THE TM 911 Franklin Street Weekly Newspaper Michigan City, IN 46360 Volume 23, Number 4 Thursday, February 1, 2007 Crooning Tunes in the Dunes by Paula McHugh The Calumet Dune Interpretive Center on Kemil Road may not have the same number of visitors it used to, but don’t tell the devoted audience that gathers monthly to hear the old-timey, acoustic melodies performed by Save the Tunes. Tippety tap, clappity clap, hum, sing, and clap some more. Every month, an informal group of musicians from the area present a themed program of familiar—and not- so-familiar tunes. In January, the theme was “Time”—from the perspective of the year’s beginning and years past. “We had a smaller group (of musicians) this month,” Marti Pizzini said. Sometimes the stage is packed with as many as two dozen tunesmiths, she explained. Marti is the founder and unoffi cial leader of the group, while her hus- band Dave is in charge of the sound equipment. The Piz- zinis, featured right here in the Beacher many moons ago for their skills at building and playing hurdy-gurdys, are a popular musical presence at many Lakeshore festivals and events. Marti Pizzini is the founder and unoffi cial leader of the group that performs songs monthly at the Calumet Dune Interpretive Center. Save the Tunes, Marti said, supports the interpretive mission of the National Lakeshore by presenting a varied menu of musical material. Marti followed her dream of starting a local musical group that explored many different views of obscure music. Her idea came from a seed planted by a pair of musicians who performed at Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Save the Tunes, Marti said, supports the interpre- tive mission of the National Lakeshore by presenting a varied menu of musical material. Save the Tunes’ musicians all have an interest in the historical back- ground of the pieces they perform. And learning a particular piece, dug up from archives and often out-of-print, can take Tippety tap, clappity clap, hum, sing, and clap some more. Save the Tunes musicians as long as seven or eight hours to learn, warm up for an evening of old timey tunes. From left, Long Beacher Brian Kanyer, explained Marti. Paul Mache, banjo, Chuck Temple, John Burnett, Mary Meyer, and Marti Pizzini. Dennis Brittain is just out of picture range. Tunes Continued on Page 2 THE Page 2 February 1, 2007 THE 911 Franklin Street • Michigan City, IN 46360 219/879-0088 • FAX 219/879-8070 In Case Of Emergency, Dial e-mail: News/Articles - [email protected] email: Classifieds - [email protected] http://www.thebeacher.com/ PRINTED WITH Published and Printed by TM Trademark of American Soybean Association THE BEACHER BUSINESS PRINTERS Delivered weekly, free of charge to Birch Tree Farms, Duneland Beach, Grand Beach, Hidden 911 Shores, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Michiana MI and Shoreland Hills. The Beacher is also Subscription Rates delivered to public places in Michigan City, New Buffalo, LaPorte and Sheridan Beach. 1 year $26 6 months $14 3 months $8 1 month $3 Tunes Continued from Page 1 No special requirements, other than an ability to play, dance or sing-- and an interest in musical his- tory-- are necessary to join the group. When Marti founded the group more than a dozen years ago, she said she was the sole performer for the fi rst few months. “I would meet other musicians and invite them to play,” she said, adding that the group has now grown to some 20 performers. Not all show up on any given month, which is probably a good thing, since the tiny stage at the interpretative center can accommodate comfortably only about a dozen play- ers and their instruments. Many Save the Tunes’ members perform at other John Burnett is another long-time member of Save the Tunes and a National Lakeshore events throughout the year. veteran of many National Lakeshore-sponsored events. Every one of them volunteers their talents for the chosen songs’ histories this particular evening. Fin- benefi t of Lakeshore visitors and for the local com- ishing the evening’s performance with “Goodnight, munity. Irene,” John explained the history of the piece and Jim Obermeyer, sporting bright red suspenders how its composer came to be known to millions as over a crisp white shirt Ledbelly. For the wealth of background information this particular evening, about his songs, the audience could forgive him for used tapping learned forgetting the lyrics to a tune her performed ear- with the Good Time lier in the evening. Relating to a sour note picked Cloggers to perform accidentally from his untuned guitar string, John several “dance sets” to described his musical faux pas as “like getting up the music chosen by the in the middle of the night and stepping in a puddle instrumentalists sitting of water.” up on the stage. Jim, a Yes, the mood is informal and fun at these month- septuagenarian, said ly musical gatherings. Plus, the audience is treated that he can perform to background information about the pieces played “only so much at his in a way that might quickly bore a student in a age” before he gets a bit classroom. winded. As we watched his legs and arms swing and tap, we fi gured that the clogger burned off a goodly amount of calories with each song played. John Burnett is an- other long-time mem- ber of Save the Tunes Jim Obermeyer, sporting bright red and a veteran of many suspenders over a crisp white shirt National Lakeshore- this particular evening, performs a sponsored events. The clogging routine. Porter resident, play- Mary Minton, whose specialty is cowboy songs and songs of the ing mandolin and guitar, both solo and duet, dem- West is also well-known for her yodeling skills. onstrated a phenomenal in-depth knowledge of his She and John Burnett belt out a tune. THE February 1, 2007 Page 3 Mary Minton, whose specialty is cowboy songs and songs of the West is also well-known for her yo- Open ‘til 6 p.m. deling skills. She didn’t disappoint January’s audi- Evenings ence of about sixty fans. Mary Meyer strummed her guitar and sung lyr- ics from a ballad about Lake Superior, then honored Martin Luther King’s birthday with a sing-along, “We Shall Overcome.” www.littlehousefashions.comElegant Apparel for the Strumming a mandolin, Chuck Temple took his [email protected] Conscious Woman turn at the mike for a sing-along rendition of “You Women’s Apparel Are My Sunshine.” Long Beacher Brian Kanyer sang several whaling ditties, and was joined by John Burnett’s and Paul Mache’s voices in a spontaneous Boss Is Away Sale three-part harmony. Paul Mache’s contribution for the evening was a pair of Depression-era songs per- Buy 1, Get 1 formed in a bluesy manner. No one rehearses the performances, by the way. “We (musicians) have a lot of house parties over 1/2 Price the year,” Marti said. Naturally, they all bring their (of equal or lesser value) instruments and jam as part of the evenings’ high- lights. “What’s ‘rehearse’?,” John quipped before per- forming a Pete Seeger tune. Brian Kanyer, of Long Beach, sang a pair of whaling ditties. Brian wore his Bears hat to the show, not yet knowing that his favorite team was headed to the Super Bowl. Twismate by Parkhurst - Black and White Fairview Striped "V" for a very comptempory look. Can be dressed up or down and quite striking in the spectator color blocked design. 77% Viscose, 23% Polyamide, washable. Size S,M,L,XL Fall & Winter Clearance Original 50% off Price 409409 Alexander Alexander Street Street, LaPorte,LaPorte, IN IN 326-8602326-8602 On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway Paul Mache’s contribution for the evening was a pair of Depression-era On Hwy 35 - 5 Blocks South of Lincolnway Turn right on Alexander songs performed in a bluesy manner. Turn Right on Alexander Monday-FridayMonday - Friday 10 am 9:30 to 6 topm 7 Saturday Saturday 9:30 9:30 am to to 5 5 pm Tunes Continued on Page 4 THE Page 4 February 1, 2007 Tunes Continued from Page 3 The variety of instruments brought to the Janu- ary Tunes concert included a few out-of-the-ordi- nary music makers. Besides guitars, mandolins and a banjo, the audience was treated to the timbre and ethereal notes of a fl oor harp belonging to Dennis Brittain. Dennis sang, and strummed “Try to Re- member” in perfect pitch. Besides guitars, Mary Meyer strummed her guitar and sung lyrics from a ballad about mandolins and a Lake Superior, then honored Martin Luther King’s birthday with banjo, the audi- a sing-along, “We Shall Overcome.” ence was treated to the timbre and ethereal notes of a fl oor harp belonging to Dennis Brittain. Dennis sang, and strummed “Try to Remember” in perfect pitch. Each musician who shows up for the monthly gathering has his or her “moment of fame” in front of the mike. They choose their pieces based on the monthly theme. While at the mike, each performer backs up his fellow musicians on stage. The fea- tured performer calls out the key, and the rest pick Save the Tunes fans and entertainers stop to pose for a Beacher photo. their strings—or in the case of Dennis Brittain—a From left, Olive Etchason, Mary Minton, Bob Etchason, May Etchason, and Jim Obermeyer. concertina or tenor recorder—and follow the main performer’s lead.