jam sessions. He and his older brother Trent, a stu- dent at South Plains College who plays guitar and banjo, have also performed benefit concerts for the association. Brett, who said he has been interested in bluegrass music since he was very young, has been playing the mandolin for four years and has studied music primarily under his grandfather. Brett plays mandolin and fiddle as a member of his family's three-generational bluegrass-traditional music band that was formed by his grandfather Sterling Morrow, who plays the guitar and banjitar. The family band called Vintage includes band members Reuben Hall, Kent Taylor, ReChele Taylor, Loretta Bullock, Patti Grassie, Trent Hawthorne, Brett Hawthorne, and Sterling Morrow. Vintage has performed for the Weed Bluegrass Festival for the last six years and just released their new CD, "Who Will Watch the Home Place." Bethany and Brett expressed sincere gratitude for the opportunity to attend Camp Bluegrass, affording them the opportunity to participate in the camp's instrument classes (with featured mandolin instructors Nate Lee and Steve Smith), structured and informal jams, nightly faculty concerts, special workshops presented by camp co-director and world-class banjoist Alan Munde, as well as the opportunity to play and network with other up-and-coming youth bluegrass talent who attended the camp. Two CTBA board members were able to attend Camp Bluegrass and had the opportunity to witness first-hand the positive contribution these fine scholarship recipients can make to further the tradition of bluegrass music. For more information or to make a dona- tion to the Willa Beach-Porter Scholarship Fund, please visit the website at
4 The 2009 scholarship recipients: left, Bethany Rankin; right, Brett Hawthorne. Looks like we have a bumper crop of eight-stringers!
Scholarships for Flatpicking Workshop: Apply Now!
Central Texas Bluegrass Association is immediately seeking qualified applicants for Steve Kaufman's Flatpicking Guitar Workshop being held at Fiddler's Green Music Shop on Septem- ber 11-12, 2009. The 8-hour workshop ($90 value), designed to accommodate all levels of players, begins on Friday night, 7-9 PM and continues on Saturday from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM. More workshop information is available at:
www.fiddlersgreenmusicshop.com/kaufman.html
Scholarship recipients (who are at least 12 years old) will be chosen based on serious interest and performance talent in bluegrass music as well as financial need. Scholarship application materials are available at
5 Events calendar: September, 2009
Friday, September 4, 7:30 PM: Piney Grove Ramblers at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; 442-8283.
Friday, September 4, 7 PM: Blacktop Bend at Waterloo Ice House (Slaughter/Escarpment), 9600 Es- carpment Blvd.; 301-1007.
Saturday, September 5: Deadline for scholarship applications, Kaufman Flatpicking Workshop
Sunday, September 6: Bluegrass workshops (vocals, instruments) sponsored by Jon and Sigi Field at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; intermediate, noon-1 PM; advanced, 1-2 PM. See http://jrfnet.net/rsr, click on ―workshops‖ for PDF file.
Sunday, September 6, 7 PM: The Sieker Band at Kerrville Wine and Music Festival.
Thursday, September 10, 6:30-8:30 PM: Bluegrass open mike at New World Deli, 4101 Guadalupe; < www.newworlddeli.com> 451-7170; contact: Eddie Collins < [email protected]>
Friday-Saturday, September 11-12: Flatpicking guitar workshop with Steve Kaufman at Fiddler‘s Green (Friday, 7-9 PM; Saturday, 9:30-AM-3:30 PM); 1809 W. 35th St.; 452-3900; [email protected]
Saturday, September 12, 9-11 AM: The Sieker Band and Randy‘s Rangers at the Up the Chisholm Trail Cattle Drive and Chuckwagon Cook-Off, San Gabriel Park, Georgetown; www.upthechisholmtrail.org
Saturday, September 12, 6:30 PM: Piney Grove Ramblers at County Line on the Hill, Bee Cave Road near Loop 360, Austin; www.countyline.com/index.asp; 327-1742.
Sunday, September 13, 10 AM: The Siekers at Maria's Taco Xpress, 2529 S Lamar Blvd; 444-0261 .
Sunday, September 13, 11 AM: Bluegrass Brunch with Danny Santos y los Bluegrass Vatos at Threadgill‘s North, 6416 N. Lamar, Austin, 451-5440.
Sunday, September 13: Bluegrass workshops (vocals, instruments) sponsored by Jon and Sigi Field at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; intermediate, noon-1 PM; advanced, 1-2 PM. See http://jrfnet.net/rsr, click on ―workshops‖ for PDF file.
Thursday, September 17, 7 PM: The Siekers at Seguin Silver Center Country Music Show, Seguin
Friday, September 18, 7:30 PM: The Sieker Band at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; 442-8283.
Saturday, September 19: Bluegrass Heritage Festival, South Oaks Baptist Church, 5925 U.S. Highway 287, Arlington; see display ad on page 8. Contact Alan Tompkins (214)236-0783 or [email protected].
Saturday, September 19, 6 PM: Piney Grove Ramblers at Iguana Grill, 2900 Ranch Road 620N, Austin, 266-8439; www.iguanagrillaustin.com/
Sunday, September 20, 11 AM: Bluegrass Brunch with the Piney Grove Ramblers at Threadgill‘s North, 6416 N. Lamar, Austin, 451-5440
Sunday, September 20: Bluegrass workshops (vocals, instruments) sponsored by Jon and Sigi Field at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; intermediate, noon-1 PM; advanced, 1-2 PM. See http://jrfnet.net/rsr, click on ―workshops‖ for PDF file.
6 More events: September, 2009 Tuesday, September 22, noon: The Siekers at Thundercloud Subs, 1700 Grand Avenue Pkwy; Pfluger- ville; 990-8871
Thursday, September 24, 7:30-9:30 PM: Danny Santos y los Bluegrass Vatos at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; 442-8283.
Saturday, September 26, 1 PM: The Siekers at St. Ignatius Catholic Church Fall Fest 7 PM: The Sieker Band at Leander Bluegrass Festival
Sunday, September 27: Bluegrass workshops (vocals, instruments) sponsored by Jon and Sigi Field at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; intermediate, noon-1 PM; advanced, 1-2 PM. See http://jrfnet.net/rsr, click on ―workshops‖ for PDF file.
Sunday, September 27, 10 AM: The Siekers at Maria's Taco Xpress, 2529 S Lamar Blvd; 444-0261 3 PM: The Sieker Band at Wendish Fest, Serbin
Sunday, September 27, 6-8:30 PM: Eddie Collins at ArtZ Rib House, 2330 S. Lamar; 442-8283.
Friday, October 2: Sarah Siskind at Austin City Limits Music Festival, Austin
Bluegrass Workshops by Randy's Rangers Each Sunday in September
In promotion of the Central Texas Bluegrass Association, Randy's Ranger presents Bluegrass Workshops − "How to Be a Better Musician" each Sunday in September at ArtZ Rib House. Workshops are free for CTBA members and $10 per session for non-members. The intermedi- ate session starts at 12 noon and the advanced at 1 PM. All CTBA members and other players are invited to attend.
The workshops place an "Emphasis on practical theory application, learning why you play what you play and how to build on your knowledge," and are hands-on workshops. All bluegrass instruments are welcome and players should bring their instruments and come ready to play. Vocalists are welcome.
Please visit http://jrfnet.net/rr and click ―Workshops‖ for the flyer. Pre-registration is required to obtain workshop materials; call Sigi at 512-869-8076 or email to [email protected]. Randy's Rangers is Sigi and Jon Field.
Miscellaneous News
Congratulations to Maggie Banks of Wimberley, third-place winner in the 2009 Youth Old Time Fiddle competition at Galax, Virginia.
Sunday, September 6 and 13: KOOP-FM fall pledge drive; call in during Strictly Bluegrass and show your support for Austin‘s only all-bluegrass radio show!
7 8 CTBA Artists and Bands Austin Lounge Liz- Cooper’s Uncle The Ledbetters The Sieker Band ards Mike Drudge [email protected] Spencer Drake Rolf & Beate Sieker 615-262-6886 512-736-2664 830-660-2533 512-733-2857 [email protected] www.siekerband.com www.austinlizards.com David & Barbara The Lost Pines String Beans Blacktop Bend Brown Talia Sekons Mike Montgomery George Rios 361-985-9902 [email protected] 512-517-6753 512-619-8536 [email protected] www.lostpinesband.com mike- [email protected] [email protected]
Dear Henry Band Manchaca All-Stars Blazing Bows Chris Brewster B. Buchanan Two High String 512-693-4648 512-282-2756 Mary Hattersley Band Geoff Union www.dearhenrymusic.com manchacaallstars@ 512-873-8925 512-563-9821 email.com [email protected]
Bluegrass Vatos Eddie Collins Danny Santos 512-836-8255 Out of the Blue Wayward Pony 512-218-4141 www.eddiecollins.biz Jamie Stubblefield Dale Albright [email protected] 512-295-5325 danny@dannysantosmusic dale-mandolin@austin. .com [email protected] rr.com Grass Onions Band www.waywardpony.com
Jon Ricketts Brian Byrne and The Piney Grove Borrowed Time
Randy’s Rangers BuffaloGrass Howard Rains Sigi Field 512-869-8076 Don Inbody 7704 Peaceful Hill Lane http://pages. sud- All bands listed are 512-295-6977 Austin, Tx 78748 denlink.net/jrf/rr/ members of the CTBA. [email protected] 512-577-0851 See the membership
form on the back cover for information on Randalls Good Neighbor Program band membership. To designate your contribution to the CTBA, go to the address below, print the form and fill it out, and take to your local store: http://shop.safeway.com/corporate/randalls/gn_houston_austin.pdf
9 CTBA Business Members
P.O. Box 483 Grapeland, Tx 75884 www.salmonlakepark.com
OvertonOverton BluegrassBluegrass FestivalFestival City of Overton Sponsoring Bluegrass and Gospel Music
www.overtonbluegrass.com
Don Eaves Sponsored by City of Early [email protected] Drawer D 903-834-3171 Overton, Texas 75684 Charlotte Parrack 325-646-8531 300 Early Blvd.
10 CTBA Area Jams and Events
AUSTIN AREA, CTBA GEORGETOWN PEARL Beginner/Intermed. Jam 1st. & 3rd Thu. 7-9 Randy‘s Rangers Thursday Jam: Duke‘s Jam & Stage Show, 1st Sat: Jam starts at PM, Steve Mangold 512-345-6155 BBQ Smokehouse, 6-8 PM, 512-869-8076 or noon, show 4:30 PM, Hwy 183, 7 mi South [email protected]> [email protected] of Purmela; contact: Ronald Medart 254-865 CTBA 2nd & 4th Sat , ArtZ Rib House, be- -6013 www.pearlbluegrass.com ginner/Intermediate Jam 4—6 contact: Steve THE GROVE Mangold 345-6155 Outside Pick General Store, 15 mi. west of SAN ANTONIO Temple on Hwy 36, Sat, 6pm until ? Open Bluegrass Jam Session Tuesdays, 6-8:30 Jam Session: Sunday at ArtZ Rib House, 2-6 Contact: Moody Anderson, 512-282-1215 PM, Grady‘s BBQ Store No. San Pedro Ave, PM at Jackson –Keller (beginner-friendly)
Live Bluegrass Show: ArtZ Rib House Sun- HARWOOD Beginner/Intermediate Bluegrass Jam 2nd day 6 pm; 512-442-8283 Stage Show & Jam Session 3rd Sat, 9 mi. E. Thursday 7-9 pm at 6418 Ridgehurst, San of Luling, Hwy 90, 2 to 9 PM Antonio. Hosted by Clifton Bowren 210-602 AAAMS Jam 2nd & 4th Wed. Leander/Cedar -5544 [email protected] Park Fine Arts Academy, 200 Buttercup Rd, Ste. 104, Cedar Park, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, 512- HONDO SHULENBERG 401-8863 Hondo Hootenanny, 1 PM, Hondo Commu- RV Park community Center nity Center, 1st Fri each month 830-426-3438 2nd Tuesday of every month, 6:30—9:00 PM AFTM Contradance: 3rd Sat. 3501 Red River Laretta Baumgarten 979-743-4388 7:30 to 11 pm, $7 453-8936 HOUSTON [email protected] Second Saturday jam, 1-4 PM, sponsored by AFTM Jam Session: 2nd Sun at ArtZ Rib BABA and the Houston Railroad Museum WIMBERLEY House, 2330 S. Lamar, Austin, 2-4 PM (April-November), Houston Railroad Mu- Bluegrass Jam Fri 8-12 pm, Lane‘s Country seum, 7390 Mesa Road; www. houstonrrmu- Café, Wimberley FIDDLER‘S GREEN jam session in the seum.org; 713-319-8906
BARN out back behind the shop every 2nd and 4th Tuesday from 7 PM to 11 PM. LEAGUE CITY (BABA) Phone: 512-452-3900 Jam & Free Bluegrass Show 3rd Sat: Jam 5 www.fiddlersgreenmusicshop.com PM, Show 6:30 PM Jan- Nov., League City Editor‘s note: this list of jams Civic Center, 300 W. Walker St. 281-636- BANDERA 9419 hasn‘t been verified in a long 4th Friday of each month at Silver Sage Cor- time. Call ahead before check- ral– east of Bandera. Starts at 6:30 pm. For LIBERTY HILL more info call (830)796-3969 (Not on Good 4th Sat. Jam Session at 1-6 PM, Hwy 29 ing out an unfamiliar jam, to Friday) West, contact Paula at 512-778-5410 make sure it‘s still active.
LILLIAN BELLVILLE Third Friday show and jam, 10552 CR 519, Spring Creek Club Jam/Show Jan. thru Sept Lillian; 7 PM, $4; www.ntbluegrass.com or 4th Sat; 4pm Jam, 6:30 pm show. Coushatte 817-929-8391 Recreation Ranch 979-865-5250 [email protected] Plenty of RV MANCHACA camping and good food. Open jam every Thursday night from 7-9 PM
at The Railroad BBQ on FM 1626 in Man- BRYAN/COLLEGE STATION, chaca Brazos Country Grass Monday Jam, J. Cody‘s, 3610 S. College 6-9 PM McDADE www.brazoscountrygrass.com 2nd Monday of each Month: McDade Jambo- ree at the McDade VFW Post Hwy 290. 7-10 ELGIN PM Call: 512-273-2307 3rd Friday of each Month: Blue Fire-Station jam session, FM 696, 7-10 PM MEDINA
2nd Tuesday—each month— all gospel jam at FAYETTEVILLE: the first Baptist Church—Medina. Starts at 6 Texas Pickin‘ Park: Jam 2nd Saturday, each PM; for info Linda Barton 830-589-2486 month beginning at 6 PM on the Courthouse Square. Acoustic instruments only. 2nd Friday each month— The Medina Jam For info: [email protected] session will be held at the Masonic Lodge at www.texaspickinpark.com 6:30 PM (bring covered dish)
GARLAND MONTGOMERY Bluegrass on the Square: Saturday, March- 1ST SATURDAY Jam in downtown historical November between Main and State Sts. At District from 10 AM– 2 PM. For discount 6th, 7:30 PM to 1 AM coupons at local KOA contact Dr. Mike Davis: [email protected]
11 Central Texas Bluegrass Association P.O. Box 9816 Austin, Texas 78766
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