Cover: Each July and August, the NC mountains are home to the Swannanoa Gathering, held on the campus of Warren Wilson College, near Asheville. With the sweet sounds of fiddles, guitars, banjos and songs filling the air, the only thing missing is you! 27th Dear Friends, Fall 2017 Welcome to this year’s edition guitarist Tim May, blues historian Rev. Robert of our newsletter, the Post- Jones and singer/storyteller Sheila Kay Adams. card from Swannanoa. This Radio host Matt Watroba traced the history of summer Warren Wilson College American roots music and Melissa Hyman offered welcomed a new president, Dr. a Dinosaurs-themed program for children during Lynn Morton, who was on hand Traditional Song, Celtic, and Old-Time Weeks. for several of our Orientation sessions and concerts throughout Celtic Week was once again our the summer. We also debuted largest single program, welcoming President Lynn Morton our newly-renovated Kittredge new staffer Katie McNally on Theatre, with new seats, carpeting, sound baf- Scottish fiddle and the return of fling and other impovements, funded through the Irish fiddlerJohn Carty. Siobhan generous contributions of the Kaman Family Butler taught sean nós dance, Foundation, the charitable organization of one of joining a powerhouse fiddle lineup our long-time attendees, Bill Kaman. This spurred a that included Martin Hayes, capital campaign for the next phase of renovations Liz Carroll, Colin Farrell, Dancing on Air... for Kittredge, called “Take Your Seat,” about which Laura Risk, Andrew Finn Magill, you can find out more by contacting our office. Kimberley Fraser and Rose Flanagan, vocalist Cathy Jordan and guitarist Alan Murray. We Our spring Celtic Series, a part of the Mainstage also welcomed back guitarist/singer John Doyle, Concerts at Asheville’s Diana Wortham Theatre, mandolinist Marla Fibish, accordion master John presents some of the world’s finest Celtic artists, and Whelan, singer and flute player Nuala Kennedy, last year featured concerts by Solas, The Máirtín percussionist Matthew Olwell, Scottish singer Ed O’Connor Trio, Liz Carroll, John Doyle, & Billy Miller, guitarist Eamon O’Leary, harpers Billy McComiskey and Tannahill Weavers. See the Jackson and Gráinne Hambly, pipes and whistle “P.S.” section below for details on next spring’s players Kathleen Conneely, Kieran O’Hare and Celtic Series. Cillian Vallely, Lúnasa flute player Kevin Craw- ford, multi-instrumentalist Robin Bullock, and Irish Our vocal program, Traditional singer Len Graham. John Skelton again served as Song Week, kicked things off the Celtic Week Host. with the return of Reggie Harris teaching songs of social justice. Old-Time Music & Dance Week was once again We also got a hefty dose of our second largest program, and featured the debut Broadway from the Phantom of of new coordinator Erynn Marshall. She assembled the Opera’s Ciarán Sheehan the usual sterling staff, consisting of James Leva, and Karl Scully of the Four Earl White, Kirk Sutphin, Dan Gellert, Phil Irish Tenors. They were joined Jamison, Kari Sickenberger, Meredith McIn- by Nashville’s Brian & Nicole tosh, Cary Fridley, John Hollandsworth, Carl Christianson, Thistle & Shamrock host Fiona Jones, Joe Newberry, Ritchie, Irish ballad singer Len Graham, coordina- Susie Goehring, John tor Julee Glaub Weems, Dervish vocalist Cathy Herrmann, Ellie Grace, Jordan, gospel singer Kathy Bullock, early country Greg & Jere Canote, & honky-tonk specialist Mark Weems, multi-tal- Kenny Jackson, Gordy ented Appalachian musician Josh Goforth, Nashville Hinners, Rafe Stefa- The Canucklehead Brothers nini, Rodney Sutton, Ben Nelson, folklorist and field Mandolins. Coordinator shape-note singer Ron Pen and dulcimer ace Don Julia Weatherford’s all-star Pedi. New this year was guitarist Dave Keenan and staff included jazz violin great fiddler Clelia Stefanini. This year’s Guest Master (and recent Asheville transplant) Artists were singer Alice Gerrard, fiddler Bruce Christian Howes, Beauso- Greene, Mick Kinney & sons, Ada & Jimmy leil’s Cajun master and National McCown and dancer Thomas Maupin, accompa- Heritage Award winner Michael nied by the irrepressible Daniel Rockwell. Doucet, klezmer fiddler Eden MacAdam-Somer, old-time New to Guitar Week this year fiddlers Kilby Spencer and Happy fiddlin’... were Della Mae guitarist Court- Emily Schaad, Irish fiddler Liz ney Hartman and fingerstylist Knowles, multi-stylist Alex Hargreaves, Scottish Jamie Stillway. We welcomed fiddlerLaura Risk, Paul Anastasio teaching Mexi- back slack-key master Patrick can fiddle, Quebecois fiddle playerPascal Gemme, Landeza and blues guitarist Mary innovative cellist Malcolm Parson, Laura Lengnick Flower, who joined renowned teaching beginners technique, bluegrass fiddlerMatt fingerstylists Clive Carroll and Combs, creativity evangelist Joe Craven, guitarist Peppino D’Agostino, with Pat Greg Ruby and bassist Kevin Kehrberg. Swannanoa wants YOU... Donohue, Mike Dowling, ukulele master Gerald Ross, coordinator Al Petteway, Mando & Banjo Week was a worthy partner to Scott Ainslie, Robin Bullock, Sean McGowan, Fiddle Week and added a powerhouse group of Greg Ruby, Josh Goforth, percussive guitarist fretted instrument players including legendary banjo Vicki Genfan, and clawhammer evangelist Steve innovator Tony Trischka and bluegrass masters Baughman. The week also featured demonstrations Alan Munde and Bill Evans. To teach clawham- from instrument repairman Randy Hughes and daily mer banjo, we recruited Old-Time Week veterans displays of the guitars of master luthiers Leonardo Paul Brown and Terri McMurray. The mandolin Buendia, Gerald Sheppard, John Slobod and staff featured a new staff member in bluesman Rich Michael Bashkin along with selected inventory DelGrosso and we welcomed back Bill Monroe- from Dream Guitars, a local shop specializing in stylist Mike Compton. They joined international high-end instruments. virtuosi Mike Marshall and Caterina Lichtenberg, bluegrass greats Alan Bibey and John Reischman, Contemporary Folk Week jazz mandolinist Don Stiernberg, and welcomed newcomers Tift the eclectic styles of Matt Flinner. Merritt, Joshua Davis and We were very pleased to welcome Camela Widad and veteran back guitarist David Surette, who staff members Janis Ian, Tom missed last year due to illness, while Paxton, Kathy Mattea, Don Ed Dodson taught guitar and led the Henry, Amy Speace, Ellis daily bluegrass jam. Legendary man- Paul, Jon Vezner, Cliff Eber- dolin builder Lynn Dudenbostel was hardt, Siobhan Quinn, and again on-hand to offer repair work Ray Chesna to the staff. We and bad puns. Pickin’ & Grinnin’ were also pleased to welcome Vance in a Trance back, after a too-long hiatus, Check out the “Coming Next Summer” section the irrepressible Vance Gilbert. Kim Richardson below for a sneak preview of the 2018 lineup. again acted as the Contemporary Folk Week Host. Fiddle Week continued its pairing with Mando & Banjo Week, and the two programs combined jams and band sessions, and members of both staffs performed in the staff concerts over three nights. This year’s Luthier’s Exhibit featured violinmaker Joe Thrift, bowmaker Roger Treat, mandolin builder Dan Voight and the folks from North- Family News... Any of you with news of inter- Rachel Bettendorf, (Guitar); est to the Gathering community Ellie Morgan, Emily Cope, should send a copy to the Gath- Sophie Rubenson, Emily Lord ering office, and we’d be happy (Contemporary Folk); Luisa to publish it here... Some of you Bryson, Julia Bokulich, Kai may know that Trad. Song Week Bokulich, Beth Davis, Kendal Coordinator Julee Weems is Ward, Sam Stage, Megan battling Lyme disease. When Gordon, (Fiddle); Maxwell It’s Always Sunny word got around about it last Allard, Otto Allard, Trajan in Swannanoa... summer the Trad. Song attend- Wellington, Isaiah Gordon (Mando & Banjo). Key It’s all in the technique... ees raised $6000 to help with deposit donations to our Youth Scholarship fund her treatment... In June, when long-time staffer this year totaled $10,516. Our profound thanks to all Laura Risk completed her PhD at McGill University, of you who gave financially to help cultivate a love for she also received the Governor General’s Gold traditional music and dance in the next generation... Medal “conferred upon the most outstanding McGill Teachers please note that the Swannanoa Gathering graduate receiving a Doctoral degree in 2016-2017 offers teacher renewal certification hours for in any discipline.” Congrats!!... Old-time fiddler and any of our weeks. Contact your local school board Gathering staffer Rafe Stefanini has become para- for prior approval... Don’t forget to support your lyzed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Visit <www. local Public Radio and Television stations. For caringbridge.org/visit/rafestefanini/journal> to find other folk news, don’t forget the online resources out how you can help... Banjo builder Bob Thorn- AcousticGuitarForum.com, burg generously donated one of his gourd banjos MandolinCafe.com, Banjo- for our Youth Scholarship fund. It was raffled off and Hangout.com, Mandozine. raised $774. The winner was none other than staff com and magazines Sing Out!, instructor Jere Canote who had always wanted The Old-Time Herald, Acous- a gourd banjo... Congrats to Contemporary Folk tic Guitar, Dulcimer Players Week staffer Jim Lauderdale who was inducted News, Fingerstyle Guitar, and into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame on Octo- Fiddler. Folk trumpet?! ber 19... This summer, we welcomed 20 scholars sponsored by our own Youth