THE COLUMBUS FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY, INC. – A 501(C)(3) NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATION FEBRUARY, 2016

Songwriter’s Notice: WHAT’S INSIDE: SONGWRITER’S NOTICE: WORST SONG IN THE WORLD Worst Song in the CONTEST TO DEBUT ON STAGE AT COFF 2016 PG. 1 World Contest to debut JON MOSEY TO PERFORM AT FEB. 27 FOLKSIDE On Stage at Central Ohio Folk COFFEEHOUSE PG. 1 REMEMBERING WILSON Festival 2016 by D. Boston BRINKLEY PG. 3 LATEST “MUST-HAVE” The “Worst Song Not technically nor SONGBOOK FOR FOLKIES PG. 4 in the World Contest” performance wise has been a staple of “worst,” but worst in SOME BASICS & TIPS FOR the Central Ohio Folk the sense of topic / YOUR INSTRUMENT PG. 4 Festival for a number story line, etc. You of years. The rules? probably get the CALENDAR OF EVENTS Create and perform a picture. AND ANNOUNCEMENTS PG. 5 song, either solo or Traditionally the CFMS JAMMERS SERVE with others and contest has been held UP THANKSGIVING TREAT PG. 6 present it to a John Locke introduces the Worst Song in the World at the Friday night listening audience for Contest on the Friday night “Meet ‘n Greet” at the VALENTINE BENEFIT 2015 Central Ohio Folk Festival. This year, not only Meet 'n Greet before judging as to whether CONCERT FOR COFF PG. 7 will the Worst Song in the World Contest be held on the festival begins on it rates as the “worst” Friday evening, but a second contest will be held on song of the bunch. stage during the festival itself. Photo - J. Clear See Worst Song - page 2 Jon Mosey to perform at February 27

FolkSide Coffeehouse by Bill Cohen

We have a special treat for our February bluesman/ Mosey had the whole crowd tapping Coffeehouse: Jon Mosey. Hailing from guitarist/ and/or bobbing along with the Akron, OH, he has been described as “one singer- music.” Sing Out! said of him, “Jon of the great musical treasures of Northeast songwriter. Mosey’s hot blues picking... a Ohio.” His guitar playing has been His warm welcome surprise” and Folknet adds, described as “effortless and precise.” An voice, guitar “A local legend of ragtime, blues and accomplished, long time performer, his skills, country guitar.”1 style is varied and there is something for distinctive everyone! We want to welcome back Jon Bill Cohen: How do you describe songwriting, Mosey to our coffeehouse stage on the style of music you play and sing? Saturday, Feb. 27 at 8 pm (open mic 7-8 and powerful performances have p./open jam 6-7 pm. So beat those winter earned him a reputation as fresh, Jon: I play mostly original Roots blues and come out for the show! More rootsy and original. The Cleveland and Blues. It’s based on pre-war details on page 5. Plain Dealer said of him, “A really American traditional styles. I draw amazing guitarist... even though it from the various regional styles of Jon Mosey has toured the United was just him and his acoustic guitar, blues and also the string band/old- States and Europe as a solo See Jon Mosey - page 2 CONTACT US AT: VOICEMAIL 614-470-3963! PAGE 1 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER FEBRUARY, 2016 Worst Song - from page 1 song both Friday night and Saturday Saturday. Last year's Meet 'n Greet afternoon on the main stage or just saw a record number of attendees as elect to do it at one or the other. Just well as worst song contestants and remember, you will be mic’ed on there were quite a few very qualified Saturday and you will have the “worst” songs. general public for an audience! Like For the 2016 festival, not only Friday evening, the audience will be are we going to hold the contest the judge for the winner. We only Friday evening (a prize for the ask that you keep the songs family Friday winner will be awarded friendly. there), but we are also holding a One of the contestants at the 2015 Worst Song in the World Contest. Photo - L.McDonald So, consider starting to put your contest – on the main stage – on song(s) together now in preparation Saturday afternoon, right after the If you are a contestant (anyone for this year’s festival! Bob Kirby Scholarship awards. can beone), you can perform your

Jon Mosey - from page 1 Bill: Besides singing, you play Stompers, I get to play everything – time traditions, as well as newer several different instruments. What fingerpick and flatpick guitar, styles (i.e.:1940’s-50’s) like Western are they, and how do you decide bluegrass banjo, old-time banjo, Swing, Honky-Tonk and Bluegrass. which one to use on each particular mandolin, tenor banjo. song? It all runs together in the stuff I do. With some of the bands I’ve worked Bill: Tell us the story of how you Jon: Guitar is my main squeeze, with in the past, the musicians in the came to be a musician. always has been. I’m mostly a group have determined that I should fingerpicker, based in that Piedmont play a certain instrument. For Jon: I always liked to listen to Blues/Ragtime guitar style, but I still example, in the Valley Mountain music as a kid. As I got into my do some Norman Blake/Doc Watson Boys, we had killer banjo and guitar teens, it was just what seemed right. style flatpicking. I used to do a lot players already, so it just made sense I never made a big decision to more that I played mandolin in that band. dedicate my life to the art or flatpicking In the Ohio Choro Club, we needed anything like that; it’s just what I’ve back in the a mandolin player, so that’s what I always done. 70’s, 80’s played. and 90’s, Bill: We hear there are many If I’m doing a recording session, the but I sort musicians who’ve influenced you producer usually has an idea of what of drifted over the years. Who are they? instrument they want on each song, away from but occasionally, they’ll ask me to Jon: So many. A lot of the biggest that style bring a bunch of instruments, so we influences were local guys like Jack in the last can try them out and see what works DiAlesandro, Jim Ballard, Andy decade or best. Cohen, Alex Bevan, Billy Wright – a so. I also whole bunch of them. The coolest play Bill: On the internet, we can see thing about that is that a lot of those mandolin, and hear you do songs such as 99 guys that I listened to and learned steel Year Blues and Rollin’ Baby Blues. from have become good friends. guitar, old- What is there about the blues that The more well-known (more time/ you like so much ? contemporary) ones who were big clawhammer banjo, bluegrass banjo, Jon: Those are both Piedmont-style influences would include: David tenor banjo (Dixieland and Irish), blues (99 Year is traditional, Rollin’ Bromberg, Ry Cooder, Jorma and some really bad fiddle. Electric Baby is one of mine). That style is Kaukonen, Norman Blake, Doc guitar and bass have also been in the the foundation of my playing; Watson, and Tom Waits. The older arsenal since the beginning. At a everything I do is based in that guys (the dead ones) include Blind solo performance, I play guitar on approach. It’s just so much fun to Boy Fuller, Blind Blake, Gid Tanner everything. If I’m playing with one play. I’ve played a lot of the other & the Skillet Lickers, Django of the bands that I work with regional styles (Mississippi, Texas, Reinhart, Bob Wills & the Texas regularly, we’ll usually try a bunch Memphis, pre-war Chicago, etc.), Playboys, Charley Patton, Smokey of different instruments and pick the but Piedmont is by far my favorite. Wood & the Wood Chips, Big Bill one that we think sounds best. With I’m definitely not just a blues guy, Broonzy, etc., etc. The Jon Mosey Trio, it’s electric though. There are a whole bunch of guitar because we’re a Roots Rock band. In the Crooked River See Jon Mosey - page 6 PAGE 2! WWW.COLUMBUSFOLKMUSICSOCIETY.ORG A DIFFERENT STRUMMER FEBRUARY, 2016 “Art was emcee “I met Wilson through the Thursday at the time and I night jam group. . .the 15 or so Remembering was working the musicians pass the microphone and the kitchen [at the theoretical baton around in a circle as coffeehouse]. we play. One of Wilson’s favorites was Wilson was an instrumental tune called Little Wilson Brinkley playing his lap Coquette. Eventually I learned that steel guitar on an Little Coquette was a Guy Lombardo We were all saddened to hear of the open stage set tune, usually sung by Guy Lombardo’s passing of Wilson Brinkley on and was so nervous. Of course he did brother Carmen Lombardo. Here we December 29, 2015. A long time great, and afterwords had the biggest were a bunch of folk music types supporter of the Columbus Folk Music smile when I asked him if we could playing Guy Lombardo! Society and a dear friend, he willingly expect to see him more. He replied shared his lap steel talent, his gentle YES and told me that he was joining heart and and his huge smile with the group (CFMS).” Sharon Mittenbergs many. We will miss you, Wilson; “I love the sound of the steel guitar. thank you for being a part of all of our Wilson was one of the best! I’m glad lives! to still hear him because of his playing on a CD by the late, great Carol Cleek. He played behind Carol as well 2009 Apple Butter Festival as solo. Of course, not only “I eventually learned that Wilson was was he a good musician but a man of many dimensions – he had a also a nice guy. Wilson private pilot’s license and for years lives!”Terry C. Keller owned his own airplane; he worked “I remember fondly Wilson’s for the police department for several selfless gift of time and years; he drove a Harley Davidson 2013 Central Ohio Folk Festival Benefit talent in support of Charlie motorcycle; and he played Guy A lap steel friend, Craig Baker, and me when we started Lombardo. Somewhere Wilson is still recounts: “Wilson had been a fan, playing together: rehearsing with us, making beautiful music and surprising enthusiast and player for many sharing his joy and enthusiasm, and the heck out of the locals.” Tom Nagel helping me to grow as a performer. decades. In recent years he became “His music was something that touched Wilson’s great smile was an added very accomplished on a Sierra lap us all & his smile would always light bonus. It was an honor to be part of his steel. . . . I met Wilson in St. Louis up the room. Who can ever forget the musical circle.” Teresa Schleifer back in 1981 and quickly became little smile he would have at the end of friends. It was well known that if any “I will always remember Wilson as a a song when he did something special, vendor or performer had a new gadget somewhat small old man with an and knew that it left us all with a or course, he would often purchase impish grin and the power of a super wonderful feeling that we had heard items whether he needed them or not, hero. At our Thursday night jams at something special.” Al Belasco just to support the steel guitar family. Whetstone Gardens, if the jammers “What I loved most about Wilson, was A couple of years back, I worked a and the residents of the assisted living the way he smiled when we all Patsy Cline play here [Georgia] with a facility had had a bad day, he could acknowledged his wonderful way of local theater group. Who drives dissolve the gloom in 5 seconds, ending a hundreds of miles and buys a ticket to simply by starting to play that lap steel tune. He the play but Wilson Brinkley! He guitar of his. With just a few notes, he was so brought that Sierra with him and we could make everybody in the room talented. We spent a day jamming in my home. His smile and forget, if just for a few have other interests included gardening, minutes, all of our problems. Whether been . . . ham radio and his 1949 black & he was playing Paper Roses, Help Me and will chrome Harley Davidson which he Make It Through the Night, or continue . . . purchased new in his hometown of Sleepwalk, Wilson and his guitar “To know me is to love missing him Clarksburg, WV. He always kept the would evoke emotions & memories in me and to hear me is to for a long Harley in good shape and rode it us that would sweep us back to other until just a few years ago. Wilson is remember. I am the lap time.” times, other places. He proved the steel guitar.” one who’s smile will be missed.” Lynne Carr awesome power of music.” Bill Cohen Wilson speaking about the lap steel

WWW.COLUMBUSFOLKMUSICSOCIETY.ORG !PAGE 3 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER FEBRUARY, 2016 Latest “Must- Have” Songbook for Folkies by Bill Cohen If you’ve liked your old copy of that were written several decades ago singer-songwriter Sally Fingerett. “Rise Up Singing” that’s now dog- but that didn’t make the “cut” in the Also featured are “Rock Around the eared because you’ve used it dozens first songbook. Clock,” “Fields of Gold,” “Stand by of times at sing-alongs and festivals, “Rise Again” is organized in much Me,” “Duke of Earl,” “Rock Me on you may love its new successor. the same way as the first songbook. the Water,” “They’ll Know We are “Rise Again” is produced by the There are familiar categories, such as Christians by our Love,” “Hello same two folks who created the love, peace, work, struggle and Mudduh, Hello Fadduh,” ”Shower the earlier songbook, Peter Blood and lullabies. But this latest version People,” and “Rocky Top.” Annie Patterson. Included are the shows more willingness to go further Folk music icon Pete Seeger gave chords and words to nearly 1,200 beyond the strict confines of folk much input on the original “Rise Up songs, totally different from the ones music. Some new categories Singing,” which, like this latest in the first book. highlight that change. They include incarnation, was created to make folk Some of Surfin’ USA, British Invasion and music sing-alongs go more smoothly. them are Rock, Motown and R and B, and And just before he died in early 2014, tunes that Millennial Songs (from singer- he wrote these words which are were written songwriters 1995 to the present). included in the preface of “Rise since 1989, If there’s one word to describe the Again”: when the first song selections here, it is “eclectic.” “The older I get, the more I am songbook For example, “Simple Faith,” convinced that if there’s a human race was performed by a favorite duo of CFMS still here in a hundred years, one of published. audiences, Mustard’s Retreat, is the main reasons will be that we Others are included. So is “Home is Where the found ways we can sing together.” old songs, Heart Is,” written by Columbus Some Basics & Tips for Your Instrument – A Reminder Winter is here so it seems an from the sides of the neck people are quite appropriate time to talk about (which does).”1 similar: both like it instrument care. This is an excerpt from to be around 50% to 60%. an article we previously published. Jason Fowler adds to the list: “Too much or too little humidity can You can check the level of air Dry Air upset the moisture balance in your humidity with a hygrometer, guitar causing a host of undesirable available for some fifteen dollars or “When air humidity is high, effects including loss of tone, action more. wood tends to expand. When the air too high or too low, wood shrinkage gets too dry, it’ll shrink. Sudden Guitar humidifiers or expansion, finish checking, finish humidity changes and low air “Central heating and air roughness, top distortions, cracks, humidity are among a guitar’s worst conditioning are two of the main etc.” Fortunately, there are some enemies. If the wood gets too dry, causes of dry air. There are all kinds pretty simple remedies. the braces or the bridge may come of small affordable humidifiers that loose, the top may crack, or frets Hygrometers can be used inside the guitar case; (which don’t shrink) may jut out The Tipbook relays, “when it some are designed to be installed in comes to air humidity, guitars and See Basics & Tips - page 6 PAGE 4! WWW.COLUMBUSFOLKMUSICSOCIETY.ORG A DIFFERENT STRUMMER FEBRUARY, 2016 SAVE THE DATE. . . The Saturday Music Jam at Feb. 27 coffeehouse listing. Saturday, February 27: the Worthington Farmers’ FolkSide Coffeehouse –

✃ Saturday, February 6 – 7-9 Market 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. – every Jon Mosey p.m.: Valentine’s Concert with Saturday at The Shops at 6 p.m. Open Jam Bill Cohen (proceeds go to 2016 Worthington Place (winter 7 - 8 p.m. Open Mic location). All are welcome to play. Central Ohio Folk Festival) – At 8 - 10 p.m. Featured Act: Jon Consider bringing a chair. Columbus Mennonite Church Mosey. Held at the Columbus (Social Hall), 35 Oakland Park Saturday, Jan. 30: FolkSide Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Avenue, Cols. $10 suggested Coffeehouse – featured Park Avenue, Cols. $7.00 donation at the door. performer: Bohemian Highway donation; Students $5.00; CFMS Refreshments, surprises & more! (8pm) Rest of details same as members $5.00; under 12 free.

Special Note to CFMS members who are musicians: If you are a member of the CFMS and perform in a band, please provide us with a link to your events listing and we will be happy to include your upcoming shows (on a monthly basis) in our newsletter. E-mail: [email protected] and give us the link to your events!

FOLLOWING OUR OWN. . . ✃ Friday, February 5: Whinestopper Saturday, February 20: The Folk Tuesday, February 23: The Folk – 8 - 11 p.m. – Tara Hall, 274 E. Ramblers 10 a.m. – Columbus Ramblers - 11:30 a.m. – Linworth Innis Ave., Columbus. No cover. Winter Farmer’s Market, Whetstone Methodist Church, 7070 Bent Tree Community Center, 3923 N. High St. Blvd., Columbus, 43235

YOU KNOW YOU’RE GETTING OLD WHEN: 6. You feel like hell before the gig even starts. 1. It becomes more important to find a place on stage for 7. The waitress is your daughter. your fan than for your amp. 8. You stop the set because your ibuprofen fell behind the 2. All your fans leave by 9:30 p.m. speakers. 3. You don't know (or care) who any of the new bands are. 9. Most of your 4. You need your glasses to see the amp settings. crowd just sways in their 5. You’ve thrown out your back jumping off the stage. Want to find out seats. more about the Columbus Folk Music Society and/ or it’s events? Visit: www.columbusfolkmusicsociety.org OR you can join as a member. Benefits include: camaraderie with fellow folk music lovers in town, ✃ discounts on certain admissions, this monthly newsletter and the comfort of knowing that all events are family friendly! A membership form is provided on the last page of this newsletter.

WWW.COLUMBUSFOLKMUSICSOCIETY.ORG !PAGE 5 A DIFFERENT STRUMMER FEBRUARY, 2016 Thanksgiving feast to low-income “Thank you so much to CFMS CFMS Jammers residents of the Hilltop. members who shared their time and Besides the traditional turkey, talents entertaining folks at the Serve Up dressing, sweet potatoes, and pie, ten Community Thanksgiving Day jammers from the CFMS dinner. Thanksgiving Treat provided folk music in our usual The music and fellowship you all by Bi Cohen “broadest sense of the words.” In shared with the hundreds of men other words, there was folk, rock, women and children who came to Call it a “side dish” of music to go spirituals, blues, and more . . . with break bread together on this holiday is with the traditional Thanksgiving instrumental backup on a testimony of genuine compassion acoustic guitars, electric and what it mean to give of oneself. guitar, electric bass, drums, Everyone enjoyed the music and mandolin, and banjo. singing so much! The feast and jam actually Music truly is a gift. A gift for took place in the sharing. A gift that brings joy and gymnasium of the school hope. A gift that becomes a circle of right in back of the church, hope for all. and the rafters echoes with On behalf of all whom you shared fellowship, conversation, music with on Thanksgiving day and harmony. Thank you! dinner. That’s what hundreds of And, may the circle be unbroken.” Westside Columbus residents were An Open Letter of Thanks treated to as St. Aloysius Catholic (from Sandy Bonneville, Thanksgiving Day Church offered its yearly free event organizer and CFMS member):

Basics & Tips- from page 4 Tips: Never store your guitar in Jon Mosey - from page 2 the sound hole of the instrument. Also, direct sunlight, near heaters or other styles that I like – and play, too. there are cases that have built-in fireplaces, or anywhere else where it It all depends on the gig. Sometimes, humidifiers, or even a hygrometer or may get too hot or too cold. If you someone wants a night of old-time thermometer.”2 hang it from a wall at home, tunes so I’ll do that. Sometimes it’ll preferably choose an inside wall.”4 be a night of Classic Ragtime, Fowler adds: “These units [guitar sometimes Brazilian Choro. A few humidifiers] only do what they are Fowler adds: “Cool damp months ago, I put together a trio to supposed to do when the guitar is basements are out too since as they play a night of Western Swing – I stored in its case. If you like to keep tend to be too humid. Also, never played steel that night. It doesn’t your guitar out then you are going to travel about with your guitar in the make that much difference what style have to invest in a room humidifier trunk of your car, winter or summer – or instrument. . . I just love to play. and a hygrometer in order to monitor the extremes of temperatures in a car’s the room where the guitar is kept. You trunk can cause severe damage to a Bill: Is there a way to describe your can discontinue these humidification fragile acoustic guitar.” “persona” on stage, and is there a procedures as soon as it warms up particular feeling or thrust or message outside and you start opening Solid Tops from your music that you want the windows and turning off your heat at The Tipbook says, “guitars made audience to come away with ? 3 home.” with laminated tops are less sensitive Jon: Nah, not really. I just play. I Time to Adjust to all of the above than guitars with figure people would rather hear me solid tops – but take care of those as play than talk, so that’s what I do. “If its extremely cold outside, and well. Some of the songs do have a you take your instrument someplace “Sounds a little excessive? message, some don’t. They all say where it’s warm, or vice versa, allow According to experts, about ninety something different. Pretty much your guitar some time to adjust to the percent of all acoustic guitar problems everything I write is in one way or new surroundings before unpacking it. are related to changes in air humidity another based on something in my Take it out after fifteen minutes or temperature.”5 life, so I hope they’re honest. As far [minimally], or as much longer as you Notes: as a message – take what you get can. The more gradually things from them. change, the better your instrument will 1-5 Tipbook Acoustic Guitar, The Complete like it. Guide, by Hugo Pinksterboer, pp. 136-140 Ed. Note: You can listen to Jon on the internet; go to: http://www.reverbnation.com/jonmosey. Notes: 1www.fandalism.com PAGE 6! WWW.COLUMBUSFOLKMUSICSOCIETY.ORG A DIFFERENT STRUMMER FEBRUARY, 2016 Welcome to Our Valentine New and Returning Members: Concert Roger and Madalyn Benjamin Proceeds go to the May 2016 Janet Chandler Central Ohio Folk Festival Joe Del Medico (NEW) ✧ Bill Cohen on piano and Brian King (NEW) guitar – singing songs about the joys and sorrows of love Rick McCracken-Bennett (NEW) Featuring tunes made famous by John Denver, Bette Midler, Don Newton James Taylor, Simon & Garfunkel, Tom Waits, Dan Fogelberg, Beatles, Eagles, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, & Sam Cooke Stuart & Margaret Wright (NEW) ✧ FUN with trivia questions about FAMOUS AND INFAMOUS COUPLES ✧ BEAUTIFUL VOCAL BACK-UP by the all-girl trio, THE A Special and HARMONETTES Huge ✧ Romantic flute accompaniments by Ann Fisher ✧ Door prizes, refreshments, and SURPRISES THANK YOU to outgoing Treasurer, Debbie All this for a $10 donation per person at the door; Shaw, and Proceeds go to the annual Central Ohio Folk Festival in May WHEN: Saturday Feb. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. A Big Welcome to new Treasurer, Charlie WHERE: Social Hall of Columbus Mennonite Church Flowers! 35 E. Oakland Park 43214 Questions? Call Bill at (614) 263-3851

THE COLUMBUS FOLK MUSIC SOCIETY OFFICERS & TRUSTEES OFFICERS Sharon Mittenbergs–[email protected] President: – Mike Hale–[email protected] Tom Nagel–[email protected] 614-354-5586 Cindy Ramsey–[email protected] Vice-President: Art Mittenbergs– [email protected] Cathy Sheets–[email protected] Treasurer: Charlie Flowers–[email protected] Carl Yaffey – [email protected] Secretary: Diane Boston– [email protected] Central Ohio Folk Festival Directors: Art and Sharon Mittenbergs – TRUSTEES [email protected] Linda Bolles–[email protected] Membership Chair: Carl Yaffey – Stan & Beth Bradley –[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Newsletter Editor: Diane Boston – Dan Clarke – [email protected] [email protected] Bill Cohen–[email protected] Webmaster: Carl Yaffey – [email protected] Jackie LaMuth–[email protected] FolkSide Coffeehouse Booking: Pam Raver – Jim Luckhaupt–[email protected] [email protected] Linda McDonald–[email protected]

WWW.COLUMBUSFOLKMUSICSOCIETY.ORG !PAGE 7 The Columbus Folk Music Society P.O. Box 2073512336 Columbus, OHOH 43220 43212

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I enjoy the annual Central Ohio Folk Festival (early May): Lots 5 4 3 2 1 Not (please circle one)