Vol. 36 No. 1 INSIDE THIS ISSUE! Jan, Feb, Mar. Abbie Weisenbloom, The Late Bloomer, Sound Advice, and 2016 More.... $5.00 Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org Bluegrass Express The Best Seat in the House Abbie Weisenbloom provides an intimate venue for acoustic music By Linda Levitt and Abbie Weisenbloom mountains above Carpinteria, California. time that afforded meant that my sister We spent several years there living in a and I had ample time to run around in Abbie Weisenbloom has made her mark trailer alongside the construction site the brush with our dogs, get poison oak, on the Portland music scene by creating where my parents were building their draw, fight, play music, read, and develop a thriving venue for bluegrass our imaginations. and other acoustic musicians in her Southeast Portland living How did you end up in Port- room. With over 200 shows under land? her belt, Abbie’s house concerts are well known, and a hot ticket My husband Harold and I were among fans of acoustic music and looking for a place – that we liked the bluegrass, old-time, and other and could afford – to settle and acoustic musicians who enjoy per- raise a family. We married in 1997 forming in an intimate setting to and were living in a San Francisco attentive audiences. With concert walk-up with a roommate. Even streaming now also available to at that time, we knew we could fans across the state – or across not afford to buy a place there, the ocean, via Concert Window although we loved it, so we quit (concertwindow.com/abbiewpre- our jobs and hit the road for a sents), Abbie continues to support year, searching for a place to settle musicians making a living with down. We traveled to Mexico, their craft and to make the concert all around the US, and Europe experience accessible to more (mostly France). Our last stop people. was Portland, where we knew a couple. That first night, we stayed Abbie recently took time between with them, walked to the Bagdad concert hosting and parenting Theater, and had pizza and a beer. duties to answer a few questions We were hooked! about the woman behind the wildly successful concert series and Have you always been interested the house concert experience. in music? Where did you grow up? Ever since I had the opportunity to play an instrument in 4th grade Abbie Weisenbloom has become well known for hosting bluegrass, old-time and I mainly grew up in the Santa acoustic house concerts in her Southeast Portland home. and was given my father’s flute to Barbara area, although I lived for play, I was immediately drawn to short periods in Hawaii and Nevada as playing. I also found the instrument itself dream house, in the style of an historic to be intensely beautiful: the detailed sil- a small child. A large part of my early adobe. The isolation of the location, childhood was spent living up in the limitations on TV, and the open-ended Continued on Page 7 February 25 - 28, 2016 “celebrating music from the mountains to the wide open seas...” Hyatt Regency Hotel, Bellevue WA Jerry Douglas presents The Earls of Leicester The Seldom Scene Doyle Lawson Quicksilver Martha Redbone’s Roots Project Väsen Solas Noam Pikelny The Steel Wheels Helen Highwater Stringband Dustbowl Revival Scythian Songs of the Fall Country Hammer Mustered Courage The Earl Brothers The Molly Tuttle Band Trout Steak Revival The Bombadils The Hounds Tooth Boys The Bumper Jacksons Petunia the Vipers and more to come! wintergrass.com Table of Contents Jan / Feb / Mar 2016 Volume 36 / Number 1 Newsletter of the Oregon Bluegrass Association www.oregonbluegrass.org This Issue Features Cover Story Vol. 36 No. 1 Abbie Weisenbloom ......................7 Oregon Bluegrass Association by Abbie Weisenbloom www.oregonbluegrass.org and Linda Leavitt The Late Bloomer Bluegrass Express May the Circle be Unbroken .......11 Bluegrass Express is a quarterly newsletter by Chuck McConnell dedicated to informing members of the Oregon Bluegrass Association about local, regional Preparing for the Front Porch of and national bluegrass issues, events and Heaven ...........................................17 opportunities. by Seiza de Tarr Columns & Commentary OBA Roseburg Chapter Secretary Francis Bluegrass Express Staff Stephenson President’s Message........................5 EDITOR Southern Oregon Report............21 Christine Weinmeister by Joe Ross [email protected] [email protected] Ask Aunt Pearl...............................25 by Linda Leavitt COPY EDITOR Bluegrass Tab ..............................26 by Steve Kaufman Nancy Christie [email protected] Sound Advice ..............................29 by Mark Gensman GRAPHIC DESIGN & LAYOUT John Prunty Calendars, Lists & Info Make sure to stop by the OBA suite at [email protected] OBA Membership and Ad Wintergrass! [email protected] Information ....................................4 What’s Playing on the Radio.........5 ADVERTISING Scheduled Jams.............................31 Pat Connell OBA Supporting Performer [email protected] Directory........................................33 (971) 207-5933 WEBMASTER & WEB CONTENT Tony McCormick John Hart [email protected] JAMS & ONLINE CALENDAR Jim Miernyk Clayton Knight Bluegrass tabs from Steve Kaufman [email protected] OBA Bluegrass Express - Winter 2016 3 OBA Membership & Ad Information The OBA Board Membership Information Website The OBA Board of Directors invites you Features include an interactive calendar that www.oregonbluegrass.org to join the OBA and to participate in its allows you to post your own events, excerpts many activities. Our membership benefits from past issues of the Bluegrass Express, and Officers of the Board include a subscription to the quarterly links for local bands. Come visit us online! Bluegrass Express, frequent mailings Visit the OBA web page today! Chris Palmer - President about events, and ticket discounts to www.oregonbluegrass.org [email protected] Northwest bluegrass events. Annual membership dues are $25 for a General Article and Editorial Submissions Tony McCormick- Vice President Member, $50 for Supporting Performers, The OBA Board invites you to submit letters, [email protected] and $125 for Contributing Business stories, photos and articles to The Bluegrass Ron Preston - Secretary Sponsors, as well as other options. To Express. Published files remain in our archives [email protected] join, complete the application on the back and art is returned upon request. cover and mail with your check to: Please send submissions to: Jim Miernyk- Treasurer Oregon Bluegrass Association John Prunty [email protected] P.O. Box 1115 Christine Weinmeister [email protected] Portland, OR 97207 Liz Crain - OBA Roseburg Chapter President Advertise in the Express! [email protected] John Hart - Webmaster Your Express advertising will reach over 500 households of bluegrass enthusiasts, while [email protected] helping the OBA to continue publishing this valuable resource. We appreciate your support of the Oregon Bluegrass Association. For information about placing an ad for your music-related business please contact Pat Connell via email at: Chuck Palmer - Membership [email protected] or (971) 207-5933. [email protected] AD RATES AND DIMENSIONS Linda Leavitt - Published quarterly: Volunteer Coordinator Winter (January, February, March) [email protected] Mailed on January 2 Reserve by Dec. 1, Copy deadline Dec. 15 Christine Weinmeister Spring (April, May, June) John Prunty - OBA Express Mailed on April 1 [email protected] Reserve by March1, Copy deadline March 15 Pat Connell - Ad Sales Summer (July, August, September) [email protected] Mailed on July 1 Reserve by June 1, Copy deadline June 15 Founded in 1982, the Oregon Bluegrass Fall (October, November, December) Association (OBA), is a volunteer-run, Mailed October 1 501(c) (3), non-profit arts organization Reserve by September 1, Copy deadline September 15 consisting consists of both individual and band memberships. Based in SIZE DIMENSION COST TWO OR MORE ISSUES Portland, Oregon, the OBA has chapters Full Page 7.5 x 9.5” $150.00 $130.00 in both Salem and Roseburg, and is the Half page horizontal 7.5 X 4.75” $90.00 $80.00 umbrella organization for the Chick Half Page vertical 3.75 x 9.5” $90.00 $80.00 Rose School of Bluegrass. Quarter page 3.75 x 4.50” $60.00 $50.00 Eighth page 3.75 x 2.25 (2 1/4)” $40.00 $30.00 The OBA is led by an elected Board of Directors who volunteer for two-year The OBA prefers to receive advertising payment in advance. For one year contracts, we terms. Monthly meetings are open to request payment six months in advance and we will bill for the next six months. Payment all members and an Annual Meeting may be made online via PayPal at www.oregonbluegrass.org/bgexpress.php or you may is held for the state-wide and regional send a check payable to The Oregon Bluegrass Association and mail to PO Box 1115, members. Financial support for the Portland, OR 97207. OBA comes from membership dues, fundraising events, tax-deductible dona- When submitting an advertisement to the OBA, please be sure the file is black and white, tions, merchandise sales and advertising 300 dpi and in either PDF, TIFF, or JPEG. If you have questions about your file please revenue from the Bluegrass Express, the email Christine Weinmeister at [email protected]. award-winning member newsletter. President’s Message What’s Playing on the Radio? Local Radio Bluegrass and Country Listings reetings! G Albany/Corvallis - KBOO We’re in what could be perceived as the dormancy of music during the winter Broadcast from Portland, can be heard at months. But in reality, it’s just moved indoors. There are still plenty of weekly jams 100.7 FM. See under Portland, below and this winter, quite a few live performances of all types. Astoria - KMUN 91.9 FM Kicking the year off was the New Year’s Eve bash at the Alberta Rose Theater with Some syndicated programming Jerry Douglas and Peter Rowan.